NOCTILUCA December 2016

CULTURE Appleton, Wisconsin December 2016 Vol. XXII

Issue III

Page 10

The alternative fashion of a rising teen subculture The ‘mysticore’ fashion takes off in pop culture

a cheap knock-off mounted to a ring, necklace or ear- rings at Forever 21, Pacsun or Windsor. If you’re seri- ous, Earthbound sells them along with instructions on what they are said to do and which one you’ll need based off of your needs. If you’re really serious, the Mystic Earth Gallery has some impressive crystals, but only if you have $3,000 lying around. Otherwise, you might just have to win- dow-shop. If you don’t buy into the more hands-on aspects of the culture, there’s still room. Fashion companies all around the world have jumped onto the band- wagon and embraced the magical purple-black color palette that social media gurus display. One of the most influential collections to take these elements and create high fashion out of it was Valentino, with its Pre-Fall 2015 collection of embroidered, starry, silver, deep navy and gold dresses. Another, Chanel, created a buzz with their Star Sign clutch, encrusted with a set gemstones above each of the twelve zodiac signs. You too, could own this clutch, for $4,495. Pacsun’s brand, Gypsy Warrior, is a little more down to Earth, selling pastel goth and bohemian clothes in deep purple and black

with velvet and silk, an ode to the 90s grunge look of The Hex Girls. An easy way to imitate this style is to simply wear deep purple lipstick at any time of the day, and go ham with your makeup. Winged eyeliner can make any look and fish- nets, though a hard item to pair things with, can look edgy in the best way if worn right. Take a page from the “American Horror Story: Coven” book and invest in a large black hat (the Beyonce kind) and Doc Martens. All of these aspects of the emerging alternative sub- culture aren’t here coinci- dentally. Teens in a world so far removed from nature are reconnecting with it in their own way. Through In- stagram, Facebook, Twitter and other sites where style is shared infinitely, the idea of a way of life contrary to that of the modern adult is appealing: so is anything purple, velvet or crystal. The mystic style promoted by artists and photographers has merit. It’s not just talk. With young adults given a thousand reasons to stress, healing crystals sound like they’re worth a try, and the individualistic nature of the culture provides the oppor- tunity for teens to express themselves through a trend, yet maintain a singular and distinctive look.

By Sophie Plzak

This summer was, ac- cording to Vogue, officially coined the “Season of the Witch.” It seems odd at first—not exactly the first thing that comes to mind when you think of summer trends, right? But, as we creep deeper into this school year, you might start to no- tice that it’s a rather accurate title for the newly blossom- ing sub-culture popping up everywhere, including here at North. Let’s start with the simple things. Have you noticed all of the chokers, purple lipstick, black boots and other “nu-goth” accessories around school, or the ever present focus on astrology by lots of students? I know I’ve heard “Mercury’s in retrograde” thrown around more than a few times. These small things are all part of a bigger movement, a shift from the modern, fast-paced and digital life- styles many teens are con- sumed by to more healthy- mindfulness focused habits. The counterculture that this idea surrounds has a name, though there is a lot of grey area as to where a fashion and collection of new hob- bies ends and Pagan or Wic- can traditions begin. In a For the eighteenth year in a row, the Appleton North theatre program has taken home what is very much like “the gold” of high school theatre programs across the state: they won the Critic’s Choice award at the Wisconsin state one act competition. This year, Appleton North brought to life “The White Snake,” a Daoist tale about love, sacrifice, and spirits penned by Chicago-based playwright Mary Zimmer- man. North’s reiteration One act play ‘The White Snake’ wins at state By Maddy Schilling

Sophomore Allison Hammond models the dark, “nu-goth” in- spired palette of the blossoming “mysticore” aesthetic. Photo courtesy of Allison Hammond

strict clothing sense, which of it is truly “mysticore” and which is just nu-goth, pastel goth, or just a look from Urban Outfitters? Earlier this year the title “mysticore” was coined, stemming from the word “normcore,” which is the subculture dedicated to tak- ing normal, mainstream looks and using them in high fashion ways. This “mysticore” term is grow- ing in popularity, although it stems from many pioneers who choose to identify as witches, part of another cul- ture in itself. Many of the faces of this culture include the founder of the online store The Hood Witch, and Instagram’s @bloodmilk and @nonalimmen, who are not only fashion icons, but also artists of every kind. They have adapted not only the look, but also the was similar to the origi- nal—with a powerful snake spirit turned beautiful young maiden finding love and conquering evil in the natural world, alongside a feisty green companion— just condensed by about an hour-and-a-half to fit the demands of a forty minute maximum length for com- peting one act plays. This means that a set of bamboo-esque walls and a massive projection screen along with colorful lights, props, and a stage full of ac- tors had to be hauled onto and off of the stage in just two-thirds of an hour, or else the show would have been disqualified from ad- vancement or achievement

lifestyle. Crystals for in- stance, aren’t just trendy for the aesthetic. It’s become common place to seek out crystals that some believe hold healing powers. If you’re wondering how to deal with stress, maybe it’s time to invest in an am- ethyst. Allison Hammond, a sophomore here at North, talked to me about her ex- perience with the crystals. “Basically, different kinds of crystals help with differ- ent aspects of your life. Like rose quartz helps with pret- ty much anything involved with love. I normally keep rose quartz and amethyst in my pocket. When I’m re- ally stressed or I feel like things aren’t going my way, I put them both in my hand and feel any bad energy go into them.” You could find in the competition. And indeed, the one act play is a multi-faceted com- petition. Before making their way to the state level, the “The White Snake” cast and crew first had to surpass the district and sectional levels, two separate per- formances in two different locations wherein a round of judges determined their fate: stop in their tracks or continue in the pursuit of the coveted Critic’s Choice award at the state level, saved solely for “the best of the best.” “The White Snake” did that and more, earning not only Critic’s Choice, but also snagging an award for directing, en- semble acting, technical

Lightning theatre wins eighteenth consecutive Critic’s Choice

Rachel Sina (left) and Caroline Holmes (right) won individual acting awards for their roles as Greenie and White Snake, re- spectively. Photo courtesy of Catherine McKenzie

performance and individual acting excellence for soph- omore Caroline Holmes (White Snake) and senior Rachel Sina (Greenie). Though the theatre pro- gram’s feat of earning every award offered at the state

competition this year was a rare albeit hefty accom- plishment, their eighteenth consecutive Critic’s Choice is a win unmatched in the approximately one hundred year history of the competi- tion.