Denim is Back! Reinvented!

According to trendsetters, denim will be with us well into the Fall/Winter 2016-2017 season. Innovative denim colors and creative uses of this natural material will continue to open doors across nationally and internationally. This according to our friends at Trendstop.com the leading authority on industry trends and fashion analysis worldwide.  Some of their clients include, include, H&M, Forever21, Hugo Boss, L'Oreal, MTV. 

I talk a lot about Trendstop.com in my blog, so here's the skinny on this industry. Trendstop was founded in 2002, and serves as an online fashion and trend forecasting agency. They are highly regarded by international brands, such as Hugo Boss, Landmark Group, Arcadia Group, and others. They have over 150 trend spotters all over the world. They analyze trends and translate trends. They teamed up with global sourcing company Tradegood.com that connect buyers with suppliers in more than 100 countries.

Kéji, Frame, J Brand, Acne, Claire McCardell, all have denim looks in their 2015 shows. Denim took a hiatus for a few seasons, but I don't think demin really left us. It just took some time off. Denim has come back stronger and more modern, but more original than ever. Everything from shredded to dark-wash, patched or blinged-up, low-slung to high-waisted, cropped, straight-legged, has hit the runway this spring and summer according to Vogue. That denim trend will take us into fall and winter.

Famed designers like as Michael Kors, Guccie, Hedi Slimane, Saint Laurent, Frida Gianni and many others have hit the runway with their many diverse denim pieces displayed in shirts, skirts, jackets, dresses, jeans for men and women.

Now lets be real...all jeans are not all good for all body types. You should always choose denim that best fits into your lifestyle and not what you see on the runway, because what's on that slim model does not apply to everyone. Inspire your denim wardrobe with bright colors, dark colors, white shirts, blazers, sweaters and any other garment that highlight those ripped, wedged, cuffed, straight-legged, vintage, wide-legged, baggy styles. You're ready to hit the streets with your updated denim look. Go denim!

This season, denim collections resemble planetary surface, or if they were drug through the mud, then left in the sun to dry, that rugged style. There's denim treated with brown tint, metallic tint, buttons, you name it...oh! and of course that heavy worn look.

Pink! Pink! Pink! Breast Cancer Awareness Month

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. It's time to think pink, but not just for October. Pink can be worn anytime.

Think pink just doesn't look good on you? It's not your color? Pink is too feminine and girly? I love pink. I think pink will always be around for us to experiment and play with in our fashion. According to Vogue pink will be around for the autumn/winter/spring 2015-2016 seasons. I for one don't think it will ever go away. That's why I'm posting this British Vogue short video on wearing pink. Take a look.

According to Life Magazine, 1955 marked the "Peak Year for Pink" for men and women. The article tells us that a pink peak in male clothing has been reached as manufacturers saturated the market with the pastel pink color, in trench coats, shirts, golf jackets, dinner jackets, you name it. Men of any skin tone can wear pink. Men of a lighter complexion should wear a darker pink. Darker skin men can truly get away with any shade of pink.

I think the average woman when it comes to men in pink, all in all would say, "I love a man in pink." Pink hasn't always been out of style for men, because of the desire to support breast cancer, but many men still think pink is not for them. The kind of man that wears pink in my opinion is well educated, make more money, and think it attracts the girls, especially in the workplace. They stand out among those white shirt wearing guys.  

I beg of you! don't shy away from pink, just remember to pair it in the right way.



Ready to Wear...Dior!

Christian Dior is one of my favorite fashion lines. Raf Simons is the Artistic Director of Christian Dior. The 2015-2016 season includes primal, as well as patterned natural styles for women. It is elegant and decorative. Take a look at the 2015-2016 Best of show below.

Interview with Raf Simons the Artistic Director of Christian Dior.

Where the Fashionable Go for Fashion Analysis

 

According to Trendstop, a leading fashion and lifestyle creative agency based in London, and one of the world's leading trend forecasting agencies for fashion experts and creative professionals, renowned for its insightful trend analysis and forecasts. With clients in the ranks of Forever21, Ralph Lauren, H&M, Hugo Boss and L'Oreal. See the fashion trends this season as having every style, from prints to stripes to floral, to bold and bright colors to denim.

