Things Fashion told me

I was recently hired at the Nordstrom Rack (recent meaning February, bear with me). As my new boss takes me on a tour of the store and mentions the great deals for employees at the moment I couldn't help but have a small spark light up inside. I wanted to shop, I love to shop especially when presented with a good deal. Well, more like incentive. Then I stop myself. It was just the holidays and I received several new clothes and pairs of shoes. The last thing I needed was to surrender my wallet to the retail gods.

I did not need to shop and the spark extinguished.

At first, I was sad; disappointed really. Not only in myself but in fashion. Am I still a fashionable person? Do I still care about the world of fashion? I realized no, I am not a shlub and I still care about the world of wonder that has been a major part of my life.

I realized that fashion itself is not shopping. Shopping is only a means of acquiring fashionable items. Fashion is the way in which we present ourselves to the world in order to say something. It is the first thing someone sees when they first meet you or even just pass you by and in that moment it tells a story.

I began to think about items in my wardrobe I've had for years and why I've kept them. For example, my black pea-coat I've kept for at least 5 years. My dad looked at it the other day and noticed the ripped lining inside and made a face of disbelief. I love that jacket, it fits nicely and has a great shape that compliments my waist. The rips are just signs of good hard lovin'. It is truly a timeless piece. That is fashion my friends. An article of clothing that makes you look and feel good, can transform you into something more. It becomes a friend.

Recently I've had to part with some friends. I loved them so much they ripped in places that were beyond repair. I held onto them for longer than I should, but I knew it was their turn to go. Holding on to pieces of clothing because they were great pieces is what fashion is about. Timeless pieces you can wear through several seasons and still look fresh is what we should strive for, not the next new hot item.

It is sad but fast fashion has taken a hold of the industry because it is so lucrative. In reality it's good for the short term. Fast fashion retailers have to constantly turn out new product to feed the monster consumer they created. Now consumers get bored with clothes more quickly and have been programmed to believe they need something new every weekend! I am not immune to these hunger pains for the newest blouse on the shelves, but I have become more aware of my urges.

I've started to check myself when I think about shopping or am online looking at clothes. Do I really truly need that? Probably not and most likely I already have something similar. I'm not advocating we all stop shopping because shopping truly does bring joy. However, let us enjoy our wardrobes and develop them before we go out again and purchase yet another cardigan that we just had to have. I guarantee the cardigan will be just like the last you bought that was just as great.

Trouble with a capital T

Boy am I in blogger trouble. I should be considered a drop-out since my last post was earlier this year and it now being September. Well I have a few things to post, first being a reflection on style and shopping/consumerism. Secondly I would finally like to post what I gathered from MAGIC last year while in Vegas, and finally a post about trends to look out for this fall.
I'm so glad fall is finally here, sweating through ones clothes all summer is not a hot look nor is it fair to those around them and by that I mean body odor. Soon it will be time to pile on the layers and don new fashionable looks that were found strolling down the runway. I don't know what it is about covering myself up in multiple layers that makes me feel stylish, sexy and confident. What I do know is fall gives you the opportunity to wear more clothes at one time and that is always more fun!
Alright enough blah, it's time for a long awaited post about fashion!

A look back at the year 2010 in fashion

The year 2010 may be remembered for many things, like another year with a poor economy or the year of the iPad, but it’s always more fun to look back at the style of each year and reflect on how crazy some fashion choices were.

To start, let’s look at Her Majesty of pop music: Lady Gaga.

This woman has redefined style over and over again, never missing a beat and setting the standard for many in the music and fashion industry. For God’s sake, she showed up in a meat dress at the MTV Music Video Awards, not only making a statement politically but fashion-wise as well. That takes some serious thinking and guts –– no pun intended.

There are more chic choices she has made –– lest we forget the beautiful Alexander McQueen gowns she wore after his passing away. Lady Gaga was a huge fan of the designer and was given the privilege to wear his last collection. You may or may not like her music, but you have to give her credit for pushing the envelope in the fashion community.

Speaking of the late great Alexander McQueen, this beloved wild child of the fashion world unfortunately took his life this year right before London Fashion Week back in February.

McQueen was known for beautiful tailoring of women’s clothing and, of course, the tartan plaid that made him most famous. McQueen’s achievements include earning four British Designer of the Year awards and the Council of Fashion Designers of America’s International Designer of the Year award in 2003. He was a true artist and will truly be missed.

On a lighter note, New York Fashion Week moved its classic white tents from Bryant Park to the Lincoln Center. The move was due to space issues in the past years at Bryant Park.

