The current economy has caused many changes in the retail industry. People are struggling to buy the things they need and are losing jobs. This causes people to buy less luxury items. Retail stores such as Wal-mart are having better business, because of their discount prices. The average person is less likely to save up to buy a designer bag or dress. They are now more likely saving for more practical items.
The housing crisis is effecting the home retail industry greatly. Real estate prices are going down. The need for home goods are going down. Consumers are less worried about the look of their houses and more worried about how they are going to support their family through the financial crisis.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Friday, November 14, 2008
Our Guest Speaker!
First of all Elyse did a wonderful job in presenting about her job. The way she spoke to us was both inspiring and easy to relate to. I learned that you must pay your dues to a company before you can jump into a nice paying job where you can to what you love. I loved having someone who came from the same school as I attend an seeing how she has found a place where she can fit in. It's overwhelming to think that after graduating we are pushed out into the real world. There are so many jobs and opportunities out there, it is hard to figure out exactly what we want to do.
As a speaker Elyse was able to give us the information we needed, but add fun to it. The samples she showed us were really cute! I also thought it was cool that we got to see a strike off, because we had learned about that in our textbook. It is interesting to see how what we are learning now is going to used in our future.
I think that Elyse has a great future ahead of her and she is an inspiration to anyone in the CARS major. Through the work of connections and skill she was able to find a place of work for the time being and is able to benefit the company. An important part of a job is to be doing what you love. Even though she started out making lots of copies, she now can take something she loves to do and be a part of the working community.
As a speaker Elyse was able to give us the information we needed, but add fun to it. The samples she showed us were really cute! I also thought it was cool that we got to see a strike off, because we had learned about that in our textbook. It is interesting to see how what we are learning now is going to used in our future.
I think that Elyse has a great future ahead of her and she is an inspiration to anyone in the CARS major. Through the work of connections and skill she was able to find a place of work for the time being and is able to benefit the company. An important part of a job is to be doing what you love. Even though she started out making lots of copies, she now can take something she loves to do and be a part of the working community.
Friday, October 31, 2008
Sweatshops
Personally I do not agree with the immoral practices that occur in sweatshops, but as a consumer I believe that they are necessary at this point in time. Considering I am a college student I do not have a whole lot of money to spend on clothes. I want to be able to get cheap, but fashionable clothes. Without sweatshops clothing would cost a lot more.
You also have to consider those who work in sweatshops. A majority of those people have no other job opportunities available and need a way to provide what they can for their family. Without sweatshops many young children and adults would find even worse ways to survive that would not better their life.
Ideally the workers in sweatshops should be payed more and not be treated as lesser beings. In today's society there will always be people those with high paying jobs and those with very low paying jobs. Even if sweatshops were eliminated, there would still be other jobs out there that would be considered just as inhumane. The benefits of sweatshops outweigh the losses. So for now I think sweatshops are a necessary part of the apparel industry.
You also have to consider those who work in sweatshops. A majority of those people have no other job opportunities available and need a way to provide what they can for their family. Without sweatshops many young children and adults would find even worse ways to survive that would not better their life.
Ideally the workers in sweatshops should be payed more and not be treated as lesser beings. In today's society there will always be people those with high paying jobs and those with very low paying jobs. Even if sweatshops were eliminated, there would still be other jobs out there that would be considered just as inhumane. The benefits of sweatshops outweigh the losses. So for now I think sweatshops are a necessary part of the apparel industry.
Monday, October 27, 2008
Fashion: Art or Usability?
I think fashion can be considered both art and usable. The creation of fashion is art. All the design and talent that goes into putting together an outfit takes creativity. Once the piece is created, then it can be usable. Some collections put together by a designer may be more usable than others and some collections may be more artistic than others.
Fashion week in Milan is a great example of how fashion is art. The designs shown during this time are always known as being more as a form of art. The works of art can be used to create a piece that may be more wearable. Looking at the collections you can see all the great detail put into the piece. Everything from the basic structure to the buttons are put together in a creative way.
The Spring 2009 RTW fashion shows in Milan were considered to be more wearable than in the past. I saw pieces from Dolce & Gabana, Brioni, Gucci, and Versace that if I had the money I would love to wear. There were some very simple designs. On the other hand, the shoes are becoming very elaborate and tall!
