Cyril Pietrafesa ’09: Last week I was chatting with the great gentleman Dan Cannata ’08 during Track practice when he asked me if he could dress like me for a day. Initially being overly pretentious and thinking “How could anyone replicate MY elegance?!” I decided to let him humour me, and try to be me for a day. But only under the condition that I could dress as he does as well. That night, I realized that Dan’s request to imitate my suaveness was not the first, and while I fully realize that his desire was based on an aspiration to mock me, allow me to take my self esteem booster where I can get it. Anyhow, on Tuesday, April 22nd, I’m hosting Dress Like Cyril Day. If at least five people dress like me, the five who first approach me to display their attempts at re-creating me will be allowed to choose one person on campus for me to replicate the following Tuesday (no women and not Dan Thomas ’89—no one should even be exposed to that clothing). I will not let people borrow clothing, because it makes this task way too easy. Also, I have to approve the attempt for it to count. Good luck. We may even take a picture for The News.
Alice Berman ’09: Not all of us can dress like Cyril all of the time, but we should all try. What makes Cyril such a noticeable fashion figure on campus is his consistent ability to be pristinely attired. Thus, I feel it incumbent on me to assist all of you Cyril-look-alikes we will soon be seeing. Here are five ways to make every outfit Cyril-perfect:
1. Make sure that everything you wear is in good repair. The sloppy details will draw everyone’s attention. Tide-to-go is a quick way to make stains disappear, and a flat iron works in a pinch to make your clothes smoother and snappier.
2. Wear what suits you. As tempting as some trends are, they’re not flattering for everyone. Everyone has certain styles that are not the greatest on them and others that look fantastic. Don’t wear a color that washes you out or makes your skin look sallow– try one that matches your eyes or compliments your hair. Ensuring all of your clothes go well with your features means you don’t have to worry too much about what you put on in the morning, which makes getting ready in a rush a lot simpler.
3. The little things matter. How you wear your hair does actually make a difference – putting it up or even pulling it back can change how you look entirely. Chipped toe nail polish is, actually, noticeable—and not particularly attractive. Hair, make-up, and accessories can transform the way you look from a few mixed and rumpled pieces of clothing, into a complete outfit.
4. Don’t repeat! It’s noticeable. Ten percent of your wardrobe 100 percent of the time is not a good way to dress. Simply pairing something you wear a lot with something different—e.g. a jacket instead of a cardigan—makes the outfit a little more forgivable. A good way to mix things up is with your accessories; a colorful scarf or a big belt can transform an old dress. The no-repeats rule does not just apply to separates. If you wear the same variation of an outfit everyday, you might as well be wearing the same outfit.
5. Wear what you like. There’s no point in looking good if you don’t feel comfortable. If out of the ordinary, you may be on the receiving end of a few questioning looks, but just remember that no one—from the editors of Vogue to your best friend—can dictate your idea of style.
