Post #56: Something to Note - A Don't

            Yesterday I had plans to meet with a friend for 1:00 brunch. I don't know whether I just got ready really quickly or overestimated the amount of time it would take to get gas, but I ended up being close to 20 minutes early for my lunch date...so I decided to walk around. 

            As I was walking, there was one woman whose attire caught my eye. She was wearing a straw fedora, sunglasses, a black top, wedges...and pajama pants. Tight at the bottom, loose at the top, and made in some horrendous material, these pants made me wonder what the heck she was doing out in public. 

            Today, during my daily perusal of various fashion blogs, I saw something. I sat at my laptop, staring at it in disbelief. This pajama business is a Spring 2011 trend. 

            Now, I'm all for trends. They can be really fun. I report on them. However, trends that look hideous should be banned. And even if yours are designer...keep them inside. Or better yet, if you haven't bought a pair to wear out and about yet, DON'T. 

Picture From: http://fashion.elle.com/

Post #55: Fashion on Film - April Showers

Yes, yes, I too have a calendar and know that it is no longer April. However, in honor of all the rain we've been getting in the tri-state area recently, I decided to post one of Burberry's cutest marketing strategies to date. Models Sebastian Brice and Cara Delevingne show off the April Showers collection to the sounds of Madness' "The Sun and the Rain." And if anyone can tell me where to find what looks like the blue version of the Brightly Coloured Perspex Trench Coat that is seen in their photo ad campaign (see photo below)...please do. Now sit back, relax, and enjoy Creative Director Christopher Bailey's genius in an attempt to be the rainy day blues. 

http://us.burberry.com/store/content/experience/spring-summer2011/april-showers.jsp#/april-showers/womenswear/5

Post #54: The Closet Challenge - A Bit Of Research

            While ideally my closet will end up looking like Carrie Bradshaw's in the first Sex and the City movie (see video clip below)...that may be (structurally) out of the realm of possibility. 

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ3D5Lm7FNtAAHLGny4SakqvBf6Bk57hiJqmkSZJY62DLk1PqyzUvkZaFWk_qtu_OpoPrNzxGZ3L1um4e0v4Z5G8Bxr3dHG2UlFEmbZn3OxRJWxSoIsjOgtzu6zLBYQ7AQolIyFA05gkM/s1600/sex+in+the+city+closet+2.png

(Go here for a video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wO-kM8am5zc&feature=related)

            However, in my quest to make my closet pleasant to be in and completely organized, I did look up some of the "best" closet organizing tips. So here they are:

• Good Housekeeping came up with a cute idea: the "once-a-year fashion show." "Empty the closet, then try on each garment in front of a full-length mirror. Does it fit? With what outfits and on what occasions will you wear it? Does it need mending? Will you ever be able to get out that ink stain? Separate pieces into four piles: keep, mend, donate, throw away. Follow the same steps for shoes." I don't know if I'll try on everything in my closet, but I definitely will be cutthroat when it comes to weeding through my wardrobe for donations.
• Good Housekeeping also suggests using see-through boxes or easily organizable bins to store accessories and shoes. 
• A tip I found on HGTV.com suggested really thinking about how much you use certain things. If something in your closet is only seasonal, put it in storage elsewhere. If certain things come out once a year and have no other place in the house, put them on the highest shelves. This tip may sound like a no-brainer, but it may be something that is too often overlooked. 
• I don't know if I'll be able to pull of this other HGTV tip, but one closet organizer suggested leaving some empty shelving to make things feel clean and spacious. 
• I also hear (and have read from many sources) that the best way to store your shoes is in their original boxes with a polaroid on the front. 

Let the organizing begin. 

Post #53: The Closet Challenge

The Before

             Do you ever feel like your closet is an unorganized mess no matter what you do? Like it always gets cluttered no matter how many times you pull everything out and "reorganize" it? 

            I do. 

            

            To be fair, most closets need reorganizing (however minor) at least once a month. When I interned at a fashion design company last summer, there were many days where I was asked to clean and organize "the closet." After all, it makes sense. If you love clothing, you're gonna go shopping and get more clothing...which then needs to fit in your space. If you don't walk around naked every day, then you're constantly pulling things out of your closet and putting them back in. By nature, closets get dirty. 

            Yet the trouble with this is that dirty closets aren't nice to open...and they tend to absorb random things that have been "missing" for months. 

            So, here's the challenge: I am going to completely reorganize my messy walk-in closet (and I will cut myself some slack: I did just return from college for the summer...so a lot of stuff just got thrown in there). And I am going to do this by Friday. To prove it to you, I am posting before and after pictures of my walk-in. Wish me lots of fashionable luck!

My Fashionable Apologies

Due to Finals Week and vacation without proper computer access, posting on The Mannequin's posting has been suspended. It will resume today.

