Archive for May, 2010

Jeans: if you work in them, socialise in them and generally live in them, they can be one of the best investments you’ll ever make. But remember you pay for what you get. If you’re going to spend a pittance on a supermarket brand of denim, then don’t expect anything better than ill-fitting cuts or conventional styling. Shopping for jeans is a serious business if you live in them. And brands like Cipo and Baxx are a good place to start if you want guaranteed cool. Cipo and Baxx clothing have built their reputation on delivering when it comes to denim.

A good pair of jeans are versatile, tough and one wardrobe staple you can always rely on. Our relationship with denim has been a long and loving one, and it’s a love affair that’s not ending anytime soon. Why? Because quality jeans can carry you through any occasion, they can look effortlessly cool, can be dressed down or dressed up; fit for work and play. It’s not surprising that such enduring allure dates back to the 19th century, when jeans were originally created as men’s work wear, dyed in the trademark indigo colour. Jeans became the uniform of the Californian Gold Rush thanks to their durability and reliability. And of course Levi Strauss revolutionised the denim industry when he started a wholesale business in 1853. Jeans transformed from being work wear to becoming beyond cool thanks to the likes of James Dean and Marlon Brando who matched their denim with white vests for an iconic movie star look. And now brands like Cip and Baxx are doing what they do best - taking up a much loved wardrobe staple but not taking it for granted. Too many high street shops churn out shapeless, unloved pairs of jeans that only make the wearer look frumpy, freaky or ugly. Buying a designer label guarantees a good cut, colour and styling that makes this ubiquitous fabric really stand out from the crowd.

We love jeans. Any style goes with jeans as long as they look good on you. A good pair of jeans will suit anyone, all year round, regardless of age, body shape or personality. But don’t make the mistake of opting for any old pair - take a little time and money to invest in the right style to suit your shape (boot leg is flattering regardless of shape, avoid skinny fits unless you’re skinny, and stay away from flares unless you’re stick thin!) Badly chosen jeans can look geeky - a pathetic attempt at trying to be cool (just think of any politician snapped in a pair!). If you’re going to have a life long love affair with denim, opt for the best.

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Find Cipo and Baxx clothing, including denim, at Rock Style. Rock Style only stocks the best leading designer brands. Check it out: http://www.rockstyle.co.uk

Article Source: EzineArticles.com

Photo on the Left:
Our American Century Turbulent Years: The 60s. 1998. Edited by Sara Brash and Loretta Britten. Alexandria, Virginia: Time-Life Books, 55. (Photography taken by: Jacques Lowe — photo No. KN-C18875 in the John F. Kennedy Library, Boston; Leonard McCombe, Life Magazine, Time, Inc.)

Photo on the Right:
Personal photograph of Joan Thompson (my grandmother) taken in the 1960s.

When Kennedy had been the youngest man ever elected to the presidency, it was no wonder that his young and beautiful wife with the greater prevalence of the television soon became another puzzle piece in the definition of a culture of “shared images” that “formed a set of commonly understood referents, a symbolic language shared by almost all;” and something that was “a part of an immediate, widely available, fast-changing culture which was beamed into almost every home and understood by young and old, poor and rich” (Farber 1994).

As the president traveled through a series of countries in 1961, it was Jackie who always seemed to steal the show. Papers of all countries seem to praise her for her charm and beauty. By the end of the trip she had even managed to charm two of what were considered some of the world’s “crustiest” leaders, France’s Charles de Gualle and Russia’s Nikita Krushchev. At home she was even more popular, as woman adopted everything from her bouffant hairdo to her pillbox hat. Time, expressed her during her husband’s presidential campaign as “dressed elegantly, as imaginatively,” and “so clearly seen both functions as a creative contribution to the success of an administration.” In the picture to the left, she is wearing one of her infamous pill box hats, combined with a red wool suit inspired by the uniforms of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police during her state visit to the country. She had a taste for creativity, elegance, and only the very best (American Decades: 1960-1969 1995).

Her look evolved into a whole standard of fashion known as the “Jackie Kennedy look,” occurring in the very early years of the 60’s. This look consisted of semi-fitted jackets, blouses falling at the hip bone and paired with an A-line skirt falling to the knees or just below. Collars remained, simple, rounded or non-existent, and sleeves either above the elbow or done away with altogether. The only embellishment ever to be found amidst this simplicity was single, large, center button near the neck, holding together an empire waist topcoat, finishing off were usually her signature pillbox hat, pumps, long white gloves, and sometimes pearls. For evening, her style took on a sleeveless look in a single color with a founded or bateau neckline (American Decades: 1960-1969 1995).

Like many trend setters of the time, her look came from across the seas, some of this led to the disapproval of certain women. It was not so much that she spent a lot of money on clothes, but that she spent it on foreign labels, at least initially (American Decades: 1960-1969 1995).

Through her own style, she sent out a message, different from that of the past, that elegance could be maintained through simple simplicity rather than fanciness of dress. Her style and the desire for its copying did reflect some of the more materialistic ideals of the early decade soon to be rejected towards its end with the hippy movement.

In the right, lies a perfect example of this “shared image of effects” and Jackie’s influence as an American fashion icon (Farber 1994). My grandmother can be seen here, wearing some of the key elements of the Jackie look, such as the shortened sleeves, rounded neck line, and a hemline falling slightly below the knees.

