Monday, October 29, 2012

Fashion in the 1950's

The 1950's spawned a wide variety of original and distinctive styles, presented with a classic new age twist. For America, recently recovering from catastrophic tragedies related to the second World War, the 1950's brought restored hope; a chance for a new way of life whose destiny would be decided by them alone. This metamorphosis of America was heavily represented by fashion.
Women especially dramatically altered the way they dressed and presented themselves; during the evolution of an increasingly liberated society, women began to favor casual, relaxed clothing over traditional dress rules and associated formality of previous decades. Some of the most admired new trends for women in the 1950's included button-up sweaters with simple necklines, fitted blouses, and full knee-length skirts. However, the most prevalent fashion for women during this time was dresses. Most dresses were worn casually, and were accentuated with circle skirts, halter straps, or small collars. Evening wear dresses seemed soft yet daring, coming in many pastel hues and accompanied with bold ruffles, tulle trim, and dazzling velvet bows. The fitted evening wear of this period, which was usually sleeveless or strapless, was also emphasized with sheer silk.
Growing increasingly popular, the full skirts of the 1950's needed some sort of support in order to maximize their look. To address this problem, Nylon petticoats were created exclusively to be worn in conjunction with full skirts to create fullness. Nylon was a favorable material because of its high quality and easy care wash. This fullness it created transformed the skirt who gave nothing more than a gentle swish, into a glamorous royal-like flutter. Another significant fashion of this period is the swing coat, developed in the last 1940's by Jacques Fath. The silhouette of the swing coat was "designed perfectly to cover full skirts, and also ideal for the post war high pregnancy rate". Another trend in the 1950's was the "trapeze dress: a swinging dress almost triangular in shape and designed to be worn with low shoes and bouffant hairstyles." The trapeze dress was later modified into a shorter baby doll tent style dress, which was popular in the next decade. Perhaps one of the most classic fashion garments from the 1950's was Christian Dior's H-line of 1954, which consisted of a slender tunic-style suit with a slim skirt. His other popular fashions during this period were his A and Y lines. Dior has long been a dominant force in the fashion world, especially in the 1950's. His creative and usually voluminous garments gave women a more feminine touch. Another designer, Hubert Givenchy created a Parisian style dress in 1957 which he called the Sack. The Sack began the trend of straighter-waist dresses. Initially, it developed into the "fitted darted sheath dress and later into the loose straight short shift dress."
Coco Chanel was another major fashion designer in the 1950's. In contrast to popular full and flouncy skirts, Chanel began creating the boxy, now classic Chanel suit jackets and skirts in trimmed and textured tweed. The materials Chanel chose were always richly textured, which contributed to the finished product's high prices. Chanel's silhouette of her suits was completely straight, divinely lined with silk. Her look was classic, refined, and adorned with details. Chanel also accessorized many of her designs with strings of pearls and collarless jackets, both of which were considered fashionable in the 1950's. One of the most classic trends from the 1950's is the empire line, which was introduced in the late 1950's. This style was applied to dresses and shirts mostly, and was adored by teenagers who looked innocently childlike, hence the coined phrase "baby doll style". During the 1950's, all teenagers were expected to dress like their elders. The empire line was also a striking contrast from what most mothers wore at the time, which contributed to its high approval among teenagers in America.
Until the 1950's, the term "teenagers" was not commonly used, and certainly not a targeted market group. But with a new range of influences, including film, television, rock music, and magazines, teenagers began to be respected and acknowledged in the community. Often nicknamed the "Space Age", the 1950's was an important time in history for science and development as well. So many aspects of life changed during this period, perhaps partially attributed to the recent end of World War II. America had emerged from war with prosperity and a new identity. A new consumer-based society was "forging ahead, helped by such new developments as the credit card system" (Baker, 6). These innovative conditions however produced a similar effect on the fashion industry: while so many things in the lives of Americans were changing, they stayed clear from the radical, intense fashions while preferring the normalcy of standard trends. For once, being normal felt good. Another huge change in the 1950's was the increased ownership of television sets. Popular television programs such as I Love Lucy connected Americans on both sides of the Atlantic, bringing a sense of unity in the country. Segregation was ended in 1954, which brought together black and white students for the first time though racial tensions were still high, and also birthed the existence of civil rights leaders such as Martin Luther King Jr. Constant fears of communism reaching the states held many Americans tight with fear. More changes brought forth in the 1950's include the discovery of DNA, the launching of the first space satellite, an increase of women in the work field, and of course, rock and roll. All of these economic, social, and political changes in the world affected the American citizens, and therefore the fashion industry.
Regardless of the world's issues, the top fashions that drove the industry were more influenced by those who were idolized by the consumers: celebrities. Some of the most popular celebrities in the 1950's include Marilyn Monroe, James Dean, Ricky Nelson, and of course, Elvis Presley. Marilyn Monroe's sexy yet simple style was a widely imitated across America, by women of all shapes and sizes. Elvis Presley was another huge influence in the 1950's; not only was he adored by millions of girls, but he was also an inspiration for men. In a time where men only wore traditional attire, Elvis tore down all barriers which confined men to navy suits and ties. Elvis typically wore clothes that were more popular among the African American population. His wild pegged pants and zoot suits concerned the conservative community of America, who hardly approved of such a "gender bending, race-integrating star" (SOURCE). Elvis' bright and baggy clothes, makeup, and so called obscene dancing all acted as evidence of his single handed destruction of the morals of America's youth. Not all men followed the examples Elvis set however. In fact, more men in this time period dressed conventionally than not.
Most men in the 1950's maintained clothes with casual and modest colors, including dark blue, dark brown, and charcoal. The occasional daring young man would wear pastel pink to stand out; a trend that was just gaining momentum in the 1950's. Cardigan sweaters were popular among athletes, and older men. Additionally popular were fitted vests, plaid flannels, and collared jackets. There was flexibility in men's casual wear, and was a common sight to see shirt tails sticking out. Basic fedora-style hats were also a staple item in the 1950's for men.
Hats were also fashionable accessory for women in the 1950's, for the reason that they were believed to add a final touch of glamour to any woman's outfit. The pillbox hat, first introduced by Balenciaga and later modeled by Jackie Kennedy, became one of the trendiest accessories of the decade. Several glorious hat styles existed in the 1950's. Some hats were covered in flower petals, while others were adorned with swirls of georgette. Gloves were also worn often by women, especially those of elite social status. Some were made of cotton, which was much more affordable than leather or nylon. Though gloves came in many colors and styles, clean gloves whose color was white or cream were the most favored. Fur trimmings and adorned collars were also extremely fashionable. Brooches too, were considered a glamorous accessory.
The 1950's was a decade in which fashion changed dramatically from previous generations. Multiple influences from political debates, to economic issues, to new age celebrities and mass media all influenced the distinct styles and trends which identify the 1950's. Recovering from the casualties of World War II brought a lasting change to America, which was reflected in the fashions of this decade. The American women craved glamorous simplicity in their new lives, and as a new and liberated society evolved, the women of America began to liberate themselves by choosing which fashions they felt depicted them best. Not only were the 1950's important in history, but they also greatly transformed the face of fashion in America.

