Fashion and Hair Style Category

No woman’s wardrobe is complete without a little black dress. There is a black dress style that fits all body types and ages and is wearable for most occasions. The little black dress is so enduring because of its ability to look great on everyone at a variety of social functions. The little black dress is a symbol of chic and sophisticated simplicity. It is the perfect background for many different accessories such as white or pink pearls, diamond earrings, a long tear drop necklace or a beautiful Hermes scarf tied around the wearer’s neck. The little black dress has been a classic for many years and comes designed in a multitude of styles and fabrics. Depending on whether silk, merino wool, cotton, linen or what fabric is used, the black dress will have a totally different feel and style.  A little black dress also travels well and is a must to pack for any vacation.  It is a perfect garment for those occasions when a woman thinks she has nothing to wear in her closet.  It is a comfortable and stylish look. The little black dress comes in many price ranges from various designers to fit all budgets. The style is so practical that many women have more than one little black dress hanging in their closets.

Prior to the 1920′s, women would only be seen in public wearing a black dress if they were attending a funeral or were in a state of mourning. A black dress was mainly associated with mourning. It was considered indecent if a woman wore a black dress outside of these social circumstances. A widow during the Victorian ages was expected to wear various black clothing at different stages of the mourning period. Fashion during this time was symbolic of the sophistication and status a woman held in society.  Due to World War I occurring, it was increasingly more common to see women wearing black in the public because of the high war casualties. This set the stage for the introduction of a fashion revolution by one of the most famous fashion designers in recent history, Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel.

In 1926, Coco Chanel published in American Vogue a picture of a short simple black dress that was calf-length. It was short and simply designed with diagonal lines.  Her simple sleeveless sheath was simple and sexy. The style had its initial critics who declared it was sophistication for the poor, but the little black dress quickly caught on with both wealthy and moderate income women. The 1920’s was the era of the Flapper, when women took off their long to the floor gowns, cut their hair short and enjoyed the life of going too fast paced parties and society events.  Chanel’s little black dress was a fashion innovation that revolutionized the fashion industry. Hemlines prior to WWI were long and to the floor but due to the fabric shortage that occurred during the Great Depression, hemlines rose to be calf-length for a woman’s dress.  The style continued to be popular during World War II as women entered the workforce to replace the men who had left for active duty.  Dior’s ‘New Look’ which created fitted black sophisticated suits for business women and Hollywood and created the femme fatale halter dress look. This helped to turn the little black dress into a woman’s daily uniform.

Hollywood has also helped to promote the popularity of the little black dress. Audrey Hepburn wore a simple black sheath designed by Givenchy in the movie Breakfast at Tiffany’s. The look featured a beautiful strand of pearls decked gracefully around Audrey’s neck and fashionable sunglasses. She was the epitome of a classy fashion icon. Many women wanted to be Audrey’s character Holly Golightly, the carefree party girl in search of love and a good life. Holly was the ultimate party girl who inspired many women’s black dress shopping sprees. The influence of the little black dress extended into cartoon movies with Betty Boop wearing her short trademark halter style black dress. There have been numerous films that have featured the little black dress on fashionable leading ladies. There is nothing that can take the place of wearing a beautiful black dress.

Wearing a little black dress can make a woman look effortlessly dressed in a classic style. Chanel’s classic design has withstood the test of time and critics. The little black dress is so enduring, because women of all ages and backgrounds continue to adore and buy it.  Today, there has been a return to a more form fitting look in black dresses.  Dress lengths also vary from floor sweeping formal lengths, to just below the knee looks to short mini or mod dresses.  Feeling and dressing well still conveys to the world a woman’s sense of style, self worth and sophistication.  Coco Chanel created a timeless, comfortable essential woman’s garment.  Simple can be beautiful and elegant.

