a look at the years of celebrities wearing jewelry

As far back as one can remember famous celebrities have been wearing the jewelry made by famous jewelry designers. Through out many eras and many styles the celebrities and jewelry designers have held a close bond. Who better to display your beautiful pieces than a beautiful celebrity that has already captured the audiences attention.

Elizabeth Taylor will always be remembered for her glamorous and beautiful look. I cannot remember any time that I have seen Elizabeth without her jewels to adorn her. This was a lady with a fashion style like no other. From gorgeous pearls adorning her face to beautiful diamonds adorning her neck. She knew how to make a fashion statement!

Ava Gardner was a woman with a glamorous fashion style that did not go unnoticed. Whether she choose to wear her best diamond earrings or her favorite Trifari necklace she always looked spectacular. There are many of us who could pick up a few tips from Avas flare!

Joan Crawfard and Joan Collins are another two that simply cant be outdone. One must wonder how a women so easily learns to be that refined and beautiful at all times. Like Cleopatra it seems to be bred deep within the soul.

Let us not forget about royalty. Although not perhaps celebrities as we think of them still important figure heads that are within the public eye. How about the gorgeous jewels of the Duchess of Windsor or Umbero II of Italy. Then there was Princess Mary of Great Britain who was seldom seen without her jewelry adornments.

To more modern times, what about that beautiful engagement ring that Camela Parker Bowls was seen wearing. An outstanding piece of jewelry on a women that quite commonly presents herself in a very traditional refined style. No glamour here except for that drop dead gorgeous ring!

Whether we are talking about Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Kate Winslet, Kate Hudson, or Katie Holmes celebrities give us the opportunity to see jewelry designs in play. They instantly help develop a desire for a certain jewelry piece or look.

Weve got plenty we can learn from the styles of celebrities. And once these designer jewelry pieces grab hold it isnt long before someone is making a similar piece that our pocket books can afford.

So keep watching the stars for great jewelry to make your fashion statement!

Embroidered Skirts for Excellence

When it comes to choosing the best designs for work, you will usually choose a mix of what is affordable and what is stylish. Thankfully, finding that delicate level of perfection has never been so easy. There are styles and designs available today that make it easier than ever to get what you need without spending a lot of money. If you happen to appreciate a good skirt, perhaps you will find the stylish design and fashion you want with the versatility you need when you choose embroidered skirts.

There are many styles available today, but perhaps the most versatile is none other than the skirt. The skirt actually has a fascinating history where lengths have changed according to popular trends, and the material used in the construction has changed. Regardless of the changes, a person will find that today, embroidered skirts come in all sizes and lengths dependent on the needs and wants of the wearer.

Purchasing a skirt is the easy part. First, you explore the styles and designs on the market for a "perfect" skirt. Then once you have that perfection for your own, you can consider customizing or personalizing to your heart's delight.

The actual embroidery is going to be fun, but at the same time, you will find so many options that it can get complicated.

First, you will have to choose the design. There are pre-made designs and logos that will make it easy to get the look you want for your own. But if you want something special, you can actually have it custom made before the actual application process. Having your own unique design will take longer, but the final product is well worth the time and money spent. Because that design will be uniquely you.

Second, you will have to choose the options. This can be fun! You will choose a variety of thread colors, placements, thread thickness, and many other options. These are going to allow you to get the perfect look for your new embroidered skirts. There is nothing like knowing you have a part in your own clothing. Embroidery is just one aspect of the customization process that will allow you to get more of a personal feel for your apparel.

Third, you will agree on a time of delivery. Depending on the options you need or want, you will find that you can discuss the delivery time with the company you choose. Depending on the customization, you can usually get the design in as little as a few weeks. If you have customized designs of your own, you may find you need longer. Contacting the company will insure you get everything as intended when you need it most.

Do you like embroidered skirts? Chances are that you will find many benefits from those personal designs. Regardless of the skit, you will have something uniquely you. Whether you choose a dragon or maybe just a mosaic tapestry design, there is no doubt that the style and fashion you need for your own life has never been so easy to obtain. When you need exceptional quality, that exceptional quality starts with the customization you choose for your life.

Men's Suit Styles

People prefer different clothes for different seasons or occasions. Fashion has a lot of influence in the modern society that clothing and dress up depends on what is trendy and stylish as dictated by designers. As dressing up becomes more experimental and creative, you can try out fashionable means of wearing suits. Learn which suits you can fashionably wear and find which are the most comfortable for you.

Charcoal self stripe suit has a very stylish look and has a 2 button jacket. Being made of wool fabric, the suit is soft and durable. It also has two side vents which help a person to move freely.

Summer suits are lightweight, have interior pockets, side vents and three button cuff. People prefer wearing creams and olive colors during summer. It is made up of a mixture of polyester, wool and linen.

Most of the occasions happen over dinner. It is important that you have a shawl collar single breasted dinner suit for dinner. This suit is one buttoned suit which can give you a classic look. You can also have shawl collar, satin lapels, four-satin covered button on cuffs.

Another suit that you can wear for dinner is classic white Tuxedo. When you buy a classic White Tuxedo, look for natural white than a brilliant white. Tuxedo suits are most made up of wool and polyester fabric. Avalino suit is a two-button semi fitted jacket with side vents and slant pockets. This suit is made up of wool and polyester. This single breasted jacket gives a stylish look.

