Fashion has Brains

Edited by Ashe

Every week I am always surprised by the selection of posts we receive here at IFB.  I think back to before I started my blog, the discrimination I felt working in retail and adoring fashion, because it was shallow and it wasn’t academic.  Now I look at the community I am a part of and think– how could anyone accuse fashion enthusiasts of being shallow? Or fashion designers, lovers of style?  Indeed, like any frowned upon medium or niche, fashion has brains; it has ingenuity, it has controversy, it has creativity, and it has depth.

This week I want to celebrate those putting fashion and intellect together, to show that there’s more than meets that glittering eye…

Oh, and if you’re looking for something to do this summer… IFB is looking for interns!

Links à la Mode : April 22

• Agent Lover: – On The Search For The Perfect Retro Bathing Suit!
• Alice in Stilettos: – Interview with Edgy, Up-and-Coming Designer Chelsea Sutrisno
• Bay Area Style File: – Interview with Model turned Eco Friendly Beauty Brand owner Josie Maran.
• Bobbins and Bombshells: – Fashionable History: Lilly Dache – A True Fashion Success Story.
• Denim Debutante: – Meet US-Made NAEM Denim and Win Your Own Pair
• dramatis personae: – Back to the Future
• Fashion Pulse Daily: – Cynthia Rowley for Roxy Spring 2010
• For Those About to Shop: – Crystal Renn’s inspiring story of transformation may make you think twice about modelling industry:
• krameymartin: – Being pregnant doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice your fashion sense. Check out this post to learn how to jazz up simple maternity pieces.
• La Chanelphile: – “The Allure of Chanel” by Paul Morand with Illustrations by Karl Lagerfeld
• M.I.S.S.: – The Rag Trade: The Sale Mentality. This week’s article looks at how we will get consumers to break the sale mentality and pay full price again.
• Night Watch: – DIY Tutorial: Burberry Prorsum F/W 2010-11 Inspired Blazer
• Oh, the Places You’ll Go!: – ASOS Curve Models – Plus, or not plus enough?
• Oranges and Apples: – Some thoughts on weight, fat activism and health
• Poetic & Chic: – Hamish Bowles, European Editor at Large for Vogue, visits the de Young in San Francisco to announce a new Balenciaga retrospective slated for spring 2011.
• Retro Chick: – Made To Measure – Dresses for those who aren’t a standard size
• shrimp salad circus: – DIY Spring Flowers Headband/Belt for Under
• The Coveted – Craving Miu Miu Clogs?
• the fashionate traveller: – Discovers the emerging Japanese fashion trend Dolly Kei, as seen through a visit to Grimoire, Shibuya’s premier vintage store.
• The Fashionista Lab: – I gave up shopping and gained a new perspective on using and building my wardrobe (hint: shoes are important)
• True Queen: – Warning: Men In Skirts – Examining a taboo trend that attempts to go mainstream

PLEASE READ IF YOU’D LIKE TO PARTICIPATE

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If you would like to submit your link for next week’s Links à la Mode, please register first, then post your links HERE. The HTML code for this week will be found in the Links a la Mode group will be published later today. ~Jennine

I actually moved to L.A. when I was 11 years old so I don’t remember much that much of my childhood there. I feel like my collection is a blend between L.A. and New York. My NY side made me design silhouettes that are a little edgy with subtle details here and there but to complement that, I used a comfortable heavy knit fabric. I feel like LA exudes comfort.

I’m Jody Marich,

I’m a mixture of boho chic meets downtown glam. My fashion icons include Kim Kardashian, Nicole Richie, and Reese Witherspoon. I attend Flagler College for communications and one day hope to be a fashion journalist.

Working in retail, allows me to see the most popular trends out there that won’t break the bank.

Here are the five top trends in retail:

(both featured skirts from Express)

1. Ruffle me up!

Ruffles have been a fashion staple for a while. This season they include lose, flowing ruffles, that create a soft romantic look, and tight, tiered ruffles, that make a bold statement when added to any outfit. One of my favorite skirts has tight tiered ruffles in a royal blue color with an elastic band top.

Tiered dresses and ruffled skirts are great choices for this spring and summer season. These pieces will give you that fashionista edge. Pair a ruffled skirt with a form fitting top, cute belt, bangles and gladiator heels and you will look super cute while staying stylish.  Add a military shirt into the mix, and your style just jumped up another notch.

(both featured dresses from Forever 21)

2. Embellishment

From dresses to shirts, shorts to jeans, embellishment and hardware on clothes are super hot this spring and summer. Accessories are even sporting the trend.

Popular embellishments include rhinestones, studs, beading, and sequins.

(both tops featured from Anthropologie)

Check out some dresses or tops that have removable embellishment or hardware. This season spring/summer tops are popping up everywhere that have removable necklaces, a perfect way to add accessories without having to think a lot about which one to choose. An added plus is you easily remove it when you have to wash your clothes!

