The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com b-side Thursday, January 10, 2019 — 3B 1. Voting as an aesthetic While a plethora of trends emerged on the runway in 2018, some of the most notable statements took the shape of a less wearable form. A year of political turmoil and tension, the push to vote became a major theme of this past year. With primary elections in Aug. and midterms in Nov., combined with an emphasis on change, voting became a sort of decorative accessory that was once so mundane and uninteresting. Voting has and always will be fundamental and one of the most important parts of civil discourse, but 2018 spun voting in such a way that it became shiny and new, a hip, cool aesthetic that extended beyond runways or clothes. The act of voting itself inspired a whole new wave of trends: ‘I’m Voting’ stickers were sold online and in stores, becoming a main focal point of laptops everywhere. Celebrities even used their fame to endorse this act through special merchandise and limited edition tees. With these items driving the aesthetic of voting, one thing in 2018 became very clear: to take the time to vote is to be on trend, showing it becoming all the more fundamental to being a legitimate trendsetter. A certain alliance formed with this aesthetic, between voting graphic tee wearers and sticker holders alike. Whether or not everyone who reps a ‘I’m Voting’ sticker or shirt actually voted is a debate within itself, but the aesthetic that evolved from the 2018 election scene is only the beginning for the development of an entire brand emphasizing that both the act of voting and showing political awareness are, in fact, high fashion. — Margaret Sheridan, Style Beat Editor 2. Exploded versions of classic prints Bold yet complementary shade ranges, classic prints reimagined and expanded upon, and plush textures played very nicely together this year. Whether it be fashion, expressing opinions or fighting for the things you care about, 2018 was not for the faint of heart: If you have something to say, say it! Words aren’t meant for mincing and they might best be backed up by a hardy cotton velvet, mohair or a blown-up woven houndstooth jacket, considering they all talk their walk and they were seen in nearly every fall runway show this year. Spring’s spliced double-jackets, leather inserts and drawstring necklines folded over into wildly proportioned faux furs and modernized classics taken to proportional and textural extremes. From the likes of household names like Balenciaga and Loewe to cult favorites like Engineered Garments, Neighborhood and A Kind of Guise, it felt as though classic silhouettes and prints had died and ascended to a retrofuturist heaven featuring droves upon droves of fuzz. A few outerwear highlights from the year were Demna Gvasalia’s interpretation of the double jacket at Balenciaga this spring, N.Hoolywood’s half leather, half super 120’s wool trench from their JFK inspired runway, Kapital Kountry’s oversized denim blazer with hand stitched smiley face patches along the arm and Craig Green’s brilliant employment of color blocking. This year marked both the expansion and deconstruction of classic styles across the board, creating a luxurious launching pad for designers moving forward into the new year. — Sam Kremke, Daily Arts Writer 3. Vibrant makeup The unveiling of Meghan Markle’s wedding day tab may have revealed just how much can go into looking like you aren’t wearing anything at all, but 2018 saw an explosion of beauty trends that served us the extravagant and the unexpected. YouTube MUAs and Instagram personalities are as prevalent as they have ever been and each artist’s path to carve out a creative niche for themselves has had the cumulative effect of ushering in increasingly vibrant, layered, multi-dimensional concepts that are encouraging the everyday beauty consumer to step out of their comfort zone and let cosmetics be a vehicle to realize personal fantasies. Unnaturally colored blush and eyebrow looks, forehead blush, luminous-vinyl textures (think face gloss and lacquered eye pigments), 3-D sticker appliqués and beyond have trickled into the routines of anyone possessing the gall to give these trends a try. It isn’t so much that any specific trend originated in 2018 or that anyone reinvented the wheel, but that makeup is on its way to becoming a creative space more concerned with creating new realities rather than heightening this one. Accounts like eve. frsr, branalunan and sydn4sty have amassed sizable followings by doing just this, and the cosmetics market has responded with aplomb — independent companies (like blush tribe and claropsyche) seemingly crop up every day with palettes, pigments and accessories to meet ever expanding needs, while larger companies like Anastasia Beverly Hills and Tom Ford are launching new products and widening their shade ranges to accommodate demands that reach further and bolder than their current offerings. It’s the Wild West right now, and there has never been a better time to pick up a kabuki brush and some pressed powder and see what happens. — Sam Kremke, Daily Arts Writer 4. Champion’s evolution as a brand It is safe to say that the brand, Champion, came up in 2018. As athleisure filled runways and the early 2000s began making a comeback, Champion rose in popularity. To provide a full analysis of Champion’s evolution