WORN print issue: Unbinding Binaries

WORN: A Dress is Not a Yes — SlutWalking in Toronto

Sluts from all walks of life took over College Street in Toronto last Sunday, chanting one resounding line: However we dress, wherever we go, yes means yes and no means no.

The protest march was sparked when when local media caught wind of a statement made by a representative of the police force this January during a campus safety information session at York University. According to the school paper, the officer told female students they should avoid dressing like "sluts" to prevent becoming victims of assault.

City-wide, women and their allies were outraged. Not only was the officer's comment an attack on rape victims, it was an attack on women's right to wear whatever they want. The idea that women who dress provocatively are "asking for it" is everywhere in pop culture, from crime shows to video games. Sonya Barnett, a SlutWalk co-founder, was already tired of the primitive stereotypes surrounding women and their appearances in the media. For her, the police officer's sexist statement was a call to action.

"Women, and any gender identification, have the right to wear what pleases them, not the obligation to wear what pleases another. It's important to make that distinction," said Barnette.

Barnett and several others immediately began organizing a peaceful protest. Volunteers were summoned, a website was launched, T-shirts and buttons were made. By the time April arrived, over 3000 people had clicked 'attending' on the facebook page. The invitation was compelling:

"SlutWalk Toronto is asking you to COME AS YOU ARE. If you want to wear fishnets, great. If you want to wear parkas, that's just as great. Any gender-identification, any age. Singles, couples, parents, sisters, brothers, children, friends. No matter how you visually identify, come walk with us. And we're welcoming ALL those who feel that prevailing attitudes as to why sexual assault happens need to change: WHETHER YOU'RE A SLUT OR AN ALLY, come walk, roll, holler or stomp with us."



Freedom of dress was one of the main reasons behind the protest. The statement that women can avoid assault by dressing conservatively not only suggests men have no control over themselves, but challenges women's rights to choose whatever clothing they see fit. It removes the power women have been given to express themselves, creating propaganda against "slutty" clothing and perpetuating fear. And what is "dressing like a slut" anyway, officer? Barnett has a few ideas.

"Over the last century, people have had 'slut' tossed at them based on their appearance, but the physical manifestation changes conveniently over time. 'Slutty' clothing 80 years ago was wildly different, and by today's standards, incredibly conservative. Revealing cleavage in some societies is considered slutty, while revealing your ankles in another is just as slutty. It's all subjective. It's a constructed concept that sex and appearance are not exclusive. Decisions are made by some to judge others. The thought never crosses their minds that what one may find sexy or slutty, another can find to be the opposite. It's an easy out for those that can't conceive the notion that sex and appearance can, in fact, be exclusive," she said.

At 1:30p.m. on Sunday, April 3rd, an estimated crowd of 3000 gathered outside the Ontario legislative building at Queen's Park. The throng contained steam punks, fathers, queer folk, slutty dogs, roller-derby girls, grandmothers, and everyone in between. Regardless of what they wore, attendees had one thing in common; they were all ready to challenge the right to wear what they want. Signs littered the crowd, sending out messages of sadness, frustration, and hope; more than one told of personal rape experiences.





Barnett explained the meaning of the name "SlutWalk" to the excited crowd, urging women to reclaim the word "slut" and take away any negative connotation it has held in the past to help put an end to "slut shaming". Barnette also reinforced the point that being a slut isn't a form of dress, but an empowering attitude that anyone can employ at any time, regardless of appearance.

"Whether you're wearing blue jeans, rollerblades, saris, tuxedos or tube tops, sexual assault is a crime of power!" Barnette roared through her megaphone.

With that, the thrall was off. Within seconds, College street was filled with people from sidewalk to sidewalk. The crowd appeared to stretch endlessly through the city.





