I wear Pink for ______

So, who do you wear pink for today?
October is a fabulous month to represent the fight against breast cancer nation-wide. In my look today, I feature some awesome picks that show how to stand up in style. I wear pink for the ladies still racing for the cure!
What about you?
October isn't over yet! Find your favorite from today's featured fashions:
Cashmere sweater: Uniqlo (http://shop.uniqlo.com), Printed blouse: City Girl (https://www.facebook.com/pages/City-Girl-Clothing/123623557785048?ref=hl), Embellished Denim: Tru Luxe Jeans (https://truluxejeans.com/styles/T0051B)

Tru Luxe Look

After being away from posting my stylish ramblings for awhile, it feels great to put together a fresh look. Because who wants to dress themselves when you can use the computer and take twice as long?
Today's look features main pieces from Sharon Young and Tru Luxe Jeans (white blouse:  http://sharonyounginc.com/  floral/leopard reversible tank & tunic: http://sharonyounginc.com/  jeans: https://truluxejeans.com/   necklace: YSL  purse: Prada). Here's to holding on to spring for as long as you can! Prepare yourselves... winter is coming :)

Ready... Set... Style.

Orson Welles said, "Create your own visual style... let it be unique for yourself and yet identifiable for others".  Well, Welles, style is always a little different from behind the scenes, and creating a look that's both unique and globally identifiable is quite the task. I learned this first-hand while styling a photoshoot for work. 

Now, all those who have seen me strutting my stuff- you all know that my purse is always full of what I consider necessities. Some may call these items "snacks, jewelry, and makeup", but beauty is in the eye of the beholder, people. Everyone loves a gal with Options- for a gal with options has no excuse to not look Fierce. Try emptying your bag and appreciating your daily treasures. Mine got me through a photo shoot.

Closet Clutter

Given my love of fashion, you’d think that I’d have a closet that rivals Neiman’s in both its scope and organization. Definitely not the case. I even questioned whether or not to include my “before” picture, simply because it was so mortifying (confession: I even removed a few items before snapping the shot).

Last week, it took me ten minutes to find a tank top. We’ll call that my “rock bottom” moment- at which point I realized I had to clean things up. I owned garments that I’ve had since high school; most of which had come and gone out of style (let alone fit me). On top of the mess that I unpacked from my last trip, there were dresses from prom, pieces from freshman year and even denim overalls; in short, it was a hot mess. I decided to take matters into my own hands this weekend and create divided sections for shoes, sweaters, dresses, skirts and garments that I’d designed on my own; only keeping the styles that I love and actually use.

Now, my closet’s not longer a hot mess- it’s just hot!

Fashion Show! Fashion Show! Fashion Show at Lunch!

 

So this week, we had the awesome opportunity to showcase our work at an event put on by the lovely ladies of the Baylor Women's Council of Dallas. Although it was only two days after our own fashion show in Waco, this luncheon went off without a hitch! 

I showcased:

• my little red dress with detachable skirt
• my alligator skin dress
• my big formal ribbon detail dress

And to close the entire show ……

 

This was such a cute event put on by some of the sweetest women that I had the pleasure of meeting that day. I can't wait to be in Dallas this summer and take advantage of the many opportunities that I've found!

Tips for Fitting Pants

When making this pair of pants, I realized that I had extra fullness in the back thigh area just below the full hip and above the ankle. This is a brief overview of the steps I took to get a better custom fit for my model:

Here, it's important to remember that we will be working from the crotch---up.
When starting with the muslin, sew the side seams Wrong Side to Wrong Side so that any changes will be easier to change. This will be a "draping" type of fitting process (where you work from the fabric and THEN go back to the paper pattern).

To reduce the amount of fabric in the back hips, make sure that everything else fits correctly. Pin out  excess in leg, tapering to the full hip until you find the right fit.

• Take off muslin
• Remove stitching from the -in seam- starting at the crotch seam all the way to the last pin that you just inserted to fit the bottom of the leg
• Measure the width of that pinned dart at the crotch line, then double that measurement with a seam gauge
• Transfer this amount to the inseam and mark w/ a pin
• Slide the back in-seam forward the amount of the total dart width that you just marked, letting the extra fabric Exit through the seam (this modification shortens the back crotch seam and, in the process, eliminates the fabric that you don't want or need). This moves that dart amount to the seam instead of sewing a dart in the middle of the leg. This is good for pants that you're making for the 1st time OR for pants that you already own since all we're doing is taking away from the side seam!

Pizza for Breakfast

 Recipe Time:

Last week, my gal pal told me all about this breakfast pizza that she made from an online recipe. It sounded pretty awesome- "unconventionally wonderful, with the allure of a classic dish made appropriate for the morning", a fellow blogger put it. I hadn’t stopped thinking about it and realized how easy it would be to serve for a large group or at a model brunch (if I ever had the time). I found this recipe and made it even simpler with store-bought dough and pre-grated cheeses. I love a good twist on a classic and this one pretty much tops my list.

Walk to the Beat

So the music selection for my runway show came down to about 5 options:

• Florence + the Machine: Cosmic Love
• Florence + The Machine: Dog Days Are Over
• Natasha Bedingfield: Neon Lights
• Fergie: Labels or Love
• Oh Land: White Nights

 

And the Winner is ………

At least for now!  Natasha's song Neon Lights is very upbeat, and keeps a fun, celebratory tune. Also, I feel like this song will be the safest on the small speakers in the venue that I'll be showing at. Sometimes, the songs sound very quiet, and this would be terrible with the Florence + The Machine Songs :( Same goes with the Fergie song. I love that Sex and the City-themed song, but it will sound TERRIBLE if the "powers that be" keep it turned down too low (as has been the case in the future). Overall, all of these tracks go well with my line that is soft and feminine with a twist. The style is an edgy take on soft classic pieces. This makes me look for a feminine voice with soft instruments ++++++ a nice strong beat to represent the leather looks that I'll be incorporating as well.