Fashion week in Milan is a great example of how fashion is art. The designs shown during this time are always known as being more as a form of art. The works of art can be used to create a piece that may be more wearable. Looking at the collections you can see all the great detail put into the piece. Everything from the basic structure to the buttons are put together in a creative way.
The Spring 2009 RTW fashion shows in Milan were considered to be more wearable than in the past. I saw pieces from Dolce & Gabana, Brioni, Gucci, and Versace that if I had the money I would love to wear. There were some very simple designs. On the other hand, the shoes are becoming very elaborate and tall!
Friday, October 3, 2008
What Inspires Me
Since I am more on the retail side of fashion instead of design, I do not often sketch out designs. Most of the time after looking at what other people are wearing and what stores have, I come up with my own ideas in my head. Creating outfits are more what I enjoy than creating actual pieces to the outfits. Most of my inspiration just comes from what I have seen on television or in magazines. A college campus is also full of inspiration, because there are so many different styles.
When I was younger I did roughly sketch out dresses on my notebook paper during class. When sketching these dresses I would think about many things. The first thing I think of before drawing the dress is whether I want it to be for the day or something more formal. Most of the time I like to imagine long formal gowns, even though the only time I've worn a dress like that was for prom. There is something about the form gown that makes any woman feel beautiful.
The most important thing to me when creating a dress is making sure it is easy to move around in. Along with many other women, I want to be comfortable in a dress and also be able to walk, run, and dance around in a dress. At the same time I want to feel elegant. I like the simple, classic look. If the dress is more formal than it would be one or two basic colors. For the day time dress I would have more bright patterns. I feel that a night time look should be more sleek and classic, while the day time should be more fun and flirty.
When I was younger I did roughly sketch out dresses on my notebook paper during class. When sketching these dresses I would think about many things. The first thing I think of before drawing the dress is whether I want it to be for the day or something more formal. Most of the time I like to imagine long formal gowns, even though the only time I've worn a dress like that was for prom. There is something about the form gown that makes any woman feel beautiful.
The most important thing to me when creating a dress is making sure it is easy to move around in. Along with many other women, I want to be comfortable in a dress and also be able to walk, run, and dance around in a dress. At the same time I want to feel elegant. I like the simple, classic look. If the dress is more formal than it would be one or two basic colors. For the day time dress I would have more bright patterns. I feel that a night time look should be more sleek and classic, while the day time should be more fun and flirty.
Friday, September 26, 2008
Ethnic Influences on Apparel Design
Fashion designers have been influenced by the style of dress in other cultures. I have been taking a Culture, Human Behavior, and Clothing course and have studied different types of dress in certain cultures and countries. I learned that not only have other countries adopted Western style of dress, but the United States has found inspiration from styles of dress from around the world. Common examples of this are the Kimono style dress, headwraps, and jewelry.
A pair of shoes that have become popular that have noticeable ethnic influence are the gladiator sandals. They are similar to the sandals worn by people in ancient Rome. Who knew that shoes made for tough men would become a fashionable item for women to wear?
Countries in Asia, Europe, and Africa all have influenced clothing styles today. Patterns and colors from each of these places are shown in what we wear. Fashion in the United States is becoming more and more diverse. Having ethnic influence can increase this diversity. Being able to combine different cultures into one outfit creates a look that identifies to the average American these days. We come from a variety of backgrounds and this can be portrayed through fashion.
A pair of shoes that have become popular that have noticeable ethnic influence are the gladiator sandals. They are similar to the sandals worn by people in ancient Rome. Who knew that shoes made for tough men would become a fashionable item for women to wear?
Countries in Asia, Europe, and Africa all have influenced clothing styles today. Patterns and colors from each of these places are shown in what we wear. Fashion in the United States is becoming more and more diverse. Having ethnic influence can increase this diversity. Being able to combine different cultures into one outfit creates a look that identifies to the average American these days. We come from a variety of backgrounds and this can be portrayed through fashion.