Post #52: Trend Report - Summer's Almost Here...Get Sheer

            It's a commonly used phrase that "sex sells." And in fact, it's true. Advertisers use sexual imagery to their advantage all the time in movies, on TV, and in fashion ad campaigns. In fashion there are many ways to look "sexy." There's the iconic little black dress. Then there's lingerie. And finally, there are more subtle ways to be sexy yet classy. For example, this look from the L'Wren Scott Spring 2011 Ready-to-Wear show is seductive yet fashionably classy:

Picture from: http://www.style.com

            This season "sheer" articles of clothing have graced the Spring 2011 Ready-to-Wear runways, as well as the stores that most of us frequent. In fact, my inspiration for this post was seeing a girl wearing a sheer peach button-down shirt in Frank Dining Hall at dinner. Sheer is everywhere. And because this is a tough trend to navigate, I believe that a DOs and DON'Ts list is definitely in order. 

            DO: Try on a sheer button-down. If worn in a light color (stick to nudes, pinks, whites, and 

            salmons) with a bandeau or similarly colored bra and nice shorts or pants you'll look more classy 

            than slutty. 

            DON'T: Try on a sheer skirt. There is never any reason for anyone to see your underwear in 

            public. 

Nylon Spandex Micro-Mesh Long Sleeve Button-Down from American Apparel

Picture From: http://i.americanapparel.net/storefront/photos/detail/serve.asp?media=rsans311_Nude.jpg

            DO: Enjoy feeling slightly scandalous by wearing lace shirts with just a bra (maybe even in 

            black...the scandal!) underneath. 

                

Staring at Stars Crochet Flutter Sleeve Top                                    Leaf Flower Lace Loose  Tank    

        from Urban Outfitters                                                                 from American Apparel         

Pictures from: http://images.urbanoutfitters.com/is/image/UrbanOutfitters/21084934_011_a?$detailmain$

http://www3.images.coolspotters.com/wallpapers/130926/american-apparel-leaf-flower-lace-loose-tank-mobile-wallpaper.jpg

            DON'T: Wear see-through shirts with nothing underneath them.

            DO: Get quirky and wear a shirt that interchanges opaque and sheer pieces of fabric. 

Ecote Voil Stripe Tee from Urban Outfitters

Picture from: http://images.urbanoutfitters.com/is/image/UrbanOutfitters/19936822_027_a?$detailmain$

            DON'T: Do this from head to toe and look a like Rihanna at the Grammy Awards. 

Picture from: http://cdn.rap-up.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/rihanna-grammys-2011-1.jpg

            DO: Wear a sheer-backed lace bandeau underneath a dress with a low back. 

            DON'T: Wear more than one piece of sheer at a time. 

            It's getting close to summer and the weather is getting warmer. Sheer pieces are a great way to stay warm while still looking chic. Just remember to always wear something underneath. Pairing sheer tops with tanks, bandeaus, or even bras can look great (and always pair sheer dresses with slips). So have fun getting dressed...and remember to stay cool.

A Quick Update

Good Morning Mannequin readers!

This is just a quick update telling you that The Mannequin now has a Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Mannequin/115722168511120)! "Like" The Mannequin and have a fashionable day ;-)

Post #51: Something to Note - Carven

One of my favorite fashion lines this season is Carven. Designed by Guillaume Henry (who has previously been behind Givenchy), Carven's return to the fashion scene has received a lot of press recently. With pieces covering the line and designer in the April editions of Vogue and Harper's Bazaar (and supporters such as Net-a-Porter and Alexa Chung), Carven is definitely something to note. 

The Spring/Summer 2011 collection was described as being "bourgeois, but with a nasty side," sporting unique cut-outs in many of its pieces. Two of my favorites included the Bow-Back Ruched Taffeta Dress and the Cotton-blend Jacquard Dress. These three looks off of the runway also made my favorites list: 

As if Spring weren't exciting enough, I believe that the real pièce de résistance is the Fall 2011 collection. As featured below, the collection's richer hues and heavier fabrics lend to its signature playfulness. 

But what I find most striking about this collection is the fact that pieces of it can so easily be added to your closet and incorporated into some of your favorite outfits. That being said, happy shopping...or at least check it out. 

Post #50: Fashion on Film - Viaggio Notturno

Bottega Veneta's first foray into the world of fashion films, Viaggio Notturno, was released on April 13th, 2011. Directed by Christian Weber and featuring the designs of Creative Director Tomas Maier, the film takes the viewer on a journey through the mystique of hotel culture. Shot in New York's Setai Hotel with an original score by Balmorhea, the film features such pieces as Marcopolo hard-case luggage, woven leather Cabat bags, and the Nero Intrecciato Nappa Eye Mask. Starring Patricia van der Vliet and Terron Wood, this video is sure to put Bottega Veneta on the fashionable radars of men and women alike. 

Post #49: Spotted at Colgate - Daynelis Vargas

Spotted in the Hieber Cafe: Freshman Daynelis Vargas in an edgy two-tiered pleated skirt, a camisole, a cardigan, and a pink scarf. The contrast between the pattern of the skirt and the whiteness of the cami (along with the springy pop of color that the scarf brings in) make this outfit stand out.