Carol Beard often encourages her clients to come out of the closet.
No, not that closet.
For the past five years, Beard has worked as a closet analyst, weeding through clients' clothes, pitching unattractive pieces and replacing them with more appealing articles.
But in her spare time, Beard acts as the adviser for the Student Apparel Design Association, or SADA, using her knowledge to help MSU students' fashion dreams become runway realities.
Since January, Beard and SADA students have gathered to plan Fashion Week. The series of events conclude Saturday with a Civil War Ball fundraiser. All proceeds will go to the MSU historic clothing and textile collection.
The week hasn't been dedicated solely to period attire, however. SADA members acted as fashion police in their version of TLC's "What Not to Wear" on Thursday in the Union Main Lounge. The event showcased the dos and don'ts of today's interview attire, first-date duds and campus dress. However, unlike the television show, fashion victims were pre-chosen volunteers, not random passersby.
SADA students used the opportunity to inform the audience of frequent fashion faux-pas.
"Pants that are too short with heels really bother me," Lagi Nadeau said.
The apparel and textile design senior and SADA member does have a few fashion favorites this season. Skinny pants and tunics are two trends she wishes she saw more of on campus. Nadeau looks to clothing by Nina Ricci, Helmut Lang and Narciso Rodriguez as inspiration.
She said clothing choices should reflect the wearer's character.
"Anytime you put your personality into an outfit, it will look really neat," Nadeau said.
Nadeau and Beard agree that not all people can wear certain clothes, especially when it comes to interviews.
"A typical business setting goes for a typical business dress," Beard said. "Stay conservative. You can never lose by being conservative."
Beard added that more creative job applicants should put personal flair into their outfits.
There are benefits to having a personal shopper, also, and many people might not know, Beard said.
"Half the time, people buy things that don't look good on them after they buy them," Beard said. "Husbands, boyfriends can use personal shoppers."
Beard, who began teaching at MSU as a graduate student in 1999, also recommends fitting your clothes to your body, compliments of a seamstress or tailor.
"People don't know that they can spend $12 on alterations and look like they have a whole personally tailored outfit," Beard said.
But when it comes to pet peeves, Beard detests low-rise jeans and scandalously short skirts.
"It no longer becomes a fashion statement," she said. "It becomes a body statement."
Next year, SADA members hope to obtain a clothing store sponsor for the "What Not to Wear" event, which could potentially boost audience participation. The store could provide a full new wardrobe to the poorly dressed subjects. Beard hopes this would eliminate the need for volunteers and help in convincing random students to take part in the event.
Students hope to find a popular clothing store to sponsor the event. Some ideas include Banana Republic, Express and Forever 21.
