"Fashion fades, Style is eternal"
-Yves Saint Laurent
recent update :
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Sophistication
written on Tuesday, 3 September 2013 @ 23:31 ✈
At the beginning of the IDE, we were unable to grasp the concept of "Identity" being portrayed through fashion. However, we eventually understood the true meaning of forming an identity through the clothes that we are wearing. The clothes we wear is just as important as the way we conduct ourselves, if not more. No one would take a sloppily dressed person seriously. Through fashion, we are able to express ourselves and with the correct dressing, we are able to conduct ourselves more confidently. We are also more aware of our true selves now that we have the knowledge of showing an identity through our outfits. At the same time, fashion is like a new skin, enabling us to portray a new side to us.
Truthfully there were times when we felt really stressed as the datelines were extremely rushed and we had trouble finding our required materials given a tight budget. However, this IDE was indeed not a wrong choice made by us. It was really fun and enriching despite the tight schedules. Before this IDE started, our mindset was that fashion was just simply the clothing we are clad in and being in trend. After going through this IDE, we learnt that fashion is not about the brands, but about expressing your true self and portraying one's own unique identity. We were also exposed to different fashion styles when we were out searching for fashionista suitable for our street style fashion blog. It was really an eye opening experience for us, we are thankful for being given this opportunity to in this amazing IDE.
Fashion Board and Fashion Shoot
written on @ 23:05 ✈
Fashion Mood Board
To mark the beginning of the whole project, we selected an inspiration for our theme ——— nature. After further researching, we settled with bronze and green tones for our colour palette. We also found some outfits related to our theme and from there, we mixed and matched the clothes before sketching out some drafts. We actually started off with something more casual, as a day to day wear. However, we decided that it would be too dull and does not contain any prominent features.
We also tried trench coats of various colours with denim jeans as seen from the above sketch. Once again, we realized there was nothing unique about our outfit and hence, brainstormed for better ideas.
In the end, we decided to go for a more chic and edgy look, which is rather feminine so as to reach out to our target market - Teenage girls. Hence, we decided to paint the sleeves using green, yellow and brown acrylic paint. We wanted to imitate a baseball jacket style, by just painting the sleeves. After that, we drew a design at the back of the jacket so as to make the back look more interesting. Using an opaque black fabric marker on white background, gave the design a stark contrast and hence, gave it a sharper and tougher look.
However, even with that, we realized that the outfit still lacked something. After receiving feedback from Ms Goh, she suggested that instead of using jeans, we should turn the shirt into a dress. She also suggested that we add chains at the two sides to make it not so boring. We then took her suggestion into consideration and decided to button up the jacket and pairing it with a leather skirt and black stockings.
For our outfit to stand out even more, we used shoulder pads with army prints on it and sewed golden strings to it before sewing the entire shoulder pad onto jacket.
We added more silver buttons at the side before draping
chains over it. We had wanted to drape the chains in such a way that it
intensifies the military concept and we also wanted to present a new
interpretation of the traditional dog tags of soldiers which identifies them on
the battle front. By draping them over the silver buttons in the front of the
model, we bring the spectators' attention to it. It will also symbolize the
unique identity of the model as a person to be one of confidence.
To add on to the whole outfit, we decided to fold the sleeves down the side and sew it so that the top will look squarish and hence, will unleash a confident look. We also added golden studs in the shape of stars to make the overall look more interesting as it can be interpreted to be trying to replicate the ranks in a military hierarchy.
This was the overall look:
After putting our hands into work, the outfit came to life:
Upon observation, we can see that the model has a rather pale skin tone, thus the use of black shoes, stockings and leather skirts contributes by providing a contrast of colours.
The use of the belt not only complements the bottom half of
the body but also defines the model's waist. Furthermore, the big buckle which
is gold in colour adds on to the poise of the model, giving her a more imposing
look along with an aura of confidence, which fits her into the image of a
high-ranked officer.
Since the top is already makes use of numerous elements, the use of just having a black lower half of the body achieves the effect a balance for the whole outfit and will not look excessively flamboyant.
For the make up, we basically used green eyeshadow with black eyeliner. However, we did not use the liquid eyeliner as we did not want to bring so much attention to that. Instead, we wanted to focus on the paint on the cheek which helps to emphasize on our theme of military.
Photoshoot Reflection
written on @ 22:45 ✈
Through working with 4 different people for the fashion IDE, it was definitely very eye opening and a great exposure. Through this module (doing the final project and fashion board), we learnt to embrace each others' strengths and weaknesses and improve on them so that we can brainstorm the best ideas for our final product.