For me, the experience was irreplaceable. Seeing so many people take time out of their sunny Sunday afternoons to rebel against sexism and dress stereotypes was both inspiring and needed. One sign I read instantly had me blinking back tears: "X-mas 1985, 14-years-old, bundled in layers. How did I deserve it?" The fact that authorities could even imply that victims could have avoided their attack by dressing differently not only shows assault survivors that their crime wasn't taken seriously, but perpetuates fear of reporting such crimes in the future. The idea that anyone invited sexual assault, whether sporting leather and fishnets or an Amish bonnet and prairie skirt, is absurd and unfair. NO ONE, no matter what their appearance, age or gender, wants to experience sexual assault, to any degree. EVER.

Here at WORN, we encourage both staff and readers to wear whatever they want, free of judgement. As a feminist fashion publication, we think the notion that the way a woman dresses could increase her chances of being raped is archaic, incorrect and insulting. There is no relationship between clothing and violent crimes like assault, and women shouldn't be made to feel that something they feel good wearing could be putting them in danger. Whether donning stilettos or steel toes, women should ALWAYS feel safe, and should NEVER have to question their clothing choices because of how they might be treated if they show too much skin. Women are NEVER asking for violence, and suggesting they are is just another form of oppression women and their allies need to fight.

"Oppression comes in all forms, and one of the easiest is based on attacking another's appearance," Barnette said. "We can counter that by choosing what to wear, when to wear it and where to wear it, proving that someone else's opinion has no bearing."

- Alyssa Garrison

WORN: Crushing on Yuli Sato

Montrealer Yuli Sato spends her time creating photographs of unseen other worlds with an assortment of thrifted vintage cameras. Yuli studies at Concordia University. Her photos are haunting but beautiful, often taking place in deserted snowy forests, upon grassy hilltops, or in empty indoor swimming pools. Yuli talks to WORN about butterfly clips, school uniforms and chai lattes.

What's the last fashion publication you read?
Lula, but I haven't actually looked through it thoroughly yet even though I got it a few months ago. I love the overall aesthetic; they’re not as concerned with showing the clothes in a commercial way and its general mood lures me in. I also dig the interviews.





How has your style changed since elementary school?
Quite a bit. I grew up in the '90s, so I was obsessed with wearing those woven plastic necklaces. Platform sneakers and butterfly clips were also big for me. I think I was a little too young to really get the full effect of the '90s, but my sister is three years older and was such a '90s teen - it was so fantastic. She rocked bell-bottom jeans, cropped tanks and flannel.

I've been trying to move toward a more classic look lately, so I only buy things I know I will like in five or ten years, as opposed to something super trendy. If I ever feel like dressing a little crazy, I'll shop at a thrift store so I don't feel guilty if I don't end up liking things in the long run. I just bought an amazing Navajo print blazer, a floral maxi dress, black maxi skirt, and a few giant men's sweaters at Goodwill for less than $20.

WORN: Bundle up with Love

The first chill of winter wind cutting through my layers always takes me back to my childhood, when the bitter cold always evoked the same feeling of dread in my bones: the horror of the winter parka. I vividly remember trying to sneak out the back door into the rolling hills of the first snow; tiptoeing across the icy tile floor to slowly open the squeaky door, I almost expected my mother’s slightly annoyed voice to stop me in my tracks with, “Wait, wait, you forgot your winter coat!”

I can still feel the overwhelming entrapment puffy garments meant for me. Stuffed into those marshmallow-like neon jackets, I was sweaty and annoyed, completely paralyzed from moving my arms in any practical manner and certainly unable to maneuver through the snow at a reasonable speed.

Apparently my mom enjoyed this feeling. Every year she pulled out her very own puffer, an item we coined her “sleeping bag coat," turning her into a small human taco in a black insulated tortilla.

I freed myself from the chains of the puffy winter coat as soon as I was old enough to reasonably make wardrobe decisions for myself. I use the term “reasonably” quite loosely. For years I waded through the North Vancouver snow in next to nothing, always near hypothermia but never quite humble enough to admit it, especially to my triple-layered-taco mom. By the time I realized I was sick of feeling hypothermic every winter, I was already off to university in Toronto, a land that all Vancouverites warned me was, “so cold you couldn’t even go outside in the winter.” My very stylish father was alarmed by this news, and in order to ensure my survival in the desolate artic tundra of Canada’s East, he vowed to buy me an impenetrable parka.

