Surgical Masks: The Latest Fashion Craze from Mexico

FASHION/HEALTH - When it comes to fashion, its become a cliche to wear a gas mask on the runway. Especially when it comes to fetish or BDSM garb. Its been OVERDONE. Stop doing it already! (I swear people are so unimaginative at times.)

But... with the recent spread of the Swine Flu (H1N1 virus) from Mexico, a lot of people are taking the wise precaution and are wearing surgical masks to protect themselves from the deadly plague.

Before I get into this I think its really important that people wear protection, even if you're not sick. You could catch H1N1 from somebody else, just by shaking their hand, opening a door, handling money, someone coughing nearby (or in an elevator) or any number of ways since its an airborne bacteria. The best way to prevent it is to be very careful about what touches your hands, what touches your face or goes in your mouth, and be mindful of washing your hands regularly.

So buying food at the cafeteria or restaurant near your workplace... big no-no. Bring a bag lunch. No, you're not poor, but you are cautious. Who knows what people are coughing onto the food in the cafeteria's kitchen... its best not to take that chance.

Far too few people in epidemics even take these things seriously... and they're the ones who get sick first. It is better to err on the side of caution, even if you feel weird about wearing a mask in public.

However, there are two things that concerns me:

#1. How effective are surgical masks at preventing the spread of the H1N1 virus? Really we should all be wearing gloves, washing our hands and faces multiple times per day, and wearing masks which are much more effective.

#2. How fashion friendly are surgical masks? Well... not very. But you could wear lots of blue to match them... or maybe even buy nurse scrubs and wear those, which would be kinda kewl even if you're not a nurse.

My solution has been to skip the mask and opt for a bandanna, folding it in half diagonally and wearing it as per bank robbers in the Ol' West. I firmly believe the bandanna, which comes in many fashionable colours and designs, is more effective because it covers the sides of the mouth much more effectively than a surgical mask.

If I wanted to go all out I could get a gas mask, but they're pricey and apparently take a lot of practice to learn how to wear properly. If the H1N1 virus epidemic reaches that point... I think its time to just call in sick (even though I am not) and avoid going to work for several weeks until this whole plague thing is over.

But in the meantime I think the bandanna option makes a smart (and much more fashionable) way of keeping myself safe. A thick scarf could also work, but depending on the weather that may be unpractical.

See Also:
Swine flu spreading faster than expected
Worldwide Influenza Pandemic Warned
Swine flu hits Mexico and western United States

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French Fashion

French Fashion Culture

French fashion culture are well known all over the world especially on the world of fashion. French fashion culture are became dominant since the seventeenth century. The fashion industry was turn into high fashion accompanied with the accessories.

Through the fashion seasons, more designer clothes are equipped in changing styles of fashion but still in the depicts French fashions. Through the takeovers of the French designers and fashion corporations, the French fashion is in continue spreading its designs and styles all over the world.

LVMH is the world's largest luxury good purveyor that maintains the dominance of French fashion in the world of fashion. In the world of fashion, not only LVMH had the power of contributing luxury fashion goods in fashion trends. Through the contributions of French fashion culture in the line of designer clothes, some of the foreign designer clothes are enriching the French fashion trends by means of introducing new style and designs which blends on the foreign fashion and French fashion.

French Fashion in Europe

French fashion have done far into the world of fashion worldwide. When we talk about French fashion, how far do French fashion already got. The uniqueness of French fashion was brought zest to the French fashion trends. Because of there featured luxury fashion products, they are successful in maintaining the fashion culture of French in Europe and all over the world.

The effect of French fashion in Europe are very important when it comes to the fashion lifestyle there. French Fashion network is important also in the economy of France as well as all over Europe. Because of millions of people who are embrace the luxurious concept of French fashion. As far as Fashion is concern, they conquer also lifestyle fashion such as in food fashions, interior home designs, and fashionable furniture industries.

In Europe, French Fashion is the major source of latest and hottest fashions from time to time. French fashion is already a signature trend of Fashion.

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Italian Fashion

History Of Italian Fashion

Italian Fashion during Renaissance



The period after 11th century was development and domination of Italian fashion. Just like modern fashion, no rich tradesman would wear dresses that were out of fashion.



