*record scratch* *freeze frame* 

Yup, that's me. You're probably wondering how I ended up in this major... 

Join us on our Reflection era tour as we reminisce about the classes that changed us. (Apologies to Marion: we know you wrote an article last semester about how aestheticizing ourselves is bad, but just this once, ok?).

If there’s one thing Flat Hat Magazine staff is good at, it’s gossiping. So, buckle up, y’all: we’ve got major tea to spill. The craziest, funniest, and most chaotic true stories we’ve heard, all in one place.

In this semester’s staff-curated playlist, we’re celebrating all that is reflection. The following is a collection of songs that make us think, evoke nostalgia, relive moments, and see things from new perspectives. Join Flat Hat Magazine staff in our trip down memory lane by scanning the code below.

As part of our “Reflection” theme, we wanted to take a closer look at the increasingly popular return of Y2K fashion. As if we’ve traveled back in time to the early 2000s, our daily wardrobes are populated with low-rise jeans, tracksuits, tiny sunglasses, chunky shoes, and more. We wanted to capture current interpretations of Y2K style by Gen Z in this photoshoot, so we incorporated iconic cultural staples, including the Burn Book from Mean Girls, a flip phone, and a Juicy Couture purse. Because Y2K is not solely an American or Western tradition, we wanted to portray cultural diversity in our representation of Y2K and thus incorporated jhumka earrings as a way to recognize the presence of heritage and tradition in an individual’s style — mainstream media often westernizes Y2K fashion, erasing the multicultural backgrounds of the individuals wearing these clothes. The bright colors, funky patterns, and blast-from-the-past outfits that we pieced together served as a fun way of depicting an aesthetic that is both modern and nostalgic, reflecting the evolution of fashion trends and culture.

Our “Reflections” shoot was an incredible day of exploring perspective. We captured the models’ reflections on a grand piano, which, given their clothes, makeup, and poses, fashioned an elevated elegance. We assembled three outfits, each giving off similar, yet unique auras, ranging from sophisticated and simple to dramatic and glamorous, from Taylor Swift’s “reputation era” to New Year’s Eve style. Each look was classy in its own way, embodying society’s understanding of beauty and formal attire, important given the theme, as most people try to reflect the best version of themselves — physically and intellectually — when presenting themselves to the world.

In this “Alter Egos” shoot, multiple versions of each person represent alternate personas, showing how self-complexity is reflected not only through style but also through art.

Forget Monty Python’s quest for the Holy Grail — what Flat Hat Magazine staff cares about is edible food (which, as @wm_dining_ would suggest, is certainly not to be found on this campus). Join us for a tour of our favorite restaurants in Williamsburg, where we blow our budgets and gobble up food like Om-Nom from Cut the Rope (this is our nostalgia-core issue; don’t judge us. You probably played it too).

Hip-hop is the perfect embodiment of movement in both its nature and history. With roots in the 1970s Bronx, what started as block parties of various Black, Latine, and Caribbean-American communities quickly became the start of a genre — one that was unapologetically new and vibrant. Since its birth, hip-hop has undergone many evolutions, but its power, energy, and conviction remain unchanged, hence why we chose to feature Syndicate in our “Movement” issue. Their eccentric poses, intuitive improvisation, palpable enthusiasm, and fierce synchronicity masterfully contribute to the enduring legacy of hip-hop. 

I Spy

In the spirit of Marie Antoinette, the Flat Hat Magazine staff humbly presents our collection of guilty pleasure songs. These are the songs that we can’t quite get enough of. However, we run the risk of getting sentenced to the guillotine with each listen. Check out our complete playlist by scanning the Spotify code above. We invite you to indulge with us...if you dare.

Flat Hat Magazine partnered with on-campus thrift business T-Swap to bring this vision to fruition. T-Swap provided us with 16 second-hand garments of various sizes and tastes to create 12 different looks for six models. We then challenged three innovative student stylists to mix and match a small capsule of second-hand garments into outfits worth framing in gold.

The Flat Hat Magazine celebrates their “Baroque” Issue with a delectably divine, gluttonous feast.