Friday 18 July 2014
The Stylish Summer Fashions You Need To Try Out
It’s finally summertime, and that calls for a change in wardrobe. Time to shed off all of the layers and head out the door feeling bright, light and free. Want to make sure you’re in style under the hot sun? Check out these popular summer trends and enjoy your summer of high fashion.
Patterned Pants: Patterned pants made of light, billowy material have been everywhere. Whether they come in the form of shorts or full-length pants, these bottoms are definitely a hit for this summer. The light material makes the pants comfortable and it keeps you from getting too hot.
The wide selection of patterns also gives off a unique, casual look. Because of the busy colors and shapes, try pairing the bottoms with a plain tee or tank. If you’re bold, however, experiment with mixing patterns and color schemes until you find a look that works best for you.
Fashion Industry To Blame For Unrealistic Body Ideals
Fashion is an industry like any other in that it has its fair share of controversy and scandal. Since it is largely based on the way people look and superficiality, the fashion world has received a lot of slack throughout the years.
The body image that models–and thus the fashion industry as a whole–promote has been criticized for years, leaving many wondering if there will ever be a change.
image via
Many people have issues with the world of fashion due to the unrealistic bodies that models have on the runway. The norm on the runway for both men and women is tall and incredibly thin.
The average high fashion female model (high fashion meaning models you see on the runway and in print for major fashion labels like Chanel and Gucci) ranges from 5-foot-9 to 6 feet and weighs anywhere from 110 to 130 pounds and the average male high fashion model is 5-foot-11 to 6-foot-2 and weighs 140 to 165 pounds according to .
This means that the average BMI, or Body Mass Index, which is a measurement calculated using your height and weight to determine whether you are underweight, healthy or overweight, ranges from 16.2 to 17.6 for women and 19.5 to 21.2 for men.
A for an adult ranges from 18.5 to 24.9 meaning that the average high fashion model is much thinner than a healthy weight. While the average male model falls into the healthy range, it falls closer to underweight than anything else. Tall and thin, and often times skeletal and gaunt, is the name of the game for these models.
However, that is not to say that men and women who do modeling that is not high fashion don’t promote an unhealthy “ideal body” as well. Even models found in commercial advertising are pretty thin or at the very least have an unrealistic body type. In other words, we are constantly inundated with images of bodies that we will never have, no matter how hard we exercise or how well we eat.
The biggest complaint is that young girls are seeing this body type on the runways, in magazines, on television, everywhere, and then think to themselves that this is the norm, the ideal even. It starts to build insecurities in young girls, as well as boys, because they don’t look like the models on the runway or in magazines.
The men and women they see on the runway and in fashion advertisements represent the body they wish they had, but for your average girl or boy, this body type is unattainable. This can cause children to strive to attain this unrealistic body type and create a whole slew of psychological and health problems such as eating disorders and body dysmorphic disorder.
As of 2014, the has said that up to 24 million people in the United States of all ages and genders suffer from an eating disorder. It can be argued that the fashion industry has at least something to do with this given what the models look like.
This particular issue has also stirred up a lot of debate among designers and consumers. Many people feel that designers should stop using stick thin models and instead opt for models with more “normal” proportions to combat the issue. However, on the other hand, some to do such a thing and not only that, but many high fashion labels don’t even make clothing past a certain size.
What is even more maddening for proponents of normal women on the runway and normal sizes is the definition of “normal” in the first place. It seems that the consensus is that the , but in the fashion industry, anything over a size six might as well be plus size. The disconnect between what we see on the runway and in magazines versus what we see in real life is what angers many people.
“Bridesmaids” actress experienced this disconnect firsthand. In an interview with “Redbook,” McCarthy discussed how she used to have trouble finding someone to make an Oscar dress for her, claiming that one year she “asked five or six designers – very high-level ones who make lots of dresses for people – and they all said no.”
Teach for Change, a fashion show at The Park in Hyderabad
Teach for Change, a fashion show at The Park in Hyderabad
Hyderabad's swish set turned up in full strength at a charity fashion show Teach for Change powered by LivLife Hospitals where designer Sailesh Singhania and Dolly Gurbhani showcased their collection. The show saw Tollywood as well as Bollywood actors like Dia Mirza, Adah Sharma, Lakshmi Manchu, Charmme, Regina Cassandra, Madhu Shalini and Navdeep, along with badminton player Saina Nehwal and Shilpa Reddy walk the ramp in style. Also spotted at this fashionable do were politicians DK Aruna, KTR, theatre actress Dolly Thakore and Chaitanya among many others.
Again avoid anything too tight, cotton is your friend here
Pants
Again avoid anything too tight, cotton is your friend here. Soft, wide legged pants will work for some people, but if you're short you'll want to wear heels to elongate the legs. You might find that some wide-legged pants are a little too casual for your particular job, but persevere for future.
You can also work casual pieces into your normal work attire
Now, it's time to shop while following these tips.