The Decline of Italian Fashion



The gothic style which is simpler style became popular in Italy and influenced Italian fashion. The dominance of Spanish fashion led to decline in Italian fashion. For centuries, Italian fashion faded away in the world of fashions.



The Revival of Italian Fashion



Post World War II, the Italy exported accessory fashion items and leather goods.



There was revival of Italian Fashion on 25th February 1951, when Giovan Battista Giorgini held a fashion show in Florence. Giorgini wanted to show that these expensive clothes are worn by rich influential people with ease. The fashion show became overnight success. With change in time, the Italian fashion concentrated and designed cloths for common man.

Italian Fashion Design: an Introduction

Fashion designers translate these philosophies into art that one can wear. Aside from artistic statements, fashion design houses have also demonstrated excellence in producing clothes that are practical and functional for everyday activities.



The designer can specialize in three types of design: mass market pieces, ready to wear (RTW) clothes, and haute couture pieces. Retail stores and outlets typically sell these clothes. RTW pieces, on the other hand, are not produced in bulk unlike mass market clothes.

You can find them in boutiques or high-end clothing stores. Concepts in fashion design not only lies on finished clothing pieces, but also on the fabric used. Textile designers are equally influential in constructing an outfit; these are not just left to fashion design professionals.

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The Purpose of High Fashion

FASHION - What is the point of high fashion?

Last year supermodel Carla Bruni (now the First Lady of France) wanted to bring herself down when standing beside the Queen Elizabeth II... She also chose a sombre grey dress-coat so to not upstage the Queen and for her shoes she wore a pair of plain black flats, while the Queen wore black heels.

Had she worn something exquisitely beautiful it would have been wildly out-of-place... plus with Carla Bruni it doesn't really matter. She'd look good wearing a burlap sack.

Most of us however are so ashamed of our bodies we wouldn't get caught dead wearing a burlap sack smock (or anything like it). We know we don't have the figure and we try to wear things that make us look better than we really do.

That's the purpose of high fashion. Its like make-up in a way. Or high heels. Or corsets. Its to make us look better. We aren't naturally stunning to look at, so we need high fashion as a prop.

If we all looked like supermodels there would be no need to go to such lengths.

Are we doing this for men? Not necessarily. Sometimes we just want to stand out or blend in. Depends entirely on the circumstances.

"We look at a beautiful person and think they are lucky," says Elizabeth Semmelhack, curator of Toronto's Bata Shoe Museum. "But if we look at a particularly fashionable person who is not possessed of raw beauty but rather a socially constructed beauty, then we're impressed. Real style is considered a magical skill."

High heels are now inextricably linked to pornographic imagery. Six-inch heels have elevated women's sexual allure to the point that flat shoes are now derisively described as "sensible."

Although frankly if I see a woman on the street wearing 6-inch heels, chances are likely she's a prostitute. She knows exactly what she's doing, especially if she has a fur boa, a short skirt and is showing a lot of cleavage.

Its always possible she's just a clubbing chick, but with those clothes she's still selling sex, except her payment is liquor and a guy good-looking enough to pass her drunken standards.

This is the POWER OF FASHION. It transforms a person from whore to madonna and back to whore again.

For women who are plain, or downright ugly, fashion is the way to even the playing field.

Lets take for example Susan Boyle, the bushy browed, wild-haired Scot who recently became world-famous as a contestant on Britain's Got Talent. The 47-year-old ugly duckling with the angelic voice has become a pop culture icon since her April 11 performance on the show partly because of the enormous disconnect between her appearance and her voice.

She's since had a makeover. Her grey hair has been coloured and styled. Her famous caterpillar eyebrows have been tamed. And she's traded in the unflattering mother-of-the-bride beige dress she wore on TV for a pair of fashionable, wide-leg trousers and a cool leather jacket. Though her supporters worry the makeover could diminish her chances of winning the competition, it's undeniable that she looks a lot better.

"This is why stylists are so popular," says Barbara Atkin, vice-president of fashion direction for Holt Renfrew. Women presume they can't learn these tricks themselves, so they hire a professional.

"Fashion offers women an alternative route to the spotlight, some sense of pride and dignity that they might not have if they don't approximate conventional standards of beauty," says Holly Brubach, former style editor of The New York Times Magazine.