Friday, September 19, 2008
Main Trends of the New York Fashion Week
picture from www.style.com
picture from www.style.comI was in awe while looking at the new Marc Jacobs collection. Personally, I could not see myself wearing most of the looks, but the clothing seemed magical. Marc has created a collection that can be mixed and matched in several different ways. He uses bold and shiny colors. I like how he mixes patterns, but the clothing still looks wearable. Nicole Phelp's wrote a review of Marc Jacob's on www.style.com. In her review she stated this about his collection, "Mary Poppins goes to Dubai. The King and I meets The Postman Always Rings Twice. Yves Saint Laurent's Ballets Russes collection redux." She also said Marc Jacob's has a "melting-pot mentality." I agree with what she has written. Marc Jacob's has created a collection of beauty and uniqueness.
Once again, while watching the Oscar de la Renta show I could not take my eyes off my computer screen. Each piece was so different from the next. His theme was a mix between classic and modern. He had a mixture of bright colors and soft colors. The simple style and color of his collection was a contrast to Marc Jacobs' collection.
The trends for the Spring seem to be all over the place. It seems that a person can go in whichever direction they want. There was a lot of bold, flowery patterns, but also I saw a lot of nude pieces. Hats seem to be popular for the spring. All in all New York Fashion week was full of diversity. What is shown is more than something to wear, it is art.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Organic and Environmentally Friendly Clothing
At first I did not know much about organic and environmentally friendly clothing yet to be able to form an opinion about it. All I knew was that it is becoming a very popular topic in today's society. From looking around the internet is seems that organic cotton clothing is becoming available in more stores. Since cotton is the most popular fabric used in clothing it is important that is becoming more environmentally friendly to produce.
Making organic and environmentally friendly clothes is an ongoing process that continues to grow everyday. I think that if it is possible to make fashionable clothes that are environmentally friendly, then there is no reason not to do it. The fashion industry is a major industry and if it can become eco-friendly then more and more industries would follow. Consumers are in charge of what they buy and if more people buy organic clothing then the more it will be produced. More research will then be done to expand the ways of producing such clothing.
I am far from an environmentalist and have never really kept up to date with issues involving the environment. I still believe that organic clothing would greatly impact the Earth in a positive way. I put up a video about Eco-friendly fashion!
Making organic and environmentally friendly clothes is an ongoing process that continues to grow everyday. I think that if it is possible to make fashionable clothes that are environmentally friendly, then there is no reason not to do it. The fashion industry is a major industry and if it can become eco-friendly then more and more industries would follow. Consumers are in charge of what they buy and if more people buy organic clothing then the more it will be produced. More research will then be done to expand the ways of producing such clothing.
I am far from an environmentalist and have never really kept up to date with issues involving the environment. I still believe that organic clothing would greatly impact the Earth in a positive way. I put up a video about Eco-friendly fashion!
Thursday, September 4, 2008
My favorite designer!
Throughout my life I have always liked a wide variety of fashion designers. It is hard for me to pick one specific one that would be my favorite, because they all have their unique taste. I have always loved Ralph Lauren's simple yet sophisticated look. Also, the dresses from BCBG Max Azria have always been fun for me to look at and when I have the money comfortable for me to wear! Most designers such as Michael Kors, Lacoste, Ralph Lauren, and BCBG Max Azria have been able to provide fashionable, but completely wearable clothing, bags, and accessories.
Comfort has always been important to me, so I love any designer that can create womens wear that I can have on throughout the day without feeling to much discomfort, but is still stylish. Also, I love designers who create collections that are easy to mix and match. If I had to pick a particular designer who provided collections that were almost perfect to what I desire in an outfit then I would pick Lilly Pulitzer. I love the story about how Lilly started designing clothes. She had a juice stand and would always make a mess. She decided to make a dress that would be able to hide the stains, so she created a sleeveless, bright colored dress. Many customers loved her dress and asked where she got it. From then on Lilly focused on designing and selling dresses.
Lilly Pulitzer's collections are always full of bright colorful patterns! I love the positive image her clothes give. Her dresses have always been a favorite of mine, because they are modest, but fun! The fit of the dresses are perfect. Even though you are dressed up, you still feel comfortable. Besides dresses, Lilly has skirts, shorts, shirts, and sweaters, and other similar items. I love the preppy look in her collections! Everything from her dresses to shorts have cute and bright patterns. So Lilly Pulitzer would have to be my favorite designer as of now even though many fashion designers provide clothing that has high quality and comfort!
http://www.lillypulitzer.com/
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