True to his word, on the first day we landed in Toronto, we went shopping to find the ideal warm winter wrapping; I ended up with a fantastic navy blue twill parka lined with light blue silk and layered with pockets of down insulating the inside, complete with an Eskimo-style fur hood and big shiny silver buttons.



Although my mother was a little disappointed I turned down the black shiny puffer-coat options she had presented, when she felt the weight of my new parka she was satisfied; I would be warm.

Over the years, having suffered through winters full of nagging and many claustrophobic moments of being buried under too many layers, I’ve come to realize my mom was just trying to teach me the most important survival skill in a Canadian winter: staying warm, inside and out. In retrospect, the donning of the winter coat was always linked with hugs and kisses, warm shortbread cookies, and homemade apple cider — all my mother’s ways of keeping her family as warm as possible. Now in my twenties, I am always eager to layer up each winter with my parka, sweet treats, and lots of love — proof that mothers always know best. My mother, to this day, still wears her sleeping bag coat, proudly donning it every holiday season.

- Alyssa Garrison
Photography by Erika Neilly

WORN: I Love Lying

Although I pride myself on not having much of an interest in the concept of celebrity, I am powerlessly drawn to the work of Chloë Sevigny. Her effortless style is matched by an interest in the obscure and bizarre, and I constantly find myself in awe of the roles she plays in groundbreaking films like Kids and Boys Don’t Cry.

On a random scroll of facebook the other day I stumbled across a clip from one of her more recent films, an independent work called Lying. Although I was warned by friends that the plot was dying-turtle slow and almost completely free of dialogue and events, I decided to give it a chance, for Chloë's sake.

I found myself completely lost in the dreamy landscape of upstate New York, where complicated relationships form between five women who hardly know one another, but find themselves isolated together at a quiet country home for a weekend. The plot thickened as I began to realize Chloë Sevigny’s character, Megan, is a pathological liar. Although it has no concrete plot, and as I learned later, no script, Lying explores the awkward feeling of trying to hold a conversation with people you don’t actually know, and the complexities involved in coming to know someone better.

WORN (Book Review): 60's Fashion: Vintage Fashion and Beauty Ads

This nearly pocket-sized mini-book doesn’t hold the appeal of extensive text or impressive knowledge to share, but it sure offers up some amazing photographs and quirky advertising that’s almost guaranteed to bring a smile to your face.

A member of the Taschen Icon series, the hot pink paperback is miniature version of the much pricier coffee-table edition. Not much writing sits between the front and back cover, only a short prologue by Laura Schooling of Style.com that outlines the era and delves into a short description of what it was like to live during the 60's, handily including translations in English, German and French.

WORN: Smart Design Mart Sweaters

There is no shortage of crafty love here at WORN, hence our current crush on Montreal's Smart Design Mart team. Made up of a bunch of close friends all running their own creative businesses making diverse items like moustache clocks, fringe necklaces, UFO snakes and ladders, leather books that look like wood, and dead rabbit rings, they come together a few times a year to present their very own curated independent art and design show: Smart Design Mart. Vastly different from other Montreal shows, Smart Design Mart allows contributors enough space to build their own tightly curated mini boutiques that focus on high quality, original work. The show will also include a live art instillation, a full bar, and great music for those not in the shopping mood. In the holiday spirit, the five have been gracious enough to each design a fantastical Christmas sweater reflecting their style, from gothic and minimal to lovably tacky.

THE MARC SIMARD AND ANGIE JOHNSON SWEATERS

"Marc and I got together to create a non-traditional take on the Christmas sweater. Traditional motifs used in unconventional ways..."