Brubach is convinced the recent evolution of feminist culture has allowed women who aren't beautiful to participate in fashion. Feminism's first wave in the early 20th century liberated women from corsets and constructed silhouettes, she says. But in the 1960s, fashion was denounced as a male conspiracy.

"It was the hemlines issue, when the miniskirt was popularized and then seemingly one season later the maxi-skirt was in. Fashion was revealed as a commercial endeavour intended only to make women spend money."

In this era of post-feminism we have softened our dogma and now everyone can be stylish (or sexy).

It the dual faces of fashion – the model as front person and her plainer sister as participant. (Except behind the scenes the fashion models are hiding in plain sight wearing skinny jeans and t-shirts, because they're comfortable and they know they look hot wearing whatever.)

On TV's Ugly Betty the show's frizzy-haired protagonist stands alone as the unattractive employee of a fashion magazine staffed by beautiful people... except in real fashion magazines, the opposite is true... If you think the front row of an international runway is lined with lithesome Paris Hilton types, you'd be dead wrong. We're usually pretty butt ugly and our obsession with fashion is really about wanting to look better because we physically are below our own standards.

(We also work in an industry with an unusually high number of suicides, but thats another topic for another day...)

Try doing a Google image search for:

Suzy Menkes of the International Herald Tribune.
Isabella Blow, the late stylist and fashion muse.
Ingrid Sischy (who looks like a man), formerly of Interview magazine.
Anna Piaggi of Italian Vogue.
Kim Hastreiter of Paper magazine.
Lynn Jaeger, formerly of The Village Voice.
Glenda Bailey of Harper's Bazaar.

They are some of fashion's most powerful players, always a breath away from the runway but never on it... and they're all pretty plain or ugly looking.

So we ask again, what is the purpose of high fashion? Its not to make beautiful people look better, its to help the rest of us raise ourselves a bit up on the beauty scale... without having to exercise.

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Tween Fashion and the Girl-Next-Door

FASHION/ENTERTAINMENT - Young teens (aka Tweens) are all abuzz about the new Hannah Montana Movie, starring Miley Cyrus... but their adoration has also sparked an unusual fashion trend...

Modesty.

In an era when teenagers and young girls seem to be showing a lot more skin, this trend is a welcome change for parents concerned about their kids' promiscuity.

So instead we have the wholesome girl-next-door.

As opposed to the skanky Britney Spears look or the slutty Paris Hilton look. Or punkish Avril Lavigne or heroin-chic Amy Winehouse.

Adapted from the hit TV series from Disney, Hannah Montana is covered-up, ladylike and wholesome.

But what do the fans say?

"I saw the movie and really liked the clothes – I really liked the looser jeans and I want to get a flannel shirt. I liked that it was sort of peasant-y and plain," says Ruby, age 14. Ruby admits "I'm too old to have this admiration for her," and admits she had to pick her way past throngs of 8, 9 and 10-year-olds for a seat to watch the movie.

"I've always worn skinny jeans, but I liked that sort of casual, farmy look," says Ruby, who says she will be going shopping for baggier jeans, flannel shirts and peasant skirts.

Wow. Maybe clogs will become fashionable too? (That was sarcasm BTW.)

The Hannah Montana franchise is important fashion for tweens and young teens.

"Hannah Montana dominates the tween market," says Nadia Casarcia of La Senza Girl. "I saw the movie myself and we're definitely seeing a softer side of Miley. Even though there were two very different looks, she was more subdued. Maybe that's a reaction to some of the pressure she's faced in real life."

Miley Cyrus, who plays Hannah Montana, wore a very grown-up couture gown on the Oscars' red carpet this year, and has been criticized for appearing in Vanity Fair swathed only in a sheet, sparking controversy about her age and the amount of skin she was showing.

Fashion tends to go in cycles (hence why Madonna keeps changing her look). I think this new modest-look is simply a reaction to the overtly-sluttiness of the previous look being pushed on young teens.

So will this stick around? Maybe awhile, another year or two, but after that tweens will be older and moved on to something new.

Besides... aren't we forgetting something?

Miley Cyrus and her character Hannah Montana don't always dress the same... and Miley Cyrus is hardly the only female rolemodel out there that young women are emulating.

And then there's also feminists and their chance every summer to go topless and upset the religious wackos who think nudity is a sin. Or the opposite... there's young women going topless during Spring Break, etc...