There are several styles of men's business suits. Double breasted suits have two buttons in front of the suit jacket. This style is considered more conservative. Single breasted suits have one button in their suit jacket. The number of buttons can increase to two to three, or four for taller men. British suits have tapered sides, two vents and no shoulder padding. Italian suits have padded shoulders, no vent and tapered sides.

While purchasing a Men's suit do remember certain things. First important thing is choose a fabric. Suits that are made up of wool are good for all weather and all climates. Second important thing is the fit of the pants. Pants should not be tight from waist. Make sure that you can insert two fingers between your body and waist when you wear the pants. Heavier men should prefer pleats and thinner guys should opt for flat-fronted pant. See to it that your pants have right length. Your pants should reach the top of your shoes but not drag the floor. Shorter men should not opt for cuffed pants, as they tend to make the legs look shorter. A man's jacket sleeve length should reach the base of his thumb when his arm is hanging down. Your suit jacket should fit you at the waist. The fit of your suit should be comfortable. You should be able to work in it without it being restrictive.

Wills Fashion Week: Business of Fashion Outshines Slowdown

Source: The Stitch Times, April 2009

With more than a hundred designers participating at the latest Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week, the business of fashion seems to have emerged as the biggest trend of the apparel industry. The flurry of fashion weeks in the country is a direct indication of a growing business and high-rising lifestyle. The recently concluded WLIFW reflected an expanding demand for the creative collection of Indian fashion designers while, echoing a mixed mood due to the overall market slowdown.

Fashion Everywhere

The five day long affair was all about the fashion, style and the latest in trends for the forthcoming season. The Autumn-Winter '09 week kick-started with the happening and appealing collection of an accomplished designer, Nitin Bal Chauhan, who left the message of dark sombre moods and global slowdown with an apt title 'Condition apply-II'. The neutral shades were the talk of all five days with designers Rajesh Pratap Singh, Rohit Gandhi and Rahul Khanna, Raghavendra Rathore, Yuvraj Siddharth Nagpal, Gaurav Gupta, among others, unveiling dim and moody collections to show their awareness of the times. "The neutral shades might be apt with the present timings but personally, I've always liked black and the grey shades," summed Rathore.

Several other collections despite slump were high on exuberance and very colourful which included designers like Ritu Kumar, Pankaj and Nidhi, Ankur Modi and Priya Modi, Rehane, Sonam Dubbal, Kavita Bhartiya and Jenjum and Jasleen. While a number of designers played with the tints of placid blue, dark pink, vibrant orange and burgundy, the others preferred to stick to the traditional tones of red, maroon, yellow and green. "I feel the vibrant colours play magic when the mood is sombre around. Also, fashion is all about the colours with designers working on varied hues," opined Ranna Gill who partnered with designer Rina Dhaka and Fiama Di Wills to showcase a special collection titled 'Nature Meets Science'.

Designers like Prashant Verma showcased as artistic representation of the Greek narrative of robust and mighty male aggression and its fascination with perfection. Titled 'Meat'- the outfits were all about power dressing and aggression. The utterly exotic and high on drama show by Manish Arora, brought the beauty and vibrant colours of 'Jungle' live on the ramp. Models carrying the sitting monkey hand-bags were exceptionally creative and were highly appreciated.

Most of the designers were high on wearability and presented a collection with a lot of Indian silhouettes and sari. Satyapaul's 'Maya' was a beautiful portrayal of an illusionary life, comprising the contemporary and traditional attires. Designer duo Swapan and Seema showcased a women's wear range that combined femininity with power and success. The amalgamation of Western and Indian ethnic wear was very much visible. Another designer Reynu Tandon and duo Ashima and Leena Singh showed their proficient technique of heavy embellishments, sequins and beads mostly in the Indian silhouettes.

The fashion week was not completely about the feminine lines alone, as there were a couple of designers who exclusively presented the men's wear range. Rajvi Mohan, the debutante of the previous season presented neat and clean cuts in menswear with a wide range of fusion of colours. On the other hand, Manoviraj Khosla's collection was all chic and sporty reflecting a complete menswear wardrobe. Designer SiddarthaTytler's collection fashioned an amazing impact on the audience with a combination of basic and trendy silhouettes with great detailing. Designer Manish Malhotra, this season too was involved in designing the complete look of the Kolkata Knight Riders, which dictated the fusion of glamour and sports on the ramp.

'Inexpensive Designer Brands' Do they make a Class?

The pangs of global turmoil touching every industry; the designer apparels sector is not alone immunized. Recession scarred retailers are now opting for designer clothing that look stylish and are also less expensive.

With the credit crunch in full swing, retailers all across the globe are slashing prices and shuttering their shops. As the tsunami of financial crisis; which initially sprang up in the US started swallowing the economies of other countries gradually, every single day brings more dismal news on the economic front. This applies for luxury clothing sector as well. Conventional knowledge states that affluent market will remain unaffected by the economic ups and downs that normally take the middle class consumer as a prey. But the current market situation being more diverse and stratified, has proved this to be a wrong notion. This means a more challenging period for the luxury brands. The aspirational upper, and upper middle class customers who were the main reasons for the double digit growth of designer wears are now shifting their focus towards a less expensive way of shopping.

