Small Bloomington club scene demands big fashion choices

Fashion is a huge part of Tober's life. Aside from the fact that she is majoring in apparel merchandising, she says she sees it as a break from her daily grind of hooded sweatshirts and lounge pants. \n"It depends on the type of party I'm going to," she says. "If I'm not trying to impress anyone, I'll wear jeans and a tank top. If I want to impress people -- guys -- I'll wear black pants and a tank top. If it's warm, a dress or skirt with a tank top."\nFor students who party a lot, the clothes they wear are just as important as where they go. Clothing sends many messages, sometimes not always good. \n"I personally don't like when girls wear backless shirts," Scott Mossbarger, a sophomore, says. "I wouldn't approach a girl who dresses like that."\nInstead, Mossbarger says he is attracted to girls with a more relaxed look.\n"I like when girls wear a nice pair of jeans and a not-too-revealing shirt, he says. "I like the girls that dress like they aren't out to find a man. They don't care if they get a guy or not." \nJesse Pace, a freshman, also says she thinks girls should take it easy when going out. \n"I don't like girls that look like they wanna get 'hoed,'" he laughes, "unless she looks like Britney Spears." \nTober argues that fashion should be about fun. \n"Since I'm into fashion, I like to experiment with different things and see what works," she says. "I hate it when girls wear long sleeved shirts that aren't low-cut to parties. Or when they look like they just came from class. That's the fun of going to parties -- dressing up. I don't discriminate against the hoochie girls because I used to be one." \nDominique Bragg, a sophomore, says that what people wear out should be an alternative to traditional "school clothes."\n"I wear fun clothes (to go out), and by that I mean sparkly belts and glitter," she says.\nBut she does have one complaint about people who wear next to nothing when they go out. \n"In clubs, the way that certain girls dress allows them to move ahead in the line, and that bugs me," she says.\nSome club owners have implemented dress codes to prevent club goers from wearing certain attire. Nicole Gibson, the sales and event coordinator for the World Mardi Gras club in Indianapolis, briefly describes the dress code.\n"Sweatshirts, sweatpants, jerseys and hats aren't allowed," she says. "The official dress code is listed online at www.worldmardigras.net."\nGibson admits that on any given weekend night, she does see the "hoochie" crowd. \n"By 'hoochie,' I mean that these girls are covering what they have to by law. I see a lot of backless shirts, bra tops, and low-rider jeans," she says.\nAs warmer weather approaches, local stores are beginning to display the latest spring fashions. Wet Seal, located in the College Mall, sells a lot of "party attire." Sarah Miles, assistant manager for Wet Seal and a junior education major, says she sees first hand what a lot of girls will be wearing as spring arrives. \n"Jennifer Lopez's look from her 'Jenny from the Block' video is really popular," she says. "The cargo capris are selling quickly and they have been since the video came out. Those pants have been flying off the shelves." \nMiles says that a lot of recent fashions have been influenced by the '80s. \n"I think people are nervous about going back to the '80s look," she says. "This spring, we're selling a lot of asymetrical shirts and off-the-shoulder tops. Graphics and bright colors, like orange, pink, and turquoise are popular too. White pants, striped pants and denim catsuits are also in style." \nTober says that she likes that white pants are now "fashionable."\n"I do like the cargo-capri pants, even though they're not really considered party attire," she says. "I like asymetrical shirts as well, but they're not my favorite item to wear."\nJill Minkner, the store manager at Forever 21 in the Castleton Square Mall in Indianapolis, says she is excited about the store's new spring fashions.\n"We cater to everyone," Minkner says. "Lately, we've been selling a lot of spring break wear, asymetrical shirts and black and white striped stuff."\nTober says she likes to shop at Forever 21 because of the variety of styles it offers.\n"Stores like Forever 21 that do cater to all different styles allow me to have more to choose from, as well as mix and match certain items and see what outfits I can come up with," she says. \nMinkner says that most of Forever 21's spring line is inspired by west coast. \n"We're a California-based store, so L.A.-type clothes are popular with us," she says. "New York style is also cool. I would describe our clothes as skimpy and more sexy, but sophisticated at the same time. Some of our biggest influences are Gwen Stefani, Avril Lavigne and Christina Aguilera, even though some people hate her style."\nTober says she recognized another celebrity-influenced item at Forever 21 that she had seen on TV. \n"On Fashionably Loud last year, Eve had this asymetrical shirt and skirt that she wore on the runway. It was really standout," Tober says. "I went to Forever 21 recently and I saw a similar outfit. Forever 21 is really good about keeping up with celebrity style."\nWhen going clubbing, Tober has her own special wardrobe idol.\n"I love Mariah Carey," she says. "I know some people think that she dresses trashy and sleazy, but I really like her style." \nTober says she doesn't see one big trend for Spring 2003. \n"A lot of magazines and papers have been trying to spot trends for this spring, and they just can't do it," she says.\nShe says, regardless of what's "in style," a person should wear what makes them happy.\n"I like and dislike certain clothing, but it should be up to the person what they want to wear while having fun," she says.