So is America's young women becoming more modest? I think not. This is a quaint idea, but there's so much other stuff in the mass media and the internet now that young women really have a lot to choose from when it comes to deciding to dress like a madonna or a whore.

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Fashion Design

Fashion Design Books

This in turn has created a huge demand for fashion design books. Fashion design books cover a wide range of topics related to the fashion design industry. Most fashion design books start off by tracing the history of fashion and throw light on its evolution. Creation of a professional portfolio is another area covered by fashion design books.

There are designing books for people of different age groups. Fashion design books come in the form of reference books and classroom textbooks

Become a Fashion Designer in Your High School

This great demand provides a lot of opportunities for fashion designers in terms of bright career and very good income. It would help you if you ever plan to apply in some fashion design school or work on an internship job.

• You need to have a fashion design degree if you want to enter a big industry.

• Once you finish your high school, you must apply for a fashion design degree. There are several well known institutes for fashion designing that can help you in this regard. Doing so will brighten up your fashion designing career and you will get to learn about numerous tips and techniques that are essential for becoming a fashion designer.

• You can also pursue an online fashion design degree from any of the accredited online universities. Online fashion design degree allows you to study from your home and take your classes in flexible timings. Moreover, online fashion design degree costs much lower as compared to regular degrees, which makes it feasible for majority of students who cannot afford big universities.

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Outrageous Clothes that I will never wear

FASHION - Call it my biggest fashion industry pet peeve... but what is with all the clothes that, admittedly, none of us would ever wear in public. Or in private for that matter.

In the olden days of fashion design there was this thing called the avant garde, which was meant to represent anything that was so outrageous it was... controversial.

The term is also used in art history, to describe artists like Jackson Pollock or Andy Warhol who did something nobody else had ever done before.

Except when you look at the clothes shown here, you realize, yes, that's probably been done before. Its not very... experimental. Its like they're trying to be avant garde, but really they don't have a clue what they are doing. (I've tried to show a variety of different faux avant garde styles here, so you get a broad idea of the kind of bullshit nonsense these designers are pushing.)

I admit some of the clothes does look pretty kewl, and I could see wearing some of them to a gothic club... but its difficult to imagine where I might wear any of the other pretentious avant garde crap they're pushing.

I don't know why the fashion magazines even bother to show these photos any more. Is it like what I am doing? Making fun of it? No, they show them, talk about the designers and are totally serious about it. Its like they haven't clued in to the simple fact that:

AVANT GARDE IS DEAD.

Even retired fashion designer Pierre Cardin says Haute Couture is dead. Haute couture is basically just another word for avant garde.

Let's imagine for a moment if someone actually wore some of these things in public...

You'd have to get used to the idea of people staring at you all the time. You'd just look like a complete freak (more so than the goths, punks and emos look like freaks).

You'd also would have to have the hot sexy body to make it work. You'd definitely have to be female... a guy would never wear this stuff.

Its also not very practical. Its too cold for the winter, too hot for the summer, you can't wear a jacket over top of it and if it rains your clothes will get ruined.

In other words... nobody in their right mind would wear these clothes in public... unless they're eccentric or outright wacko.

You will never find a store that sells this avant garde crap either. Its not wearable or sell-able. It makes me wonder what the designers do with it after they're done on the catwalk... stick them in storage? Rip them apart and reuse them? Give them away as gifts?

I can just imagine the clothes being regifted from person to person until finally someone either recycles the material or trashes it completely.

I realize what the designers are doing of course. They're trying to make a name for themselves by doing something remotely outrageous. If they can get their name out there as a fashion brand... then they can start charging a lot more $$$ for their regular clothes lines. In other words... they're self-indulgent greedy little pricks... the same kind of pricks (and yes, they're mostly male) that only hire anorexic girls on the runway and are probably screwing the models (or snorting coke with them) behind the scenes.

After all when you make it big in the fashion industry, what else is there to do but f*ck around and snort cocaine? Like Kate Moss below.

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fashion sketches

Design Sketches - Know the Prime Requirement For Business

A sketch is made of overlapping lines, and it is an art of freehand drawing. Generally, sketches are used to save ideas that are used for a long time. It is very easy to make a sketch, and it saves lots of time rather than making an actual painting on a particular subject.