Luxury Recession - Inexpensive designer wears:

Until the recent past, designer expensive outfits by top fashion designers were in vogue. Stylish, chic clothing and accessories were seen on store racks until the advent of recession. Presently, many fast fashion retailers expect the fashion designers to create collections that are inexpensive. They urge the designers to go for patterns that will satisfy the consumers who, at present want to keep their clothing budget under control.

Wal-Mart has caught on to the designer collaborations. It has introduced a new line of clothing designed by the renowned fashion designer Norma Kamali featuring jersey wrap apparels for $20. JCPenney has introduced a new collection of affordable and exclusive designer brands from its portfolio of authentic designers. Retail giants like H&M and Target are also gearing up to jump into competition. H&M, defying tough times has proposed to launch its latest high profile design collaboration with cutting edge fashion. Normally, the company showcases it collections only during November. But now, it is rolling out its collections of designer Matthew Williamson during the spring. Target has also introduced a line of designer clothing with low price tags. Fashion accessories like totes, handbags and jewellery will also be complementing their clothing line.

Does inexpensive clothing make a class?

Now, what about the quality, style and construction? Do the consumers have to compromise on these aspects? While some companies attempt to do a good job staying true to the designer's vision, few others using materials which; though not up to the standards; help to keep the costs down. Efforts are made to achieve outfits with high end quality, without making much sacrifice. With materials that will make up the consumers budget, retailers try their level best to bring out outfits that give an 'expensive look'. It is a crystal clear fact that, though inexpensive designer clothing will not withstand the market as long as its original counterparts, it will definitely be available in the mass market.

Inexpensive designer wears are now flooding the market trying to 'cut corners', elevating fashion in merchandise assortment. Luxury retailers need to stay focused on their customers so as to get a feel of their preferences and inevitable shifts in the luxury market. Retailers who are willing to make adjustments to go with the conservative luxury mindset of the consumer will reap gains.

A Fresh Business Look: Learn to Match Ties to Shirts

Many men find it difficult to choose the right tie for the right shirt. Matching shirt to ties can be quite fun. The range of patterns, colors, fabrics, and cuts will allow for endless possibilities-so many that many men wouldn't even know where to start. This article will teach you the essentials that will help you create a wide range of outfits with different dress shirts and neckties.

Classic White Shirts

A dress shirt for the businessman is like a canvas for the artist. There are days when you are all too confused with what you wanted to wear for the day. A basic white top is the solution. With it, any necktie will be well matched.

The Solid Color Dress Shirt

A single colored top would sometimes require slight contemplation. Use a necktie and top of the same color so long as one is lighter than the other. Having both necktie and top of the same shade would appear like a patched-up shirt. For starters, the solid light blue dress shirt is a great alternative to the plain white one. Using a foulard or striped necktie with a plain colored top is very easy to match. In fact any necktie pattern would work as long as the colors harmonize.

Striped and Checkered Shirts

You want a different look today then wear something out of the ordinary. Try wearing a striped or checkered shirt. When picking the right necktie for the shirt make sure that the patterns are different in size.

Examples

Examine the top and determine the major color. Match this color with a tie of a similar color. The best match with a plaid top is based on the neckties design and hue. If your top is mostly yellow, wear a blue necktie that has polka dots, pin dots or box patterns. Nowadays, men also wear neckties made of soft wool either printed or woven with colorful curved abstract figures known as paisley pattern.

In review, the striped pattern top paired with a dot, box or paisley patterned necktie when combined, a contrast is made using different patterns that split the stripes on the shirt.

Also acceptable are slanted stripes. Do remember that the size of the necktie stripes and the top should be dissimilar. Different sizes means that stripes of the necktie should be twice larger than the ones found on the shirt. If the stripes of the top are one fourth inch then the neckties should be one half inch. This way, the necktie would be prominent instead of appearing vague on the shirt.

Plaid Shirts

Same rules apply to plaid tops as with striped tops. Initially determine the dominant color of the top. Then find a necktie that matches this color. It would be best to have diagonal stripes on the necktie. The contrast to the top would be nice. Or you can use a necktie with boxed or dot patterns so long as these are larger than the plaid pattern.

High on Celebrity Quotient

The coveted event at the city of dreams, Lakme Fashion Week, concluded last month on positive note. The Stitch Times brings to you the glimpses of the designer wear industry that unveiled the Creative Fall Winter 09 collections.

With a series of fashion weeks annually scheduled one after the other; the calendar of the Indian design industry seems to be booked completely. This time it was the turn of Lakme Fashion week in Mumbai. Over 60 designers participated this season showcasing the extravaganza of colours, cuts and styles before the international buyers from the countries like Canada, Australia, Netherland, the US, among others. "LFW has steadily established itself as a platform for attracting international designers and labels, a vibrant place to do business for buyers and inspiring a global pool of talent. It further reinforces our commitment to integrate India into the global fashion world," said Anil Chopra, Vice President of Lakme Unilever.

