Category: Fashion For Thought

Are you a on the black diamond or the beach?

Here’s a fashion for thought: ski jackets in the summer. What exactly is this trend, if it even is one? I’ve been scrolling through my Instagram in the recent months and can’t help but notice one trend that I simply cannot shake, and that is celebrities wearing puffer (or winter) jackets in 60-70 degree weather. I have one simple question, why? 

I grew up in a state that got pretty cold during the winter months and while it was fun to get bundled up in fun winter jackets I definitely could not wait to take them off once the weather warmed up. So Im shell-shocked to see people such as Kim Kardashian taking on taking on the town in a winter puffer coat with spandex shorts. It is obvious it is not actually cold based on the rest of Kim’s outfit, so why is she wearing a coat suited for skiing? 

Believe me, I am all for setting trends and pushing the boundaries but this one seems a little too “out there” for even me. First, I really am interested to know if this look is even comfortable, giving the fact that it is not snowing nor even that cold, so I can only imagine she must be a little hot under there. Secondly, and maybe I am the only one who thinks this but a heavy puffy coat and spandex shorts just don’t seem to go together for me? 

I did a little more digging to see if I could find any other celebrities trying out this trend, and while I didn’t find any offenders quite as bad as Kim, I find a few others that could be contenders. In particular, the photo on the left where Rihanna is wearing an extremely oversized puffer coat and almost nothing else under. 

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Don’t get me wrong, I love the puffer jacket just as much as the next person, but there is time and place for these coats, and summer in California is simply not the right time. 

-Stephanie

Saying goodbye to the old Stephanie…

I’ve been wanting to switch up my style for quite some time now, I just didn’t know exactly how I was going to. I’m not the biggest fan of change, and when I feel comfortable in something I tend to stick to it, but moving to Paris has changed that side of me. It wasn’t an overnight transformation. I’ve been living here for over three months now, and I am still discovering what does and doesn’t work on my body and my style. But there is without a doubt a significant change in how I dress now compared to how I used to. 

At first, I didn’t even notice that my style was changing. I figured I was just gravitated towards clothes that fit the current weather situations. Which now looking back seems a bit silly, but I really didn’t notice. It wasn’t until my family came to visit me the other week that I really noticed my style had change. I attribute a large part of this change to the Parisian culture. I never have considered myself to dress poorly, and I usually am relatively covered up most of them time in different jackets and sweaters, but I’ve begun to really adapt to the culture and climate here and with that so has my wardrobe. 

When I am shopping I find myself going for long wool coats, blazers, scarves, and tights, items I never usually would buy. I noticed that now I dress a lot more practical than making a statement. Don’t let me steer you wrong, I still keep up with trends and want to have a signature style, but I am just more aware that somethings are useful in my closet especially while I am living here. I haven’t worn a pair of shorts since mid-August and I don’t see myself wearing any in the near future. I stopped buying shoes with heels and started buying shoes with more comfortable soles, still very stylish, but better for all the walking and commuting I do on a daily basis. 

My style, while it is still unique in my own eyes, blends in more with my fellow Parisians. I  no longer feel like I am sticking out, or that it is obvious I am American. I really feel like I finally belong here, not just mentally anymore, but also physically. It’s an awesome feeling and I am grateful that a city had the power to make such a interesting change on my style. 

With only less than a month left in this beautiful city, I wonder if I will keep up the changes that I have made back in America, or if I will re-adapt into my old ways of dressing. What do you guys think? 

-Stephanie

This gives the term “comfort over style” a whole new meaning…

Merriam-Webster defines athleisure as “casual clothing designed to be worn both for exercising and for general use.” Often also referred to as “sport leisure” athlesiure clothing has taking the fashion market by storm and we don’t see any signs of it slowing down. 

“I often get asked whether the bubble around leisure will burst anytime soon, and the answer is no,”

said Matt Powell, senior sports industry advisor at NPD, in the report.

“Athleisure rules the runway, and the line between what is an athletic shoe and a casual shoe continues to blur. Brands and retailers must continue to feed this trend.”