Along the way, inevitably, we met with roadblocks such as being unable to have inspiration in coming up with innovative ideas which are original. Instead, we kept referring to online resources which made our product mainstream and does not have any unique elements to it. To deal with this problem, we actually threw out our own ideas so that we could work on them and hence, we were able to produce our final product.
It is through these obstacles that allows us to grow and nurture in this sphere and most importantly, we are able to train our determination which we all carried with us till the very end. In the midst of the project, we can't deny that there were some point of time where we felt like giving up or just resulting into taking shortcuts.
However, no pain no gain, we have a goal which is to finish our final product and also explicitly bringing out the theme. We all worked together towards this common goal and the spirit of never giving up spurred us on till the very end as well.
Singapore Street Style
written on Monday, 2 September 2013 @ 16:53 ✈
On 30th September 2013, we sauntered through Somerset to search for people donned in trendy street fashion. As the four of us strolled along the busy streets, we saw many youngsters clad in unique trendy clothing, each with their own individual style. Since it was our first time doing a street interview, we were all quite flustered by the overwhelming crowd at Somerset. Upon being taken aback by the massive crowd, we were suddenly unsure of how to approach these people on the streets despite having revised our lines through several times. Occasionally, people with unique fashion sense would catch our attention and we would try to approach them. However, whenever this happened we always found ourselves tongue tied, not knowing what to say. When we realised 10 minutes have passed and we have yet to interview our first fashionista, we knew that if we allowed our insecurity to control us we would be getting to nowhere. Therefore, we took the first step forward, approaching our first fashionista.
FASHIONITA #1:
This person caught our attention from afar as he was sporting an all-black outfit with a red checkered shirt tied around his waist. We were instantly captivated by his fashion sense due to his distinct choice of clothes and hence, we made a beeline for him as he was about to leave our sight. After snapping several shots of his clothes, we then proceeded with the interview and asked him the following questions:
1. Where do you receive your fashion inspirations?
I spend my free time to indulge myself in fashion magazines and blogs, like JAK & JIL, to get new ideas for my clothing choices.
2. Where do you usually purchase your clothes?
Rather than going out to shopping centers, I prefer to purchase my clothes from online shops, like asos.com and other blog shops. It is more convenient for me as I then, do not need to actually have to queue up just to buy my clothes.
3. Do you have a specific style which you follow? Can you please elaborate on it?
Hmm.. actually I do not have a specific style which I follow as I don’t really like restrictions and prefer to explore different kinds of fashion styles. After I look at the magazines and blog shops, I would mix and match my clothes to see what combinations I like and that is also how I choose my clothes daily.
COMMENTARY:
We decided to interview him as he possessed a sense of fashion that many Singaporean men nowadays lack. Upon observation, we realised that most Singaporean guys today simply put on T-shirts and jeans or Bermudas for almost all occasions, putting little effort to present themselves suitably even when going to town. However, we can see difference in this guy we interviewed, for we can see his deliberate effort in coordinating an outfit.
What he wore in the above picture, shows a more chic side to his character. With his hair pushed to one side and wearing a pair of adorable, circle-framed spectacles definitely showed off a playful side to him. He also added some colour to his outfit by wrapping a red and black checkered shirt around his waist. Putting them together, he is able to emanate a hipster style with a touch of vintage feel.
When he said he does not restrict himself to one style and likes to experiment with what he wears, we realize that during this process, he is reinventing himself, emphasizing and developing previously unknown or subordinate aspects of his personalities. By changing his style, he would have discovered new dimensions of his substance.
Overall, we really like what he dressed himself in. It is different, unique and definitely shows how he does not just conform to what other people in Singapore would wear. We were actually taken aback by the way he dressed in fully black as that usually gives off a very dull look on tanned people, however he managed to give off a great luminescence to his skin tone and accentuate it without looking like as if he is blending into his own clothes. He still managed to pull off the look and give it a very flattering appearance. Therefore, his efforts in choosing a outfit to wear definitely did not go to waste.
FASHIONISTA #2:
Our next target was a lady donned in an off-shoulder brown crop top and black pants. As we interviewed her, we found out that she is from France and is here on holiday. Even though she wasn't very conversant in English, we still managed to find out the key ideas of what her fashion style is like.
1. Where do you receive your fashion inspiration?
I look at how people people around me dress up, especially from my colleagues. And I also like clothing which gives off a vintage feel.
2. Where do you usually purchase your clothes?
I like to go to Esprit. Also, I like to browse through thrift shops and buy second-hand clothes because they are cheaper.
3. What do you think of Singapore’s fashion style? Is it very different from France?
I think it is very different. Everyone in Singapore dresses in a very cool manner unlike in France.
