![It was definitely out of my comfort zone to get [the dress] and decide I loved it enough not to wait and risk not having something that memorable.](https://bestofsno.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Precious_20180902_JRS_00008_ed1.jpg)
![Sophomore Sahasra Mandalapu practices bharatanatyam choreography in class. These new dances will be performed in an annual show in February. Mandalapu found that practicing in class helped her overcome stage fright during her performances. “When [I] get on stage, Im nervous Im going to forget, even though Ive done it for so long,” Mandalapu said. “Theres still that little bit of stage fright [when] I second-guess myself that I dont know it enough, but I do because Ive been practicing for a whole year.”](https://bestofsno.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Sahasra-6-Large-1200x844.jpeg)
![In their full runway outfits, (from left) Audrey Lee 25, Olivia Lucy Teets, 25, Fashion Design teacher Ms. Judy Chance, and Xueying Lili Yang pose for a photo. All three girls made it to Austin Fashion Week by getting in the top 10 in a previous runway show held by Shop LC.
[I like my students] creativity and how they can look at a fabric and make it their own, Ms. Chance said.](https://bestofsno.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/IMG_9686-e1714088765730-1129x1200.jpeg)
![IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Junior Zalie Mann performs “I Love to Cry at Weddings,” an ensemble piece from the fall musical Sweet Charity, to prospective students during the Fine Arts Showcase on Wednesday, Nov. 8. The showcase is a compilation of performances and demonstrations from each fine arts strand offered at McCallum. This show is put on so that prospective students can see if they are interested in joining an academy or major.
Sweet Charity originally ran the weekends of Sept. 28 and Oct. 8, but made a comeback for the Fine Arts Showcase.
“[Being at the front in the spotlight] is my favorite part of the whole dance, so I was super happy to be on stage performing and smiling at the audience,” Mann said.
Mann performed in both the musical theatre performance and dance excerpt “Ethereal,” a contemporary piece choreographed by the new dance director Terrance Carson, in the showcase. With also being a dance ambassador, Mann got to talk about what MAC dance is, her experience and answer any questions the aspiring arts majors and their parents may have.
Caption by Maya Tackett.](https://bestofsno.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/53321803427_47cd17fe70_o-1-1200x800.jpg)
![SPREADING THE JOY: Sophomore Chim Becker poses with sophomores Cozbi Sims and Lou Davidson while manning a table at the Hispanic Heritage treat day during lunch of Sept 28. Becker is a part of the students of color alliance, who put together the activity to raise money for their club.
“It [the stand] was really fun because McCallum has a lot of latino kids,” Becker said. “And I think it was nice that I could share the stuff that I usually just have at home with people who have never tried it before.”
Becker recognizes the importance of celebrating Hispanic heritage at Mac.
“I think its important to celebrate,” Becker said. “Because our culture is awesome and super cool, and everybody should be able to learn about other cultures of the world.”
Caption by JoJo Barnard.](https://bestofsno.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/53221601352_4127a81c41_o-1200x675.jpg)
Junior Genesis Cuellar-Figueroa is fighting against fast fashion while cleaning out her closet with her new clothing resale business, which she has run on Instagram since December 2023.
“A lot of people would ask me ‘Oh where did you get that?’,” Cuellar-Figueroa said. “So I thought I might as well just sell it to them and make something good out of me getting rid of my clothes.”
Cuellar-Figueroa overcame many challenges setting up her Instagram business account @geesvirtualcloset. She knew her account needed to pop to appeal to customers, so she designed the page with an early 2000s aesthetic and bright colors. She felt this style best fit the eccentric pieces she is selling, ranging from knit sweaters to pleated skirts.
One aspect of online selling that Cuellar-Figueroa had more trouble with was communication. She admits communicating with potential customers was more hectic than she expected and is still adjusting to things like bidding.
“I’m new to this so when bidding, three people will tell me at the same time and I don’t want to just choose one person because I feel guilty,” Cuellar-Figueroa said. “I feel like when it comes to communication it can get kind of crazy,”
Although starting the business was not easy, Cuellar-Figueroa knows she is helping the environment. She not only promotes sustainability through reselling items but also minimizes the negative environmental impacts of fashion. With fast fashion culture on the rise, customers who might have turned to companies that mass-produce clothes can now look to small businesses like @geesvirtualcloset for unique pieces.
“It’s an alternative to turn someone’s money spending into something that is at least more environmentally friendly and socially responsible,” Cuellar-Figueroa said.
Cuellar-Figueroa hopes to expand her business in the future. She has thought about exploring her styling skills and giving customers more options. For now, she is still taking her time learning how to run her online store and helping others express themselves through clothes.
“I definitely know I’ll be giving away more clothes and I’m just taking it in bit by bit,” Cuellar-Figueroa said. “I was thinking maybe in the summer I could start selling style bundles and helping people get started with a new style.”
This story was originally published on The Pearl Post on February 21, 2024.
