January 7, 2020
3 ways to maintain your wardrobe
Happy new year everyone! Is your closet ready for the new decade? Paying attention to your wardrobe is important, and luckily, easy to do. Here are a few quick tips and ideas to look your best!
#1 Keep Track of Your Basics
Make a shopping list of what your wardrobe lacks. If you have an idea of what you need, you can gradually add those pieces to you closet.
You may also want to consider keeping an inventory. Your most loved and lived in items can wear out quickly. Restocking basics, like t-shirts, lingerie and active wear seasonally or bi-annually will keep these items looking sharp.
#2 Staying Trendy
Researching trends you’d like to incorporate into your wardrobe in the upcoming year can help you try out a style or item that’s outside of your normal attire. It’s good to step out of that comfort zone every once in awhile! Keep an eye out for sales if you aren’t totally ready to commit to something.
Don’t forget that beautiful investment pieces you will keep for years are worth the price tag. Think about an item you could see yourself making a splurge on, like a designer coat, bag or watch, so you can start saving up now!
#3: Practice Sustainability
As you are rearranging your closet and making room for new pieces you will love to wear, remember to practice sustainable habits by returning, donating or selling unworn or gently used items. Check in your area where you can recycle clothing items that have seen better days.
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August 8, 2019
With fashion month just around the corner and many a trend to be tried, I thought it might be fun to look at previously non-negotiable fashion rules and how we actually don’t have to follow them. Forget the rules- if you like it, wear it! What fashion rules do you love and which could you do without? Share your favorite fashion rule to break in comments!
- Flats don’t have to just be worn with casual outfits. Enough said, our feet have never been more grateful!
- Go ahead and mix prints! Ikat with stripes and polka dots with floral’s! If you feel overwhelmed by this idea, start small by treating leopard print as a neutral and add an accessory with a print.
- And the same goes for black and blue! This previously no-no color combination is at the forefront of trendsetters’ wardrobes today.
- Everyday staples don’t need to be expensive, just be on the lookout for good quality. Also keep in mind how often you’ll wear the item, so you can buy a few at a time if necessary.
- Leggings can be worn outside of the gym. Thanks to the rise of athleisure, they have shown they are more than a closet basic. While leggings are versatile, you may want to check any dress code policies your place of work has.
- Wear white after labor day, its a great way to liven up winter wardrobes. Opt for materials like wool, cashmere or flannel instead of cotton, linen or seersucker. If you aren’t sold on white, keep in mind beige and cream colors that would pair excellently with a camel trench coat.
- Feel free to mix seasonal pieces. Wear floral’s for fall, plaid in spring and so on! This is another rule where it’s best to pay attention to the material of a garment, but feel free to experiment with patterns.
- If you just can’t part with your favorite open toed shoes after the summer season, simply wear them with socks or tights in colder months. Peep toe boots are another good option if you like the style.
- Who even decided horizontal stripes were ever unflattering? That’s such a racket! Go for it!
- While people used to think a garment wouldn’t wrinkle after it was ironed, unfortunately, that has turned out to be false. Wrinkles CAN form, so try to wait about 5 minutes after you’ve ironed an item so it will press and your work won’t go to waste.
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12/9/2018 What To Expect At the 2019 Met Ball: Review of Notes on Camp
The Met Gala theme for 2019 was announced to be Notes on Camp.
Camp is confusing when you first hear it. What is Camp? Susan Sontag famously defined the term in her short essay, Notes on Camp in 1966.
Camp is a certain mode of aesthetics (point 1) including frivolity and seriousness.
It’s fashion, discovery, playfulness, amusing and ironic. By choosing style over content, one offers a different standard character, one that’s exaggerated, deliberate, and shows a vision. Life is too important a thing ever to talk seriously about it.”(point 26)
So who is Susan Sontag? She was an American writer, filmmaker, philosopher, teacher, and political activist. Notes on camp was her first published work.
She was born in New York City and graduated from North Hollywood High School at the age of 15. She began her undergraduate studies at the University of California, Berkeley, but transferred to the University of Chicago to study in philosophy, ancient history and literature. She graduated at the age of 18 with an A.B.
After that, she continued her education, attending Harvard to study literature before moving in theology and completing her Master of Arts in philosophy. Afterwards she began teaching philosophy at Sarah Lawrence College and City University New York and working on her novels.
She won numerous awards for her work including, the MacArthur Fellowship, National Book Critics Circle Award for On Photography in 1978 and for In America in 2000, the Jerusalem Prize, awarded every two years to a writer whose work explores the freedom of the individual in society in 2001, and the George Polk Award, for Cultural Criticism for “Looking at War,” in The New Yorker in 2002.
She died at 71 in 2004 and is buried in Paris, France. She is survived by partner, Annie Lebovitz, whom she met in 1989 and son, David.