COMMENTARY:
Her outfit seems like the kind of style you would see typical Singaporeans trying to pull off, but may or may not succeed depending on each individual. However, she was able to pull off that style very well and was bold in her choice of footwear which was a pair of boots. She also spiced up her outfit with a chunky silver necklace and a variety of accessories varying from rings to bracelets to watches. Besides, what really caught our eye was how golden brown hair complemented her light brown crop top and accessories flawlessly, without looking over-excessively flamboyant.
From our conversation, we also learnt that she stays in a small town in France and when asked where does she usually get her clothes from, we were shocked to hear that most of her clothes are from thrift stores and some are second-hand pieces instead of any high-end brands. She is indeed a great example to justify that fashion does not necessarily have to mean branded goods. We believe that beauty itself takes many forms and aesthetic meaning, signaling identity, is about more than beauty. The subject value of a particular form varies from person to person. One might think that these non-branded good might still look attractive if worn in a particular manner and yet some might think otherwise.
In this case, we really like the way she dresses and think that she is able to make them look very attractive despite the price of the clothes. With the earthly colours, she definitely went out of the trend and created her own style.
FASHIONISTA #3:
Lastly, we also found this lady who looks rather young, dressed in a sleeveless denim jacket and a tank top, paired with denim pants and a brown belt. As we started to interview her, we managed to get a better sense of her fashion style:
1. Where do you receive your fashion inspiration?
I spend my free time looking at fashion magazines and from there, I pick what suits my taste.
2. Where do you usually purchase your clothes?
I usually buy my clothes in Taiwan, as they have many street shops where they sell all these clothes at a reasonable price. Most of my clothes are from overseas.
3. Do you have a specific style which you follow? Can you please elaborate on it?
As you can see from my dressing today, I like to go for the Grunge and rocker style.
4. What do you think is the most important when choosing your outfit?
For me, I think that accessories are really important as they help to brighten up the whole outfit and give it a more unique look.
COMMENTARY:
From the way she dresses, we can interpret that she is actually a wild person who likes to party, based on what she wears. With her short sleeved jacket and shorts, this outfit is pretty revealing. Hence, it shows that she actually has a level of self-confidence to be able to wear this outfit with such pride. It can also be seen that she actually took time to pick out her accessories, as they also contributed in helping to make the outfit look more like rocker style.
However, we think that these clothes are becoming more and more mainstream in society today. It is not unique anymore but rather shows how she conforms to what society think is fashionable. Despite this, we think that the way her denim clothes and brown shoes, belt and hair really complements each other and makes her stand out among the rest of the people.
Fashion Ethics
written on Friday, 30 August 2013 @ 22:45 ✈
"THERE'S A LOT MORE TO LIFE THAN HOW FAT OR THIN YOU ARE"
-KRISTIE ALLEY
The message of our poster is to convey that one does not need to be a size 0, neither does she need to resort to starving herself such that she becomes anorexic to look pretty in clothes. In fact, the normal sized ladies, although labelled as "+ sized" in the fashion industry, are able to carry the clothes with poise and elegance.
On the poster, the caption "choose "+", it's positive" is a pun to encourage people to stay away from extreme dieting and that it is more beautiful to be healthy and normal sized instead of looking malnutrition and overly-skinny. Many people see size 0 models as having the perfect body shape and aspires to be like them. However, they took the wrong approach and resorted to extreme dieting, damaging their own health.
The perfect body is not about being only bones and neither is it being a size 0. The perfect body is one which is healthy and looks just right and this can be achieved with the right diet and regular exercise.
Ed Hardy
written on Wednesday, 28 August 2013 @ 08:03 ✈
As seen from the brand’s
eye-catching and revolutionary ways, Ed Hardy’s line of clothing conjures the
young, delicious rebellions, with their rock star-glam. Ed Hardy’s designs are
vintage tattooed inspired, with a rock n’ roll feel, giving it a tint of
edginess. This made Ed Hardy prominent among the finest companies of stylish
urban lines in the fashion industry today.
For the above picture,
the two models each slipped on a pair of high-heels which is adopted as a symbolic
representation of punk rock, linking it readily to Ed Hardy’s style of
fashion. This picture is taken and edited in a manner where the jeans are
settled in the heart of the entire portrait, which makes it the focal point. Both models in the foreground are also portrayed
with immense confidence and arrogance, where they radiate with a feisty aura
that compliments Ed Hardy’s genre.
As for the second
picture, it is captured completely in black and white with only the jeans left
in their original color, helping to accentuate the details of it. Since the
picture is taken from a low angle, it helps to put emphasis on the jeans as
well as to help make the models appear significantly taller. This adds on the appearance
of length to their legs as well as their torso. The gun props as well as the
models’ poses, collectively emit a sense of defiance and rebellion. Putting all
of these minutiae together helps to highlight Ed Hardy’s style without
compromising the focus of the jeans.