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WORN: Perfume Pandemonium

Chanel no. 5, inherited from my amazingly stylish Great Grandmother

My mother is constantly reminding me how odd my ideas about the world are, one such idea being my fondness for scents. For the past five years or so I’ve developed a complete obsession with scents. For me, scents are always connected to a feeling, a situation, or more specifically, a look. Over the past five years I’ve been dedicated to expanding my personal set of scents, and as a result I’ve acquired an overwhelming number of perfumes from the last five birthdays and Christmases.

My first grown up perfume, Hermes Concentre D'Orange Vert

Regardless of my mother’s rambling, I secretly don't think I'm that peculiar. I have more fondness for the idea of a feeling than for a real object, like a handbag or a pair of shoes. My vintage Chanel No. 5 will forever be the hugs of my great grandmother, even though she has been dead and gone for two years now. She wore that scent in life, and she lives through it now.

Chance by Chanel, for vintage-inspired outfits and long bike rides in the park

Coco Chanel once said, “A woman who doesn’t wear perfume has no future.” Not to side with Chanel and condemn you no-scent-zone folk, but perfume is a huge part of my daily life. Not only do I express myself through the scent I choose to wear each day, I can even sniff out olfactory characteristics on those around me, and when I have a fond memory, it’s always laced with the scent of the moment. My scent habits have become so concrete that those who know me well can decipher my mood on any given day.

WORN: Crushing on Upside Dive

Sibling duo Mike and Angie Dalla-Giustina have turned their lifelong passion for thrifting into a well-loved business; the two collectively own Upside Dive, a hidden East-end gem in the Toronto vintage scene. Mike and Angie share their tales of rural Toronto, their childhood idols, and their love affair with well-crafted clothing.


How did you two dress in elementary school? How has your look changed?

Angie: When we moved from Toronto to a small rural community (in the 80s) I dressed in stacked bangles and dolman sleeve tops. Let's just say it wasn't well received.

Mike: I remember being briefly obsessed with Chucks, peace signs, and vests. I think both of us have forgotten a lot from those early years, probably due to living in a little town and never really feeling like we fit in.

From an early age we were thrifting, usually out of necessity, as money was tight for a single mother with four children. Most of all we never felt parental pressure to dress a certain way, so we experimented when we wanted to. We've become more comfortable with who we are (could be that age thing) and we're less concerned with defining gender roles. We have more of an appreciation of the piece in its form - material, cut, shape, quality - while setting aside who the design was intended for. That said, the shop takes priority so we often wear practical, comfortable clothing, saving the exciting fashion for our customers.

Being siblings, do you often disagree when it comes to the business? How about clothes? Do you ever share clothes?

Mike: Actually, all the Dalla-Giustina siblings get along. An important part to the business succeeding is our shared mentality and keeping it all level. We occasionally butt heads over ideas, but it definitely helps to flesh out ideas with one another. We also discuss with Elisa and Natasha, who act as great exterior moderators. Sometimes Ang and I can get so focused we get a bit blind-sided.

We don't often share clothes, maybe a scarf or two. We definitely share a love for well-crafted pieces, and a good backstory is an added delight.

How do you think the rise of vintage inspiration in the fashion world over the past decade has affected sales at vintage stores? Does it make selling real vintage easier or more difficult?


Vintage and second-hand clothing has definitely become a major commodity in the last 20-30 years, and with its rise in the mainstream once again it perpetuates more vintage sellers, more vintage buyers, more creative minds musing on it, and an established business format. I think the real issue lies with the lack of value put on vintage and second-hand clothing. Fast fashion has offered an alternative to buying vintage by creating newly made vintage-inspired pieces, but the real power lies in the hands of the consumer. It would be one thing if corporate clothing manufacturers were responsibly producing well-made pieces that would retain value, but they don't. The bottom line for them is money, and the consumer is happy to have the 15-minute look. We have faith that there will continue to be customers who value vintage, but fear that well-kept vintage will become scarce and deplete cherished vintage shops.