Generally, sketches are designed as applied arts in the field of engineering and fashion designing. Mostly, sketches are used to create graphics for any business purpose or to provide good looks to the object. In the field of fashion industry, fashion designers create sketches to develop latest styles of dresses. These sketches provide a better guideline about the final look of the products. You will usually see designers prefer dry painting media to prepare the sketches as it saves lots of time and effort. However, you will find many people who are using watercolor and clay to design sketches.

Sketch designers may use eraser frequently while designing a sketch. Erasers are very important in subtracting the extra lines and give attractive look to the image. Sketches are used generally for creative work that is done as an initial step of painting. It can be slightly different than the final product as sketches are only the rough work. They are always not as per an actual product, and they are often repetitive too.

Nowadays, if you are able to create sketches in a quick time it is the biggest benefit. Even the police department takes help from designers to create a quick sketch of criminal to find him out as quickly as possible. The sketches are very popular which were designed by famous artists Leonardo da Vinci and Edgar Degas. You will find many sketches that you can use for thoughtful studies and also the casual sketches designed by famous artists.

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French Fashion

French Fashion Design

French fashion designs have been the benchmark for fashion standards in the world for ages. The remarkable French fashion inspires designs across the world and have earned Paris the unique distinction of the "Fashion Capital of the World."

The fashion industry made a beeline to France under the tutelage of such designers as Dior, Balmain, Fath and Givenchy, Pierre Cardin, Yves Saint Laurent and Andre Courreges. The early French designs belonged to the classic style, which were later substituted by the more experimental style, and still later by the street style that focused more on the young consumers.

Under designers, Pierre Cardin and Courreges, space age designs were extensively made, wherein pieces in silver or black and white were mixed and matched. Moreover, there were pop art dresses with stripes and also trendy trouser suits. French fashion designers get their inspiration from a various different aspects such as nature and paintings.

Fashion: Revisiting Classics of French Style

Black and white clothing is, in fact, classically vogue for French women. Consider adding a white and black suit to your wardrobe to be worn seasonally. The white blouse in its many incarnations from classic button-down to peasant-like Bohemian can be added to the suit ensemble or worn with a pair of black pants-consider sleek black denim or black suede. The fit of the clothing is extremely important; whatever your body type, be sure to wear clothing that fits you precisely, which is a hallmark of French style.

Another element of French style is color coordination. Typically an outfit revolves around a dominant color, like black, and while other neutral colors are introduced. A three-piece ensemble might include a brown leopard-print skirt, a white blouse, and a beige cardigan. A night on the town might include a lavender cocktail dress adorned magenta-colored scarf and amethyst-beaded handbag. Tone on tone colors are typical Paris color choices for everyday wear.

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Italian Fashion

History of Italian Fashion

The period after 11th century was development and domination of Italian fashion. The development of art was as its peak. Great Italian artists such as Leonardo da Vinci gave one of their best masterpieces. The Italian fashion was also influenced by the art during that period. Great attention was paid to the extravagant dresses. The rich merchants with large amount of money at their disposal were ready to spend lavishly on the expensive clothing. They showed their power and status by competing by dressing extravagantly. Intricate designs with complex fashions were made. Just like modern fashion, no rich tradesman would wear dresses that were out of fashion.

There was increased consumption of highly fashionable cloths with greater stress to the quality of textile cloths. The demand in high quality cloth materials led to manufacture of fine fabrics.
The fabrics worn were patterned and had extremely expensive cloth materials such velvets and brocades. The men's garments were short and wide with long robes decorated with ribbons and jewels. Richly decorated hats of different shapes matched their costumes.

Till 1970s the fashion was especially for rich and famous people. With change in time, the Italian fashion concentrated and designed cloths for common man. In 1970s to 1980s, Milan became a fashion landmark and created current trends such as blue jeans and mini skirts which were affordable for common people. The most stylish and trendy dresses were available to common man at a low price.

Making Your Own Italian Fashion Statement

We see fashionable clothes and make up styles evolving through the years. Each year, the fashion industry wants to make a statement setting that year apart from the previous year. The year 1970 was probably the first moment in time that allowed women to decide for themselves as to what they want and what makes them comfortable.

