Fashion Quote #8

"Design is a constant challenge to balance comfort with luxe, the practical with the desirable." 

-Donna Karan

    

     Wow, it's been nearly two months since I've posted anything. I guess you could say I've been lacking inspiration. However, I recently sewed my promotion party dress and I am working on my promotion dress. I've never sewn a party dress before so this is an exciting (and extremely frustrating!) experience. To the left is a picture of my sketch. This was my goal and I'd like to say I accomplished it. The coral pattern spoke to me and I just knew I had to get it. The dress definitely met my expectations (I did set them pretty low though). There are a few fixes I will make before I wear it to the promotion party.  

Fashion Quote #7

"Anyone can get dressed up and glamorous but it is how people dress in their days off that are the most intriguing."

-Alexander Wang

      I read a very interesting article this morning from Refinery 29. Refinery 29 is a blog that discusses anything from fashion to celebrities to food. Here is a link to the post: http://www.refinery29.com/fashion-secrets?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=post&utm_campaign=fash. On the 3rd page of the slideshow, they say shoes are far too expensive for what they're worth. I had finished my swimsuit this morning and it got me thinking. Swimsuits are also overpriced. The swimsuit on the upper left is the swimsuit I made last year. The swimsuit on the upper right is the swimsuit I finished this morning. Both were around $25. There are many problems with both of them. Even if I were more skilled when it comes to sewing, the price would still be cheap. Nowadays, swimsuits for women can cost anything starting at about $40. This is kind of like gold. It has the value it has because we gave it that value. Gold could have just been a shiny metal that cost a few bucks.

      I sewed this black dress after I became obsessed with studs. I ordered studs from Etsy that will arrive soon. I plan on adding the studs to either the sides of the dress or adding them to a belt that I can wear with it. 

1

2

     You could say my drawing skills have improved. The drawing on the left is from at least 3 years ago. It was one of my first designs. I really wasn't trying. Design 2 is from a couple years ago. I was actually trying this time. It may be difficult to see, but it's a mess.The left arm is bent at the elbow. The face is a weird shape. The eyes are slanted. The legs are way too short. The list goes on. Design 3 I designed today. I was trying to draw it the 9-heads way. According to 101 Things I Learned in Fashion School, the average adult is 7 1/2 heads tall, and a fashion figure is 9 heads tall. Unfortunately, I have serious issues drawing heads. They were two big in the first two eras of my designing experiences. Now, they are too small. Somebody help me!

3

      I have been obsessing over my new idol, the model Coco Rocha. Coco Rocha is the queen of posing. She adds character to her photos unlike any other model. Check out her portfolio here: http://www.cocorocha.com/portfolio.html . You may also see her in the advertisement for White House Black Market. She was discovered Irish dancing at the age of 14. One of the most memorable moments of her career must have been opening Jean Paul Gaultier's 2007 Fall/Winter collection Irish dancing. Currently, she is a mentor on Oxygen's "The Face". "The Face" is a modeling competition show. 
P.S. This is my 50th post!

    I don't always have pockets (or simply, large enough pockets) to carry small items when I go out. I saw a tutorial on a leather cross body bag that seemed fairly easy. I did not get leather but instead got marine vinyl which feels similar to leather. This is the bag I made. The fabric was not the kindest, but I made it sort of work. There are detachable straps on this bag. It is the perfect size for the few items I usually carry. 

      Last night, my friend, Anna, came over. We used scraps of fabric from things I had previously sewn. She came up with the concept of the design, and I did the sewing. We made the top and the skirt. Can you guess what I had used those two fabrics for before? Both items are posted on this blog. :)

      I know this is a little late, but what did you think of Beyonce's Super Bowl Halftime Show outfit? I found the combination of lace and leather very cool. Was it appropriate for the Super Bowl?

                      

*Copyright not intended

     It's that time of year!This week is Fashion Week! You can watch live fashion shows from Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York.

Here is a link: http://newyork.mbfashionweek.com/live
The schedule is here: http://newyork.mbfashionweek.com/schedule

Last week was the Golden Globes. Let's check out some celebrities' outfits! 




This Zuhair Murad dress looks amazing on Jennifer Lopez. She is definitely red carpet worthy!

 Shades of red were very popular on the red carpet. Jennifer Lawrence is a part of this trend in her Dior Haute Couture gown. She looks very pretty. (I loved the Hunger Games)

 Katharine McPhee looks smashing (get it? haha!) in this dress from Theysken's Theory. Many celebrities wore dresses that had a slit that showed their leg. (I love the show "Smash" that she stars in)

 I will admit that I am a little biased towards Taylor Swift, but she looks amazing. Although she looks great, I do wish that the Donna Karen couture gown was a different shade of plum. 

 Anne Hathaway looked elegant in this Chanel outfit. This outfit was a big deal because everyone loved it, but for some reason, I'm not obsessing over it like everyone else. I LOVED Les Miserables though! White was very trendy at the Golden Globes.

 I love "Nashville" and I love Hayden Panettiere. She looks as gorgeous in the Roberto Cavalli gown as she always does.  

One of my favorite looks of the night was definitely Kate Hudson. She looks stunning in this Alexander Mcqeen gown.  It would have been nice to see her hair pulled back so that we could see the exquisite beading at the top of the dress.  Black was seen on many celebrities that night. Plunging necklines were also popular.












What was your favorite look of the night? Were there any categories that you feel a different winner should have been chosen?
*No Copyright intended

     I have been in love with scalloped edges for a while now. For some reason, I've never owned anything that had a scalloped edge. I decided that it was finally time to be united with my lover, so I made my own tank top with a scalloped hem.  The scallops are definitely not perfect but I am still pleased with the outcome.  I saw a tutorial on how to make a scalloped hem but did not understand all of the instructions. I followed the pictures that made sense and figured it out from there. Do you like scalloped edges?

     After catching glimpses of Carrie Underwood's maxi cardigan in the music video for "Blown Away", I knew I had to make a maxi cardigan. Several people asked me if I was wearing a cape, but I still love it! To the right is the creme maxi cardigan that I made. I pair it with skinny jeans and a T-shirt.











What is maxi?
2nd definition here: www.google.com/search?q=maxi+cardigan&oq=maxi+cardigan&aqs=chrome.0.57j62l3j59j60.2878&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#hl=en&tbo=u&q=maxi&tbs=dfn:1&sa=X&ei=Mzn6UO7pLYTl0QHJ_ICwDw&ved=0CC8QkQ4&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_cp.r_qf.&fp=8c573f921d6ef50&biw=1366&bih=600

Fashion Quote #6

"I like my money right where I can see it... hanging in my closet."

-Carrie Bradshaw

     Happy Birthday Kate Middleton! I wish I was a princess. :) Kate seems to always look amazing. She is always elegant and sophisticated. I admire her for that. One of the best outfits I've ever seen her in is the teal, lace dress below. I would trade my wardrobe for hers in a second!        

The back of this dress is even more stunning!

*No Copyright Intended

     Towards the end of last year, Pantone released the list of the colors they predicted would be the most popular. The color of this year is emerald. These pieces from Creatures of the Wind, Burberry, and Acne (picture on left, names listed from left to right) are only a few of the emerald pieces from Spring 2013 collections. 

  Other popular colors besides emerald include Monaco blue, dusk blue, emerald, grayed jade, linen, poppy red, African violets, tender shoots, lemon zest, and nectarine. It's time to fill up your wardrobe with these colors! :)

*No Copyright Intended