Monday, October 15, 2012

Fashion Tips to Help You Turn Heads

Do you feel like you have to bring back your fashion feeling? Well do you feel like it might cost you excessive cash? If so then you are logging on to wish to have an appearance through this article to figure out exactly how to develop your fashion sense on a spending plan.
You don't need to invest a ton of money to be fashionable. There are many outlet stores that hold comparable styles to famous designer fashions. Some other outlets supply high-fashion brand names at low rates due to the fact that they purchase over run styles. Yet another choice has received a sewer equipment and recreating your preferred designs.
One fashion idea that you will definitely not wish to have to disregard is the truth that your outerwear should be something that you appreciate, as opposed to something that you just need to use. This is essential given that you use it so often, therefore lots of folks are visiting you in it - you might as well make it count.
When acquiring a coat or coat, you must take note of the number of buttons. A coat with three buttons must only have the best most buttons buttoned.
Ask your loved ones exactly how they feel concerning the means you dress. Tell them that you are considering altering the means you dress and that you would definitely like some helpful comments from them. They can easily help you identify a design that helps you given that they understand the most pertaining to how you've dressed your whole life.
Several individuals are under the impression that rich shades need to just be worn in the early spring as well as summer season; this is not real. It is perfectly great to wear better graphics in the winter time; it is just a matter of just how you don them. While rich sweaters are fine, rich pants are not!
One wonderful fashion idea is to consider the sort of treatment that a garment requires prior to acquiring it. This is an excellent idea due to the fact that if you obtain something that is dry tidy only or hand clean only, you may either end up destroying it or never ever using it.
It has come to be trendy for men to don clothes that are very buggy, however this need to be staying clear of. This makes you look careless and also may make you look bigger compared to you actually are. While you do not need to do everything that is too limited, one dimension larger compared to your real size need to be the limitation.
If you are logging on to a formal gathering and aren't quite sure just what to wear, you cannot fail with a basic black dress. No matter exactly what the decade, a basic, little black dress has actually consistently been in style as well as will never go out. Consider this following time you aren't certain what to wear.
You see? It really doesn't cost a lot of cash to build your fashion sense. All it takes is correct planning and drive, as well as you can identify just how to develop your fashion sense on finances for all of the days ahead of you. Ideally of good fortune with your future with fashion.