The event was a motivation especially to the young fraternity of design industry as the number of participants for the categories like Gen Next and emerging designers was more as compared to the previous season and from various states of the country. The established designer category included some of the famous fashion designers like Anamika Khanna who presented her grand finale collection, Digvijay Singh, Nandita Mahatani, Tarun Tahiliani with his Levi collection, Vikram Phadnis, Wendell Rodricks, Vivek Kumar, Atit Bhatt, Anand Bhushan, Tanvi Kedia, Abdul Haldar, Ruchi Mehta, Niak, Jyoti Sharma, Archana Kochar and, Manish Malhotra among others.

There were some designers who stood out for their creativity and style like Nachiket Barve and Rahul Mishra, both for beautiful cuts and wearability, Arjun Saluja for a strong, graphic collection, and, Wendell Rodricks, Narendra Kumar and Manish Gupta for their wearable collections exclusively for retail store Westside.

The coveted event at the city of dreams, Lakme Fashion Week, concluded last month on positive note. The Stitch Times brings to you the glimpses of the designer wear industry that unveiled the Creative Fall Winter 09 collections.

With a series of fashion weeks annually scheduled one after the other; the calendar of the Indian design industry seems to be booked completely. This time it was the turn of Lakme Fashion week in Mumbai. Over 60 designers participated this season showcasing the extravaganza of colours, cuts and styles before the international buyers from the countries like Canada, Australia, Netherland, the US, among others. "LFW has steadily established itself as a platform for attracting international designers and labels, a vibrant place to do business for buyers and inspiring a global pool of talent. It further reinforces our commitment to integrate India into the global fashion world," said Anil Chopra, Vice President of Lakme Unilever.

The event was a motivation especially to the young fraternity of design industry as the number of participants for the categories like Gen Next and emerging designers was more as compared to the previous season and from various states of the country. The established designer category included some of the famous fashion designers like Anamika Khanna who presented her grand finale collection, Digvijay Singh, Nandita Mahatani, Tarun Tahiliani with his Levi collection, Vikram Phadnis, Wendell Rodricks, Vivek Kumar, Atit Bhatt, Anand Bhushan, Tanvi Kedia, Abdul Haldar, Ruchi Mehta, Niak, Jyoti Sharma, Archana Kochar and, Manish Malhotra among others.

There were some designers who stood out for their creativity and style like Nachiket Barve and Rahul Mishra, both for beautiful cuts and wearability, Arjun Saluja for a strong, graphic collection, and, Wendell Rodricks, Narendra Kumar and Manish Gupta for their wearable collections exclusively for retail store Westside.

Lingerie From Then Till Now

Let's begin with the word Lingerie itself. What does it mean? Where did it come from?

The word itself is of French derivation and originally meant "linen goods". The actual word can be traced back in history as coming from "linum", the word used for flax.

Now "linen goods" does not bring to mind any images of the scantily clad women we see today so it seems as if it went through some kind of transition. In 18^th and 19^th century England, it was considered improper for a woman to openly refer to her underwear in normal conversation and polite euphemisms were used instead.

The French of the time simply referred to "women's underwear" with the French word lingerie as a substitute for that which you did not openly discuss. Lingerie of the time had the sole purpose of absorbing sweat and other body fluids in an attempt to preserve the much more expensive outer wear. The clothes of the day were not mass produced in China; they were mostly handmade to order by a family member or a professional seamstress etc. The point being, outer wear was considered expensive, hard to come by, and therefore had to be looked after and kept clean. Underwear was therefore made of cheap linen which could be washed often and replaced much more easily and affordably.

So how did the French word lingerie find its way into the English language? Corsets were already in use by Victorian women during this time but they used the word 'corset' as is. The corset is therefore not responsible for popularizing the word lingerie. It comes from another French invention called the brassiere which became known to the English and Americans during the roaring twenties, spurred on by early Hollywood films which threw a spot light on beautiful women with desirable bodies in sexy dresses. Soon everybody was talking about the gorgeous movie stars and women wanted to shape their bodies and style their hair to resemble the screen icons of the day. The brassiere became the hot item and the French became seen as the "knowledgeable source" of desirable women's underwear.

The brassiere was originally designed only to support the breasts but its versatility was quickly recognized and over a relatively short time its use branched out to cover the many needs of the day. The question for women was; what did you want to do with your breasts? Just provide support, support and lift etc. The versatile brassiere could be designed to fit any need. Styles changed from flat to pointy to naturally rounded. Men took notice. Women noticed that men were interested which just fueled the fire.

Stockings, suspenders and brassiere became collectively referred to using the French word "lingerie" because it sounded more exotic and mysterious than any wording the English speaking marketing people could come up with. Thus the word lingerie became popular and ingrained as the term used to describe "special women underwear" as being something different to functional women underwear.

Shaping peoples' bodies to emphasize certain features is hardly a new idea. Paintings from Crete (ancient Greece) depict Minoan women wearing a type of corset to slim the waist and push out the breasts to make a feature of them.

This is typical of the changing and different viewpoints among various cultures and times. Most of today's men would love to bring back the Minoan dress code for women. Their culture did also have its advantages. Women were treated as equals and garnered as much respect from men as they did admiration.

The Bride's Wedding Veil

The wedding veil is one of the most traditional bridal ensembles during weddings. It has been said that the wedding veil protected the bride from jealous spirits. It also symbolizes humility, because it was not considered proper for women to display their beauty so openly. Today, wedding veils are worn to complete the overall wedding look of a bride. Choosing a wedding veil depends on the personal taste of the bride and the wedding outfit she will wear on her wedding.