To sum up, our group decided to embrace a rebellious
punk demeanor, which suits the Ed Hardy’s style perfectly. The pieces are dark
and youthful, which embodies an edgy and eclectic style aesthetic that blurs
the boundaries between stage and street
Demi Lovato
written on Sunday, 25 August 2013 @ 21:49 ✈
''I JUST LIKE WHAT MAKES
ME FEEL CONFIDENT AND MAKES ME FEEL BEAUTIFUL''
Demi Lovato, a renowned songwriter and singer, has frequently
been seen wearing extravagant and classy dresses while gracing the red carpet.
Nonetheless, she is also illustrious for her laid-back, easygoing, day-to-day
style, which compromises of nothing flamboyant and flashy. In fact, it only encompasses
a simple pair of jeans and a neutral coloured t-shirt.
As seen from the above picture, she was spotted in a fairly casual
look. Dressed in a simple over-sized t-shirt, an unbuttoned checkered button-up
and a pair of black skinny jeans has brought out Demi’s simplistic look which
is complementary to her authentic and genuine character. Being a famous
musician, all eyes are continually fixed on her no matter what she does.
However, her clothing discloses, regardless of whether it was premeditated
or not, Demi’s yearn for companionship and affection. In the above picture, she is donned in clothing
which is similar to many other college girls and these aesthetic ‘signals’ or
social cues, I would say, shows her
desire to be included by a certain clique or group. Or perhaps, she still longs for the acceptance of society for who she is by conforming to a style that college girls typically have. (The Substance of Style: Meaningful Looks, pg 102-103)
Although Demi does not have the flawless figure which celebrities
are now expected to acquire, she still presents herself with confidence in a
tight-fitting and slightly revealing dress. Not overly-finicky about her
accessories, Demi matched her silver dress with her heels, added on with a few
bracelets and rings to add measure.
Despite having gone through an arduous journey, when she became anorexic
and was perpetually taunted for her weight, she still managed to disregard all
these and pick herself up. This shows how she is not abashed to tell the world
that – this is what she is, no matter what size she might be, this is her and
that will never change.
Demi’s casual fashion can be elucidated as an acknowledgement, or an
ingenious way of saying that she accepts her body for what it is. This
acknowledgement acts as a way to bring attention to her body and in doing so,
she is concurrently being liberated from her flaw. (Fashion as Confession: Revelation and Concealment in Personal Identity, pg 4-5// The Substance of Style: Meaningful Looks, pg 112)
Bibliographies:
Lucy Collins, Fashion as Confession: Revelation and Concealment in Personal Identity
The Substance of Style: Meaningful Looks
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Sophistication
written on Tuesday, 3 September 2013 @ 23:31 ✈
At the beginning of the IDE, we were unable to grasp the concept of "Identity" being portrayed through fashion. However, we eventually understood the true meaning of forming an identity through the clothes that we are wearing. The clothes we wear is just as important as the way we conduct ourselves, if not more. No one would take a sloppily dressed person seriously. Through fashion, we are able to express ourselves and with the correct dressing, we are able to conduct ourselves more confidently. We are also more aware of our true selves now that we have the knowledge of showing an identity through our outfits. At the same time, fashion is like a new skin, enabling us to portray a new side to us.
Truthfully there were times when we felt really stressed as the datelines were extremely rushed and we had trouble finding our required materials given a tight budget. However, this IDE was indeed not a wrong choice made by us. It was really fun and enriching despite the tight schedules. Before this IDE started, our mindset was that fashion was just simply the clothing we are clad in and being in trend. After going through this IDE, we learnt that fashion is not about the brands, but about expressing your true self and portraying one's own unique identity. We were also exposed to different fashion styles when we were out searching for fashionista suitable for our street style fashion blog. It was really an eye opening experience for us, we are thankful for being given this opportunity to in this amazing IDE.
Fashion Board and Fashion Shoot
written on @ 23:05 ✈
Fashion Mood Board
To mark the beginning of the whole project, we selected an inspiration for our theme ——— nature. After further researching, we settled with bronze and green tones for our colour palette. We also found some outfits related to our theme and from there, we mixed and matched the clothes before sketching out some drafts. We actually started off with something more casual, as a day to day wear. However, we decided that it would be too dull and does not contain any prominent features.
We also tried trench coats of various colours with denim jeans as seen from the above sketch. Once again, we realized there was nothing unique about our outfit and hence, brainstormed for better ideas.