as a brand, we must start from the very beginning. Champion’s simple, relaxed, clothing catered to the blank and oversized attire of the early 2000s and ‘90s. Known for its creation of the reverse weave, the hooded sweatshirt, and the sports bra in the mid- 1990s, Champion was the epitome of activewear. The brand had become so prevalent that it was named the official outfitter of the NBA in 1980. It was not until 2000 that Champion was considered more than activewear, it became a keystone for the normcore aspect of early 2000s fashion. Champion’s versatility can be seen in its comeback. It made its return by collaborating with well-known streetwear companies in 2017 such as Supreme and the French label, Vetements. Through each of these collaborations came distinct clothing, however, the Champion brand was undeviating. By 2018, Champion stood on its own as a fashion superpower. It no longer needed collabs to be attractive to customers; the classic blue, white and red logo was powerful enough for stars such a Kylie Jenner to sport. Best style moments: 2018 was as trendy as you think 1. SMTD’s “Angels in America: Millennium Approaches” The Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning first installment of Tony Kushner’s epic tale about AIDS and homosexuality in the Reagan era, “Angels in America: Millennium Approaches,” was performed on the Arthur Miller stage earlier this year. Daniel Cantor, director and University professor, pieced together a talented ensemble of actors. Particularly unique to this version of “Angels in America: Millennium Approaches” was the angel suspended before the audience’s eyes in a vast array of colorful silks. It was easily one of the best theatrical performances I’ve ever seen. The commitment and passion coming from all involved was remarkable to witness. — Alix Curnow, Daily Arts Writer 2. MUSKET presents “In the Heights” 2018 has been a particularly dispiriting year for diversity. As a woman of color, it’s hard to face a world thriving with anti-immigrant sentiment. My heart reaches out not only to people of color, but to anyone who has been branded as different. Individuals with physical or mental disabilities, sexual assault victims and dreamers — those who face the consequences of their labels without having control over their experiences. Musicals like “In the Heights,” written by Quiara Alegría Hudes and composed by Lin-Manuel Miranda, remind us that there’s still hope for those who feel silenced. MUSKET’s rendition of this inspiring story of Latinx life in Washington Heights, Manhattan was vibrant and attentive to the culture it embodied. The show was not only a celebration of diversity, but of life. Musicals like “In the Heights,” like all stories from different walks of life, deserve a seat at the table. — Trina Pal, Senior Arts Editor 3. Literature vs. Traffic Installation When the University Institute for the Humanities brought the “Literature vs. Traffic” installation to the streets of Ann Arbor on Oct. 23, it was an intervention for thousands of Ann Arbor students and residents. Ten thousand books lay splayed out on East Liberty St. illuminated by the sun by day and by thousands of gentle LED lights by night. These lights gave the books a preciousness that reminded everyone who came across the installation how near and dear books are, or at least once were, to our hearts. Crowds eagerly sifted through the books when the gates opened at 8 p.m. that night, some people even acting as if there was a piece of knowledge lying somewhere on that street that would complete them if they could just find it. Maybe putting ten thousand versions of any object on the street for free would have inspired the same reaction, but it seems here that the students and residents of Ann Arbor were driven by a thirst for new information rather than consumer instincts. Before coming to Ann Arbor, the installation was also set up in Madrid, Toronto, Melbourne and New York. Its arrival and success here speak volumes about Ann Arbor’s far-reaching influence on the humanities. — Ben Vassar, Daily Arts Writer 4. A Dramatic Reading of Arthur Miller’s “Death of a Salesman” with Alec Baldwin and U-M Theatre & Drama Department For a brilliant reading of Arthur Miller’s iconic play “Death of a Salesman,” exceptional theatre students and professors from the School of Music, Theatre & Dance were joined by award-winning actor Alec Baldwin on Saturday, Sept. 29 at the Power Center. Semi-staged and fully produced in both its intention and execution, the near four hour marathon of a performance remained engaging until the last lines. The play was as profoundly tragic and poignant as it was cathartic. The seamless coherence between Baldwin and SMTD’s actors created an electric synergy that did Arthur Miller (an SMTD grad himself), SMTD and Baldwin more than justice. — Allie Taylor, Daily Arts Writer 5. UMS presents “An Evening with Audra McDonald: Songs from the American Musical Theater” This past Nov., I was lucky enough to see the fantastic Audra McDonald perform at Hill Auditorium. Audra McDonald is a six-time Tony award winning singer and actress — a well-known and powerful presence on Broadway stages. McDonald was able to connect with the audience by telling stories through narration and song in a way unmatched by any other performer. I watched McDonald make the most overdone Soprano repertoire