Don't get too excited, though! This all may change, as most of our work must be approved, but as of today, this is the runway track that I'll be using!

35-55... Why Them?!

So, the question often comes up in class and in my own head- Why must we design for the 35-55 year old consumer??? It limits design options, it changes the necklines, it affects the color, and don't even get me started on what it does to the HEM !

 When we question the "powers that be" (aka our instructors) as to WHY we must work for this target market, here's a little bit on what they think:

 

Women Over 40 Lead Apparel Sales

65% of all online sales go to women over age 35, and the fastest growing sales are to women age 55-64 (a boomer population that's been known for its willingness to indulge).  Sales to consumers age 55-64 rose by about 11%. This market is aware of both positive and negative aspects of her body. The 35-55 year old woman wants to be conscious of her age but not "dress Old". These gals know what they want! Natural fibers, cardigans, and other softly tailored pieces are key- not to mention washable and easy care for when they're running around with the family. 

• Updated classics 
• Unexpected fabrics
• New takes on old shapes 
• Look at vintage apparel for inspiration
• Use accessories to upgrade and update the look

 Forgiving fabrics are the best for this market (like Chiffons with great drape and strategic cuts). Some considerations to evaluate in designing for this market: Avoid sleeveless looks, mini-ANYTHING, baggy looks, trendy/fussy details that require regular upkeep.

 

Keep the neck/chest covered in a stylish and modest way. These ladies aren't trying too hard! Frilly evening attire is not so desirable at this stage. Tailored looks are much better. Avoid shawls and cape looks along with anything with the words "tight","low", or "plunging" before it.

These are the factors that I'll be trying to incorporate in my collection. It's going to be a challenge finding the balance!

Focus on:

• Shoulders
• Legs
• Soft colors
• Mixed Textures

Apparently, boomers know who they are and want to dress that way! They don't want to transform themselves but be who they are. So, although I can't guarantee  that this will be the target market that I choose for my future designs, I can see why these gals are so appealing after all.

If I had the time...

 If I had the time to do my nails... this is the technique that I would try for the day.

 

I'm a sucker for doing creative nail designs! I personally think that a thin brush works better, and  it will stay neater for longer, and actually dry in, ohh.. an hour?

Storyboard

 Here's the latest from my projected senior collection. For class, we must illustrate a few garments that we plan to construct and demonstrate the use of color stories, silhouettes, details, and reoccurring line styles for this collection. This was achieved using Illustrator, Photoshop, and the NedGraphics application Storyboard.

Look #2: Dress ...Biting

 Alligator skin tone on tone black dress with strappy back panels.

 For this look, I am using grade 3 eco gator hides for the embellished area on the neckline and strappy panels in the back. This will also be used as a treatment on the belt area if there is enough of it to go around. Unfortunately, this dress will not be backless, as I had originally planned. Because my mandatory target market is the 35-55year old woman, this look will not work for a sportswear collection.

There's still much more to come, but so far, this project seems to be quite the challenge.
Hopefully its bark is much worse than its bite!

Look #1: Coat

Flared Tea Rose Coat with rounded top godet panels
The Process:

 Now it's ON TO THE NEXT LOOK!

Runway Sounds

 

"So, what sounds can we expect to hear during your show?" I've heard asked. Well it's time to start brainstorming and narrowing down the options! I must give proper credit where it's due, though. My fellow designer Ivonne gave met the inspiration to blog about this thought process. Thanks boo boo.

With such a feminine collection and soft curves, I think that the tunes should only reflect that same attitude. Harps, constant flowy sounds, girly, attractive, alluring, and strong at the same time. I'm also intrigued by artists that bring a bit of an edge to their music. Perhaps a dubstep beat? Here's a few ideas that immediately come to mind:

• Oh Land
• Florence + the Machine
• Radiohead
• Awolnation

Sparkle and Fade

Spotted: Hair trend on the rise- the fading gradation of one value to another in each strand, otherwise known as Ombré. This shaded or graduated tone used previously only in art is now on the heads of celebrities and average Janes alike. Some argue that this look is on its way out, but I think that it's here to stay (at least for awhile). Now we girls have a reason to grow out our roots, save the recoloring job cash for a rainy day, and call it fashion! Why keep up with your new growth when you can leave it longer and be "in style"?? Even if this look is fading with the celebrity trendsetters, it is still in the growth phase with the conscientious consumer. Much like the actual tone to tone value in the look, this style has trickled down to the everyday gal and settled till something more fun becomes en Vogue.

Some have even twisted this style using more unique color combos.
Whether natural or vibrant, this look is not new to the style scene. Ladies of all ages have been doing this for years. Either way, it's coming back to the forefront, and it's quite difficult not to notice. Let's hope it doesn't fade away too quickly, dolls!

We Found Love In a Hopeless Place

Staying up late working on samples and patterns makes me long for the day when I can feel just like this guy as my senior collection is finally packed up in garment bags and I am no longer in this state of mind! I already feel like my body is fighting off sickness because it knows I don't have time to be sick and sew at the same time. How is it actually possible that I'm only taking 12 hours, but I don't have enough time to do ANYTHING that I'm supposed to do!?
My eyes seem to be closing as I sit in my irrelevant Religion class, and the only thing keeping me alert is the dream that in a couple of months, this image above will actually be of me.
#LookingForLoveIn a #HopelessPlace