We once lived in an era where workout clothes had only one use: to workout in. However, that is no longer the case. Maybe we can credit the initial start of this trend to work-out brands such as Lulu Lemon and Alo Yoga who revamped the classic workout clothes into stylish and chic sets. But this movement stretched much farther than just that. In the past few years the fashion world has seen a significant shift in what are considered causal clothes. For example a few years ago when you think about casual street wear basic items such as a t-shirt, jeans, sweater, or jacket come to mind. If you were to ask someone today what they think about casual street wear I can guarantee some of the answers will be athleisure. 

Athleisure wear includes yoga pants, jogger pants, sweatpants, gym tanks, sports bra, hoodies, zip-up sweaters, sneakers, and slides, to name a few. All the items that would be consider apart of “athleisure” have actually been around since the mid 1970s, with the work-out mania began. However, its popularity to be worn as casual clothes did not spike until the more recent years. 

Fashion magazine, Vogue identifies athleisure a rising trend which comprises of style, comfort, and function. They believe this becayse people are looking for clothes which they can wear to the gym as well as look great in them on the streets. Athleisure has merged urban, sports and fashion which resonates a different lifestyle, creating almost a cult if you will. 

We can credit the instant hype of this trend to celebrities such as Kanye West, whose company Yeezy’s athleisure lines sell out within hours, and Instagram influencers who regularly post in their latest athleisure fits. 

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However, while this trend is widely accepted and worn all throughout the United States, in fact the Athleisure sector has increased 42% in last seven years reaching the total market worth $270 billion, according to Morgan Stanley, I cannot say that it receives the same amount of attention in Europe. 

I too have bought in to the athleisure phenomenon, and before moving to Paris I bought a few cute matching sets to wear around the city when I wanted to dress casual. It took only a week for me to realize that this fashion choice was not very common amongst my Parisian counterparts. The first time I sported my new athletic outfit on the streets I felt like I was sticking out like a sore thumb. Everyone around me was dressed very presentable, in pants or skirts and jackets. And while back in the states what I was wearing would be considered very socially acceptable, in Paris I felt as if I was almost offending the people around me. 

So maybe the hype about athleisure is more relevant to the United States than Europe, but because all good things do take time, maybe it’s craze just hasn’t reached to Paris yet. Time will only tell of course, but for now I’ll stick to wearing my athleisure around my apartment. 

-Virginia

With so many vintage trends coming back in style, is there even room for our favorite LBD anymore? 

Don’t let the title of this post confuse you, I do not think the little black dress is dead, but I do think it’s on its way out…

The history of the little black dress dates back all the way to the Georgian and Victorian eras where wearing black at a funeral was very common to mourn the death of someone. Flash forward a few hundred years to when the real “LBD” made it’s first debut in the 1920s by the one and only Coco Chanel. The little black dress was seen in a 1926 issue of Vogue paired with long narrow sleeves and a string of pearls around the neck. It was dubbed as a simple and accessible dress for women of all classes. 

It didn’t take long for other designers such as Christian Dior to amp up the little black dress and turn it into the sexy iconic symbol it still represents today. That brings us to what many people refer to when they think of the LBD and that is Audrey Hepburn’s dress from Breakfast at Tiffany’s designed by Hubert de Givenchy. And ever since then the little black dress has remained a staple item in every women’s wardrobe. 

So now I argue if this mindset, that has been engrained into every young women’s mind for countless of years, still holds the same value it once did? While it would be foolish of me to think that the little black dress will ever actually go out of style, I can’t help but shake the fact that the LBD faces some tough competition with other classic clothing trends. 

Maybe it is a generational debate or maybe I am simply just too naive to think that other articles of clothing are found more in women’s closets today. From a personal standpoint, I only own one little black dress, and while I love the look of it, I rarely actually wear it. With so many new trends and designs coming out weekly/monthly it is simply too hard to find time to wear everything that I want. So I usually push aside clothing such as my LDB because I want to utilize other items while they are still in style. And I can’t be the only one who has this issue too right? 

