The Look Book

Julia Donaldson, Student

In this outfit I’m like Alice in Wonderland meets some old spidery widow.

By Amy Larocca
Published Feb 7, 2005

(Photo: Jake Chessum)

What came first, the hair or the gloves?
The hair. I love to change my hair color. And then when I found the gloves at Arden B., I just thought they were perfect.

How many colors has it been?
It’s been flame-colored, it’s been pink and purple. My normal hair is so boring. I really like the costume element of dressing. I really like how you can be different characters all at once. In this outfit I’m like Alice in Wonderland meets some old spidery widow. I get very different reactions with the different outfits, but in New York, it’s much better than in North Carolina, where I’m from. Here, people seem to find it fun and refreshing and they enjoy it, whereas in Raleigh, I’m just looked at as bizarre.

Why did you move to New York?
I’ve always wanted to move here ever since I was little. And now I’m in my foundation year at Parsons. I’m going to go into fashion.

Has the city lived up to your expectations?
It’s perfect. Maybe there will be things I get tired of in a few years, but at this point, I’m not tired of anything at all. I like to walk down St. Marks because there’s lots of bright wigs. And I love Ricky’s—they have great eyelashes.

Who are your favorite designers?
I really love Elsa Schiaparelli because I think she took crazy costume elements and made them into fashion. I think it’s amazing that there was Coco Chanel doing suits, and Elsa Schiaparelli doing Medusa-inspired hat-things. I like Olivier Theyskens and what he’s doing for Rochas. It’s like a darker personality for the whole ladylike thing.

So what hair color is next?
Well, I have to bleach my hair before I dye it, and it’s bad for it. I really have to control myself sometimes. I’m waiting until it gains strength, and then it’s going to be light pink with black on the ends. When I think about Valentine’s Day colors and all of the stores rolling out their valentine displays, the combination of pink and black really interests me.