Hot pants, maxi skirts and, especially miniskirts are the staples of a woman's closet and she can choose what she wants to wear when she wants to wear them. During a night out in town, you can see women wearing halter tops paired off with evening trousers or with a maxi skirt or other interesting clothing pieces. You can see empire line dresses in knee length or mini skirt style.

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Fashion Design

History Of Fashion Design

The history of fashion design can be traced back to the beginning of the19th century when the designs were the product of the dresses worn in the royal courts. Eventually, Charles Frederick Worth, the first fashion designer, set up his first fashion house in Paris. His designs greatly influenced the people and they labeled them as the designs of the "House Of Worth." As a result, a designer became synonymous with a particular brand.

Throughout the 20th century, Paris remained the world's fashion hub, with countries such as the US and Britain openly aping the French designs. The post World War era saw the emergence of other countries as the centers of fashion and Paris ceased to be the sole influential factor. The rising British fashion industry brought a new range of street fashion focusing mainly on the young consumers.

The mid-90s saw the emergence of a new breed of designers who redefined traditional concepts. They looked at fashion from a new angle, creating their own new concepts.

Fashion Design Sketches

Fashion sketches are illustrations made by professional artists and designed in a way that they can be easily displayed on the Internet. They portray the true creative genius of the designer. These can be considered a blue print of the final product. The perfection in making sketches is a prerequisite as they serve as the main marketing tool of the fashion professionals. The sketches reflect trends and the value added features of the design. They can also be used to evaluate the various patters used by different designers.

Fashion Design Internship

Fashion design internships help companies get the ready availability of skilled and fashion educated candidates. These candidates, with their knowledge, bring value to the companies in a cost effective way, as their salaries are relatively low.

Fashion Design Portfolios

Creation of a portfolio is one of the most important aspects for a fashion designer to make his presence felt and to carve a niche for himself. Portfolios are a means for the designer to communicate his ideas and concepts about fashion to the people. The portfolio determines the sale quotient of an individual's design. It is a presentation of the range of a designer's skills and his expertise in the field.

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Summer Fashion 2009

Fashion Trends For Spring Summer 09

Although catwalks have already finished showing their Autumn Winter 09 collections it normally takes at least six months to a year for their collections to be redesigned to be commercially viable. After all who can afford thousands of pounds for the latest designer dresses.
Last years catwalk collections are just starting to filter into the high street now, although somewhat toned down from the extravagant (and very expensive) designs!
So here is a summary of the key fashion trends for this spring...
English Eccentric
Dresses and tops are updated with light colourful florals and ditzy prints.
Club Med
Last years nautical theme is revisited and stripes are still big news, although this time is the thinner stripes that are on trend. Look for navy and black stipes over a white background.
Body Con Dress
This seasons hottest dress is definitely the body con dress. Debate surrounds its true meaning, is it body conscious or body contoured? Both equally apply as its a style for those with a curvy 10 or 12 as the material is very figure hugging.
The Playsuit
Another 80's revival piece is the playsuit. Keep it printed and colourful for the day and choose a little black version for the evenings. Not got leg confidence? Then perhaps a jumpsuit will suit better with its full leg coverage.
Block Patterns
Straight from the catwalk is block design. Think dark lower half and bright top. This style is very handy at hiding larger hips or a big bum.
Chic Western
Last years checks get and fashion overhaul. Think detailed patterning on shirts over tight jeans.
Asymmetric Fashion
The one shoulder dress was paraded on the catwalks and its a fashion trend accessible to all. Although best suited to those with shoulders they want to show off.
The Mini Dress
Like the body con dress this is another style for those with slim figures. Dress lengths are going to be very short this summer.
The Bandeau Dress
Take an symmetric dress and remove the other shoulder and your there. Very soft and feminine, this trend is perfect for those long hot summer months.
Swimwear Trends
Essential swimwear for this season are cut out (or cut away) one piece swimsuits. The more daring you are the more cut away they should be. Asymmetric swimwear and bikinis also featured in a lot of swimwear collections.

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Cage Shoes

FASHION - Cage shoes may be popular right now, but how comfortable are they?

Cage shoes may be the rage this season, starting at the spring/summer 2009 Yves Saint Laurent collection shown in Paris last October followed by designer Stefano Pilati sending his models down the runway with their feet encased in a shoe featuring thin strips of leather that form a grid-like pattern and perched on a metal cage-inspired heel.