I think another major factor in why I argue this point is because of the way media works in today’s social climate. Growing up in a era heavily revolved around social media, taking photos, and Instagram influencers a simple LDB is just (dare I say) too basic for society. Let me rephrase myself to avoid any outrage. The LBD is not “basic” but its simplicity is often now being overshadowed by more eccentric, fun, and original pieces. Everyone wants to stand out and be unique in their own way. 

So while I’m not counting out the little black dress entirely, I merely opening the idea that it is loosing its following, and that is okay. 

-Stephanie

And the gold medal goes to Off-White!

Until I started working in the fashion industry I never really paid much attention to Fashion Week. Now that my interest in fashion has heightened, I would give just about anything to have a front row seat a major designer’s show. 

This September I was lucky enough to be right in the heart of Paris during their fashion week. And while I wasn’t lucky enough to get a seat at one of the shows, I did keep up online with which shows stood out to me and which ones left my unimpressed. 

I want to quickly clarify that I am NOT a fashion expert by any means. Nor do I have enough background in fashion for my opinions to be taken with anymore than a grain of salt. I’m simply stating my personal opinions on the shows I saw!

So today I’m going to rate some two of my favorite shows and least favorite shows from the fall 2018 Paris Fashion Week and why:

Loves: Off-White Spring Summer 2019 Women’s Collection

I absolutely adore this collection. Maybe it’s because I love the idea of athletic wear being incorporated as a fashion statement, or maybe it’s because I am a major Virgil Abloh fan, but whatever the case may be this collection was my favorite from the whole week. From the clothes, to the models, to the music, and the overall show itself Virgil hit the head on the nail with this collection. And I am not the only one who agrees. Vogue and Elle Magazine both praised his “Track and Field” collection as well. From start to finish the show was epic and a must see if you haven’t had the chance to yet! I can’t wait to see what he comes up with next season.

Loathes: Saint Laurent Fall 2018/2019 Collection

I love Saint Laurent, they are one of my favorite brands, however this show left me feeling like I wanted more. What was interesting to me was after watching the show for a second time I realized I actually really liked the collection from a clothing standpoint, however the execution of them in their show made me dislike them. You’d think by Saint Laurent using such an iconic backdrop (the Eiffel Tower at night) would make for a super cool show. However, unfortunately that was not the case. Maybe it was a combination and all the flashing background lights, but I simply could not stay focused while watching this. I still was impressed by the actually collection, I just wish it could have been executed better. 

I could spend all day talking about the good, the bad, and the ugly of Paris’ most recent fashion week, but instead I will let the collections do the talking. I was so pleased by so many of the shows this season it would be too hard to try and include them all in this post. 

Every time a fashion week wraps I feel like the other one is just around the corner! I can’t wait to see what designers bring to the table in the spring! 

-Virginia

What’s the deal with all these counterfeit Louis’? 

When you live in a major metropolitan city its not uncommon to walk past markets or street stores filled floor to ceiling with counterfeit designer bags, belts, wallets, and shoes. In fact, the counterfeit business is extremely large and expands to almost every country. For a large majority of our population, interested in designer items, these counterfeit items are useless, but to foreigners these can be a real gold mind. 

With the rise in social media, and the overwhelming constant need for people to fit into what society is promoting, the idea of a counterfeit designer bag doesn’t sound too bad of idea. But why do we feel this way? We have created a culture where some feel such a strong need to fit in with what Instagram influencers, celebrities, and models are doing, even if they can’t afford it. 

Now enter the counterfeit market and we have ourselves the perfect match. As long a there is a market for people willing to buy fake designer bags, these scammers will remain in business. And that is the problem we are facing. 

And even worse, fakes are getting more and more realistic. A few years ago distinguishing a fake from a real bag was fairly straightforward. However, with our technology constantly increasing, so is the authenticity of these fakes. There has been an explosion of what some are calling “super fakes,” “Triple-A fakes” or “line-for-lines” over the past five or so years. So much so, that the untrained eye, they look like the real thing. 

