I have always been inspired by the statue of Our Lady which sits proudly on the Golden Dome. While visitors see her as an example of the aesthetic beauty inherent in Notre Dame's campus, young student tour guides refer to her place in the "Jump, mama!" folklore and alumni photograph her on the Dome as part of the visual embodiment of the phrase "God, Country, Notre Dame", I like to think I share a more personal bond with her than any other fan. High up in the sky, as she looks down upon our activities and preoccupations, she may be getting on in years, have her hands forever stretched out and battle birds and other weather elements without any protection, but she always presents a fashionable figure in her golden sheath. Let's face it, Mary knows how to grab her viewer's attention, and it's not by wearing black, gray or any other monotone color.
Embracing metallics has always been the road to fashion domination, historically and in contemporary times. From Cleopatra to Jennifer Lopez in Marchesa, whether entering the empire of Rome or walking the red carpet, the shimmer of this precious metal allows you to stand out from the crowd. Italian women consider gold a must of every outfit. A walk down any Italian street displays women of every age with gold touches everywhere in their overall style presentations. Well, the last time I checked, Italian streets had nothing on our wide campus runways! How can we break out our own inner golden girls while keeping our minds on academic journals, papers, exams and overall intellectual world domination? Ladies, look no further than the gold accessory.
Gold accessories come in all shapes and sizes. They can be as inconspicuous as treasured, simple hoop earrings, or as loud and vivacious as a gold carry-all tote. The key to making gold work in your overall fashion ensemble is to go big or go home. Now, please note, I'm not talking Snoop Dogg big (we are not going for the nouveaux-riche look), but statement pieces are key. You want people to know you mean accessory business. The best thing about gold as a color is that it goes with everything — black, red, white, tan, even gray! Gold instantly warms an outfit, giving your cheeks an extra radiant glow in the process. Think of yourself as a canvas, and your accessories as the frame. If you're wearing gold sandals, add a gold bag and gold cuffs. A gold belt will cinch any waist and give you an air of Belle Époqueglamour in the process. Brooches also work ¬— pin a gold one onto a white t-shirt and you'll have new style savoir-faire. For those of us enamored with layering, an easy way to up the ante on a simple jeans and t-shirt combo is by adding a gold camisole underneath. This hint of shimmer woven into your main piece will further stupefy your audience with wonder. Start out your golden journey with a golden Zara bucket bag for $99.00 and a gold H&M cuff for $12.95. Who says only Midas had the golden touch?
The views in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
Contact Felicia Caponigri at fcaponigri@nd.edu
