Hundreds of art and literature lovers crowded into the gallery of the Weisman Art Museum on Wednesday night to celebrate the release of The Tower, an annual literary arts magazine.

The student-run publication had been in the works all year as staff narrowed down its selection of the best poetry, prose and art submitted by students at the University of Minnesota. Although hundreds of students sent in their work, only a select few were chosen to be included in the issue.

The museum filled with the words of student writers and poets sharing their published work as the audience snacked on macarons and hummus.

Taking advantage of the nice weather, much of the attendees sported short-sleeves and dresses. A&E snapped some shots of the outfits we liked most.

Ian Smith

Sophomore studying French

What they wore: Shoes and pants from ASOS, H&M shirt, gifted pearl earrings

With the sun out, Smith seemed happy for the opportunity to show off his tattoos. 

From the baby pink suede slip-ons to the minimalist earrings, Smith rocked this classy and unique ensemble. (I mean, hello! How awesome are those pants?)

Smith’s poem “Orange” was published in the magazine this year. With his European style, he sure dressed the part of an established writer.  

Lauren Foley

Sophomore studying English, Spanish and creative writing

What they wore: Shoes from Target, shirt and pants from Old Navy, “The Tower” pin

With her red lipstick and cute florals, Foley emanated spring vibes. 

Repping “The Tower” magazine with her small blue pin, Foley proudly identified herself as a nonfiction editor for this year’s issue. She said her style is all over the place, but she usually settles on something comfy and modern. 

Her strappy black heels and polka-dots gave us exactly that, with the accents of her hair and makeup making the style her own.

Olivia Nokovic

Senior studying art history

What they wore: Charlotte Russe heels, dress thrifted from Plato’s Closet, earrings from Forever 21

Nokobic said she wanted to wear something summery and nice for the launch on Wednesday because she was giving the welcome speech. 

When Nokobic is working as an intern at the Weisman, she tries to keep her look “cute but professional.” However, she describes her style outside of work as “punk meets indie.” We love that her killer tattoos were shown off with this simple gridded dress. 

Definitely punk chic.

Daria Harris

What they wore: Gifted Dr. Martens boots, dress “from a middle-aged mom retail store,” coat from Target

Harris’ purple hair brought a wonderful burst of color to the launch party on Wednesday. 

Although she’s not a student at the University, Harris said she came to support a friend who was a poetry editor for the issue. Keeping it simple with dark lipstick, combat boots and earrings, she describes her style as something a “gay mafia daughter” would wear. 

She sported a little black dress accented with a blue blazer and chunky boots. Spring doesn’t have to just mean florals and sandals, and Daria shows us that darker hues deserve a place in the spotlight.