However, it is important to choose the right choice of wedding veil. For example, if you will wear an extravagant gown on your wedding, go with a simple wedding veil. Otherwise, your wedding dress and veil will be competing on each other for attention. It can also spoil the elegance of the gown and could end up looking to overdone. But if you want to add a bit touch to your veil, you may put a simple ribbon or you may trim along the edges. However for simple wedding dresses that don't have a lot of beading or embroidery, the veil should have a bit of drama. There are brides who purchased their wedding veil but constructed it to add extra glamour to their entire wedding look.

Your choice of wedding veil should not hide anything on your wedding dress. If there is a great accent on the back of your gown, make sure that your veil doesn't cover and hides it. Therefore, it very important to think of the dress you will be wearing when choosing a wedding veil. This is one way to ensure that both your dress and veil complement on each other.

Also, you have to consider the length of your wedding veil. It length should be suitable to the length of the aisle. If your wedding ceremony will held in a huge church, a long wedding veil will be perfect for that. In other situations, the veil will just bunch up and be a pain to walk around. Also, look at wedding veils that are easy to take off after the ceremony.

There are so many wedding veils available in wedding stores. Some of them are antiques. Antique wedding veils become very popular today. Many bride opt to worn an antique veil because it is a trendy fashion statement for brides today. In addition to that, antique wedding veil looks very classic and vintage, and it also known to bring good luck. If you opt to wear a vintage veil, avoid fixing it anyway. Don't spoil it by trying to match your wedding gown. Often, if the veil doesn't perfectly match, most people can't tell because the fabric is so sheer.

Many brides considered borrowing wedding veil can bring luck to marriage. A wedding veil can be borrowed from your mom or grandmother. However, the luck will only work if the veil was borrowed from someone who is happily married.

Not only choosing the right wedding veil the bride need to take into consideration, choosing the right bridal accessories also can make a great difference. Choose bridal jewelry and bridal hair accessories that complements your entire wedding look.

Mini Skirt History

Mary Quant ran a popular clothes shop in the Kings Road, Chelsea, London called Bazaar, from which she sold her own designs. In the late 1950s she began experimenting with shorter skirts, which resulted in the miniskirt in 1965-one of the defining fashions of the decade.

Owing to Quant's position in the heart of fashionable "Swinging London", the miniskirt was able to spread beyond a simple street fashion into a major international trend. Its acceptance was greatly boosted by Jean Shrimpton's wearing a short white shift dress, made by Colin Rolfe, on 30^th October 1965 at Derby Day, first day of the annual Melbourne Cup Carnival in Australia, where it caused a sensation. According to Shrimpton, who claimed that the brevity of the skirt was due mainly to Rolfe's having insufficient material, the ensuring controversy was as much as anything to do with her having dispensed with a hat and gloves, seen as the essential accessories in such conservative society.

Development

The miniskirt was further popularised by Andr Courrges, who developed it separately and incorporated it into his Mod look, for spring/summer 1965. His miniskirts were less body-hugging, and worn with the white "Courrges boots" that became a trademark. By introducing the miniskirt into the haute couture of the fashion industry, Courrges gave it a greater degree of respectability than might otherwise have been expected of a street fashion.

The miniskirt was followed up in the late 1960s by the even shorter micro skirt, which has been referred to derogatorily as a belt or pelmet. Upper garments, such as rugby shirts, were sometimes adapted as mini-dresses. Tights or panty-hose became highly fashionable, in place of stockings, specifically because the rise in hemlines meant that stocking tops would be visible. Mary Quant cited this development in defense of the miniskirt: "In European countries where they ban mini-skirts in the streets and say they're an invitation to rape, they don't understand about stocking tights underneath".

Mini Skirt

If one fashion item could sum up the 60s it would be the mini-skirt. Opinion is split on who came up with the idea-the wise money would probably go on a Frenchman, Jean Courreges, but our own Mary Quant is widely accepted as having dreamt up the ever more daring hemline.

Within a year anybody who had the body to pull it off was wearing a mini. In New York the norm was 4-5 inches above the knee but over in Swinging London anything other than 7-8 inches above the knee was considered positively decent!

The usual look was to pair what little was left of the skirt with matching sweater and tights for a uniform look. When, in 1968, Jackie Kennedy wore a white Valentino miniskirt for her wedding to Aristotle Onassis its place at the pinnacle of fashion was confirmed.

1970s

During the mid-1970s, the fashion industry largely returned to longer skirts such as the midi and the maxi. Journalist Christopher Booker gave two reasons for this reaction: firstly, that "there was almost nowhere else to go...the mini-skirts could go no higher"; and secondly, in his view, "dressed up in mini-skirts and shiny PVC macs, given such impersonal names as 'dolly birds', girls had been transformed into throwaway plastic objects". Certainly this lengthening of hemlines coincided with the growth of the feminist movement. However, in the 1960s the mini had been regarded as a symbol of liberation, and it was worn by some, such as Germaine Greer and, in the following decade, Gloria Steinem, who became known for their promotion of women's issues.