Embellished necklines and pocket details seem to be the most popular but look out for shoulder embellishment. Shoulders are getting a lot of attention this season. With trends bringing focus to women’s shoulders, this added detail is perfect without taking the big plunge and wearing shoulder pads or a strong shoulder piece.

3. Short shorts aka: shorties, hot pants, and daisy dukes

This spring and summer it’s all about showing off your legs. With temperatures heating up, this big but oh so little trend is sure to be one to try. They give you a super cute look while keeping you cool and stylish. Shorts shorts include frayed edges, cuffs, and sailor buttons. Depending on what your style is, you can also find patterns that work for you. Add accessories to spice up the look and you can easily go from a day to nighttime look. Also, check out the mini skirt trend, another great way to show off your legs!

(both shorts featured from American Eagle Outfitters)

Shoes to consider for this trend include the gladiator sandal, wedge, and cowboy boots.

4. Jumpers

Jumpers can be a fabulous change from the little black dress. The best part about this trend is that all body types can wear it. There are many styles to choose from including jean/chambray, beachwear, loose fitting jumpers, floor length, and short jumpers. Be sure to choose the one that best fits your body. You don’t want to end up looking like a potato sack.
For a daytime look, pair a jumper with a cute pair of gladiator sandals and bright jewelry to add a sunny feel to your outfit.

(Left- from Urban Outfitters; Right – from TopShop)

For a nighttime look, vamping up this trend is a cinch. Switch your shoes to a wedge or a gladiator high heeled sandal and you are good to go. Include a few great accessories, like a cocktail ring or bib necklace, to add a little va-va-voom to your outfit.

5. Floral detail

Every spring floral prints seem to pop up. This season florals are everywhere. From dresses to shirts, floral prints are a must have this spring. Floral hair accessories are another great trend to try.

(dress from Urban outfitters & shorts from Forever 21)

Small, dainty prints are always a plus in a girl’s closet. This look gives a touch of femininity.

Big, bold prints are a fun way to spice up an outfit. You can easily have the print be the focal point or pop of color in your outfit. Just remember that bigger prints usually draw more attention and are harder to pull off, so if you are trying to disguise something, choose a smaller print.

Jody Marich is the creator of the blog, Tickle Me Chic. She writes about everything fashion. From news to trends, she reports on it. She is a Fashion Expert who is dedicated helping people express themselves with fashion. Remember, fashion is fun. It is uniquely you.

DIY NATION

Edited by Fashion Pulse Daily

It seems that across the board, there has been a resurgence in DIY, as we are very much living in a world of ‘Do it Yourself’ everything; ranging from creating or updating or garments’ silhouettes and decorative details to showcasing our own versions of runway looks, virtually styling with tools like Polyvore, tackling self-photography, and of course self-publishing via our blog platforms. We reign supreme in the DIY world on a daily basis, and I only see this trend gaining momentum. The roundup of this week’s links is definitely an indication, directly and indirectly, of the incredibly creative, innovative, persevering, motivated folks that are part of the new DIY frontier, and of course, IFB!

As expected, there was a fabulous round-up of links in the forum as well, all worthy of your eyeballs!

Links à la Mode : March 25th

• Alex Loves - The Chanel Tattoo Cast
• Alice in Stilettos - DIY Faux Fur Ankle Cuffs Inspired by Thakoon
• Denim Debutante - How Would You Change the Denim Industry?
• Despising Life is so Passé - Spring Cleaning: Detox your Space
• Fashion Pulse Daily - The DYI Glue-On Pedicure: Reviewing Revlon’s Perfect Pedicure Kit
• Fasshonaburu – Vyque & Alyssa review the “Project Runway” video game and give you a chance to win your own copy!
• For Those About to Shop – Designer NADA’s Fashion future – how about a 3D film?
• Haute World – My real life encouters with Balmain and an exclusive tour inside the label’s only boutiqe in the world.
• Idiosyncratic Style – The Personal Style of Fashion Designer, Breeyn McCarney
• Independent Fashion Bloggers :  Evolving Influence business, ethics, and the future of fashion blogging videos
• Inny Vinny – See No Evil, Hear No Evil: Jezebel exposes photographer Terry Richardson
• Lady Peach -The men that have shaped the fashion scene… 5 Male Style Icons
• M.I.S.S. – Interview with Gabriela Hernandez, founder of Besame Cosmetics
• Retro Chick - How Vanity Sizing is damaging your health
• Shrimp Salad Circus - What does color do for your life?
• Skinnypurse - Skinny Cargo Pants: Love Them or Hate Them?
• Style Eyes - The Wang Effect – A discussion about the phenomenal popularity of all things Wang
• Style Symmetry: Style Me Challenge! Wear an Outfit Styled By Someone Else
• The Working Wardrobe – Show this rainy season who’s boss!
• The Coveted – Do you alter vintage?
• Tweet - Dark and intricately sculptural clothing by a young, Hungarian designer named Dora Mojzes with an amazing talent
• Ventures of Jenn - Vice interviewed Karl Lagerfeld; I broke it down