The Lincoln Center provides more space and is also a hub for artists, so the venue seemed to be the perfect fit. The tents in the park will surely be missed, but the opportunity to shove more fashion into one place seems hard to pass up.

Finally, jeggings. One night skinny jeans and leggings decided to create a love child so the masses could enjoy the timelessness of jeans and the comfort of leggings.

The jegging may sound more ridiculous than it really is. If you can find a pair that don’t completely look like mom jeans and actually have pockets and what looks to be a zipper, you can fool pretty much anyone.

And don’t for one second think you can’t pull off the skinny jean or jegging for that matter, they give in places where you need it most and fit closely in the others, like around the calf and ankle.

Here’s to the jegging, making women comfortable in their jeans finally.

Fashion changes from season to season and is a true marker for cultural changes in our lives. Looking back at the years in our own style always brings back memories of our fashion faux pas or maybe the awesome night we had in one of our favorite outfits. Let fashion play a major part of your life because, looking back, it will always bring a smile or maybe an embarrassing laugh. Either way it’s all in good fun.

The Psycology of Dress

Remember when you were young and the night before the first day of school you laid out your outfit?

This was no ordinary outfit; this was the first-day-of-school outfit. The one that would set the pace for who you were and what you wore for the rest of the school year –– or at least that’s what you had in mind.

When we go to our closet each morning and decide what to wear for the day we’re all saying something whether we want to or not. The way we dress says much more than we realize, and it is usually the first thing a stranger looks at to size you up. Everyone dresses for a reason, even if it is as minute as something to throw on before you rush out of the house.

For example, if you’re the type of person who wants to say “I don’t care about how I look, I’m above that,” (and we all know someone like this), you might actually just be saying half of that statement: you don’t care.

If you don’t care, then why should the rest of us? We’re not interested. The extreme opposite is prone to this thinking as well. Those of you who try so hard to latch on to every trend and, perhaps, overdress, send the message you’re trying too hard. And again, we’re not interested.

Sometimes we dress to fit into a certain crowd of people we identify with. This usually is an effective approach. We buy the types of clothes this group wears and we soon adopt the same attitudes further pushing us into a particular social group. Be on guard for posers though. You can spot them a mile away. These people also tend to fall into the over-dresser category; again, they’re trying too hard.

The goal is to find something that makes you happy and feel confident when you wear it.

When you wear something you love it shows, and other people can see it. The point is not to be fashion forward every day; we all have our off days, but to put some effort and pride into your daily wardrobe.

It may not seem fair that what we have on the outside seems more important at first glance than what’s inside us, but it is human nature to do so. So lay out your outfit the night before and hopefully it says something along the lines: “I am confident, strong, and most importantly, awesome.”

A sartorial look at mens fashion

It would be a fair assumption to say men’s fashion is a much slower moving beast than that of the goliath that is women’s fashion. This is not to say men’s style has not changed recently, there are many new styles that have crept up into the wardrobes of stylish guys.

For instance, there has been a shift towards a more put together look. This doesn’t mean you have to wear dress clothes, just put some thought into your outfit. Here are some easy pieces to put together before you head out the door. Don’t worry it takes less than ten minutes so you can still sleep up until you absolutely have to leave for class.

Legend has it guys like pockets, a lot of pockets. Since the weather is getting cooler there is a remedy for both pockets and weather. The cargo jacket has at least four pockets on the front and has a cool military look to it. Look for something a little structured and hits just below the waist. These jackets come in darker colors and khaki so you can wear it with just about anything.

Everyone loves their jeans, but maybe it’s time to give them a rest every once in a while. Corduroy’s are a good alternative and not as bad as when you were younger. Believe it or not cords can be cool as long as you find a pair that has a straight leg and in a navy, brown, or olive green if you’re more daring. Try pairing them with a flannel shirt or a simple v-neck tee. To top it all off here is something for your feet.

Sneakers are awesome and come in all shapes and styles, but so do boots. Nothing fancy of course, just mid top boots will do. There are a variety of styles from a hiking boot to utilitarian, just nothing chunky or really tall. Boots are great for the winter especially in the snow and allow you to change it up from wearing sneakers.

Style should be nothing to worry about too much, just take a moment to put a look together you feel comfortable in. Perhaps you may even start to attract the ladies when they notice your cool new attire, because let’s be honest that’s what truly matters.

Shoes, ohmygod shoes

They are the last thing you put on in the morning and the final key to completing your outfit; they are the shoes on your feet and they deserve to be acknowledged. This season, there are three styles to focus on and consider adding to your wardrobe.