So, Camp is basically what makes you a person. The title of camp for the subject might be a little confusing, but the theory makes all the sense in the world. When you see it, you just know. It can be defined literally as “something that provides sophistication, knowing amusement, as by virtue of its being artlessly mannered or stylized, self-consciously artificial and extravagant, or teasingly ingenuous and sentimental.” It can be embodied as well, most of what fashion already is.
Her novels are Against Interpretation, Illness as a Metaphor, Styles of Radical Will, and On Photography. I enjoyed her collected works, particularly What’s Happening in America, A Woman’s Beauty: Put Down or Power Source and America, Seen Through Photos Darkly. I am glad that Vogue and the Met brought attention to an influential woman of her time, and to have gained an understanding of how much and how little things have changed in the last fifty years. It was a reminder, at least to me, that there is still work to be done; we can and should be better. She talked throughout each of her works about the human condition and we would all do well to remember each of us no matter, race, gender, sexuality, nationality or age are still people with complexities who deserve to be heard. Brace yourself for the upcoming Met Ball, I hope it will be the most expressive event to date.
The Notes on Camp exhibit at The Met will feature 175 pieces from 37 designers, and will include sculptures, drawings, and more.
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6/26/2018 Miami Fashion Week
On May 30, Miami brought the fashion heat with resort wear collections. The second largest fashion show in the U.S. boasted a full five days of dreamy, bold and unique collections from designers around the world made for a truly stylish week. Popular designers like Roberto Cavalli, Carolina Estefan from Colombia, Agatha Ruiz de la Prada from Spain and Angel Sanchez from Venezuela shared Resort 2019 looks. But the fun didn’t end there. Pop up events, fashion talks, Master Classes, after parties and a benefit gala hosted by Antonio Banderas were among the many events happening throughout the Magic City. The gala supported the Nicklaus Children’s Hospital Foundation and Banderas personal charity, Fundacion Lagrimas y Favores. Even though the styles are not available until the following year, I think it’s a great way for designers to get exposure to potential customers for current lines as the seasonal fashions correlate with its actual season. Check out a few highlights in the slideshow below!
8/8 What to Wear This Fall
Fashion month is just around the corner! Even though I’m still seeing summer heat waves at midday and ice cream cones immediately start to melt once scooped, I am anxiously waiting for those upcoming new styles. As for this fall/winter season, the current trend is that anything and everything goes. Wear mixed materials in loud colors accented with an even louder mutual hue. Pair chunky knits with a classic Victorian collar. Top of a vintage ensemble with retro inspired hats. Channel your inner cowgirl or cowboy with western patterns and cowhide print. The more chaotic the better. I like the sound of all those layers and thicker textiles for colder months, even though I’ll probably be begging to escape somewhere tropical come December!
Photos courtesy of Elle & Telegraph Uk
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6/12 Cold Shoulder
prabal gurung, self portrait, rodarte, brock collection, tome, courtesy of elle
Summer is all about exposed skin, and the classiest way to style that (and show off an amazing tan) is with a cold shoulder. Just that small hint gives major attitude, allows for subtle flaunting and as another bonus, let’s your skin breathe in that relentless summer heat. The singular exposed shoulder also has that extra cool Flashdance vibe that is breezy and low key. The delicate detail will be so much fun to style and I hope fashion’s latest trend is here to stay.
3/9 Top Trends from Fashion Week
Fashion Week has wrapped up and left a lot of styles and inspiration out there for consumers to experiment with. Below I picked out a few of the boldest trends that I think we will see a lot of in the following months.
3 Trends from PFW
Delicate Braids
Valentino
Braids were a popular hairstyle on many runways in Paris, but the I like the smaller braids best. They are quick to do and add a romantic, bohemian touch. This style from Valentino of two braids framing the face is very stylish.
Metallics
Chanel & Rochas
It’s always so fun to see sparkle and shine on the runway. They just bring a smile to my face. Not to mention they are completely mesmerizing.
Pinstripes
Melitta Baumeister, Issey Miyake
This small detail has an amazing effect when it blends in like this look by Melitta Baumeister. The symmetry of tone paired with the stripe pattern really adds a visual emphasis for the eye to follow, making the pinstripe a desirable pattern.
3 Trends from MFW
Graphic Hats
Gucci & Versace
An easy way to make a fashion statement is with these graphic hats. The contrast of color can also be good to accent tonal dressing or add depth by color blocking.
Geometric Patterns
Prada & Fausto Puglisi
Geometric tessellation prints in muted color palettes will be great for a burst of color in the long fall months.
Robe Coats
Agnona, Laura Biagiotti, Les Copains, Alberta Ferretti
Pajamas continue to inspire day and outerwear this season, but these coats are actually pretty and trendy. The relaxed silhouette is perfect for a low-key weekend look or dressing down a fancier outfit.