And ever since these cage shoes have been imprisoning the feet of models and supermodels all over the blogosphere, setting people a-twitter.

I can't help but admit they look kewl, and indeed I wouldn't mind having a pair or two... but I've also tried them on several times at Holt Renfrew... and was very disappointed.

They pinch your feet, your toes and your ankles. They are HORRIBLY uncomfortable. I have yet to find a pair that fit properly and are comfortable.

I am soooooo glad I didn't buy them either, because I found out later they leave horrible waffle tan lines on your feet. So they're definitely more for partly cloudy days.

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Fashion Dress

Fashion Dress - From Couture Beginnings to Mid-Twentieth Century
Executive summary about Fashion Dress by Jaime Marie

The first fashion designer who was not merely a dressmaker was Charles Frederick Worth (1826-1895.) Before the former draper set up his couture fashion house in Paris, fashion creation and inspiration was handled by largely unknown people, and high fashion descended from style worn at royal courts.
1900s
It was during this period that many design houses began to hire artist to sketch or paint designs for garments. If the client liked the design, they ordered it and the resulting garment made money for the house.
The outfits worn by the fashionable women were strikingly similar to those worn in the heyday of the fashion pioneer Charles Worn, By the end of the nineteenth century, the horizons of the fashion industry had generally broadened, partly due to the more mobile and independent lifestyle many well-off women were beginning to adopt and the practical clothes demanded. Changes in dress during World War I were dictated more by necessity than fashion.
1920s
Soon after the First World War, a radical change came about in fashion. Corsets were abandoned and women borrowed their clothes from the male wardrobe and chose to dress like boys. A bustless, waistless silhouette emerged and aggressive dressing-down was mitigated by feather boas, embroidery, and showy accessories.
Fashion became more compromising, aspiring to preserve feminism's victories while rediscovering a subtle and reassuring elegance and sophistication. Women's fashions moved away from the brash, daring style of the Twenties towards a more romantic, feminine silhouette. The fashion for outdoor activities stimulated couturiers to manufacture what would nowadays be called sportswear.

Plus Size Fashion Dress With Style

Executive summary about Fashion Dress by Andrea Dilea
Large women who wear plus size clothes are no exception. The cut of a jacket is the first thing that plus size women must consider. They should stay away from short, boxy jackets. Plus sized women with a curvy physique will find a shorter jacket with rounded lines, curved lapel and fitted waist flattering for their body.
A clinched jacket will accentuate and minimize the stomach. The following tips can help you find the right length plus size jacket for you. When you choose a longer jacket, be sure to choose a more narrow pant or skirt. Long jackets over knee length skirts and shorther jackets over longer shirts have the most flattering effect.
Scarves are a great accessory to add a personal touch to a plus size jacket.

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Fedoras, oh la la what a cock

FASHION - When it comes to hats and headwear, there is nothing more stylish than a fedora.

And nothing more geeky or tells the world you're a complete idiot.

I will say that women look fabulous in a fedora. Its very stylish and they don't look geeky whatsoever, but when a man wears it he ends up looking like:

1. A geek.
2. A pimp.
3. A complete cock (a British term to describe a braggart, idiot, jerk).

The last thing, the absolutely last thing a man will look like, is stylish and kewl. The men in the photos above... all look like cocks. They're trying really hard to be stylish. Too hard, and it ends up looking fake.

When you're stylish, you're not trying hard, you're natural about it. You're not pretending to be something you're not. You just are. Men wearing fedoras in an attempt to look stylish... well, they just end up looking like cocks.

As much as fedoras may be back in fashion for women, for men it could be years or decades before fedoras are considered stylish again.

I will say however there is a practical reason for wearing wide-brim fedoras. In the future, with global warming et al, it will be a wise move for more people to wear fedoras, cowboy hats and other ways to cover your head.

These short-brim fedoras... they're not practical, they're purely for style and people trying to look stylish. When people start wearing fedoras because they're a practical way to keep the sun off... then it will become stylish again.

See Also:
Fedora Femme

More about → Fedoras, oh la la what a cock

Does the Fashion Industry Ignore Average Women?