In the Spring/Summer 2015 collections, designers showed shoes for every follower of fashion. Pay close attention to classic shoes with thin heels. Luxury, elegant and sophisticated shoes with thin heels and thin at the front is considered a show that every woman should have in their wardrobe. For every day, always wear shoes with a thicker heel, as shown in the new collections this season, because they fit any style, and you can't go wrong with this kind of shoe, because you feet will always feel rested. The kind of shoes you choose is important. They should feel comfortable with every walk. It's also a good thing to make sure they fit in with your wardrobe.

Shoes in an array or colors, styles and patterns are a must have of every woman. Beautiful and luxurious, elegant but modest, comfortable but stylish. In the Spring/Summer 2015 collections, designers showed shoes for every follower of fashion. Pay close attention to classic shoes with thin heels. Shoes is an array of colors, styles and patterns are a must have of every woman. Beautiful and luxurious, elegant but modest, comfortable but stylish.

 

Shoes with ornaments are in trend this season too. These shoes will complement any evening dress. The color should in harmony with the style of the evening dress. Also, back on the runway this season is the gladiator look and straps.

Trendstop confirms that this season, stripe prints receive an ethnic injection for a contemporary revamp of tribal aesthetics. Earthy color-ways look clean with white contrasts, while animal patterns and subtle texture plays are also key. This is a trend best suited to the Contemporary and Missy Markets. Suitable for all Market levels, women's wear makes an organic statement with dramatic applications of extra-large blooms, creating a floral look with added drama. Clean white bases set off multi-colored placements, as abstract designs allow for interesting plays of color and pattern.

Also according to Trendstop, one should discover a world of directional prints with a focused selection of essential Spring/Summer 2015 styles. The Trendstop team has pinpointed two trends from their Spring/Summer 2015 Women's Print Report giving you an inside look at must-have prints for the upcoming season. 

Trendstop and other fashion experts, also say there's the 70s Comeback–Nicolas Ghesquière continued where his fall collection for Louis Vuitton left off for the French fashion house’s spring 2015 outing. Ruffled dresses and retro color combinations brought a seventies twist to the Louis Vuitton woman’s wardrobe. While 70s inspired looks seemed like a common theme throughout Fashion Month, the designers at Paris paid special attention to the decade with everything from wide-legged pants to kitschy floral prints like a Celine’s spring runway show featuring designs by Phoebe Philo.

See-Through Fashion. Sleazy and Sexed Up?

See-through fashion has been on the rise since 2012. The barely-there clothing gives the illusion of being naked. There are see-through dresses, ball gowns, formal wear, wedding gowns, shirts (both men and women), swimwear, active wear, you name it.  

Has this barely-there, nearly-naked craze gone too far? Does it leave nothing to the imagination? Are we exposing too much of ourselves?   

See-through, transparent, barely-there fashion made its debut on the national scene then onto the international world when R&B pop hit sensation Rihanna hit the red carpet, where she was to be honored as the fashion icon of the year at 2014 Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) Fashion Awards event, wore a see-through barely there Josephine Baker inspired floor length gown, custom designed by Adam Selman. The backless, thin-strapped, side-less dress darned 200,000+ Swarovski crystals. It was topped off with a shiny head scarf, a pink fur boa and gloves.   

At this star-studded event, Selman' sparkling see-through custom-made creation with its butt, breasts and body baring design, showed the world community that once again Rihanna continues her reign as the free-spirited, courageous fashion forward star that has a fresh and daring, but elegant persona. According to CNN this jaw dropping see-through dress nearly eclipsed the ceremony itself.

 

Of course this pop diva and now fashion icon never disappoints. As one can see with this yellow Guo Pei, couturier gown Rihanna wore at the 2015 Met gala.