Dresses
Smart summer dresses are ideal for work, plus they will take you straight to the bar as well. Keep them just above the knee at their shortest length. Peplum dresses are still very on-trend and are super flattering for all shapes and sizes. Don't be afraid of prints and colours too. Just remember to keep the rest of the look toned down.
Now, it's time to shop while following these tips.
Summer dresses are generally flattering on women and help keep you cool on sticky days
Fashion update: Here's how to jazz up your office wear
Everyone wants to look stylish and comfortable at the workplace. Soft flowing blouses, wide legged pants and draped jackets can help in achieving the desired look.
Femalefirst.co.uk suggests a few fashion tips to help professionals.
Tops
Avoid shirts in the high heat, soft flowing blouses are a lot more comfortable and will allow your skin to breathe.
Achieve a more relaxed business casual look in the summer by wearing lighter fabrics
Belfast Telegraph Stars descend on Paris Fashion Week
Stars descend on Paris Fashion Week
Kate Hudson, Lily Collins, Emma Watson and Dakota Johnson were among the Hollywood names who flocked to the fashion event. And one celebrity ...
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Fashion on the Shore winner Erin Johnson's sweet inspiration
Fashion on the Shore winner Erin Johnson's sweet inspiration
Fashion on the Shore 2014 winning designer Erin Johnson shows some of her designs at Tabor Hill Winery. Fashion on the Shore model Heather Hoskins wears Johnson's mushroom bloomers. "I fell in love with the mushroom rib knit, and wanted a pair of pants that would be outside recent trends," says Johnson.
Erin Johnson captured the top prize at Fashion on the Shore event by showing that stylish women can have their cake and wear it, too. Her deliciously fashionable dresses were inspired by some of the cakes served at a coffeehouse where the Western Michigan University student works part-time.
“Cakes are always used to mark a special occasion, like a wedding or a birthday or an anniversary,” says Johnson, 23. “So I thought why not extend that special occasion idea to formal wear?” She laughs. “I’m kind of an unusual person. I could see design elements—bead work, pleating, tucking, layering and construction—in the cakes.”
For her Red Velvet dress, Johnson went for a tall, sleek image, using a mini-pleating technique. Her Lemon dress, with geometric shaping on the bodice and in the trumpet hemline, accentuated curves by following the inspiration of a lemon wedge. For her Chocolate dress, she used latticing to invoke a bar pattern. And her wedding dress was inspired by a cupcake. “I wanted to capture that same sweet preciousness in a dress.” Her fifth piece, a taffeta plaid design, was inspired by legendary British designer Charles Worth, long considered the father of haute couture.
Johnson had shown a ready-to-wear line in 2013’s FOTS. “But I wanted to push myself this time into more elaborate formalwear,” she says. The judges praised her exquisite detailing and the intricacy of her embellishments.
She was born in Florida and grew up in Dexter, Michigan, near the Ann Arbor area. When she was 12, she started sewing. “That’s when my mother refused to do it any more for me,” she says. “ I always had bigger, crazier ideas for Halloween costumes, so she told me I had to take over.”
Infatuated with the bold power of fashion, Johnson thought of being a costume designer. “But I decided to channel that into clothes that more people can wear. I definitely took more of a fashion turn.”
Still, Johnson admits that her own personal style leans more toward an off-the-beaten-path look: mesh inserts, high-low hemlines, and assertive use of patterns and colors. “Vivienne Westwood’s work is inspiring to me,” she says.
In August, Johnson will spend her senior year at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City. “You know the Metropolitan Museum has an extensive Charles Worth exhibit now? I can’t wait to take it all in. ”
Fashion Artwear Contest
Fashion Artwear Contest
FashionARTsantacruz and Good Times annual call for entries
Is fashion your creative outlet? Do you have a sewing machine on stand-by? When others see a pile of candy wrappers do you think: 'scarf'?
If so, submit your original fashion design and your fanciful creation could be on the runway at the 9th Annual FashionARTsantacruz fashion show on Saturday, September 20 at the Civic Auditorium.
Good Times' readers will decide.
How to enter
Email a high-resolution photo of your original art-fashion to: gtweekly@gtweekly.com, with subject line reading: FashionARTsantacruz.
Remember to include your contact information.
Deadline for entries is Wednesday, August 20
The winner will be announced at GTWeekly.com on Wednesday, September 3.
Prizes
Good Times readers will vote for their favorite artsy fashion on GTWeekly.com. If your design wins the most votes, a model wearing your art-fashion will be the first to strut their stuff down the runway.
The First Place winner also receives Dinner for Two at a local restaurant plus four tickets to FashionARTsantacruz.
FashionARTsantacruz takes the very best of fashion and art while melding them together to create both colorful and completely unique designs. This year, FashionARTsantacruz is partnering with the Santa Cruz Education Foundation, who will receive partial proceeds from ticket sales.
