Spring Break from NYC to Hati

Here is the article I wrote for my campus publication about Spring style in NYC: be an upper east side princess for a day, chill with the hipsters, or wild out in Hati.
Spring Break offers the savvy dresser an opportunity to break out and go wild—in a manner of speaking. Whether you want to create a new style persona or avoid looking like a tourist, a working knowledge of clothing customs is imperative. Here is a guide to help you decode dressing from NYC to Haiti.
Several areas in NYC are known for their inhabitants’ distinct style of dressing. The area closest to home is the Upper East Side, extending north from 59th to 96th Street and east from Central Park to the East River. Upper East Siders are not afraid to display the wealth that their neighborhood is associated with. Fur, designer bags, and town cars saturate the area.
If you plan on visiting the famed Upper East Side designer boutiques or legendary department stores, you’ll want to dress the part. But don’t despair; services are available to help you look like a Park Avenue princess for a day. The website Bag Borrow or Steal (www.bagborroworsteal.com) loans designer handbags to aspiring heiresses. The classic Chanel flap bag and the trendy Marc Jacobs Stam bag cost $100 dollars a week to rent. If you want to purchase the aforementioned bags new, you’ll have to part with $1000. Bag Borrow or Steal is helping democratize designer bag “ownership”. If you’re going somewhere and you need to arrive in style, try renting a town car from AA Executive Town Car and Limo. Rates are $45 per hour but, the service you’ll receive from boutique employees who assume you’re wealthy is priceless.
If the Upper East Side feels too pretentious and expensive, try journeying below 14th Street. The best accessory for a Barnard woman in this area is a map. The predictable city grid simply disappears here. In addition to a map, skinny jeans, vintage tees, quirky accessories, and athletic shoes such as Converse and Vans are must-haves. Most Barnard students will need to alter their wardrobe only slightly to appear like a native. Designer jeans are a huge don’t. Leave your Sevens and True Religion denim at home. Brand free pockets or Levis’ are favored downtown. Androgynous and dramatic punk inspired highlights are also in. If adding pink highlights or shaving half of your hair is too drastic, try wearing a wig. It will give you the flexibility of a temporary transformation. Maybe you’ll fall in love with your new look and decide to make it permanent.
The proverbial Spring Break occurs in slightly warmer places than NYC. The West Indies, which include Jamaica and Haiti, is a popular Spring Break destination. They are the perfect location to escape the doldrums of New York black and grey. Here bright clothing is standard. It’s normal to see a man wearing green shoes with a pink top. Vladimir Michel, a 21 year old Haitian-American, said West Indian style was originally driven by economics. “Haitians don’t care. They buy whatever they have on their backs.” Originally West Indians dressed in clashing apparel because most people couldn’t afford to match. Now vivid colors are a matter of cultural pride; upper class Haitians wear them as well. Vladimir warns tourists to leave jewelry at home because kidnappers usually target jewelry wearers.
Whether you’re traveling to a new country or staying in New York City, Spring Break is the perfect chance to break out and explore a new style. If you’re pursuing a maximalist approach toward fashion in the Upper East Side and the West Indies or a minimalist approach in the Lower East Side, have fun. And remember that simple striking confidence is the best accessory of all.