2/21 3 Trends from LFW
Stained lips
Topshop
According to London Fashion Week, forget lip liner and go for a messy smudged look instead. To achieve this look created by Val Garland for Preen by Thornton Bregazzi, she says to apply lipstick, smudge the outer line and use a large brush to buff it out. Then apply gloss within lip line, but not outside it.
Exposed Shoulders
Styles from Pringle of Scotland and Temperley London.
From cold shoulder to sleeveless to Bardot, LFW says the shoulder baring trend is as strong as ever.
Turtlenecks
Versus, MM6 Maison Marginal, PPQ and Ports 1961
It’s a no brainer that turtlenecks would be a popular fall fashion. They are winter appropriate, easy to thrown on with or without layers, and make just about any outfit chicer.
2/19/2017 3 Trends from NYFW
Power Pantsuit
Derek Lam, Oscar de la Renta, Zimmermann
I was not initially a fan of the pantsuit when it started becoming popular, but these patterns, crops and color mixes have changed my mind. These are super sleek, versatile and strong.
Shades of Tan
Diane von Furstenburg, Pamella Roland, Coach
From rusty orange to bold camel to muted khaki this classic color was everywhere, in jackets, gowns, and knits. It’s great that it pairs well with other colors.
Pastel Eyeshadow
Parabel Gurung, Oscar de la Renta
This graphic, bright shadow was in every color at Parabel Gurung in green, orange and blue. I like this eccentric 2 tone palette from Oscar de la Renta. The lighter color is a bit more day friendly and the color combinations are endless.
11/20 Dubai Fashion Week Revived
In 2011, Dubai fashion week or DFW was scrapped, but just five years later, its ready to make a comeback. Thanks to Sheikha Hend Al Qassemi, editor of Velvet magazine and a contemporary evening wear designer, the event will now take place bi annually in March and October following New York, London, Milan and Paris fashion weeks. There are many local established talents looking to showcase seasonal collections for a target audience of international designers, buyers and celebrities.
It is currently an invite only event, but I think it will be a very interesting presentation and showcase of styles and trends from the Middle East. I think there is a desire in fashion to see how people around the world dress and what fashion means to them. Where as a few years ago, fashion was all about westernization and a specific type of wear. This fashion week should be an economic boost for Dubai and increase tourism that people will be able to see everything the UAE has to offer. I think a fashion show is a genius way to go about, and I am excited to see what happens in March!
photos courtesy of The National and Emirates 24/7
9/20/2016 Why Thigh High Slits Need To Stop Trending
I am not a fan of slits in general, but these photos show pretty clearly why thigh high slits are not the way to go. I guess its like that old saying goes, a photo speaks a thousand words.
I mean, if I was wearing a dress with that severe of a cut, I would be so angry to have to constantly worry about flashing someone through the entire event. It might not look terrible to some as these ladies are walking on the red carpet, but they have to sit down during the program. At least they had the decency to try and avoid a flashing, because some don’t bother at all.
And why a designer thought a high slit right down the front of this dress was a good idea, that is even more of a fashion nightmare.
Sept 19, 2016
Fashion, with all its glitz, is one of the top polluting industries in the world, and there isn’t much being said about the designer brand carbon footprint being left behind. In 2011, Greenpeace launched its “Detox My Fashion” campaign that twenty six brands signed to help change that. fast forward to 2016, Greenpeace checked in to see how companies were keeping up with the 2020 deadline. Some, like H&M, Benetton, and Zara, are making good on their commitments — disclosing information on suppliers and the hazardous chemicals they discharge, substituting hazardous chemicals with safer alternatives, and developing and implementing concrete plans to reach the goals they committed to in 2011.[1]
Other brands, like Victoria Secret and Nike, have not done so much. This bothers me to no end. No one is saying a prominent, well known company needs to be completely green. The more I learn about business and how companies are run, I know that not everything can be organic or processes require machinery, labor, etc, but such big brands could do a little bit more, be a little bit better. Its not like these companies for example, are bothered by charging an arm and leg for their products. They could use some of that profit to pretend like they care and it wouldn’t even have a tremendous impact on their bottom line.
And if they don’t want to be apart of that, then they don’t need to sign up with Greenpeace to act like they want to do well by the environment. I personally have not shopped at Victoria Secret in over 2 years because I feel the brand is not quality and I have never liked Nike, who in addition to not bothering about their environmental impact, has also been known for its awful and poor work conditions. When I read this article the other day I was so glad that I haven’t been shopping at these companies. I won’t be any time in the future and I hope that others will evaluate their shopping habits and go to other brands that are at least making an effort.
[1]Charles Manning, Cosmopolitan, Jul 11 2016
fashionightmares 