What is so detrimental about this business is that it diminishes the original product and the brand’s overall worth. It also can potentially drive business away from the real designer which decreases the value of the brand. However, as of 2017, top designers are deciding to fight back against these counterfeit markets. More and more designers are starting to address these issues on the catwalk as well as in the courtroom. 

Alexander Wang referenced counterfeits at his spring/summer 2017 show after-party, where 4x4s were spray-painted with “stop leaking my shit.”

Louis Vuitton filed a legal suit against Beijing’s Haidian District Court regarding the sale of counterfeit goods on TaoBao, Alibaba’s (China’s biggest online commerce company) e-commerce marketplace in January 2016. 

Will these efforts be enough though? Personally, I don’t understand why anyone would want to buy a counterfeit bag. And I’m not saying that because I can afford a bunch of real designer bags because I cant’t. But to me, I would rather not have it at all then have it be fake. 

The word fake sends a shiver down my spine. There really is nothing worse than fake things, fake people, fake news, and fake bags. Let’s put an end to this era of fake(ness). 

-Stephanie 

16th century French women must be rolling in their graves right now…

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It’s almost baffling to me what trends make their way back into style, and the corset trend is no exception. The idea of the corset was first introduced during the 16th century when it was referred to as “French Bodies.” The introduction of the corset was very significant in history because it represented a shift in the concept of clothing and was the first time the body began to conform to the fashionable shape of clothing worn. 

While this clothing concept lasted throughout the Middle Ages and Renaissance, as our knowledge of the human body advanced we soon learned that corsets actually displaced human organs and hindered reproduction. Thus causing a temporary end to the corset trend. But as almost all trends do, the corset has come back into style. The question that remains is, why? 

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Over the past few years the media has been swarmed with designers and celebrities alike showing off their personal take on the corset trend. At the very root of this craze is designer Miuccia Prada. In her 2016 autumn/winter show she styled corsets around wool coats and jacquard dresses. Following this show, a large spike in corsets being worn over clothes commenced. Celebrities such as Kim Kardashian and Kylie Jenner became the queens of this trend and could be regularly seen tying corsets over dresses and t-shirts. 

However, I can’t help but continue to question the reasoning behind this trend. While some fashion magazines and blogs praised the return of this trend, others named it “the greatest fashion sin of all time.” And although there is always controversy in fashion, when it directly affects a person’s health, is it really worth it? 

Besides the initial fact that corsets were invented to be worn under our clothes, the outstanding side effects this trend presents is just down-right impractical. I’m sure we are all familiar with the term “beauty is pain,” and while I’m willing to sacrifice a blister or swollen feet here and there, I’m not sure if I’m willing to sacrifice my long-term health for fashion. 

-Stephanie

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A personal insight on the controversial topic of fur in fashion throughout the years, and the introduction of “faux” fur trend. 

Once upon a time fur was all the rage in the fashion world. For decades many major designers, from Gucci and Versace to Maison Margiela, featured fur in their fall/winter collections at fashion week. However, despite the enormous amounts praise these pieces would receive, there was double the amount of hate that followed. The debate on whether fur is acceptable or not has gone on for longer than I have been alive, and will most likely continue on for many years to come. Or will it? 

It is no secret that the fad fur once created has significantly dwindled down over the more recent years. Whether or not fur is “good” or “bad” is entirely dependent on one’s opinion. However, it’s hard to forget reading about red paint getting splattered on pedestrians’ fur coats or PETA’s iconic “I’d rather go naked…” campaigns. 

