Simple Style

A sweater, slouched to perfection, stiched together with wool for comfortable wear, paired with leggings and flats, riding style boots, or UGGS - This is among the most popular looks for women in recent months. It was introduced as chic by Runway bigshots including Ralph Lauren, and has now trickled down into everday fashion. It's sported by mannequins in countless department stores and boutiques, is worn by celebritites, and truly dominates the Pinterest world. Fashions critics are raving that it's the "demanded look" of this Fall 2012 fashion season.

Personally, the slouched sweater + leggings is one of my favorites. It combines the cute and the comfy styles and the stylish and laid back attitudes. Its possibly one of the best combinations for fashion finatics, simply because there is so much diversity in it; scarves, earrings, necklaces, hairstyles, etc. can complete the outfit. Whether a recent trend or adopted from previous decades, whether it will be ephemeral or stick around, it is undeniably a must have for womens' wardrobes.

Ancient look

We have all, at some point, learned of the Ancient Greeks and Romans. We have learned the facts of the democracy, plays, and archetectural types we have derived from the culture. However, we have adopted not only ideas, but fashions as well. Take the image of a Grecian man draped in bulks of white fabric. This style was transformed into a modern look by fashion designer Madeleine Vionnet in the 1920s. Vionnet recognized the beauty of the loose, flowing look the Greeks sported, and set the basis for the modernized look by instituting cuts and fabrics  that emphasized fluidity and curvature of a body in motion. Through decades designers have added signature touches to the look; one shoulder cuts, ruched tops, and cinched waists dominate the red carpet and department stores alike.

Gladiator shoes can also be attributed to the the Romans, who wore leather-made sandals, complete with soft soles and straps stretching acroos the top of the foot for precise fit. Shoe stores are now dominated by this strappy look, tweaked and decorated with modern, marketable details. Designers have further dipped into the original Roman look by crafting the straps to wrap further up the calf. When paired with a colorful Grecian draped dress, a sleek, chic look can be achieved.

    From pumps, to sandals, to platforms, Jimmy Choo does it all. Jimmy Choo shoes are the dream finishing touch to an outfit, yet remain just that, to most, for they retail at an approximately 500 dollar minimum. The path to constructing such coveted pieces of fashion began with a small boy with a big dream. 

Dato’ Jimmy Choo was born in Penang, Malaysia.  It became apparent Choo could not dodge the shoe industry, for his father, a cobbler, immersed him in the family business from the time he was born. Choo created his first shoe at the age of eleven, revealing a certain affinity for the skill. He made his way through primary school, then enrolled in Cordwainers's Technical College in London and the London College of Fashion, establishing himself as a prized student.

Three years after graduating, Choo opened his first shop in an abandoned hospital building in London. Cho transformed the place, and began his way to stardom, hand-crafting a shoe for every step. Cho wasted no time becoming known; two short years after opening his shop, Vogue featured Cho's work in an eight page spread. He had acquired the high class fans he'd been desiring; the most notable was Princess Diana.

Jimmy Choo went on to broaden his company by adding handbags and various accessories to the plethora of beautiful muchandise. However, he has now gone back to his roots by making his London boutique the headquarters of the brand. Here, Choo and a small group of workers hand-make pairs of shoes weekly for select clientele; each pair is characterized by the chic, stylish, meticulously detailed image Choo dreamed up from the age of eleven.

Denim

Denim jeans have transcended time in the fashion industry. While the origin of denim itself can be traced back hundreds of years to Central European sailors and their blend of cotton, wool, and linen pants, the modern timeline of America's prized jeans begins with a familiar name -- Levi Strauss. Levi came to America from Bavaria in 1847. Levi began his work in the clothing industry with his family, who owned a small shop specializing in fabric retail. But in 1872, when Levi received a letter from tailor J.W. Davis, his life took a drastic upward climb. Davis shared that he had been adding metal rivets to pants, and Levi saw this as a patentable idea, thus creating pocketed pants fastened with copper buttons. Levi then made his claim by adding a leather patch logo depicting Levi jeans being pulled between two horses, as to advertise the strength of the famous fabric.

