Life & Style

Politits Art Coalition fights censorship with solidarity
By Brianna Kirkham
December 1, 2016 - 2:12pm
Earlier this year, six women artists in Rochester formed a feminist art group, Politits Art Coalition.

Politits is a made-up word, but you can’t say it on the radio.

Earlier this year, six women artists in Rochester formed the Politits Art Coalition (PAC), a grassroots feminist art group. Jacquelyn O’Brien, PAC founder and Rochester-based sculptor, came up with the idea as a means to create solidarity within the feminist artistic community.

“What I felt like I missed most was what I read about in second-wave feminism,” she said. “And that’s a group of women entirely and intrinsically dependent on ourselves.”

Shimmying through stereotypes
By Shradha Rao
November 30, 2016 - 5:55pm
Ionah and the Head over Heels Dance Co. educate about Middle Eastern culture through belly dancing.

With colorful lamps emitting soft light over the darbukas and hookahs in the corner and Scheherazade staring into nothingness in the background, Ionah Raqs swings her raven hair in her 100-square-foot space of her living room that doubles as her studio.

‘Right, left, right over left,’ the Syracuse local instructs her students as she gracefully shimmies to the music of Hossam Ramzy, a Middle Eastern musician.

Avoiding the SAD-ness of winter
By Bridget Whitfield
November 29, 2016 - 2:22pm
It's important to take care of your mind and body in the winter in order to avoid seasonal affective disorder

The season of frozen sidewalks, 20-degree wind chill and dark, cloudy skies is upon us. The winter is a tough time for many but, Syracuse natives, from November until the last days of April, deal with few days of sunlight and face an average of more than 10 feet of snow per year, according to the National Weather Service. 

Syracuse Snare Quidditch Club travels to PA for festival and tournament
By Tobi Thompson
November 1, 2016 - 2:27pm
Syracuse University's quidditch team participates in the annual Brotherly Love Quidditch Cup and Harry Potter Festival.

The sound of John Williams’ compositional strings played in the air. Adults and children alike dressed in costumes of wizards, prison mates, owls, and muggles. And ten athletic teams competed against each other on PVC pipes at Chestnut Hill College on October 22. This could only amount to the annual Brotherly Love Quiddtich Cup and Harry Potter Festival.

Halloween treats for lazy college students
By Abby Rose Sugnet
October 30, 2016 - 2:28pm
Whether you are hosting a party or hanging out at home watching scary movies on Halloween night, here are some fun and easy treats you can make.

OK, maybe you’re not lazy – you just have enough to do already and the last thing you need is a three-hour recipe to finish before the potluck you’re going to this Halloweekend. Here are four Halloween-themed desserts, all with different intentions, so be sure to check out the ratings when deciding which one works best for you. They can all be made gluten-free, too!

1. Pumpkin Cupcakes

EASINESS: 1/4

HEALTHINESS: 2/4

TASTINESS: 3/4

CUTENESS: 4/4

CSA hosts annual Caribfest
By Rukayat Abiola Oloko
October 27, 2016 - 3:27pm
This year's Caribfest included a pageant, fashion show, and dance performances.

Syracuse University’s Caribbean Student Association began its celebration of its 30th year on campus with its annual Caribfest pageant and concert.

The pageant crowned Mr. and Miss Caribfest 2016 out of five Caribbean hopefuls. Contestants used the segments of the pageant to show why they deserve to represent the Caribbean Islands on the Syracuse University Campus.

Changing the narrative of body shaming
By Sarah Heikkinen
October 19, 2016 - 11:02pm
Young feminists are working to put an end to the stigma that surrounds body shaming in queer and minority communities in Central New York.

At the first presidential debate, Hillary Clinton called Donald Trump out on comments he made about former Miss Universe, Alicia Machado. Trump body shamed and stereotyped Machado, the first Latina to win the pageant, by calling her Miss Piggy (because she gained weight) and Miss Housekeeping (because she’s Latina). The second presidential debate was preceded by a leak of offensive comments about women Trump made during a bit he had done for Access Hollywood in 2005. “Grab her by the pu—y,” he now famously said to Billy Bush in the recording.

Halloween fashion show fractures your favorite fairytales
By Kayla Boyd
October 19, 2016 - 8:46pm
Syracuse Fall Fashion Week kicked off Halloween early with its annual Syracuse Snarl fashion show.

Neon lights flashed around a runway at the top of the curved staircase at the Landmark Theater on Thursday, Oct. 13. The Little Mermaid, Sleeping Beauty, Aladdin, and… Donald Trump? Those were just some of the looks that strutted down at this year’s Syracuse Snarl fashion show.

Hosted by Syracuse Fall Fashion Week, the theme was “fractured fairytales.”

The woman behind the hair
By Kayla Boyd
October 12, 2016 - 12:36pm
Local hair stylist Shannon Fleming takes on Syracuse Fashion Week, again.

When Shannon Fleming was only 11 years old, she did her mom’s hair for her wedding. Now, 27 years later, Fleming is still the go-to person for event hair – except the up-dos and color treatments aren’t just for her mom, they’re for runway models at Syracuse Fashion Week.

Syracuse Style brings residents downtown for a night of fashion, unity
By Brianna Moné
September 18, 2016 - 5:15pm
On Thursday evening, Syracuse Fashion Week hosted an outdoor runway show on Walton Street.

Where fashion and community meets, that’s the goal of Syracuse Style.

Thursday night, Syracuse Fashion Week and the Downtown Committee of Syracuse collaborated for the city’s sixth annual Syracuse Style runway show. The free event shut down Walton St. and entertained a packed crowd with fashions from exclusively downtown shops and boutiques.

As one of the biggest events of Syracuse Fashion Week, the runway show featured 16 different stores, such as Midnight Sun, Modern Pop Culture, Indie Kids, and Project 214.