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Fashion Yesterday and Today

We are living in a world surrounded by numerous things that are either related to the technology, the latest gadgets or the latest fashion. And Fashion today has made its significance felt in almost all sectors of life. Fashion can be termed into two groups: One group which follows fashion trends and adopts them and the other group who create fashion and style statements for the others to follow them. It can also be extended to another set of people who rarely have anything to do with fashion trends but yet follow their own style to create their own unique personality; adding one more style to the fashion world.
Fashion is not just about cosmetics and make up or the hair-do. It is a sense of creating the charisma of looking good in anything you wear and this magic is created with the right kind of accessories going along with the foot wear and the clothes, making up a pleasant picture to view. Many a times, people who do not afford to buy expensive clothes look their best in their casual wear, just by presenting themselves in that manner of sophistication and creating an aura around them with the confidence of looking good.
There are myriad forms of fashion, and trends keep on changing with the seasons. From the early 60s and 70s to the present millennium, there has been an immense change in the forms, looks and thoughts about fashion trends.
In India, much of fashion has been influenced by the Hindi Film Industry, popularly called Bollywood. The trends that have changed through time can be fairly seen in the movies made during the 60s and 70s and how they have evolved in various forms bringing about a style that can be followed by the general public. People have aped the west from very early times and this was no exception. The clothes made in the 60s and 70s were very much influenced by the western countries and given a traditional touch. The Bell Bottoms, scarves and the hair style was very much prevalent in those days as an icon of style. Later in the 80s and 90s, Fashion world sizzled like never before. There was a craving by the people to look different, stylish and modern and this could be seen in their outlook towards their outfit, new styles of hair, makeup, accessories like purses, earrings, necklaces, matching footwear etc.
People were conscious about each and every new thing that was marketed and they copied the styles from their Bollywood idols. Bollywood started as a platform for theatre artistes and went on to become a commercial entry to the youths and aspirants for a career in the film and fashion industry. This gave the youth of today to emphasize on the fashion world. Art and music have become an inseparable thing of the past and so it is deeply rooted in the present as well with more features and facilities.
Today fashion, art, music, designers, dance etc all have a place in the industry and people can choose to take up anything related to this industry as their profession too. Art and music have long been implemented in the school co-curricular activities and the Higher colleges are now offering various courses for better professionalism in these areas. There are also various acting schools and the small screen i.e., the television has opened up avenues in bringing out the talent in the young minds through numerous platforms of music and dance. This is the innovation of the millennium in creating jobs and work in the fashion industry. The trends that we see are brought about by the fashion houses that have regular seasons to showcase their invention, many of which are popularized in FTV, Zee Trendz and TLC channels. We can also get a glimpse of the stylish outfits through these shows that the models present. Today, Modelling is also one of the platforms for an entry into the world of fashion.
In the yester years, fashion was constrained only to the actors in the film or those that were bold enough to carry themselves in the public that they were considered fashionable. Others just wooed them behind close doors. Slowly when times began changing, we could see the women showing off their styles in the traditional saree with an embroidered blouse and a different neck style. Then we saw the saree being draped in various styles like the Bengali style or the Gujarati style etc. The women were liberating their choice of freedom and it could be seen in their appearances with a high heeled slipper or the handbag she carried or the way she held her saree or the hair and the makeup she wore. All these changes brought about the invention of churidhars and then the salwar kameez and finally the fashion of dresses was out in the open. Women accepted to the fact that there was nothing wrong in looking good and the men of course, loved to see the attractive side of women and fantasized the idea over their spouses.
This change in attitude of the public was very well taken by the fashionistas and a huge market was created to meet the demands of the public. Today fashion creates a new look with distinct style for a particular person and keeps oneself updated with the latest trends seen in the market. This industry is popular for its glamour as well as the mixture of Indian tradition and culture put into the designer wear that the models showcase.
People love to experiment different textures of materials used in the outfits and so the designers give them a wide collection of dresses using all kinds of clothes. There is the traditional Khadi and silk combination that is presently creating waves seen in both men's and women's wear. Then we have the embroidery work in zardosi, swarovski studded tops and lehangas and multi stoned work in bridal collection sarees etc. Then the most sought materials like cotton, polyster, chiffon, crush materials used in varied iconoclastic designs and styles.
Always there is a hope for the designers that the youth want a change in the fashion and are glad to keep up the trend with a fusion of Indian and western mix of fashionable wear. Also the youth of today are very practical in their sense of styling for a particular occasion. Be it a party or for a marriage or the casual look, they want the best and they believe in looking the best. And to achieve this, people go one step ahead in ensuring that they have everything in their wardrobe for any kind of occasion.
Apart from the stylish clothes and fashion that is currently popular people want to try something that goes along with their outlook. So the market started towards the very own friend of a woman- The Hand Bag or the Purse. The Fresh look of a purse with magnificent colours and its stylish features like the chain handle or the jazzy zips with numerous pockets in different shapes attracted the public like never before. And with the increasing demand of the prices of branded purses, it became a must for every woman to complete her shopping. So did the other accessories line up by creating a place for themselves in the market. Just a few to quote, the earring and necklaces, the various Belts, hand bracelets and brooch, the stiletto and its wonderful embroidered, party wear slippers along with its brotherly high rugged shoes giving a perfect cowboy look etc.
Fashion has always been a very interesting topic for all women and now the trend has even challenged the men to compete for a more appealing look for a remarkable future in the world of Fashion to make it a full fledged acceptable thing for all genre of people.
Kiriti C Chavadi
Bangalore