Hong Kong Fashion Week Defies Global Recession, Swine Flu

Now in its 16^th edition, Hong Kong Fashion Week was unveiled on 6 July 2009 at Hong Kong Conventional Centre amidst hopes of business generation by the exhibitors and expectations of business visitors to locate new products and sources. It was to be so expected, inasmuch as this major industry event ranks high in the regional calendar as a top place to source all kinds of apparel and fashion accessories as well as garment-related products and services.

Keeping in view the emerging needs of the exhibitors and business visitors, the fair added new zones to the existing ones. The new zones set up by the organisers were Brand Name Gallery, which was a prestigious zone exhibiting brand-name garments. Then there was Intimate wear zone, where the exhibitors found the latest trends in lingerie and night-wear. Other specilaised sectors included World of Fashion Accessories, Infant & Childrens wear, Bridal and Evening wear, Fabrics & Yarn, Sewing Supplies, Fashion Gallery as well as International Fashion Designers Showcase, each of which was brimming with the latest styles from talented designers from Hong Kong, China as well from Indonesia and Korea.

The 1,164 exhibitors (up slightly from 1,154 last year), who came primarily from China and Hong Kong, were seeing fewer buyers. Those who did shop at the show were placing smaller orders and requesting faster delivery times. Interaction with the visitors revealed that there was less business this year as compared to earlier editions of the Week. One of the visitors, who has been regular frequenter of this event, did say that he is buying lesser this time. "You have to work harder for the same money," he said with a weary shrug

"It is very, very quiet," said Michelle Keeling, Managing Director for RTHK Clothing Exporters Ltd. in Hong Kong, which manufactures mens, womens and childrens clothing. She said Hong Kong and China have been affected by what everyone is calling a "financial tsunami." Its the delayed wave of financial disaster washing over export-based economies now affected by the downturn in importing regions such as the United States and Europe.

That was evident in the trade statistics coming out of Hong Kong. According to the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, clothing and clothing-accessories exports from Hong Kong to the United States slid 14.4 percent to $2.8 billion during the first five months of this year compared with the same period last year. Exports to Europe were down around 13 percent. "This past year has not been easy," said Vincent Fang, Chairman of the Garment Advisory Committee to the Hong Kong Trade Development Council. He is also Chief Executive of Toppy International Ltd., a Hong Kong company that owns one apparel factory in China with nearly 5,000 workers that supplies two retail chains, operating under the Episode and Jessica nameplates. Fang, who also makes shirts for Polo Ralph Lauren in the US market through contractors in Central America, said the fragile economy in the West is forcing him to expand his business in China. "The whole world is looking to China as a savior," he observed.

China may be putting the brakes on its rapid expansion, but it still has a relatively healthy economy. The World Bank projects that Chinas gross domestic product will grow a robust 7.2 percent this year. In comparison, the US gross domestic product is expected to contract between 5 percent and 6 percent.

If a stubbornly tough recession was keeping some buyers away, the threat of the swine flu acted as another deterrent. While Hong Kong has had no deaths related to the virus, travelers and businesspeople seem to be particularly cautious about trekking to the region. They remember the SARS epidemic that claimed 299 people in Hong Kong and 349 in China between November 2002 and July 2003. Last years show was much better, said Mandy Chan, a merchandiser for the Zhejiang Seven Fortune Group, which manufactures sweaters in China for apparel companies such as Chicos, Guess? Inc. and Zara. Maybe its the economy; maybe it is H1N1 [swine flu], she said.

Fashion Reborn: Blends of African outfits from Ankara

Destiny of the 'once before' cheap Ankara fabrics, have undergone a magical transformation. Elegant creativity of the designers has made it a preferred choice of the rich and celebrities.

Ankara is a fabric that was normally reserved for cultural festivities. People felt that this fabric was too flowery, and too colorful. Formerly referred as Dutch was from Holland; this fabric acquired its current name ankara when the Turks made a cheaper version of the fabric. Without a glamorous look, the fabric was regarded indigenous.

There was a time, when ankara textiles were regarded as the fabric of the poor. But today, the fabric has undergone a magic transformation to become a choice of rich and famous. Fabrics which were once considered as out of fashion has changed to become a sizzling fad. Nowadays, ankara fabric has become an inevitable part of any social functions. Fashion designers have sensed this trend, and are coming up with appealing designs to capture the apparel market.

Ankara fabric is believed to have its origin from a girl named Ankara. This fabric is usually made of 100% cotton and posses good strength when woven tightly. Good apparels tailored from these fabrics are expensive.

Ankara in the Fashion World:

This traditional African fabric has infiltrated the fashion world as well. Blended with other matching fabrics and with a good design, ankara fabrics are the fancy of many people. The appeal of the finished product depends on the creativity, and skills of the designer. Fashion gurus like Lunar, Aimas, Tiffany Amber, MoMo, Gloss, and Cranberry have breathed new life into the fabric through their experience and creativity. Available in alluring designs, ankara graces catwalks and has won laurels. Since it is a cotton fabric with different motifs, this fabric can be used for both office and formal occasions. A printed outfit with small motifs will make a perfect clothing.

This fabric has infinite creative applications like shirts, bags, clothes, dresses etc. Styles, and designs available for this cloth are endless which makes all people; men and women, young, and the aged become glued to it. Ankara has made a come back in a big way with modern patterns, and vibrant colors.