PLEASE READ IF YOU’D LIKE TO PARTICIPATE:

If you would like to submit your link for next week’s Links à la Mode, please register first, then post your links HERE. The HTML code for this week will be found in the Links a la Mode group will be published later today. ~Jennine

From Lavazza 2010 Calendar

V-Confession Editorial

Vogue “New Mood” spread | YSL | By Irving Penn

Keith Haring by House of Field

Penelope Tree 1969 Vogue

]]> http://aliceinstilettos.com/chatty-fashion/feed/ 2 http://aliceinstilettos.com/my-favorite-vintage-shots-of-fashion-pets/ http://aliceinstilettos.com/my-favorite-vintage-shots-of-fashion-pets/#comments Fri, 12 Mar 2010 16:03:57 +0000 Ashley Spiker http://aliceinstilettos.com/?p=3361

Jean Shrimpton & Bertie by Eugene Vernier, February 1963

Balenciaga

Siri Tollerod in “The Vagaries of Fashion” by Miles Aldridge for Vogue Italia May 2008.

Valentino

January 1955 Vogue

1958 Ladies Home Journal

1982

Natalie Wood

Christian Dior, 1940

All photos unless otherwise indicated are not taken or owned by me. They are used solely for the purpose of discussion, comment and as a visual aide to convey the beauty of the object to you, the viewer. These images are not intended for any commercial purpose.

]]> http://aliceinstilettos.com/my-favorite-vintage-shots-of-fashion-pets/feed/ 3 http://aliceinstilettos.com/the-modern-alice-guide-to-surviving-wonderland/ http://aliceinstilettos.com/the-modern-alice-guide-to-surviving-wonderland/#comments Fri, 05 Mar 2010 03:07:31 +0000 Ashley Spiker http://aliceinstilettos.com/?p=3312

Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland is undoubtedly one of the most continuously celebrated and influential books of all time. The creativity and brilliance of the book inspired me to apply the character of Alice into a modernized and inspiring way. Who would Alice grow up to be, what would she do, what would she say, how would she dress? I took a few of my favorite quotes and in the process realized that I also see the theme of Alice visually in the my current, modern life.

Alice: “What is the use of a book, without pictures or conversations?“

Speak up & have a voice.
In the same regard, whats the use of a smart & brilliant woman, without style or dialogue?

Photo by Peter Acker

March Hare: “…Then you should say what you mean.”
Alice: “I do; at least – at least I mean what I say — that’s the same thing, you know.”
Hatter: “Not the same thing a bit! Why, you might just as well say that, ‘I see what I eat’ is the same as ‘I eat what I see’!”
March Hare: “You might just as well say, that “I like what I get” is the same thing as “I get what I like”! ”
The Dormouse: “You might just as well say, that “I breathe when I sleep” is the same thing as “I sleep when I breathe”.”

Listen to yourself and let the world know what’s there.
- whether it’s through blogging, writing, or any kind of communication for that matter. In the book, Alice was confused, lost & at many times spoke before she knew what to say. The modern Alice says what she means & is powerful through communication.

Alice: “It would be so nice if something made sense for a change.“

Recognize life sometimes doesn’t make sense and don’t try to make sense of it all (or you might get lost in wonderland).

Alice: “Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?”
The Cat: “That depends a good deal on where you want to get to.”
Alice: “I don’t much care where.”
The Cat: “Then it doesn’t much matter which way you go.”

Know where you are going and what’s important to you.



The Duchess: “Be what you would seem to be — or, if you’d like it put more simply — Never imagine yourself not to be otherwise than
what it might appear to others that what you were or might have been was not otherwise than what you had been would have appeared to them to be otherwise.”
Alice: “I think I should understand that better, if I had it written down: but I can’t quite follow it as you say it.”

Be authentic.

Doorknob: “Read the directions and directly you will be directed in the right direction.”

Make up by the fabulous Shoko Kubota

Photography by the very talented Peter Acker & Markus Urban

Many thanks to Vicki for lending the beautiful white Ruby

Black & White Dress – vintage Christian Dior

Green zebra dress – vintage from Everything but the Girl boutique

Adorable “tea house” backdrop located at the delicious Millies

The King: “Begin at the beginning and go on till you come to the end: then stop.”