In the end, we decided to go for a more chic and edgy look, which is rather feminine so as to reach out to our target market - Teenage girls. Hence, we decided to paint the sleeves using green, yellow and brown acrylic paint. We wanted to imitate a baseball jacket style, by just painting the sleeves. After that, we drew a design at the back of the jacket so as to make the back look more interesting. Using an opaque black fabric marker on white background, gave the design a stark contrast and hence, gave it a sharper and tougher look.
However, even with that, we realized that the outfit still lacked something. After receiving feedback from Ms Goh, she suggested that instead of using jeans, we should turn the shirt into a dress. She also suggested that we add chains at the two sides to make it not so boring. We then took her suggestion into consideration and decided to button up the jacket and pairing it with a leather skirt and black stockings.
For our outfit to stand out even more, we used shoulder pads with army prints on it and sewed golden strings to it before sewing the entire shoulder pad onto jacket.
We added more silver buttons at the side before draping
chains over it. We had wanted to drape the chains in such a way that it
intensifies the military concept and we also wanted to present a new
interpretation of the traditional dog tags of soldiers which identifies them on
the battle front. By draping them over the silver buttons in the front of the
model, we bring the spectators' attention to it. It will also symbolize the
unique identity of the model as a person to be one of confidence.
To add on to the whole outfit, we decided to fold the sleeves down the side and sew it so that the top will look squarish and hence, will unleash a confident look. We also added golden studs in the shape of stars to make the overall look more interesting as it can be interpreted to be trying to replicate the ranks in a military hierarchy.
This was the overall look:
After putting our hands into work, the outfit came to life:
Upon observation, we can see that the model has a rather pale skin tone, thus the use of black shoes, stockings and leather skirts contributes by providing a contrast of colours.
The use of the belt not only complements the bottom half of
the body but also defines the model's waist. Furthermore, the big buckle which
is gold in colour adds on to the poise of the model, giving her a more imposing
look along with an aura of confidence, which fits her into the image of a
high-ranked officer.
Since the top is already makes use of numerous elements, the use of just having a black lower half of the body achieves the effect a balance for the whole outfit and will not look excessively flamboyant.
For the make up, we basically used green eyeshadow with black eyeliner. However, we did not use the liquid eyeliner as we did not want to bring so much attention to that. Instead, we wanted to focus on the paint on the cheek which helps to emphasize on our theme of military.
Photoshoot Reflection
written on @ 22:45 ✈
Through working with 4 different people for the fashion IDE, it was definitely very eye opening and a great exposure. Through this module (doing the final project and fashion board), we learnt to embrace each others' strengths and weaknesses and improve on them so that we can brainstorm the best ideas for our final product.
Along the way, inevitably, we met with roadblocks such as being unable to have inspiration in coming up with innovative ideas which are original. Instead, we kept referring to online resources which made our product mainstream and does not have any unique elements to it. To deal with this problem, we actually threw out our own ideas so that we could work on them and hence, we were able to produce our final product.
It is through these obstacles that allows us to grow and nurture in this sphere and most importantly, we are able to train our determination which we all carried with us till the very end. In the midst of the project, we can't deny that there were some point of time where we felt like giving up or just resulting into taking shortcuts.
However, no pain no gain, we have a goal which is to finish our final product and also explicitly bringing out the theme. We all worked together towards this common goal and the spirit of never giving up spurred us on till the very end as well.
Singapore Street Style
written on Monday, 2 September 2013 @ 16:53 ✈
On 30th September 2013, we sauntered through Somerset to search for people donned in trendy street fashion. As the four of us strolled along the busy streets, we saw many youngsters clad in unique trendy clothing, each with their own individual style. Since it was our first time doing a street interview, we were all quite flustered by the overwhelming crowd at Somerset. Upon being taken aback by the massive crowd, we were suddenly unsure of how to approach these people on the streets despite having revised our lines through several times. Occasionally, people with unique fashion sense would catch our attention and we would try to approach them. However, whenever this happened we always found ourselves tongue tied, not knowing what to say. When we realised 10 minutes have passed and we have yet to interview our first fashionista, we knew that if we allowed our insecurity to control us we would be getting to nowhere. Therefore, we took the first step forward, approaching our first fashionista.
FASHIONITA #1:
This person caught our attention from afar as he was sporting an all-black outfit with a red checkered shirt tied around his waist. We were instantly captivated by his fashion sense due to his distinct choice of clothes and hence, we made a beeline for him as he was about to leave our sight. After snapping several shots of his clothes, we then proceeded with the interview and asked him the following questions:
1. Where do you receive your fashion inspirations?
I spend my free time to indulge myself in fashion magazines and blogs, like JAK & JIL, to get new ideas for my clothing choices.