Ankara posses the capabilities of being able to dye faster and did not get stained much. Due to its virtues, this fabric was considered as a competitor of the Western adire cloth. As Nigeria is a fashion savvy part of Africa has taken the fabric, improved them, and has represented it to the world. Nigeria being a big market, offers vast potential for the manufacture and sales of ankara. But, smuggling, and unfair trade practices in the nation has affected the local production.

Ankara fabrics have been the desired choice of African women. Due to its affordability, this garment was once considered suitable for under privileged. But with the lapse of time, the fabric found favor with contemporary fashion, and modern styles. Ankara has its own virtues, and looks more graceful when tailored in the right way.

Global Luxury Market Foresees Recovery

A recent survey states that global millionaires have increased to 8.2 million. So, whats the market for luxury products?

''Luxury' is a broader segment than what anyone can define. It includes various products ranging from clothes, footwear, jewellery, watches, leather goods, and many others. Global luxury market is now undergoing rapid transformation. Industry analysts predict the market to grow and reach $2 trillion USD by 2010, of which US alone will constitute 50% of the worldwide market.

Luxury market is currently on the growth trajectory and is seeing a continuous exuberance. Many aspects contribute to the dynamism of the market. Changes in the income level of the people, increasing families with dual income, and transformations in the preferences, and life style of the consumers have attributed to this change. Strong polarizations of the buyers for specific products also influence the market. Individual, personalized, high-touch and a highly customized marketing satisfying the needs of the customers lure them to buy the products.

Luxury Apparels and Designer wears:

Global market for luxury apparels is seeing a growth of 15% per annum. This is higher comparatively over the growth of other apparels. Growth will be fuelled by various countries with growing economies whose consumption for luxury products outweigh salary and luxury options. EU and US will continue to set global trends.

Fashionable designer wears are no longer available only for celebrities. Fashion trends are now global due to the awareness created by media, and globalization, moving beyond class and social status. The segment is benefited by increase in disposable incomes, postponement of marriage, and growing number of individual families with dual income. Even people who are not from the creamer sections of the society will try to have a couple of signature luxury apparels in their wardrobes.

Key Players of the Luxury Segment:

Luxury brand owners are actively gearing up to meet the challenges of the ongoing recession, and the competition for the coming year. Middle East sees good potential for luxury products with a predicted growth rate of 2%. Giorgio Armani and Gucci are the most desirable brands followed by Versace, and Christian Dior. Polo Ralph, Coach, Louis Vuitton, Couture, and Tiffany & Co, are a few more prominent brands in the market. Brands are reassessing their market strategies to take tackle the down turn and come out even stronger than before.

However growth prospects the industry sees, still, the industry is not an unmixed blessing. The impact of global turmoil, the pangs of financial crisis has affected the luxury market as well. High operational costs and intense competition due to globalization pose a real threat to the luxury retailers. To ride the tide, brands cut their overhead costs, while retailers are investing in the products of customers choice with a hope of recovery.

Worldwide market for luxury items is expected to reach a prominent position in the global arena, and is further anticipated to remain so, as affluent customers have enough money, and time to indulge themselves in opulence.

Luxury…Indulgence…Velvet

Velvet... A luxurious fabric with an exclusive history, was, once available only to the royal and the wealthy, leaving the masses in awe of untouchability, a pièce de résistance.

Velvet is a flattering fabric that absorbs light into its deep and rich hues. The smooth texture and sheen of the fabric makes it an undoubted choice of the royal class. A very expensive fabric among the luxury goods, this fabric has been pampered in many countries throughout the centuries. Though it is generally believed that velvet owes its origin to ancient Kashmir, controversies exist regarding the origin, and existence of the fabric. Archeologists observe proof of ancient Egyptians using a fabric which has techniques similar to the production of velvet.

Velvet is made from different kinds of fibres. This fabric is woven on a specialized loom, cut, and then sheared to create a lavish finishing. The fabric is woven on a special loom which weaves two pieces at the same time. They are then cut, and two lengths of fabric are wound on separate rolls. One of the most expensive, and lavish fabric, velvet is made in a variety of types from crushed type to common upholstery. It can also be blended with various other fibres to produce appealing fabrics. The magic hues produced by dyeing the fabric make velvet infamous with nobility. From the mysterious black, to the showstopper red, and purple, alluring shades are produced by dyeing the fabric precisely.

During earlier period, making rich fabrics such as velvet was rare as fabrics were mostly made of cheap fibres using simple flat woven technique. So, the richness of the material and weaving techniques of velvet made it an exclusive fabric. With the passage of time, new methods overtook conventional techniques, and new materials and processes were used in fabric making.

Velvet Home Furnishings:

The durability and richness of velvet fabrics make it an ideal choice for home furnishings. Sumptuous beddings, draperies, cushions, and upholstery are made from cotton velvet. These fabrics give a ravishing look for upholsteries improving the ambience of the room Rustic home furnishings such as drapes, table cloth, window curtains, furniture covers, lampshades, wall accessories, bed spreads, cushion covers, and many more are made from velvet fabrics.