]]> http://aliceinstilettos.com/the-modern-alice-guide-to-surviving-wonderland/feed/ 4 http://aliceinstilettos.com/alice-diary-surviving-my-first-fashion-week/ http://aliceinstilettos.com/alice-diary-surviving-my-first-fashion-week/#comments Mon, 22 Feb 2010 04:06:57 +0000 Ashley Spiker http://aliceinstilettos.com/?p=3249

I survived. I dived right into my first fashion knowing little to nothing about what to expect. The reason I came out alive and more excited about styling and writing is because I had amazing support. I also knew that whatever it was like and whatever happened I would learn something. After applying for media credentials and shows ….and receiving my first invitations it hit me – I was going to my first fashion week!!!

Essentials for survival:

8. Be nice.

Sounds easy, right? I consider myself super friendly. At fashion week there’s a lot of waiting in lines (and in NYC in general). Before I left for fashion week, to be completely honest; I kind of shared the common ideal that everyone will be snobby or have an attitude. I tried to forget that and realize that I create my reality. Therefore I say: everyone is my friend (cite: Markus Urban). Besides tweeting and looking at the live monitors there’s not too much to do in the lines, and so I began looking at people’s outfits, making lovely new friends and just taking in the whole scene. I find it hilarious that according to the latest edition of Harper’s Bazaar, that being nice is “in” – wow. It’s a good reminder, just a little shocking that apparently emotions have a season too.

7. Don’t be that late.

I’m still kind of sad I missed the Custo Barcelona show. If you have a standing ticket, get there at least an hour before showtime. And if you have a seat – definitely don’t be late or someone will take it.  Especially if you’re going to a popular show, it’s important to be early to make sure you get in! Nothing is worse than waiting over an hour in line and not getting in.

Custo Barcelona | Photo: Markus Urban

6. Prepare yourself.

Fashion week is exhausting and wears you out. I’m so impressed by some of my fellow bloggers who managed to stay at Bryant all day watching shows ; props to them! Not me. I picked the shows I wanted to see and then relaxed and wrote in a cafe afterward. Maybe it’s the city too – it drains me and times flies so quickly!

Irina Shabayeva |  Photo: Markus Urban

5. Stand by the aisles.

If you have a standing ticket, once you enter the show, make sure you are the first person right at the aisle entrance. You will almost always be the first one they will grab to fill a seat.

En Route to Mik Cire

3. Don’t forget the necessities.

I was kind of a disaster when we initially flew in; leaving my cell phone in our first cab into the city (thanks Manu!!) and dropping my mac 4ft….

My #1 necessity for fashion week: a good bag.

I’m an avid fan of Coakley and was lucky enough to be given one just in time for fashion week. These bags are amazing. It’s very difficult finding a stylish laptop bag that is also big enough to store your personal items and also perfect for traveling. I have the signature suede portfolio bag in fathom and it looked super cute with all of my outfits!

Right after Twinkle

2. Learn from the experienced.

As I mentioned earlier, part of being nice could mean making really new fun friends. I met the fabulous Monet Q. who was at fashion week filming a pilot. I love learning tips from experienced fashion attendees and she had a great one:

Wear fashionable yet comfortable shoes. Standing on your feet for hours at a time in high heels and attending several shows per day can be very tiring on your feet. Therefore, I always recommend if my ladies would like to wear 3-5 inch heels, to carry a cute pair of flats just in case!  ~ Monet Q.

New friends!

1. Bring a boyfriend….or a pal.

My boyfriend is amazing! I wasn’t even going to apply for media credentials until he told me I was absolutely crazy for even thinking about missing fashion week. He is a photographer and I was SO excited about having some of  my VERY OWN pictures for once instead of ripping them off of Style.com. By the way, being a photographer is SO MUCH BETTER, not only do you get a killer view, but you can get into any show if there’s room pretty easily. I strongly suggest bringing a friend.

Off to Joonbug/Style 360 party wearing Nathan Gerard

Also how cool: I ended up right behind Jesus, who was just voted off this season’s of Project Runway and also Gordana from season 6.

“I want to fly so I can be everywhere like a particle of earth carried by the wind…I want to fly into the ski so I can touch a cloud.”

** These are my pictures, if you use them please link! TX!**

I loved loved loved the suits.Their cut and shape was perfect. I also loved the colors: one was featured a deep purple hue with leopard print – HOT! I also like his choice on the hair & accessories. As mentioned the shoes were amazing. I loved the Hollywood glamour curls and extra extra sparkly shades. The only complaint, I didn’t favor the few surprisingly Valentino-esque pieces: (Valentino/Siriano pic below) Okay, Siriano’s is on the right. It’s obviously poor quality but all I could find right now, only a couple hours after the show.

I think he should have stuck to the over embellished collar pieces and oversized bows. O, the other thing that kind of actually freaked me out: one of the blonde models had unusually dark eyebrows which I think made her look way too manly…

My pictures from my wonderful bf who was in the media pit (Thanks babe!!).

Photos owned  by Markus Urban