The see-through, transparent, barely-there almost naked craze made another debut in 2014 in New York City at the Marc Jacobs runway show, when Kendall Jenner (the Kardashian family sibling) appeared in her first runway show in a see-through light-brown V-neck top showing her nipples. Because it was a Kardashian sibling making her modeling debut it became a media frenzy.

Kendall also wore a blunt bob wig with a band, cropped equestrian trousers, barely-there makeup with light bleached brows. The media went all the way there...wild and crazy were the comments from the show, some positive and some negative. No matter the press the see-through craze came back to the fashion world. 

 

Since then, it appears this see-through barely-there trend has made its way back to the runway, award shows, movies, television and onto the streets of mainstream America. And even in menswear. From Kelly Rowland to Kim Kardashian-West to Jessica Alba to Charlize Theron to Jennifer Lopez (JLo).

 

 

 

Granted! as a celebrity, getting dressed to go into the public can be harder than people think, but wearing see-through clothing can be a hit for some. But if they're not careful with that barely-there look, sexy turns into just showing too much, and can be devastating.

 

Fashion is Personal. Mix and Match.

The black and white striped top, black sweater, gray  crop pants with blue & gray stripes and fuchsia shoes may look as if it doesn't match, it does because the bold geometric pattern makes the look work for anyone. The pop of color is just enough, so it doesn't clash with the stripes in the shirt and pants.

 

Bold geometric pattern trends started in 2013. Of course the pioneer of bold geometric patterns started with fashion icon Emilio Pucci. Although mixing two or three geometric patterns may seems nuts to some, it's not. Colorful circles, squares, plaid, vertical and horizontal stripes, zigzags in dresses, shorts, pants, skirts, blouses, make for an interesting look with panache.

 

Fashion designers such as Anna Sui, with her bold ever-changing fashion, who opened her first retail store in New York City's Soho district on Greene Street, epitomize her fashion style with its, lavender walls, red floors, dolly head mannequins, and black antique furniture, continually excites the fashion world. Different shapes, circles and patterns are formed together to make the outfit more interesting and modern.

 

 Geometric patterns will play a major role this year and into 2016.

Caitlyn "Bruce" Jenner...Icon or Hot Mess?

What does one say about Caitlyn "Bruce" Jenner? What questions should we ask about this highly talked about and televised person of June 2015? Is this  phenomenon a long-lasting topic we will be talking about for years or a fading fad? Will the public have  more and more questions, concerns, issues about and/or with transgenderism? Does it have an affect on the fashion industry, if any? Is this woman, Caitlyn Jenner a fashion icon? She wore Zac Posen, Bagley Mischka, Donna Karen. Or did she take a page from the Kim, Kris, Khloe, Kourtney Kardashian style? Does this coming out, if you will, rise to the level of receiving a Arthur Ashe Courage award, an award that is apart of the ESPY Awards? What will she where to this award show? Will it be sexy? What color?

These are questions people are struggling with and will continue to ask as long as the topic is out there. But this is thrilling to the fashion industry, because to us, this is about courage in fashion.

 Have we as a nation taken fashion and courage to a level that is immoral, from the half-naked women on the red carpet to the nakedness on the streets of America? Not doubt about it, Caitlyn has become a national phenomenon, whether you agree or disagree.

Fashion icon. Well lets see. One can say for sure that the cream colored corset Caitlyn is wearing on the cover of Vanity Fair is flying off the shelves.

 

Then there's that black bandage dress, which I love, because it is very sexy and fits almost any body type without being too revealing, and it's a great choice for a night on the town.

I'm not a big fan of red, maybe because I feel like I'm standing out way too much, but a lot of people look fabulous in red and it is a powerful sexy color. One can wear that red dress to a cocktail party or to an after five business dinner that you would want to dress up with a few jewels.

There is one thing that is true about this Vanity Fair cover....it is getting a lot of air time and play not only on social media, but in mainstream media as well. This is probably the most talked about topic of 2015 and 2014 combined.

