Accessories

Accessories are not just a girl's best friend, depending on the guy, they are our best friend too. Accessories are so important when it comes to fashion because they can make or break an outfit. When it comes to me, my most favorite accessory is sunglasses, I have about twenty pairs. I cannot just throw a random pair on my face though, each pair I wear has to coincide with the clothes I am wearing. Another one of my favorite accessories is bags, whether it is a designer messenger bag, designer duffel bag, or simply a back pack. Another accessory that is the most important in my opinion is shoes, I personally have at least twenty five pairs. The shoes I pick out depends on what I am wearing, If I am dressing casual I either wear leather flip flops or converse, but if I am dressing a little classier I wear plain brown, black, or alligator skin shoes. One last accessory that is important to me is jewelery. I do not always wear jewelry, it really it depends on what clothes I am wearing, but I do always have a ring on. I usually wear my Louis Vuitton watch, and sometimes wear necklaces and bracelets. Accessories are very important, and like I said, they can make or break and outfit.

Speaker - What I Learned

I really enjoyed the speaker in class today and learned a lot more than I thought I would. I actually know Elyse from class last year, she's a really great girl. She taught me that although grades and GPA are important in college, it is not the only thing that is important; she said that when applying for jobs it does not really matter what grades you got in school, all that really matters is who you know and the connections you have.

Elyse also persuaded me to go on the New York trip, I have been thinking about it for next year and thought it was a great idea because of all you learn, see, and who you meet; I will definitely be going next year. So overall, she was by far the best speaker we've had so far and I learned a lot.

A sweatshop can be defined as a factory where workers make products in very poor, difficult, and dangerous working conditions, usually where the workers have few rights or ways to address their situation. This can include exposure to harmful materials, hazardous situations, extreme temperatures, or abuse from employers. Sweatshop workers are often forced to work long hours for little or no pay, regardless of any laws mandating overtime pay or a minimum wage. Child labor laws may also be violated.

Personally, I am pro-sweatshops. Without sweatshops in various less economically developed countries such as China and India, most families would not be able to support themselves or their families. Because these countries do not give opportunities to their citizens like our country gives us, sweatshops may be all that a person has to make money and survive. I am also pro-child labor as well. Without child labor in sweatshops, most likely these children would not be able to survive and would starve to death. Without sweatshops children may be forced into child prostitution. So sweatshops although bad, are good at the same time because it allows these people to survive.

Art vs Usability

Every fashion season, there is always mixed opinions whether the lines shown are wearable, or if they are just simply a piece of art work. Well, in my opinion every piece of clothing shown in Milan is a work of art, but whether or not it is wearable is a different thing. Honestly, whether or not an item is wearable or not depends on who is wearing it, but a piece from Milan Fashion Week compared to an piece from a retail store, their wearability is completely different.

While looking at a few of the designers' lines from Milan Fashion Week, I noticed that a lot of the pieces had extreme geometric designs that I loved. Many other pieces had very bright and busy designs that moved your eye from top to bottom and all the way around.

Although there were a few pieces that were far to extravagant to be worn in everyday life, I found that the majority of the pieces in all the lines were very wearable.

Design Inspiration

I have been interested in fashion since I was young even though I didn’t develop my own sense of style until I was in high school. I’ve always had ideas in my head about new designs or dresses, shoes, and bags but have never been able to put them on paper because sadly I am challenged when it comes to drawing and art. My idea of designing that I can actually accomplish is creating different outfits that correspond with today’s biggest styles and trends. My individual style is wearing and mixing brand name and designer clothing but not wearing it like the stores want it to be worn by adding my own personal twist.

I am really big on celebrities, what’s new, and what’s hot and try to follow it as much as I can. A lot of my inspiration into putting together an outfit comes from what the biggest celebrities are wearing and the newest style or trend. One of my favorite things to do when choosing an outfit is mixing and matching designer brands. I wear a lot of Abercrombie & Fitch and I tend to mix a lot of what I wear with H&M. Hopefully one day I’ll be able to afford clothes outside of the mall.

Ethnic Influences

Throughout the world in every country there are fashion designers, all who have certain styles and certain influences by their own country and others as well. American designers are extremely influenced by ethnic countries, such as Japan, Africa, and India. Cultural trends, styles, colors, and accessories have swamped the fashion runways of the United States, usually without any realization from its consumers.

One of the most popular ethnic trends that I have seen in American fashion is the use of bangles. Girls all over the country are wearing bangles; it started with numerous thin gold or silver bangles, and has now become much more popular with the new sizes, shapes, colors, and materials. Bangles have been worn for ages by women of India.

Another popular ethnic trend that has been seen in American fashion is chandelier earrings. Over the past few years, earrings have been getting larger and larger, which is one of the reasons why chandelier earrings have become so popular, because of their large size. They are made in different colors, sizes, and lengths that have been a huge hit in American fashion. Chandelier earrings in America were also influenced by Indian women.

Trends of Fashion Week Spring 2009

The Mercedes Benz New York Fashion Week of Spring 2009 has sadly concluded, and what an amazing week it was. We saw lines from the world’s top designers, from Oscar de la Renta to Vera Wang. This season, we saw many fashion trends, a few being bold, brilliant prints, vibrant colors, and the always fashionable little black dress.

I have chosen two collections to write overviews on, Marc Jacobs and Miss Sixty. Marc Jacobs Spring collection consisted of many colors, patterns, layers that could be worn with virtually anything other piece in his collection, over the top accessories that worked perfectly, and hats with every piece. I noticed he used a lot of plaid, metallic, and paten leather, some even had metallic plaid.

Miss Sixty’s Spring collection compared to Marc Jacobs’ is a lot more girly and less elegant, focusing on sexiness. Some things you see in the collection are vibrant prints, plaid, and very baggy pants. What I love about Miss Sixty is that I could see every single piece from his collection being worn on the street by the most fashionable of women. I just wish they made clothes for men.

organic & environmental friendly clothing

In our environmental conscious world today, most are trying to help our planet in any way possible by “going green;” one of those ways is producing and purchasing organic and environmental friendly clothing.

The two materials used the most for environmental friendly clothing are cotton and wool. There are many different methods to producing this kind of clothing, but mainly it is produced by recycling old clothing. Recently, a lot of clothing stores have hopped on the band wagon and started “going green.” One of the stores that have done so that I have been in contact with is American Apparel. They are now producing clothing for men, women, children, and babies made from 100% organic cotton, including shirts, bras, and underwear.

Although organic and environmental friendly clothing is better for the environment, most do not buy these products because of the higher prices. Some of the clothing stores that I shop at do offer organic clothing, but I have yet to buy one item because I do not feel it necessary to buy a shirt for two times as much as the same exact non-organic shirt. It is a great idea for clothing stores to “go green,” but not to raise their prices on those items that are organic.

my favorite designer

Since becoming interested in fashion, I have always followed one designer more than others, Dolce & Gabbana. Their fashion lines are always so innovative and unlike anyone else out there. Every season they always bring something new and amazing to the table that blows me away. In my opinion, their lines are a lot more wearable than other designers’ clothing.

I am also a big fan of their sunglasses and casual clothing for men. Although somewhat expensive, I have come to acquire a few articles of clothing that I absolutely love. I also have multiple pairs of their sunglasses; I have yet to find another designer’s sunglasses that I like more.

Another reason why I love Dolce & Gabbana is their advertising. I am a big magazine reader, and every time I see a Dolce & Gabbana ad I know exactly what the ad is for just by the bizarre makeup, hair, and skinny, pale, men and women.