American Decades: 1960-1969. 1995. Edited by Richard Layman. New York: Gale Research International Limited.

Farber, David. The Age of Great Dreams: America in the 1960s. 1994. Edited by Eric Foner. New York: Hill and Wang.

Further information on Jacqueline Kennedy: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacqueline_Kennedy_Onassis

Further information on 1960s Fashions: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1960s_in_fashion 

Source: hlthom4

Fashion is a universal phenomenon which is not restricted to any particular age. One is highly mistaken if they tend to associate only women to the fashion world. In the present times, from a cute toddler to young budding teenagers to old aged women, everybody is fashion conscious. It is an appropriate way to express personal sense of style in order to bring out uniqueness and individuality. Today one can find a diverse range of fashion clothing suitable for all age groups.

Women have always been the centre of attraction when it comes to trendy clothing. Over the years there have been many inspiring collections by some super talented designers in order to cater to different tastes and preferences of various women. Women need to be very cautious while selecting their clothing as it takes a lot more than just the color and design. Different women have different body types which is why it is highly imperative for them to know what suits them and what not rather than following fashion trends blindly. For instance, women who are slightly on the heavier side must wear darker colors which would give them a nice slimming effect. They should avoid wearing tight and fitted clothing or else they would look extremely hideous and unattractive.

Over the years, even men have started understanding the importance dressing right. The men can have varied options regarding their clothing in order to suit various occasions. Comfort is the primary criterion for the men while selecting their clothing. For casual occasions, men prefer a nice pair of comfortable jeans teamed with perfectly fit T-shirts. One can find soft pastel colors in T-shirts for boys and men that are desirable in almost every season. There are quite fashionable business suits that are widely available which they can easily wear on formal office meetings, conferences or business parties. Leather jackets and pullovers really look trendy on men. Apart from these, there are various shirts that are available which can be worn for a formal or semi formal occasion. Teenage boys can go for printed shirts or T-shirts that look really bright, vibrant and youthful.

Teenage fashion has also grown by leaps and bounds. Young girls and boys have multiple options in fashion clothing. Teenage clothes look really cool and funky which are widely available in numerous fashion stores. Jeans and T-shirt is the most favorite combination for any teenager as it is quite wearable and extremely comfortable. Apart from this, girls can even go for short dresses or skirts that look really trendy and youthful. Nowadays, even the kids are becoming quite conscious of what to wear and what not. The kids are always happy to wear T-shirts that bear the initials of their favorite sports person, or a picture of the favorite super hero. This type of clothing really fascinates the kids and instantly catches their attention.

Fashion is for everybody. A person’s sense of dressing is best judged by his creativity and personal sense of style. This is one of the primary reasons that people have now become extra choosy about their clothes and accessories.

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Keep yourself up with latest fashion with trendy clothing range and magnificent jewelry designs. Visit AccessoriesMagicKingdom.com, if looking for latest designs at surprisingly low price.

Article Source: EzineArticles.com

Pearl strands are popular for a number of reasons and especially because they will never actually go out of fashion. Women have been accessorizing which pearl strands for many years now and with time pearl strands of different colors, types, sizes and designs have been made available to suit personal preferences. A pearl strand necklace as its name indicates is a string of these beads on varying lengths of thread. Pearls both cultured and natural are sold with the natural variety being much more expensive. Cultured types are high quality as well and the real difference between the two types can only be spotted by the presence of a nucleus in the cultured variety when exposed to an x-ray beam. Due to this difference, these necklaces may cost as little as twenty dollars and as much as hundreds and even thousands of dollars a piece.

Strands of these precious pieces are commonly made of Akoya which are cream, white or silver in color, Mikimoto which are the highest quality and exhibit an array of various colors, South sea and Tahitian which exhibit darker shades and finally the Saltwater pearls which are comparatively expensive than the freshwater variety. Strands are especially popular because they can be worn to contrast every color, beautifully compliment bridal dresses and also make great gifts for loved ones.

Necklaces of these types are more often categorized according to their dimensions and general style. A collar strand has a standard length of ten to thirteen inches and can be worn both formally and casually. Typically, these are worn higher on the neck above its base. It is also found in the dog collar variety whose popularity dates back to the Victorian era and this is a collection of several strands covering more area of your neck.

Chokers as the name indicates are tied to lie at the very base of the neck are about sixteen to eighteen inches in length. These are a wise choice for ladies with thinner and longer necks. Another type of strand is the princess witch pearls strung on a thread of length seventeen to twenty inches. The princess length is the most commonly worn because these are a great option for semi-formal and corporate wear as well. The opera strand is twenty eight to thirty four inches long and because of this it is often doubled to from twin strands that lie ideally just below the bust line.

The matinee is twenty to twenty four inches long and looks best coupled with corporate suits and such. The longest variety is the sautoir or rope with a starting length of approximately thirty seven inches which looks great with pantsuits. Their length offers flexibility which means that you can double it, knot it, make use of the multiple clasps on it to create your own style. The choice of which necklace is the best for you depends on your personal preference and body type.

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Visit pearl strand or pearl sets for more information.

Article Source: EzineArticles.com

Photograph by Caitlin Longley for the Minneapolis College of Art and Design
mcad.edu 

Source: mcadphoto