Caitlyn "Bruce" Jenner June 2015

http://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2015/06/caitlyn-jenner-bruce-cover-annie-leibovitz  

Ten Fashion Trends Women Hate About Men's Fashion

Eventhough some women give a somewhat "forgive" fashion pass to a man they like, that doesn’t mean they like those ugly trends that some men are attracted to every season. None of these ugly trends can take the place of a well put together fresh look.

There are 10 things women hate about men’s fashion that will get the ladies wondering if you have any sense of style.

Men should really be aware and care about what they're wearing and what the women in their life thing about their fashion look. It should a mans' top goal to make sure they impress the ladies. Now lets take a look at what women hate about men's fashion.  

1.     Vests - OMG! Stop it with this thing unless it's attached to a great suit. Especially when you have nothing under that vest as to impress the girl with your so-called guns. These things only distract from your overall appearance. 

2.     Shiny Suits - Come on...these are just ugly. I'm sorry, but a shiny suit looks cheap and old, no matter who designed it. 

3.     Uggs - They don't look attractive or even fashionable on women, what makes a man think those bootie things are going to look good on you. Not stylish at all. A no go. 

4.     Flip Flops - These are for the beach. That's what they were designed for, so lets wear them there. So passé. 

5.     Leather Pants - Not fashionable men! They belong on those guys in a biker gang, or someone in the wild wild west show. Too flashy and fake looking. 

6.     Boots Worn Over Jeans - Looks better on a cowboy or a pirate or a clown. Just wrong. 

7.     Overkill With the Jewelry - Come on. Pare it down. Too much jewelry on a man should be obvious. It's a no no!!!! 

8.     Drop Crotch Pants - What can one say about this, other than it's for pirates or that horrible fashionista, Justin Bieber. MC Hammer on stage. Not the streets. 

9.     Makeup - Unless you're on stage, in a show or a drag queen burlesque, men shouldn't being wearing makeup. Oh unless it's for corrective procedure and is invisible. 

10.  Writings on T-Shirts - Words on a t-shirt is for children, not grown men because it serves no purpose when it comes to style, unless you're rocking your favorite band and the t-shirt is simple.

Bold Trending Summer Looks of 2015

In order to be prepared for that Summer makeover, whether you're into sportswear styles or prefer classic  and elegant looks, you'll definitely find the right trend to rock in the streets this summer.

Layering was a key component of many collections this season, while mixing different textures created a fresh look. Layering with t-shirts, jackets, knits made for a harmonious look on the Fashion Week Spring Summer runway.

 


 

In London' Spring Summer Fashion Week, white was featured prominently in many collections, making it a must have piece. From white shoes and tees to suits and coats. The immaculate look is definitely still in this season, based on runway shows from Alexander McQueen, Gucci, Versace. White is by far not an easy color to wear, but it is definitely quite trendy.

 

Another trend is color. Bold and bright color has become the biggest trend in Fashion Week Spring Summer 2015. One of the most interesting trends is back, that's pink. It made a splash once again this season. Designers have been playing around with pink for some time now. Some designers in their runway collections, chose bright pink, while others went for a softer shade of pink. From the runways of New York, London, Milan, Paris, designers weren't afraid to showcase and display bold and bright color combinations that appeared to clash, but worked very well together. But if you like bold colors, but pink isn't right for your style, yellow was another bold color that featured prominently in many collections. Paired with either white or more contrasting colors, yellow made is debut.

 

Ready to Wear

Denim was prominently featured on Milan runways, not just as pants, but also jackets. Denim was a big deal during Fashion Week, being seen on the runway as part of Tom Ford, Prada and many other collections. Those who like blue, but aren't big fans of denim won't be disappointed. Blue is definitely the color of the season and on the rise. Bold shades of blue were also featured in collections from Marc Jacobs to Versace, worn either as a top, bottom or a full blue look. Don't miss out on picking a bright shade, regardless of your fabric choice.

 

More trends abound on the runway. Such as those vintage 70s styles. The loose and flared pant and the wide leg trousers. These 70s designs rocked the runway across the world, and so did knitwear. Stripped knitwear was the real star of many collections. It was either vertical or horizontal. Stripes are looking good as a major trend as well this season.