2. Where do you usually purchase your clothes?
Rather than going out to shopping centers, I prefer to purchase my clothes from online shops, like asos.com and other blog shops. It is more convenient for me as I then, do not need to actually have to queue up just to buy my clothes.
3. Do you have a specific style which you follow? Can you please elaborate on it?
Hmm.. actually I do not have a specific style which I follow as I don’t really like restrictions and prefer to explore different kinds of fashion styles. After I look at the magazines and blog shops, I would mix and match my clothes to see what combinations I like and that is also how I choose my clothes daily.
COMMENTARY:
We decided to interview him as he possessed a sense of fashion that many Singaporean men nowadays lack. Upon observation, we realised that most Singaporean guys today simply put on T-shirts and jeans or Bermudas for almost all occasions, putting little effort to present themselves suitably even when going to town. However, we can see difference in this guy we interviewed, for we can see his deliberate effort in coordinating an outfit.
What he wore in the above picture, shows a more chic side to his character. With his hair pushed to one side and wearing a pair of adorable, circle-framed spectacles definitely showed off a playful side to him. He also added some colour to his outfit by wrapping a red and black checkered shirt around his waist. Putting them together, he is able to emanate a hipster style with a touch of vintage feel.
When he said he does not restrict himself to one style and likes to experiment with what he wears, we realize that during this process, he is reinventing himself, emphasizing and developing previously unknown or subordinate aspects of his personalities. By changing his style, he would have discovered new dimensions of his substance.
Overall, we really like what he dressed himself in. It is different, unique and definitely shows how he does not just conform to what other people in Singapore would wear. We were actually taken aback by the way he dressed in fully black as that usually gives off a very dull look on tanned people, however he managed to give off a great luminescence to his skin tone and accentuate it without looking like as if he is blending into his own clothes. He still managed to pull off the look and give it a very flattering appearance. Therefore, his efforts in choosing a outfit to wear definitely did not go to waste.
FASHIONISTA #2:
Our next target was a lady donned in an off-shoulder brown crop top and black pants. As we interviewed her, we found out that she is from France and is here on holiday. Even though she wasn't very conversant in English, we still managed to find out the key ideas of what her fashion style is like.
1. Where do you receive your fashion inspiration?
I look at how people people around me dress up, especially from my colleagues. And I also like clothing which gives off a vintage feel.
2. Where do you usually purchase your clothes?
I like to go to Esprit. Also, I like to browse through thrift shops and buy second-hand clothes because they are cheaper.
3. What do you think of Singapore’s fashion style? Is it very different from France?
I think it is very different. Everyone in Singapore dresses in a very cool manner unlike in France.
COMMENTARY:
Her outfit seems like the kind of style you would see typical Singaporeans trying to pull off, but may or may not succeed depending on each individual. However, she was able to pull off that style very well and was bold in her choice of footwear which was a pair of boots. She also spiced up her outfit with a chunky silver necklace and a variety of accessories varying from rings to bracelets to watches. Besides, what really caught our eye was how golden brown hair complemented her light brown crop top and accessories flawlessly, without looking over-excessively flamboyant.
From our conversation, we also learnt that she stays in a small town in France and when asked where does she usually get her clothes from, we were shocked to hear that most of her clothes are from thrift stores and some are second-hand pieces instead of any high-end brands. She is indeed a great example to justify that fashion does not necessarily have to mean branded goods. We believe that beauty itself takes many forms and aesthetic meaning, signaling identity, is about more than beauty. The subject value of a particular form varies from person to person. One might think that these non-branded good might still look attractive if worn in a particular manner and yet some might think otherwise.
In this case, we really like the way she dresses and think that she is able to make them look very attractive despite the price of the clothes. With the earthly colours, she definitely went out of the trend and created her own style.
FASHIONISTA #3:
Lastly, we also found this lady who looks rather young, dressed in a sleeveless denim jacket and a tank top, paired with denim pants and a brown belt. As we started to interview her, we managed to get a better sense of her fashion style:
1. Where do you receive your fashion inspiration?
I spend my free time looking at fashion magazines and from there, I pick what suits my taste.
2. Where do you usually purchase your clothes?
I usually buy my clothes in Taiwan, as they have many street shops where they sell all these clothes at a reasonable price. Most of my clothes are from overseas.
3. Do you have a specific style which you follow? Can you please elaborate on it?
As you can see from my dressing today, I like to go for the Grunge and rocker style.
4. What do you think is the most important when choosing your outfit?
For me, I think that accessories are really important as they help to brighten up the whole outfit and give it a more unique look.
