Posts in Culture
Pagination BookShop: Not just a bookstore

Nestled amongst the other cozy homes lining historic Walnut Street, Pagination Bookshop serves as a warm and welcoming space for book lovers of all kinds. Visitors of the indie bookstore are invited to experience what co-owner and MSU English professor Jennifer Murvin calls the “magic of the browse” by exploring the shelves of carefully curated stories inside the historic home.

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Cultivating Community: Springfield's Drag Scene

The first time I ever saw the Emmy award-winning show, “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” I knew I wanted to be a part of the culture. The glamour, humor, performing, and extravagance was so enticing I couldn’t resist the overwhelming need to be a drag queen. When season twelve of the show was airing, I saw a queen by the name of Crystal Methyd on the show, and she just so happened to be from Springfield, MO. I was planning on going to Missouri State University in Springfield the same year to pursue a higher education, so I knew that was my queue to get in the drag scene as soon as I could.

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Romance Novels for the Fanfiction Fanatic

Remember back in middle school when you’d stay up late under the covers, face lit up by the dim light of your phone screen as you scrolled through the latest One Direction fanfiction? Or maybe you remember substituting the public library for AO3 where you read Harry Potter AUs? Maybe you still do. No judgment.

For many of us, reading for pleasure seems like ancient history, and the only book you actually remember liking wasn’t even a book, but a story conjured up by a 14 year-old Directioner typing away in their bedroom. Now that you’re older, you might be wondering how to get yourself to read an actual book, and to that I say, look to the past for inspiration. There are plenty of books out there full of romance and drama reminiscent of your favorite works of fanfiction. If you want to ease back into reading with quick, easy to digest stories that are still well-written and engaging, here is a list for every taste.

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A History of Queer Fashion: How the LGBTQ+ Community Uses Fashion as a Signal


All throughout history, fashion has been used to communicate people’s identities to the world. Because being LGBTQ+ has historically been unaccepted by mainstream society, participating in these fashion identifiers usually happened in secret. The community would use certain accessories or styles of dress to communicate to one another their sexuality without the rest of the world knowing the code. Using fashion identifiers that only the in-crowd understood has been an important part of queer fashion history, with many examples.

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The Pumpkin Spice Phenomenon

Around this time of year, every year, there’s one thing that gets people all excited and in the mood for fall. No, it’s not fluffy scarves, Ugg boots, or flannels; it’s a little something called pumpkin spice. This fall phenomenon comes in the forms of candles, baked goods, air fresheners, and even drinks. The sweet and spice-full scent or flavor of pumpkin is sure to fill up your senses this fall, so why not learn of its origins, ways to consume it, and how to incorporate it into your fall routine?

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How to Create a Fulfilling and Productive Morning Routine

They say that the early bird gets the worm, but how exactly does the bird manage to do that? Mornings can be tough for anyone, and in the hustle and bustle of school, being intentional and productive in the morning can seem like an impossible task. However, by creating a routine that suits your needs, you can start your day in a way that gets you ready for anything that might come your way.

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Self Care: Past, present, and future

Social media has always been rife with self-care tactics that promote an ideal of luxury — “treating yourself” to a fresh set of nails or splurging on a haul of the season’s hottest trends. But self-care isn’t just an item you check off in your bullet journal to get you one step closer to being “that girl.” The origins of self-care find their roots in activism — particularly in work done by the Black Panthers throughout the Civil Rights Movement.

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The Tea on the New MRC: Missouri State’s Multicultural Resource Center carves out space for the queer community

This summer Missouri State University Multicultural Services quite literally broke down barriers while renovating a new multicultural student space. The Mary Jean Price Walls Multicultural Resource Center was named in honor of Ms. Mary Jean Price Walls, who received the first honorary undergraduate degree ever given by Missouri State University. In 1950, she was the school’s first African-American applicant, and was initially denied admission.

