New to the Elizabethtown College campus community this year is the Elizabethtown Bow Tie Club. It is a service-based club that will collect clothes for students in need along with discussing fashion trends through Etown’s history, giving students a safe place to express themselves through their clothing and appearance.
Professor Jean-Paul Benowitz, assistant director of Academic Advising at the Center for Student Success, conceived the idea for the Bow Tie Club. He contacted students, looking for any interested parties, and found a club president in junior Elizabeth Linden-Chirlian, sociology and anthropology and music double major.
Linden-Chirlian chose the name of the club. “I like the imagery of what a bow tie represents,” she said. “When I think of a bow tie, I think of someone who takes the time to care about how they look to the community around them, and not necessarily just in a fashion sense, but someone who takes pride in their work and wants to help others succeed with their work. I am hoping to introduce bow ties at the school store for those who feel the need to dress a little extra fancy.”
New clubs are often asked what they hope to accomplish with their addition to the campus community. Linden-Chirlian said, “I feel like ‘accomplish’ means that once something happens, it is done, and I want my work to continue long after I graduate. I want to create a space on campus where everyone feels welcome to express themselves through their fashion, whatever that means to them.”
The club does not currently have a relationship set up with any local charitable organizations but hopes to by next semester. “I am in the process of starting a clothing drive to collect dress clothes for high school and college-age students who cannot afford their own,” Linden-Chirlian said. This is an attempt to give students formalwear for interviews and other real-world experiences where it is required.
Along with expressing fashion and donating clothing, the Bow Tie Club also looks into Etown’s past. “Being the history nerd that I am, I hope to educate the campus on the history of fashion at Etown,” Linden-Chirlian said. “I don’t think everyone realizes that there was a time before college students wore sweats and pajamas to class every day, and I think it is very cool to look at how alumni dressed for their classes.”
Through the Elizabethtown College Community Orchestra, she had an encounter with an alumna. This woman showed pictures from her days at Etown and told Linden-Chirlian that girls were required to wear skirts every day except Sunday, when pants were allowed.
“It got me to really think more about how there was a time when people actually dressed up to go to classes, and I really wanted to find out more about it,” Linden-Chirlian said.
They are currently looking for student and faculty interest. “Anyone can contribute as much or as little as they want as a member,” Linden-Chirlian said. She has also created a Facebook group, called Elizabethtown Bow Tie Club.
“Anyone is welcome to join the Facebook group, even if they are not sure if they are interested in the club itself. I am hoping that using the social media group will really help everyone to be able to contribute the time that they do have,” Linden-Chirlian said. She will use the group to keep members up-to-date on information.
“I also want it to be a place where members can show off their fashion sense or any other expertise they can bring to the club and share it with everyone else,” she said. “I have gotten lots of positive feedback. Many people I have talked to have said that the club sounds interesting. I am hoping that through the use of social media that I can involve everyone who wants to be in the club, even if they cannot make the physical meetings.”
Anyone who would like to join or who has any questions can contact Linden-Chirlian through the club account: ETOWNBOWTIECLUB@etown.edu or her personal account: LINDENE@etown.edu.