COMMENTARY:
From the way she dresses, we can interpret that she is actually a wild person who likes to party, based on what she wears. With her short sleeved jacket and shorts, this outfit is pretty revealing. Hence, it shows that she actually has a level of self-confidence to be able to wear this outfit with such pride. It can also be seen that she actually took time to pick out her accessories, as they also contributed in helping to make the outfit look more like rocker style.
However, we think that these clothes are becoming more and more mainstream in society today. It is not unique anymore but rather shows how she conforms to what society think is fashionable. Despite this, we think that the way her denim clothes and brown shoes, belt and hair really complements each other and makes her stand out among the rest of the people.
Fashion Ethics
written on Friday, 30 August 2013 @ 22:45 ✈
"THERE'S A LOT MORE TO LIFE THAN HOW FAT OR THIN YOU ARE"
-KRISTIE ALLEY
The message of our poster is to convey that one does not need to be a size 0, neither does she need to resort to starving herself such that she becomes anorexic to look pretty in clothes. In fact, the normal sized ladies, although labelled as "+ sized" in the fashion industry, are able to carry the clothes with poise and elegance.
On the poster, the caption "choose "+", it's positive" is a pun to encourage people to stay away from extreme dieting and that it is more beautiful to be healthy and normal sized instead of looking malnutrition and overly-skinny. Many people see size 0 models as having the perfect body shape and aspires to be like them. However, they took the wrong approach and resorted to extreme dieting, damaging their own health.
The perfect body is not about being only bones and neither is it being a size 0. The perfect body is one which is healthy and looks just right and this can be achieved with the right diet and regular exercise.
Ed Hardy
written on Wednesday, 28 August 2013 @ 08:03 ✈
As seen from the brand’s
eye-catching and revolutionary ways, Ed Hardy’s line of clothing conjures the
young, delicious rebellions, with their rock star-glam. Ed Hardy’s designs are
vintage tattooed inspired, with a rock n’ roll feel, giving it a tint of
edginess. This made Ed Hardy prominent among the finest companies of stylish
urban lines in the fashion industry today.
For the above picture,
the two models each slipped on a pair of high-heels which is adopted as a symbolic
representation of punk rock, linking it readily to Ed Hardy’s style of
fashion. This picture is taken and edited in a manner where the jeans are
settled in the heart of the entire portrait, which makes it the focal point. Both models in the foreground are also portrayed
with immense confidence and arrogance, where they radiate with a feisty aura
that compliments Ed Hardy’s genre.
As for the second
picture, it is captured completely in black and white with only the jeans left
in their original color, helping to accentuate the details of it. Since the
picture is taken from a low angle, it helps to put emphasis on the jeans as
well as to help make the models appear significantly taller. This adds on the appearance
of length to their legs as well as their torso. The gun props as well as the
models’ poses, collectively emit a sense of defiance and rebellion. Putting all
of these minutiae together helps to highlight Ed Hardy’s style without
compromising the focus of the jeans.
To sum up, our group decided to embrace a rebellious
punk demeanor, which suits the Ed Hardy’s style perfectly. The pieces are dark
and youthful, which embodies an edgy and eclectic style aesthetic that blurs
the boundaries between stage and street
Demi Lovato
written on Sunday, 25 August 2013 @ 21:49 ✈
''I JUST LIKE WHAT MAKES
ME FEEL CONFIDENT AND MAKES ME FEEL BEAUTIFUL''
Demi Lovato, a renowned songwriter and singer, has frequently
been seen wearing extravagant and classy dresses while gracing the red carpet.
Nonetheless, she is also illustrious for her laid-back, easygoing, day-to-day
style, which compromises of nothing flamboyant and flashy. In fact, it only encompasses
a simple pair of jeans and a neutral coloured t-shirt.
As seen from the above picture, she was spotted in a fairly casual
look. Dressed in a simple over-sized t-shirt, an unbuttoned checkered button-up
and a pair of black skinny jeans has brought out Demi’s simplistic look which
is complementary to her authentic and genuine character. Being a famous
musician, all eyes are continually fixed on her no matter what she does.
However, her clothing discloses, regardless of whether it was premeditated
or not, Demi’s yearn for companionship and affection. In the above picture, she is donned in clothing
which is similar to many other college girls and these aesthetic ‘signals’ or
social cues, I would say, shows her
desire to be included by a certain clique or group. Or perhaps, she still longs for the acceptance of society for who she is by conforming to a style that college girls typically have. (The Substance of Style: Meaningful Looks, pg 102-103)
Although Demi does not have the flawless figure which celebrities
are now expected to acquire, she still presents herself with confidence in a
tight-fitting and slightly revealing dress. Not overly-finicky about her
accessories, Demi matched her silver dress with her heels, added on with a few
bracelets and rings to add measure.