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The Local Bevy: A Local Art Lover’s Dream

Andrea Petersburg, owner of The Local Bevy, established her business in the Rountree neighborhood one year ago this month. Petersburg explained that since all of the Art Shows were cancelled due to COVID-19, she thought this might be the year she opened a storefront. Originally just a three-month pop-up shop, The Bevy has become a successful platform for local creatives, and is here to stay.

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Bees Knees Roller Skating Shop: Building a sense of fun and community

Bright colors and lively patterns welcome customers who visit Bees Knees Roller Skating Shop, a new addition to the Commercial Street Historic District. The shop, located at 301 E. Commercial St., retails roller skates and roller skate accessories. Springfield native Kelsey Baker, owner of Ink Ink Tattoo & Piercing Studio across the street and 3ninetyeight Hand Dyed Yarn in Branson, opened the roller skate shop this August.

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Book Recommendations To Get You Out of A Reading Slump

There is nothing quite like reading a book so wonderful, that you stay up late with a flashlight to see what happens next. From time to time, I have lost that connection to reading, and I might guess that you have too. Here are my suggestions for everyone who has the feeling that they ought to try again.

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“Fearless (Taylor’s Version)”: An album full of nostalgia

“Fearless (Taylor’s Version)” is the latest release from beloved singer-songwriter Taylor Swift. The album consists of 26 tracks: 20 re-recordings of the album's original songs and six newly released songs “from the vault” that were written at the same time as the originals. Debuting at number one, the album shines as a nod to Swift’s country roots mixed with her newfound sound.

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Asian American Pacifc Islander Month Staff Feature: Kayla Curry

“Writing has always been an outlet for me to put things into words that I can't really say out loud.” Kayla Curry is a junior sociology major, a copy editor for Sartorial Magazine, and our staff feature for Asian American Pacifc Islander Month. Originally, Kayla found herself writing news for the campus newspaper, The Standard, but eventually, she found her place at Sartorial Magazine her sophomore year. She now focuses on writing for our opinion section with articles such as Men- Feminism is not your enemy and political pieces like What Happens Now? For Kayla, speaking out doesn’t always mean speaking out loud.

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Asian American Pacifc Islander Month Feature: Christina Nguyen

In a year where Asian American hate crimes were up 150%, students like Christina Nguyen, are here making sure the much-needed, tough conversations are happening at Missouri State. “Love yourself the way you love others.” This is the short but powerful mantra our student feature for Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage month, Christina, lives by.

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Sexual Assault Awareness Month: Still not asking for it

To honor Sexual Assault Awareness Month, it’s important to take a look at the objectification of women’s clothing and its role in both shaping women’s history and future. Since colonial times, women have demanded the right to vote, own property, join male dominated fields, and express their individuality through clothing, and even though we have made strides, society is far off from true equality. Every day, women experience street harassment, physical violence, sexual assault, and they are constantly judged and objectified by men. Fashion should be a means for women to feel confident and express themselves; one’s outfit choice is never an excuse to claim she is, “asking for it.”

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The Return of Film Photography

To me, the feeling of a film camera is irreplaceable. I have always been drawn to the idea of taking photos on a roll of film. The click of a shutter and the whir of the film inside are sounds so familiar that they have even been placed in our smartphones. Film photography has an authenticity to it that can not be achieved by digital or other forms of photography.

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Black History Month Community Feature: Sha'Diya Tomlin

This year we saw poetry take the front stage in major ways including at the presidential inauguration and the Super Bowl. While some may not know it, we have a vibrant poetry community here at Missouri State. Sha’Diya Tomlin is a poet and president of Untamed Tongues at MSU, a poetry and art collective. Though poetry is now an important part of her life, Sha’Diya became a successful poet almost overnight.

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Black History Month Staff Feature: Nia Harrison

Every college student remembers the anxiety of getting ready to graduate from high school and not knowing exactly what you want to do or where you want to go. While looking at colleges in high school, Sartorial Creative Director, Nia Harrison, originally planned to study education and become a teacher. It was not until she remembered her childhood passion for clothes that she began exploring the options of being a stylist and working in the fashion industry.

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