Fashion as Discipline

The American Shopping Mall: A detriment to good fashion.

Why? We go to the mall when we're looking for something particular. My example – shorts. It's finally reached a reasonable temperature in exciting Columbus Ohio and I'm ready to sport my (not so tan) stems. So I go to the mall, in search of a single pair of shorts to get me through the weekends at minimum. I start with my regular, favorite stores – fully expecting to find something perfect. Nothing. That's when the trouble starts.

I wander into the next store – one I've never been in. Just looking for some shorts here – not a Hermes Lizard Birkin bag. Soon, I find that I've lost complete focus. I'm trying on shorts that would better suit a 13 year old rocker chick, not my normal classic chic go to for the mid twenty something. Suddenly, I'm slipping into a distracted fashion go-round - so many choices, but none my 'style'. Realizing my fragile state, I leave the mall empty handed and defeated.

I could have given into the Delia's denim shorts, but I didn't. However so many of us do. We completely lose focus of what pulls our fashion together and makes it unique, and just purchase something to have it – to check an item off the list. Good fashion is a discipline – it is not easy by any stretch of the imagination.

Negative Representations of Women in Advertising

To continue from my last blog post, I wanted to continue to look at advertising and other negative portrayals - this time with respect to women. Women are too often portrayed as weak, inferior, and silent in the majority of fashion advertisements in a number of ways. The fragile weight of models depicts frailty, while the classic model pose (back arched out with hands on hips, elbows out) further supports the portrayal of the woman as weak (this blog post has a great take on the 'posture' topic).

Another portrayal of women that is relatively common in fashion advertising is representing them as doll-like individuals. This could offensively imply that women are meerely something to look at - they have no actions, words, and capabilities as individuals (below - Juicy Couture ad). Additionally, closed, passive body language further enhances the image of a submissive, passive woman (Dolce and Gabanna ad, below).

An ad that I saw recently and fell in love with was a Gucci ad, depicting a woman holding a child. Her posture is open and aggressive, her smile wide, which to me is a nice reprive from the slouching, sleepy ads I spoke about earlier. In addition, I like how it brings a sense of power and dignity to motherhood.

Sadvertising in a Declining Society

Anyone who reads any sort of fashion publication knows that at least half of the pages in each issue are advertisements. I've always been aware of advertising - perhaps my educational background in marketing has heightened my awareness. I saw an ad the other day that truly surprised me. At first, it took me a minute to actually understand what it was saying. When I finally put it together, I was a little bit at a loss for words:

In case you can't read the tag, it says "Make sure he sees what you did with his settlement". I wonder if I'm the only one surprised and a little bit saddened by this? I understand that the divorcee probably makes up a significant portion of the jewelry market and yes, they have every right to purchase beautiful pieces of jewelry, but I'm a little stumped on this advertising approach. It almost seems unethical to insinuate that jewelry can be used as a weapon to make someone else angry - and to promote it as such.

The fact that we live in a society where it is acceptable for advertising to promote revenge is sad to me, however it's a double edged sword. This ad is including a significant portion of the market that has previously been excluded - traditional jewelry advertising focuses on new love and relationships. Some might consider it wrong to exclusively advertise to a single group, when the jewelry market is composed of much more. So which is right? Including potential market groups in advertising or supporting positive values in society.

Fall 2009 Concepts: Part 1

To continue from yesterday's blog post about interpreting a look for yourself, I wanted to give a sample of some runway looks that are particularly good examples of individual interpretation for application to our daily lives. A few looks for Nanette Lepore's fall 2009 show give a great summary of some of the key trends for fall. I'm not going to jump into the patterns quite yet (as we all know fall is all about plaids this year), instead I want to start by looking at the silhouette. One of the biggest switches fashion has seen in the past few years is the re-emphasis on legs. Again this year, it's all about the legs. Tunics over leggings and (as shown here) short skirts, skorts, and shift dresses. However this fall there's a huge emphasis on lines. For skirts, it's lines moving away from the body, from the waist down.

There's also a huge ethnic influence this year - and when I say ethnic it's probably not what you're thinking. So many of this fall's fashion lines have taken the most vibrant pieces and patterns of clothing from all ethnicities, from Indian, Moroccan, to European (like the popular Tartan print). With so many great ways to intereret these trends and looks, this fall offers a great opportunity to try something new.

Interpretation vs. Replication

There's a million places you can find online that claim to answer the question - "What's in style this season?". If you're one of the people who simply looks at styles and begins replicating, I would encourage you to stop and take a second look. There's two main factors that go into answering that question of what is in style: 1)Current trends and 2) You.

It's true, the 'you' factor of the equation is too often left out. This point is incredibly clear when you hear someone look at a runway look and say "who would really wear that?" We've all heard people say that - and honestly we've probably all thought the same thing. The point that needs to be made is that look you're analyzing has two factors : 1) A reflection of the current trends and 2) The interpretation of the designer.

When I am studying current fashion trends, I try to focus not on replicating, but taking beautiful, well thought out concepts that have been carefully conceived by designers and concentrate on making those a part of my own style. Then, they become me, and not a replication of someone else's genius.

The Fall Trench

So we all know that a trench coat has become a must have for fall. There are so many things to consider when purchasing the perfect trench. If you make your trench purchase thoughtfully and know exactly what you need, the purchase will be well worth your time and money. A few essential points to consider:

1.  Body Shape: If you're short, don't settle for anything longer than mid thigh length. Long coats can drown a small frame, making you look even shorter. If you're short and a bit on the curvy side, a short trench will be the most conplimentary. Just be sure that the length does not hit at the widest part of your thighs.
2. Size: Purchase your coat a slightly larger size. It not only allows for better layering, but can also have a minimizing effect on your shape.
3. Belt: The belt of a good trench coat should be a stiff, substantially long (so it can be tied in front or back), and should hit at the absolute smallest part of your torso. The belt is what cinches your waist, allowing the trench to make any figure look amazing. Therefore, when people look at the coat, the belt will draw the most attention. Also, many coats have buckles on the belt.
4. Collar: The collar of a good trench coat should be stiff and keep its shape. It should provide structure around your neck and face, and a reprive from cool wind or rain if needed (coming soon: is a popped collar ever approprioate?)

Most important, don't skimp on quality! A trench is a timeless piece, so if you purchase a quality coat, it will surely serve you faithfully for at least 2-3 years.