Tickets to the event can be found at http://fashionartsantacruz.com/
Thursday 17 July 2014
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Local Fashion Designer Profile: Regina Simmons
In the sixth of a series of profiles of designers taking part in the Local Designer Showcase, Bernews today spotlights Regina Simmons. The Local Designer Showcase is set to be held on July 10, 2014.
When asked about her reasons for participating in the Local Designer Showcase, Ms. Simmons said, “The biggest thing that attracted me to this show was the opportunity to be mentored by someone already in the fashion industry. When I first learned of the local designers show in 2013, I was disappointed because by the time I heard about it, the deadline had already passed.
“However, I firmly believe that things happened that way for a reason. It was actually a blessing in disguise because I probably would not have entered and won the Miss Bermuda Design Competition, an experience which has truly helped to boost my confidence and visibility as a designer. There were so many lessons learned and experiences that I truly feel I needed to go through before taking on this challenge. Looking back, I can say that I wasn’t ready for this in 2013.
“Having come through the Miss Bermuda experience, I welcomed the challenge of the 2014 Evolution Local Designer’s experience. I made it a point to watch the newspapers so that I wouldn’t miss the announcement this year. I never did see the announcement in the paper, but I had several people forward the details to me by email and via Facebook encouraging me to participate. Of course, I did not hesitate to apply.”
When asked what she hoped to get out of the experience, Ms. Simmons said, “I have already gained a wealth of hands-on experience from this opportunity. It’s one thing to understand the concept of creating a cohesive collection from start to finish, creating an ad campaign, and organizing hair and make-up all at the same time, and another thing to actually do it.
“You find out what you are really made of and whether you truly have what it takes to meet deadlines and also the expectations of those who are investing in you financially and otherwise. There are a lot of designers in Bermuda, most of whom have studied fashion and been working in the background for many years now; I learned early on that to be accepted by them, you must really prove your talent and that you have what it takes.
“People don’t always welcome you into their space with open arms when you have not followed the path that they themselves have taken, or when your client list is not quite as long as theirs. I feel that this experience will further solidify my talent as a Bermuda designer.”
“The designers involved all have varying degrees of skill and experience, but there is room for us all. No one should feel that anything is being taken away from them; if anything, events like these help to carve a path and give credence to what we do. I realize that I have a long road ahead of me, but it is these experiences which help me to grow and sharpen my talent.”
When asked what progress had been made so far on the completion of her line, Ms. Simmons said, “I’m supposed to be 100% complete and I am not there yet. However, I will be there soon. I still have some finishing touches to make to the garments and I am a bit of a perfectionist so this is taking a bit longer than I had hoped.
“I’ve been working crazy hours at the bank and come home to work on my designs with often no more than three hours of sleep within a 24 hour period. It’s very easy to make mistakes under those conditions, so there are times when I will unstitch my work and redo it again. My goal is for the quality of my work to speak for itself. But as they say, practice makes perfect.”
When asked what her favorite piece in her new line was, Ms. Simmons said, “My favorite piece from this collection is called the “Adriana”. I named some of my pieces after the models. This is the dress which debuted in my ad campaign which we shot on Warwick Long Bay with the model and a horse. The dress is fun and flirty but very sophisticated and classy at the same time. I love how the silver mesh over the citrus woven cotton created a luminescence that seemed to glow at sunset. \
“I feel like this dress pretty much sums up my collection; the model, in my opinion, truly looks like she has been “Kissed by Class”. I shortened the name of the collection to “Pucker” simply because I didn’t think a sentence or phrase was an appropriate name for a collection. However, “Pucker” doesn’t quite capture the essence of the brand by itself.”
When asked what her experience with her mentor was like, Ms. Simmons, “My mentor is Julia Gall, and she is absolutely phenomenal. I truly question whether I would have been able to manage this all without her guidance and encouragement. She has been very involved and supportive, offering feedback, but leaving the final decision up to me. She has given the best advice and her eye for fashion I feel helped to guide me in taking things to another level. She helped me to consider detail and nuances that truly added cohesion.”
When asked how she knew that design was her passion, Ms. Simmons said, “I started designing clothing for my baby dolls at age five and then would jazz up my clothing in high school by adding sequins, hand painted designs, and appliqués. I had even contemplated studying fashion illustration and design in college, but chose Political Science and Psychology instead, for the same reason that most people choose business or law over art or acting, and I honestly have no regrets.”
India Couture Week to celebrate Indian elements
India Couture Week to celebrate Indian elements
Fashion Design Council of India's (FDCI) six-day India Couture Week (ICW) is back with yet another edition of glamour and glitz. A line-up of ...
Emotional ties: Fashion designer Savannah Miller
Actress Sienna's big sister Savannah is a fashion designer and mother of three. Here she talks about the things that inspire her most - and reveals a dark, sticky obsession...
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/you/article-2686489/Emotional-ties-Fashion-designer-Savannah-Miller.html#ixzz37jdG6pd1
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Monday 14 July 2014
Sunday 13 July 2014
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