Despite having gone through an arduous journey, when she became anorexic
and was perpetually taunted for her weight, she still managed to disregard all
these and pick herself up. This shows how she is not abashed to tell the world
that – this is what she is, no matter what size she might be, this is her and
that will never change.
Demi’s casual fashion can be elucidated as an acknowledgement, or an
ingenious way of saying that she accepts her body for what it is. This
acknowledgement acts as a way to bring attention to her body and in doing so,
she is concurrently being liberated from her flaw. (Fashion as Confession: Revelation and Concealment in Personal Identity, pg 4-5// The Substance of Style: Meaningful Looks, pg 112)
Bibliographies:
Lucy Collins, Fashion as Confession: Revelation and Concealment in Personal Identity
The Substance of Style: Meaningful Looks
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ABOUT US
Clad in dresses from topnotch international labels may be the dream that every girl is perceived to possess. But that's not the case for me. I pride simplicity and comfort over brand and that is essentially what's most important to me. Like what Ralph Lauren once said “Fashion is not necessarily about labels. It's not about brands. It's about something else that comes from within you. Style is very personal. It has nothing to do with fashion. Fashion is over quickly. Style is forever. " Even though my dressing style is not elaborated like how it is classified as being fashionable in today’s context, I am proud of it as it represents me for who I am. I personally do not feel that there is a need for me to conform to trends, as they vary over time. However, who I stand for is unique to me and it does not change.
My interest in fashion was sparked when I first saw a Japanese Visual Kei band's music video. Their dressing seemed so bizarre, yet the overall aesthetics were so bright and colorful, it had drawn me in deeply. Coloured hair, coloured lenses, coloured makeup, it was a new experience. Because I was so intrigued by the style, I embarked on a research to find out more and soon came upon many other styles that were very appealing to me. Now, I frequently check up on blogs like japanesestreets.com, where candid pictures of teenagers of Japanese street fashion are uploaded daily. One can really see the diverse ways in which an individual can expression themselves in.
Despite my interest in the Japanese street fashion, I have my own style preference. Most of the time, I like to put on T-shirts and shorts. However, I always try to spice things up by donning accessories like belts, necklaces and bracelets to add a splash of colour and individuality. Sometimes, I also make adjustments to my outfit by layering a vest etc. When I am out looking for clothes, I always make a point to try on the clothes as what looks good to me may not be suitable to my overall image, and also to get a feel on the comfort level and the level of ease of movement.
Honestly, I was never into fashion until recently when I stumbled upon some very inspiring fashion bloggers. Nonetheless, prior to that, I always had this impression that fashion is equivalent to vanity. This thought was soon eroded as I came to a realization that fashion meant self-expression. It empowers us with the ability to make a statement not through speech, not through actions but through what we wear. However, fashion is now so deeply integrated in our society that we sometimes, fail to appreciate how significant it is in our life, as intuitive and subconscious as it is.
As for my own personal fashion style, I prefer something more comfortable and yet, still able to reflect my inner self and gives me the ability to express myself liberally in an aesthetically appealing manner. Shorts and jeans usually do the trick for me, and Converse as well as Vans are my all-time favourite. I love jackets of all sorts as they never fail to keep me warm but also add onto my original look. All in all, Fashion can be something simple for us to wear to feel good about ourselves, or something as vital and influential such as an illustration of culture, time and its revolutions, depending on how we perceive it.
Since young, my favourite past time was to go online to play dress up games and this hobby eventually evolved into following up with fashion bloggers, both local and foreign. I also like to surf the lookbook.nu website to browse through the entries posted by different people all over the world and have a better understanding of the fashion trend that is happening around the world. To replace the dress up games that I used to go crazy over, I now mix and match different clothing item from different brands using Polyvore as and when I am free.
I feel that it is good for one to have a certain style and way of dressing but this should not restrict them from exploring and trying out new styles. As for myself, a pair of shorts paired with a t-shirt would be my go-to outfit, considering the humid weather in Singapore. I try to avoid flip flops as much as I can and would choose a pair of sandals even if I will only be out for a while. To me, comfort and visual aesthetic are both equally important when selecting an outfit.
Jeans or a maxi skirt paired with a crop top is my favourite outfit if I'm feeling a little more dressy on a normal day as it still matches the comfort and visually appealing criteria.
To dress up for an evening dinner, I would choose a dress to pair with some bracelets or a necklace. As for footwear, a pair of flats or wedges would complete my outfit.
I like to accessorize with bracelets, necklaces and earrings. However, I would only choose 2 out of these 3 of these accessories to match with my outfit to prevent over-accessories and looking like a "Christmas tree"
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my sunshine
links exchanged opened! just tag me but link me first
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link
coming soon....
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