Monday, 6/9/97 UCLA trends ride on winds of change CULTURE: From
‘Friends’ haircuts to bell bottoms, some fads never go away
By Carol McKay Daily Bruin Staff The more things change, the
more they stay the same. Kind of. Graduating students can reflect
on the changing trends of the four (or five, or six) years that
they’ve been here, and often, the past seems pretty cloudy. "I
don’t even remember what was in style back then," said Patricia
Rodriguez, a fourth-year student who will graduate with a degree in
English and Chicano studies this week. "Was it Birkenstocks?" she
asked, squinting in thought. "No way. That was still high school,"
disagreed her friend Lizbeth Montana, a fourth-year political
science and education student. Despite disagreements over what was
popular and when, most students agree that trends have definitely
gone through a metamorphosis during their stay at UCLA, although
some styles have lasted the test of time. Birkenstocks are still
"in," though they’ve had to share the domain of footwear with
platform foam sandals and Reef thongs. Blue jeans are still a
staple, although in recent years they’ve endured many variations,
from the original 501’s to bell bottoms and Carpenter styles.
Although the basics may vary over time, there are also the arrivals
– and sudden deaths – of numerous new styles. "Alternative was in,"
said Carmen Olivas, a fifth-year history and education student.
"Techno died out. Now it’s old school and deep house." Trends in
music and fashion seemed to have gone hand-in-hand, Olivas said,
with clothing reflecting the styles of music. Fashion has also
mirrored what’s on television, some students said, citing the
bombardment of the "Friends" hair cut, the style which copied
Jennifer Aniston’s. "Haven’t seen enough of that," said Sarah Pak,
a fifth-year biology student, who rolled her eyes at the mention of
the hair style. Pak said, like other over-used trends, the shag cut
that was sported by "millions" of girls on campus "got annoying."
Students like Pak said that, often, trends which became too popular
too quickly, became so "in fashion" that soon they weren’t "in
fashion" at all. But instead of risking sudden death from the
overpopularity of new items, trend-setters could always fall back
on the old, reintroducing fashions from earlier eras. "The ’70s are
back," Olivas said. Like the re-emergence of disco and funk, older
trends often resurface rather than new ones emerging, although not
every student appreciates the environmental efforts of recycling
trends. Some students pointed out bell bottoms and polyester as
items that society could stand to forget about all together. "It’s
the same old stuff, just changed around to be trendy," Pak said.
"And pretty soon, it’s going to get even more annoying. Like the
Spice Girls. You see them so much, you just want to throw up when
you hear that dumb song." Some students also remembered the extreme
popularity of certain movies and their soundtracks, such as "Pulp
Fiction" and "Trainspotting." Neighbors shared music and swapped
CDs, but there were certain albums that almost everybody owned,
such as Bob Marley’s "Legend." But the trends and styles aren’t the
only things that have changed. Many students said that their views
and values of trends have changed as well. "Your freshman year, you
were still trying to fit in," Olivas said. "Once you’re a junior or
a senior, you don’t really care. You don’t have anything to prove."
As a student wearing a miniskirt, tank top and high heels walked by
them on Bruin Walk, Rodriguez, Montana and Olivas watched her
movements. "She’s a freshman," Rodriguez said. "By your senior
year, it’s tennis shoes and sandals. It’s just much more relaxed."
Campus hangouts have changed over the years, students agreed. With
the reopening of Powell Library and Ackerman Union, students have
returned to their favorite study spots. "I am so glad that I was
still here to enjoy Ackerman and Powell," Olivas said. The
reopening of these two locations is especially convenient for
first-year students who, according to Rodriguez, are more limited
in their options of places to hang out. Throughout the four years,
she said, her weekend activities changed due to her restricted
transportation options. "You don’t have a car your freshman year,"
she said. A lack of transportation limits students, who often find
themselves stranded in Westwood their first year. Some students
also added that the appeal of Westwood has diminished over the
years, and students who aren’t as excited about going there often
find other places to hang out. The popularity of dance clubs has
increased, with students travelling down Sunset Boulevard or into
the San Fernando Valley seeking weekend entertainment. But perhaps
the most noticeable changes are found in the way students
communicate. "Freshman year we said ‘cool’ and ‘fresh’ a lot," Pak
said. "I don’t think I’ve said ‘fresh’ for a really long time."
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