By the 1920's jeans had emerged as the bestselling men's work and boy's leisure pants. The 1930s and 40s introduced jeans into movies, particularly western themed ones, and the 60s pioneered jeans as a symbol of teenage rebellion and college aged freedom. It was not until the 1980s that jeans were accepted into higher fashion, each pair sporting the names of top designers. From there the cost rose, along with worldwide demand.

In the years to come, the popularity of jeans would persist while adopting various styles in fits, ranging from straight leg, to boot cut, high rise and low, and finally resting at the modern trend of skinny jeans. Jeans have been successfully woven into the lives of the majority of Americans. They are a perfect combination of leisure and style, and are undeniably the quintessential piece that completes a wardrobe.

Pictures from: www.levistrauss.com/about/heritage (top two) and main.stylelist.com

RL

Ralph Lauren is among the well-known names in the fashion industry. He began his path on the American Dream as Ralph Rueben Lifshitz, born to Polish immigrants in New York City. Ralph showed an affinity for fashion even at a young age, putting money towards tasteful, higher end clothing. After graduating DeWitt Clinton High, Ralph adopted the last name Lauren and headed off to college for business, from which he dropped out of after two years. From here he began a path on which he would find profound success in the fashion industry. In 1968 Lauren headed off his brand with an assortment of ties taken on by Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdale’s, and other prominent department stores of the time. His collection broadened to include men's clothing, and eventually a women's line introduced in 1971.

The Ralph Lauren Polo line proved to be one of the icon’s most successful. He meshed the image of Ivy League class and casual comfort to create clothing that did not require an exclusive country club pass to obtain. This timeless Polo clothing remains in modern style as well, residing in almost every department store across the nation, the small stitching of a horse and polo player symbolizing timeless success and familiarity. 

The casual clothing production did not suffice the designer however, resulting in Ralph Lauren productions becoming red carpet sensations. His meticulous attention to detail gave way to gorgeous gowns and tuxedos being sported across the aisle of red by actors, musicians, and producers alike, giving Lauren extreme publicity and well deserved admiration.

Ralph Lauren epitomized the idea of ‘making it’ in the fashion industry. He constructed an empire, leaking into the homes and closets of people worldwide, with no discrimination between the famous and the everyday. Lauren has successfully implemented his visions into categories across the spectrum, from clothing to home décor, a feat not known to everyday designers. Lauren has known a normal life, and he has known the extravagant. He has known family and known fame. Ralph Lauren has known the fashion industry American Dream.


Phot credit to : http://www.esquire.com/style/laurenmoments1107 (top left)
http://www.eilatgordinlevitan.com/pinsk/pinsk_pages/pinsk_stories_ralphlauren.html (bottom left)
http://www.redcarpet-fashionawards.com/2012/05/08/camilla-belle-in-ralph-lauren-2012-met-gala/ (right)

The Origin of Chic

Today we're visiting a timeless piece in fashion history: the little black dress. Fashion maverick Coco Chanel introduced the world to this design on October 1st, 1926, creating an instant sensation with a side of rebellion. Chanel broke all the rules with her combination of sleek, simple, and a color traditionally associated with mourning. The little black dress soared to success across the fashion industry, and finally earning the nickname the "Ford dress" for its simplicity and high demand. Most items in fashion come and go, but not Chanel's creation. The LBD endured the test of time, transcending eras of trends. The 40's and 50's were host to a more conservative LBD, only accentuating a small waist and full hips. Audrey Hepburn modernized and popularized the style in her Breakfast At Tiffany's, in which she sported Givenchy's take on the look. The little black dress then continued

to make appearances throughout the decades, and to this day can be

found in the closet of any fashionable woman. It is a timeless look,

one that truly brought about the meaning of the word, chic.  



Intro

Fashion has its own voice, a personal language spoken worldwide. Whether it's a sleek dress, a designer scarf, or a simple pair of shoes, an individual's style choice can reveal their emotions, their attitude, even their personality. I love fashion because something as simple as fabric stitched together in a particular way can have worlds of impact on an entire business, then trickle down into the everyday lives of people across the globe.

In this blog, I will discuss a different designer or trend weekly, bother modern and vintage. This could include a designer's style, their works, the rise of a trend, or my personal opinion on the aforementioned.