American Vogue declared Coco Chanel’s little black dress a timeless hit in the 1920′s, and decades later, the look is still prevalent in many fashion magazines each season. American, European and women throughout the world confirmed this declaration by swarming stores and buying the little black dress off the racks in droves. The little black dress is enduring and looks wonderful in the winter and as well as the summer with simple modifications of the fabric choice to keep the design comfortable for the season.  A simple black sheath allows its owner to dress for date night or any social event in a matter of minutes.  This is especially important since most women are working in addition to all of the other daily chores that they need to do during a busy day. Many women would love to have the fine detailing of a Chanel little black dress but no matter what the budget or price paid, the dress is a woman’s best figure flattering friend.  Women tend to wear their trustworthy, little black dresses with confidence, knowing that they are designed for the modern woman. The little black dress will continue to endure in the hearts of many women for plenty of decades to come.

Fashion is full of trends. From platforms to ponchos, most of us can admit to falling into the pitfalls of a mindless trend now and again. In the past, looking fashionable meant following a set of rules and definitions. In order to fit in, one was required to dress within the parameters of a certain style, or abide by the rules of fashion set forth by the media. However, I believe that the styles and designs of the future will not hold to these rigid standards. In the past, these standards have set aside something that today’s style hungry can no longer live without: Personality. I believe that contemporary design is headed into a period of unpredictable originality.

Contemporary designs are beginning to reflect the public’s desire to look original. Rather than have clones upon clones of a handful of well known styles, the clothing and accessory options available in stores has grown dramatically over the years. In the past, the most popular styles were limited to a few ‘personalities’ as far as schools of dress. Emo, preppy and skater are different terms that come to mind when I think of old designs. While the stores that cater to these various tastes still exist, they have grown and no longer cater to the very specific crowds they used to. Consumers that would limit themselves to one store or another are breaking out of their shells and trying something new. The kids with closets full of polo shirts are trying on a pair of skate shoes or a studded black tank top. As the rainbow streaks of last season fade, wardrobes look less like single store catalogues and more like a fantastic hodgepodge of fashion.

Personally, I see this change in contemporary design as a reflection of the inner working of society. In the past, people felt required to live by certain labels or fit into certain categories. If they were not defined by the label in their sweater, who were they? With style icons like Lady Gaga and Katy Perry leading the pack with their ‘be who you are’ anthems like ‘Born This Way’ and ‘Firework’, how could you not internalize their messages? With explicit permission from the biggest celebrities on the scene today, it is cool to not want to look cool. In short, it is fashionable to not listen to fashion and be yourself. By listening to your heart and going for designs that look good to the individual’s eye, design has been thrown for a loop.

In terms of clothing itself, the demand for unique pieces can be seen in the success of stores like Urban Outfitters and Anthropologie. With designs like no other, consumers save their hard earned cash to look like no one else, owning that one-of-a-kind piece they covet. Online shopping, away from the crowds of style following shoppers, has also changed contemporary fashion. From the comfort of your own home, there is no salesperson telling you to go for one style or another. Shoppers are no longer required to bring along a friend for moral support as they navigate shelves and racks of clothing. No approval is necessary as one browses online. Browsing turns into buying and, after a few weeks shipping time, there is a new design piece waiting on the doorstep. By taking the judgmental looks of others out of the equation, modern design with a unique twist has been able to flourish.

Design of other things, such as house wares and home décor, has also taken a turn for the more unique. More than that, consumers are worried about the conditions under which their house wares and appliances have been made. Gone are the days when one could purchase goods made with devotion to domestic labor. We have gotten over the shock of a ‘Made in China’ sticker, but what chemicals could that label harbor? With lead paint being found in things like children’s toys and food, among other alleged toxins, more and more people are opting for products made in natural environments. The green movement sparked by modern day hippie Al Gore’s documentary ‘An Inconvenient Truth’ is going strong some years later. Somewhat branched off from the initial worries of global conservation, consumers are clamoring for products bearing labels like ‘organic’. Fabric is made from recycled materials, as well as design pieces like cell phone cases and mixing bowls. If it can be reused, it is being reused by today’s generation.

