Department of Design and Human Environment Oregon State University, 228 Milam Hall, Corvallis, Oregon 97331-2212 T 541-737-3796

| F 541-737-0993 | http://www.hhs.oregonstate.edu/dhe/

LETTER OF SUPPORT FOR SCHOLARSHIP AND TEACHING OF GENNA REEVES-DEARMOND

FROM:

Natalie Potts

To Whom It May Concern: I write this letter in support of the application and/or portfolio for Dr. Genna ReevesDeArmond. I was a student in her DHE 399: Dress, Museums and Popular Culture class in the summer of 2013. Dr. Reeves-DeArmond has also been my International Degree thesis advisor for the 2013/2014 school year. Dr. Reeves-DeArmond continually displays her enthusiasm for teaching by incorporating different types of learning activities and assignments to engage students. I benefitted from her teaching style in the summer of 2013 when I was a student in her DHE 399 class. The lecture part of the class was geared towards literature review and developing an understanding of the relationship between popular culture and dress. As students we were expected to understand the literature and to write reflections that included personal experiences, opinions and questions. Another component of the DHE 399 course was a hands-on project where students designed and created a unique small museum exhibition. With Dr. Reeves-DeArmonds guidance, students worked in small committees to produce an exhibit that was focused upon the popular culture of the mother-daughter relationship and sharing of dress from mother to daughter. The exhibit was titled, Sentimental Recycling: What My Mother Wore. By the end of the term the other students and I were all very proud of our hard work. The success of the project is due to Dr. Reeves-DeArmonds organization of the class and strong leadership skills. When students hit roadblocks Dr. Reeves-DeArmond was always enthusiastic about finding creative solutions. Throughout the class I learned of Dr. Reeves-DeArmonds true passion for learning and research. She has experience advising undergraduate research and has written a handful of research papers that apply to my field of study. Though these are strong reasons for me to approach her for help with my International Degree thesis, what especially drew me to ask her for assistance is her enthusiastic approach to learning. I knew that I would be in a positive learning environment that would, at the same time, be academically challenging.

My International Degree thesis is titled, Applying Lavers Law to the Reinvention of 1990s Western Fashion Trends. More specifically, I am conducting research within the framework of James Lavers Law of Fashion to explore the concepts of ugly and beautiful fashion of the 1990s. Dr. Reeves-DeArmond helped me to identify relevant theories and frameworks within which to situate my ideas. This exploratory research will inform me as an apparel designer to reinvent fashion trends and produce a senior apparel collection for the School of Design and Human Environment spring fashion show in May 2014. I plan to integrate an international component into my thesis by analyzing the different international influences that inspired Western dress trends and styles in the 1990s. Through my work with Dr. Reeves-DeArmond, I am bridging the gap between art, philosophy and fashion by infusing the philosophical concepts of hideous and beautiful into apparel design and assisting in the continued formation of an interdisciplinary alliance between these three disciplines. As I continue to work with Dr. Reeves-DeArmond, I am more inspired to take my research project to new levels. She has helped me look at ideas from different perspectives as well as encouraged me to try new research strategies to come up with different results. She has also helped me develop my ideas from senseless notes into a strong undergraduate thesis. I feel confident that her guidance with this project is helping me to grow and to be ready for professional situations after my undergraduate experience. Please contact me with any questions you may have.

Best,

Natalie Potts Apparel Design Student School of Design and Human Environment Oregon State University pottsn@onid.orst.edu