Arts

Look of the Week: Hannah Bardo ’10

Thrifty, nifty and we’re not talking about the United States with its thirteen original colonies. Hannah Bardo ’10 has returned to Andover from her school-year abroad in Spain feeling a little more Spanish and a lot more stylish. Evidently, Bardo does not fear a new frontier. “Basically, my closet is a plethora of random, wacky items that I try to pull together into a presentable outfit that says something about me, conveys a mood or reveals an edge,” said Bardo. Her passion for chaos has no bound aries, from her admiration of Roberto Cavalli’s frenzied collections to her love of sifting through thrift shop’s racks. “Painted on my wall is the quote ‘Take a walk on the wild side.’ I like to keep that in mind every time I get ready to walk out the door,” Bardo said. “I don’t do brands,” Bardo said. There may be a tag on the back of her shirt, but Bardo would not be able to tell anyone what it says, other than perhaps “Machine Wash Cold.” Bardo is a thrift store shopper through and through, and about three quarters of her wardrobe can attest to that. Where else would she find multicolored, sequined high heels, besides maybe Dolly Parton’s closet in its better days? Bardo said her favorite shop is “Boomerang” in Brattleboro, Vermont. Fresh from her year in Zaragoza, Spain, Bardo has rocked baby blue pants, more reminiscent of the baggy pants on the streets of Spain than the skinny jeans flooding the Andover paths. Ashley Hess ’11 said that Bardo has “definitely stepped out of the box and into the pants.” Bardo’s confidence sets her style apart from others. Some may have spotted Bardo sauntering around Commons in a sweater featuring one of Dégas’s ballet prints. The sweater is the most expensive article of clothing Bardo has ever purchased. Every day on the way to school in Zaragoza last year, Bardo passed the sweater at Pilares, a local street market and bartered with the merchant. One day, he finally gave in and sold her the sweater, docking ten Euros off the original price. Though Bardo does say she admires Sienna Miller, Rachel Bilson and Blake Lively’s ability to make anything work, the pop culture aspect of the fashion world does not appeal to her. “I’m pretty out of the loop in reference to the superficial world of Hollywood, designers, labels, status and cash,” she said. But Bardo knows a lot about activism. She uses her outfits to purposefully convey thoughtful messages. “I show my support to Obama, gay rights and the legalization of marijuana through various articles of clothing,” she said. “I like to accessorize,” Bardo said, her eccentric earrings practically clinking with each word. Without earrings, Bardo said that she would feel naked. From wooden earrings to peacock earrings, Bardo has them all. One of her favorite pairs is silver with etched African designs. She bought these at a Tanzanian street market, when she lived in Dar es Salaam at age fourteen. Bardo’s sunny-side-up outfits, bursting with color, are solid proof that “Fashion is another form of art.” Her parting words of advice? “The funkier, the better.”