Image via Wikipedia 

Another issue influencing contemporary design is the economy. The effects of the recent economic turmoil are far reaching, with a hand in the pocket of every nation. Not a single household is unaffected by the harsh economic times. Due to the fact that more and more people are losing their expendable income, once used to buy the latest, greatest design pieces, companies have to be smart with their marketing and products. Luxury has no place in this new world of frugality. Anything more than necessary is viewed as wasteful rather than special. Instead of creating a new line of luxury items, designers are rethinking their collections and making them more affordable for Jane Doe. Gone are the days of bling and Hummers. The gas conserving Prius is king of the road, for as many miles as it can squeeze out of that gallon of expensive gas. Those expensive diamonds and other gems are being swapped, or tragically sold, for inexpensive costume pieces. Business is booming for low-end stores like Forever 21. Initially trying to bring expensive contemporary design to the masses, commercially available designs in these stores are the new dictators of fashion in the best possible way. Culture is no longer fixated on the exclusive but the original.

Contemporary design has gone through many transformations over the years. From finding its appeal to more sensual tastes, shortening skirts in the 20s to preparing for years of economic difficulty, contemporary design reflects the personalities of the times. In a world of unique individuals, style is more one-of-a-kind than ever

When one thinks of Asian style fashion, one thinks of Geisha Girls and kimonos. But it is much more than that!  When I did some research into this subject, I noticed that there was a very eclectic and diverse variety. Most of the photos I have seen included from Japan and Korea.

When I googled images of ‘Asian style fashion’, I came up with a plethora of different styles. The most notable is the bobbed ‘pixie’ style haircut.  Unnatural dye jobs for hair are also quite prevalent in Asian fashion. The colors can range from pink, to purple, to green and combinations of these.  These beautiful ladies much resemble characters from Japanese animated programming. The use of hair spray and sculpturing is also quite noticeable. Not to be outdone by the hairstyles, the dress itself has quite a western appeal. Many of the young ladies pictured have on form fitting t-shirts, with either pedal pusher type jeans, short Capri-style French cut jeans, or shirt flouncy skirts with leggings underneath. These will usually have stripes or plaid.  A variation is the thigh-high sock, usually white, with chunky platform shoes to give height.

Nail art is also a characteristic of Asian style fashion.  Many of the models pictured in my Google search had manicures that varied from anything to decals to fancy paint jobs.

I think many of the Asian models like to emulate Lady GaGa with her unique looks. I am seeing images galore of bathing suits (bikini tops and bottoms mostly) being used as street wear, topped with thigh socks, high heels, and a shrug-type jacket, a neck tie, scarf, and of course the wild hair. Asian women also like to incorporate menswear into their wardrobes, since you will often see what looks like a private school uniform with a man’s button down shirt and a tie.

My favorite of all the Asian style fashion trends is the prevalence of bold prints and Paisleys.  These look the best, in my opinion, on maxi dresses. They are a toned down version of the classic kimono, and often have flouncy princess skirts. Short dresses have too much deserved attention, since many of these are strapless numbers with oversized bows on them. These come in classic colors and are usually made of silk, satin or similar shiny material.  Floral prints, paisley prints and plaids seem to be very popular.

Of course Asian fashion should not be limited to The Pacific Rim and countries like Korea, Laos, and Japan.  India should be included in the mix too. Indian women wear the traditional sari in both short and long styles.  The hair is much different than the Japanese/Korean counterparts.  The hairstyle most frequently seen is a knee length braid.  These are either natural or extensions.

Since tattoos are popular, henna tattoos that usually last about two weeks are also pretty apparent and prevalent.  Henna tattoos look like the real deal, and cost just as much sometimes, but they have the added benefit of being semi-permanent. If the wearer decides at a later date not to sport a tattoo, or wants a change in design, they can easily make the switch to a different one or go without one entirely.

As far as makeup, the current trend is to make the eyes look as large as possible. This is achieved either by contact lenses that give that effect, or techniques with mascara, shadow, and a combination of eyebrow shaping and eyeliner to complete the effect.

The only thing about Asian style fashion that one must consider is that it will not work for everyone.  It will work best on a woman with a small, angular frame, and who weighs less than one hundred and fifty pounds.  Since this fashion trend is varied, one can always experiment with the looks depending upon body type, and colors that flatter the skin tone.