Monday, October 1, 2012

Fashion Tights for Festivals

Weather is always the main issue with festivals - will it rain or not? Tights are the best piece of clothing to take to a festival for so many different reasons. This is because whether it rains or not, tights are both comfortable and stylish. Also, tights being a product that naturally dry quickly, it means that your fashion tights will be ready to wear almost the whole weekend. However, even if it doesn't rain you could still to wear a 10 or 15 denier pair and still not be too hot, comfortable, and able to party all weekend.
Fashion tights can look fantastic under cute summer dresses that are just a bit too cold for the festival or even teamed with the festival favourite of the staple denim shorts.
Another benefit of wearing fashion tights at a festival is that if they rip in the conditions you will be even more on trend. Ripped tights are becoming a key trend for the season being seen on the high street in various retailers. Tights that are ripped can provide both a grunge look but with undertones of glamorousness. However if this is not for you, if they do become damaged because of the conditions, you can easily whip them off and carry on partying. Fashion tights are available to buy at great value prices. With such good prices, it is a great idea to take a few pairs of tights to festivals rather than ruining a few pairs of your favourite tights. Once the festival is finished and it is time to go home, tights are can be easily machine washed and you can then continue to wear them on a day to day basis.
Fashion tights that have mock suspender detailing are the perfect tights for a festival to create an individual look and help create the illusion that the legs are longer than they seem. Fashion tights for festivals offer a great alternative to everyday black opaque tights. Teamed with your favourite wellies and a cute festival dress, they are a key accessory that can be worn over and over again.
This summer, Katy Perry was seen sporty some ripped fashion tights at a festival in America and many other celebrities were seen sporty fashion tights at festival up and down the country including Jessie J at Wireless Festival in July and Gemma Cairney at Hackney weekend in June.
The key to wearing tights is all about confidence, legs of all shapes and sizes can look fantastic in tights. They enhance the natural womanly shape of legs and can bring glamour to the muddy surroundings of whichever festival you may be at. Just because a pair of tights may have a low price tag does not mean they encompass any less luxury than that of the luxury priced tights
Why not try fashion tights at your next festival and see how many compliments you get!