sound new to my ears by projecting her own story and perspective onto the song. I was awestruck; her singing voice seemed to be simply an extension to her speaking voice. That night, McDonald dazzled the hearts and minds of Ann Arbor. — Isabelle Hasslund, Community Culture Editor 6. Pasek and Paul Book Tour to Ann Arbor When thinking about my favorite event of 2018, I am sent down a wistful lane of remembrance full of inspiring University productions, thrilling touring events and student pieces that moved me both to laughter and to tears. However, I have to think about the roots of all of this creative collaboration, exploration and celebration. Who paved the way? The answer lies in our many fantastically talented alumni, three of whom I had the pleasure of seeing live in Ann Arbor early in the fall semester of 2018. Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (writers of “Dear Evan Hansen”) and Darren Criss (“Glee”) all came together on the “Dear Evan Hansen” book tour on a cool Oct. Ann Arbor evening in Hill Auditorium. The trio sang, read from the novel and told stories of Michigan and beyond, reminiscing on their past while thinking of their creative futures. The event reminded me why I am so lucky to be here: a student pursuing creative arts with so many inspiring and creative people around me. Pasek, Paul and Criss — all incredibly successful arts in theatre and film — have paved the way for University alumni artists after them by providing an artistic community of alumni working in the real world. At the event, the trio invited their previous professors on stage to sing songs from “Dear Evan Hansen” with them and answer questions from audience members, inviting us to all be a part of the conversation surrounding their new novel and future projects. The event was thrilling and breathtaking, yet casual and laid back. The audience settled into the auditorium comfortably, inviting the trio of artists to take a stroll down memory lane. — Eli Rallo, Daily Arts Writer 7. SMTD’s “Porgy and Bess” Year after year, some of the biggest names in folk travel to Michigan for the Ann Arbor Folk Festival. This year, for the festival’s fortieth anniversary, the acts were bigger than ever. From some of the biggest names in the genre like John Prine, to smaller, up-and-coming acts like Mountain Heart, there really was an act for everyone at the festival. For two nights, Ann Arbor’s historic Hill Auditorium transformed into a haven for music that celebrates the tradition of storytelling in America. Whether you are a walking folk encyclopedia or know absolutely nothing about the genre, the Ann Arbor Folk Festival is an Ann Arbor tradition that everyone should experience. — Ryan Cox, Daily Arts Writer 8. Ann Arbor’s 40th Annual Folk Festival Year after year, some of the biggest names in folk travel to Michigan for the Ann Arbor Folk Festival. This year, for the festival’s fortieth anniversary, the acts were bigger than ever. From some of the biggest names in the genre like John Prine, to smaller, up-and-coming acts like Mountain Heart, there really was an act for everyone at the festival. For two nights, Ann Arbor’s historic Hill Auditorium transformed into a haven for music that celebrates the tradition of storytelling in America. Whether you are a walking folk encyclopedia or know absolutely nothing about the genre, the Ann Arbor Folk Festival is an Ann Arbor tradition that everyone should experience. — Ryan Cox, Daily Arts Writer 9. UMS presents “Cold Blood” I have seen some bizarre things within Ann Arbor’s art world, but the University Musical Society’s “Cold Blood” was by far the most absurd. Filmed live in the Power Center, the performance focused on hands. On stage, the audience could see the actors and cameras, but the real action was on the screen above which projected a close up of the actors’s hands. The show went through the death of seven different hands occurring in places like a drive-in theater or a frozen lake, deaths that could be both hilarious and mournfully tragic. The hands moved like people and embodied human characteristics in the most creative, minute ways. I felt as if I was in a hypnotic, dreamlike state as the narrative transitioned from story to story. The techniques used for lighting, shifting scenery and props were surprisingly brilliant. Many times I wondered, how did they do that with just a hand? “Cold Blood” stuck with me because death was portrayed in a way that was so hard hitting; I can still feel the sense of pleasant uncertainty and inevitably that I left with. — Fallon Gates, Daily Arts Writer 10. Orpheus Singers: “The Poet Speaks of Love” The Orpheus Singers are a vocal ensemble at the School of Music, Theatre & Dance conducted by Dr. Eugene Rogers’s graduate studio, a remarkable group comprised of Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts choral conductors. With their haunting voices, The Orpheus Singers left a lasting mark on their audience during their second performance of the semester on Nov. 29. Both undergraduate and graduate students revived age-old songs and poems in beautiful sound. The group provided a prime example of how supporting one’s fellow students at the University can evoke a sense of pride and awe. — Zachary Waarala, Daily Arts Writer Our favorite events from a year that was all too good TIME GW GLOBAL TRADING Read more at MichiganDaily.com