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It makes you wonder, if a product has the power to create such backlash, why do so many brands continue to produce it, and why do so many shoppers continue to buy it? Having grown up in the suburbs of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania I rarely saw anyone wear fur, even if it was faux. I even remember my mother was embarrassed to wear her vintage mink coat, past down by her mother, out in public because of the negative comments she thought she would receive. As I got older and more interested in fashion and creating my own style, I began to follow many of the well known fashion magazines such as Vogue, W, Vanity Fair, and Harper’s Bazaar, which still regularly featured fur as a trending piece. Thus furthering my already conflicted and confused mind. Then came my introduction to the world of faux fur…

“Faux” fur has been around since the mid 1990s and its popularity has only increased over the years. For many fashion designers this was the perfect alternative for the fur trend that wouldn’t cause as much controversy. However that was not exactly the case. While wearing faux fur is better than wearing real fur to many animal rights advocates, it still sends a negative message to our society because faux or not these pieces will always be associated with animal cruelty. So now I ask where do we go from here? 

Yes, major fashion designers, such as Stella McCartney, have begun to speak out against their brands no longer producing fur products, however when I’m walking outside or checking my social media I can’t help but see a tremendous amount of people still sporting their trendiest fur jackets. And the next thing I always wonder is if it is faux or not, but does that not even matter anymore? With a topic such as this it is very difficult to find a way to meet in the middle.

Since my big move to Paris and the chilly weather commenced, it was hard to miss the amount of women wearing fur. After more than a few experiences of seeing this trend first hand, I began to dig a little deeper. I found out, through word of mouth and research, that in Europe it is slightly more socially acceptable to wear fur than it is in other countries, such as the United States. But does that make it okay? In many eyes it still doesn’t, so does that mean we should be going around splattering red paint over every fur jacket we see? 

These are the questions that I am so eager to find answers to. However, for now, I must accept the hard fact that there may never be a 100% accepted answer. So for now, should we stick to faux fur or no fur? I am eager to know. 

-Stephanie

How the faces of fashion influence our everyday street style.

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Haute Couture (French for “high sewing” or “high dressmaking” or “high fashion”) is high-end fashion that is constructed by hand from start to finish, made from high-quality, expensive, often unusual fabric and sewn with extreme attention to detail and finished by the most experienced and capable sewers – often using time-consuming, hand-executed techniques.

Some of the brands that are consider Haute Couture are: 

• Armani Privé 
• Chanel
• Christian Dior 
• Valentino
• Maison Martin Margiela
• Atelier Versace
• Jean Paul Gaultier
• Giambattista Valli

 A haute couture garment is always made for an individual client, tailored specifically for the wearer’s measurements and body stance. Considering the amount of time, money, and skill allotted to each completed piece, haute couture garments are also described as having no price tag: budget is not relevant.

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Haute couture collections influence their prêt-à-porter collections which consist of mass-produced standard-sized and factory-made clothing . Prêt-à-porter collections, whether of haute couture or normal couture houses, then influence high-street fashion.

The trickle down theory is essential in this idea because it starts at the top and then eventually makes its way all the way down to street style clothes. Now this process does take time and the end results don’t always align with what you may have seen on the runway, but the intention is there. 

While Haute Couture is usually more unique than high-fashion designs, there are still some obvious similarities in where fast-fashion brands get their idea’s from. 

Next time you are watching a fashion show, pay close attention, you never know what might end up in a Zara campaign the following season!

-Stephanie 

How does one handle living in the fashion capital of the world?

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When you first think about Paris you think about a few things: the food, the Eiffel Tower, the people, and most importantly the clothes! Paris has always been heavily associated in the fashion world as being the initial trend-setter for all of the trends and designs that we see in media, fashion campaigns, and more. So how does one navigate living in a city that is so fashion-forward. 

Well, it is definitely not without difficulty. When I first arrived here I was very overwhelmed with just how much fashion played a role in most people’s everyday lives. Even when you are walking on the street you can easily tell you are no longer in America. People care much more about how they present themselves and how they want to be perceived based on their clothing choices. In a way it makes you start to think more about your fashion choices. 

Being surrounded by so much beauty all the time can, at times, be stressful, but once you get the hang of it, Paris is truly the best place to be, especially if you have a love for fashion. It is the perfect place to deepen your fashion interests if you have them. We are in the home of the Haute Couture fashion houses and museums of some of the top high-fashion brands in the world. I mean really, could it get any better? 

-Stephanie