The ankle boot or booties are a great way to wear high heels that stay on your feet and look great at the same time. Find one that cuts just below your ankle to give shape, or you could suffer from a look that resembles you foot being abruptly cut off.

Look for boots with studs on them for an edgy look or a lot of buckles. Ankle boot wedges are also a great option if you don’t want to teeter on spiked heels. If you are comfortable in heels, there are some beautiful high heels to check out.
This season, spiked heels were on the runway, but on the opposite spectrum was the straight block heel. The width of the heel makes it possible for these to reach heights of four to five inches, and your legs will thank you for making them look amazing. Check out the Louis Vuitton beauty pump for a great example of this heel.

Marilyn Monroe once said, “I don’t know who invented high heels, but all women owe him a lot.” She would definitely be thankful for these sky-high heels.

Something a little more grounding this season, but nonetheless chic, are riding boots. The popularity of boots has grown exponentially over the past few seasons. Walking into a shoe store, you will see several rows dedicated to the current fashion staple. Every girl needs a pair of boots and if you happen to be one of the few who has still not picked out a pair, you have no need to fret as you have the opportunity to get ahead of the game.

In the boot family, riding boots are your cool cousin who lives in New York, and when they come to visit always have a story to tell about how they met this awesome band that no one has heard of. Intriguing, no?

There are a variety of riding boot styles to choose from. Some things to look for are a low heel, nothing slouchy, buckles are always a nice touch and try a brown leather boot. Black is always a great color but it is everywhere and you don’t want to look like everyone else, right? Be a fashion individual.

After a day of walking in any of these shoes your feet may need a little therapy, so don’t forget to thank them for totally rocking these styles. The easiest way is by just running a hot bath and slipping those puppies in. The next day your feet will feel fully ready to strut down any street knowing full well that they look amazing.

It's MAGIC!

I attended MAGIC this year which is held in Vegas, which actually seemed very appropriate I realized after visiting some of the conventions. I went with the student chapter of FGI from our university and it was a lot of fun and very eye opening, but let me tell you my feet were not prepared from the moment I stepped off the plane. I've been to Vegas before I know there is a lot of walking involved, I mean just walking from your hotel room to the front lobby is like an endurance feat in itself!

On the day we arrived we attended Project, which is for off price retailers. The best way to describe the clothes and accessories here is to imagine your self in one of those cheap clothing store where everything is a knock-off. It was all pretty ghetto fabulous to be honest. One woman's booth did have something interesting, she sold items that looked like Northface jackets and Abercrombie cargo shorts, but didn't actually carry the label. The truth is that $100 jacket your sporting was made in the same factory with the same materials as a much cheaper one the only difference is the embroidery on the front stating the brand. Very interesting!

From there we caught a taxi to the Wynn, which by the way I wouldn't mind spending my honeymoon there. Our next exhibit was ENK a very cool and young clothing vendor show. All the vendors there looked like characters from The City or The Hills and of course did have a kind of pretentious air about them. Needless to say I wanted to hang out in there all day. The clothes were amazing and everything had beautiful soft neutral colors with hints of bright colors like purples and reds. The shoes, my god, the shoes! Platforms, military, safari awesomeness! If I could stop time and just live in that showcase I would. Okay, time to move on.

The second day was the big day, we would be heading down to the Las Vegas convention center to see the Mecca of fashion, MAGIC. When we walked in I could not believe the amount of vendors there and how amazing there booths could be. Some of the bigger retailers had their booth designed to look like a miniature version of their store. A couple of friends and I were lucky to make it into the Jessica Simpson booth and look around and talk to one of the girls who was a vendor. Let me explain the lucky part.

Some of these booths were pretty exclusive/ intimidating looking. They had people standing in front of their little makeshift entrances and it seemed only by invitation or if you were a serious buyer could you actually go in, so yes we were lucky to make it into the Jessica Simpson booth.

Next to MAGIC was a new show called Platform, which was entirely for shoes. It was amazing. The only underwhelming part was waiting an hour to see Paris Hilton. She was debuting a line of shoes.

The sad thing was I have seen these shoes in all different stores. I don't mean hers specifically, but the style. They had been done before and it was nothing new. Plus, she was late so it added to my distaste. Whatever Paris, you are so not hot.

MAGIC was exhausting to say the least, but it is something I will never forget and I hope that this was not my only time visiting. I look forward to seeing what vendors continue to produce and see who puts their amazing product in their stores.

Side note: I will post pictures and notes to accompany from a presentation on trends for next year. It was also amazing (of, course).