Fashion Digest: Stylin’ and Profilin’

Professors Looking Dapper

Lena+Williams+

Lena Williams

Lena Williams, Columnist

I want to get away from introducing you to the hottest trends that are in right now. Instead, I have decided to acknowledge three male faculty members who immediately caught my eye with their impeccable style. Unfortunately, men are usually not recognized in the fashion world, and I feel like it is my duty to give them the recognition they deserve. I had the pleasure of interviewing these three gentlemen and learn about their approaches to fashion.

​The first person I would like you to meet is Scott Woolnough, the Alternative Learning Program Coordinator. I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Woolnough my freshman year during the Bridge program. The first thing I noticed was how well put together he looked. Although he is not the flashiest person, wearing a tailored shirt, jacket and a nice pair of slacks can go a long way! I asked him why he likes to dress so well, and he simply said that how you present yourself to the world is everything. For the most part, he does not walk out of the house looking slovenly because he will never know who he will see out in public, and he has a reputation to maintain.

In addition, he firmly believes that presentation adds to one’s confidence, posture, image and emotional wellbeing. Next, I asked where he shops. He said he scopes out

Banana Republic and Express for his more business casual

attire and American Eagle for his casual wear. A very important tip is to find the store and product that makes you feel good. Lastly, he shared the lowdown on his staple piece: Mr. Woolnough said it’s a tailored shirt, and said that after your eyes, your shirt is the first thing people notice.

​The next person that I interviewed was Dr. Ryan Weber, Assistant Professor of Fine Arts. This semester, I have a Pop Music class with Professor Weber, and what automatically caught my eye was the amount of color he wears in a single outfit. The reason behind Professor Weber’s immaculate style is not only his exposure to the art and music culture of New York City; it is the style of two professors that instructed him to dress well. Professor Weber describes his style as clean and colorful, his inspiration derived from European culture. He travels quite often, and he shops at small European shops and boutiques and some discount retail stores. If you have not had a class with Professor Weber, you may not

have noticed his very nice collection of oxford shoes that I would consider to be an essential item in his wardrobe. From my perspective, I think the foundation of his outfits is his shoes because they are detailed and trendy.

​Last but not least, I chatted with the Coordinator of Writing, Matthew Hinton. Just like Mr. Woolnough, I met Professor Hinton during the Bridge program, and the first thing I noticed about him was that he wore a different color of New Balance sneakers every day. When school began, I saw him wearing a button down shirt with a bow tie, corduroy pants and oxford shoes, and I was amazed.  Professor Hinton said he dresses well because when he looks good, he feels good. He emphasized that he likes the way clothes look and pays close attention to details and stitching. Furthermore, he describes his style as “nerd fashion-forward.” He gravitates towards classic statement pieces, unique patterns, quality fabrics and earth tones. He  does a lot of shopping at The Bon-Ton, Men’s Warehouse, and TJ Maxx, but he buys his spiffiest clothes from a European store called Boden (which has an outlet store on Main Street in Pittston, by the way). If you know or have seen Professor Hinton, you already know that he is famous for his bow ties, which are, without a doubt, his staple pieces.

​I asked all of them whether they would make it mandatory for all students to dress nicely for their classes if they were in charge. Luckily, they all said no because they believe that would diminish the creativity and diversity of the school. Mr. Woolnough made an interesting comment about how professors and faculty notice when students come to class dressed sloppily.

Still, they agree that image is imperative because no one gets a second chance to make a first impression – and the sartorial impressions they make are stunning.