NOTE: For photos I managed to find several images of 'average' and 'plus-size' women's fashions, but its rarity. I experimented with Google image searches and I'd say skinny fashion outweighs average-sized fashion by a factor of 150.

FASHION - The average American woman is size 14.

But when was the last time you saw a size 14 woman on a catwalk? Or a size 14 mannequin in the store window? They don't exist.

But male mannequins and male models that size (or bigger) do exist. Why is that?

In these troubled economic times, it seems idiotic for an industry to ignore half of its potential customers. But that is exactly what the women's-fashion industry is doing by catering to size 4 women, according to the L.A. Times.

The average American man in contrast weighs 189.8 pounds and can easily find his size in department stores or expensive boutiques selling Armani. They know men won't diet to fit into a suit, but women will diet to fit into a dress.

Many women's designers limit their collections to size 10 and under, while department stores carry vastly fewer selections in women's so-called plus sizes and relegate those to fashion's "back-of-the-bus" by tucking them in hard-to-find corners of the store.

"I just don't want fat people wearing my designs," says one fashion designer. "Fat people aren't cool, and no hip designer wants uncool people wearing their clothes."

But these aren't fat or obese women. They're average. The fashion industry is ignoring AVERAGE women just because they're worried its 'uncool'.

Only a few chain stores, such as Lane Bryant, Fashion Bug, Avenue and Torrid, focus on full-figured women, despite 62% of United States women being categorized as overweight (and approx 30% as being obese). Retailers are hurting for business, many are reluctant to even talk about plus sizes, let alone promote them, because they don't want to be seen as uncool.

It seems like the fashion industry is only marketing to the less than 5% population that is "super thin".

Where are the stores for fat women?

Where are the stores for average women?

The L.A. Times also reports that almost every major retailer, including Macy's, Nordstrom and even Wal-Mart, the county's No. 1 seller of plus-size clothing, declined to give interviews or failed to respond to requests. Why? Because they don't want to admit they sell to 'uncool' women apparently and are worried such a stigma would hurt their sales.

See Also:
Skinny Fashion Models / Standardized Women's Clothing Sizes
Skinny White Runway Models
Anorexia in Asia
Carre Otis
Fashion Waifs Disappearing
American Obesity Rates
The Perfect Female Body at Work

More about → Does the Fashion Industry Ignore Average Women?

Fashion Clothes

Wholesale Fashion Clothes Sold at Economic Prices

If you are looking for the most affordable clothing wholesale, purchase apparel stocks at Asian fashion wholesale manufacturers. Hong Kong fashion wholesalers from all throughout the world have the opportunity to shop for clothing supplies wholesale at CausewayMall.

CausewayMall is a wholesale online shopping mall, which specializes in wholesale women’s apparel. This wholesale manufacturer from Asia sells cheap, ladies, wholesale clothing. Whether you want to buy junior wholesale clothing or women fashion clothing wholesale, you will be able to take advantage of the company’s trendy styles.

For one, you can buy Japan & Korea fashion clothing. You can also shop for Hong Kong fashion clothes. Causeway Mall is a cute trendy clothes wholesaler, marketing items which are of the latest fashion. You have thousands of choices when you shop for wholesale Korea style fashion clothes. CausewayMall sells blouses, skirts, dresses, pants, clothes sets, and jackets.

Getting the Best Deals Out of Wholesale Fashion Clothes

When choosing from a long list of clothing suppliers, choose a company or manufacturer that sells wholesale fashion clothing. One such company is CausewayMall, which is a Hong Kong fashion clothing manufacturer.

This Hong Kong clothing wholesaler sells its items at an economic price, when you shop in bulk orders. Another advantage that CausewayMall offers is the utmost trendiest styles in the fashion industry. This is something that you can expect, despite the fact that CausewayMall sells its wholesale fashion clothing at lesser costs.

CausewayMall sells its apparel internationally. The apparel that CausewayMall.com provides is inspired by Japan & Korea Fashion Clothing. This implies that your clothing supplies wholesale are comprised of chic and trendy designs.

There is no way that you can get designer clothes wholesale at affordable prices. Fashion clothing usually means expensive tags. But when you shop at CausewayMall, you will be able to supply your clothing retailer shop with designer and fashion apparel without sacrificing your profit.

More about → Fashion Clothes