Pageant Of Velvet Apparels:

Velvet is traditionally regarded as a fall fabric. But, in the current trend, these fabrics are no longer related with winter season alone. Various apparels in velvet are dominating the fashion apparel segment. A velvet blazer with a pair of matching jeans will enhance the velvet repertoire of the wearer. Skirts, pants, shawls, capes, blouses, and many other outfits are seen in the market. Apart from costume, fashion accessories such as purses, shoes, scarves, hats, and gloves in velvet add glamour to any outfit. Leggings in velvet such as stretch stirrups will give a stylish appearance and also keep the legs warm.

Designers have revitalized the fabric with glossy colors, graphic splicing, and pretty burn-out effects. Ralph Lauren, Stella McCartney, and Proenza Schouler provide the apt inspirations for lustrous cocktail dresses. Blends of silk and rayon with velvet fibres is used for making flowing dresses emphasizing its soft drape.

Velvet fabrics are admired timelessly. A fabric that was once associated with royalty and reserved only for the elite classes is now available for the common masses at affordable prices due to modern manufacturing methods. With unmistakable luster and beauty, velvet fabrics have earned a place in the textile segment as one of the finest and beautiful fabrics for both the royal and common classes.

The Green Fashion Challenge

An Overview of the Current State of Ecofashion

When you hear the words "eco fashion" what image comes to mind? Cameron Diaz in an $11,975 dollar organic dress on the cover of Vogue? Some message on a canvas tote? Maybe nothing at all?

Unlike other facets of the Green movement- organic food, beauty products, home supplies - eco fashion hasn't made a big a splash in the public consciousness. It's not as talked about or obsessed over. It's the Green movement's reclusive aunt.

There isn't much diligence or attention to what eco fashion even means."I went to Rainbow the other day to get my friend a cheap gift," says Cary Curran, an actress living in New York, "and they had green shirts with glittered letters that said 'Green is the new black.' I don't even know if it was organic cotton."

The insiders have had enough. "Walk down the street, in the city, 2 out of 10 women will have a canvas tote with some kind of green message on it, like the "I'm not a plastic bag' thing," says Molly Garretson who founded Project Earth Day, an annual fashion show and student design competition in its 4th year. "Yes the message is getting broader and spreading, but it's getting kitschy."

Mottainainy Purple Shibori Shirt, $230: When taking your eco-vacation, it's best to wear something that didn't poison a river in China while it was being made. Purple shibori shirt is hand dyed cotton from Japan, plackets on sleeves. See Mottainainy. com

About Mottainai: The name (pronounced moe tie nie) is an old Japanese saying that roughly translates to "what a waste." Japanese kids were told to finish their rice or the Mottainai ghost would come.These clothes are shockingly fresh, slick and wearable and are for globally aware guys who know that if we don't change our habits, a much scarier ghost is going to come.

This all may be about to change .The United Nations declared 2009 the International Year of the Natural Fibres and Stella McCartney was listed as one of Times 100 most influencial people for her work creating cruelty-free ,high fashion clothing.

Meanwhile,out in the fashion trenches,manyeco-conscious designers are starting to find their voices.Mociun and Bahar Shahpar make gorgeous sophisticated clothes for women who can afford to wear them.

Popomomo's simple, adorable dresses and shirting are artsy in a Zooey Deschanel kind of way. Mottainie's slick, put together men's clothing would appeal to cool choosy youth who wear Y-3 or APC. And, in the bright, eye-popping, work of UK-based Junky Styling, Eco fashion may finally have its Vivienne Westwood-a design collective that is giving sustainable clothing a noticeably different, innovative look that looks more like a cultural movement than a simple trend. Still, its not like the garment industry is uniformly enthusiastic. Like any corporate beast, (see meat industry, health care industry) it is slow to change, especially when it involves lower profits. Just a glance at the boom in cheaper textile production in China is an indication that there is still a ruthless bottom line that supercedes conscience.

Spanx Shapewear Is the Right Choice for Every Woman

When it comes to choosing the best for you in the undergarment wear and specially the body shaper then the Spanx is the name of the quality and the best designs and modern styles of the shape wear offered by them. The body shaper is the must to buy thing for women. it is not even good for the fat women but the women that have lose body curves and seeking to keep them self more attractive then they should chose the Spanx Shapewear. The body shapers are good to wear under your dress it will cover your skin slightly and enable you to look slimmer and sexy.

There are so many brands that gives you glossy and charming look of the product and claim so much about the product that this will give you such and such benefits and the buyer became double minded that what to buy or what to not. For solving this problem there are many for the companies that offer some money back guarantee program which also fails because you have to pay for the shipment cost. And sometimes you found everything so miserable that you wont be able to find the correct and right path for making the decision. The right thing for you is to buy always the right and the authentic brand like Spanx that gives you not only product specification online and through fax and email but also you would be able to see the catalogue and the design and the styles that are being offered.

It is not easy for every woman to remain in the perfect shape and size and keeping your body tone needs so many efforts to bring in the new light or charming on your self. But this has became quite easy for every women to remain in the good shape at least when you are going to any party or going for celebration. The best thing that you put to make your body properly bonded in dress in the Spanx Shapewear. I thing that there is endless list of citing the all the advantages of the Spanx Shapewear.

Most of the celebrities use the Spanx Shapewear to give a loving and sexy image on the screen. The popularity of the Spanx Shapewear makes it very much wanted garment among the common masse. And the best thing is that Spanx Shapewear has got range for women in every age. All of the Spanx products are considered to be the best designed shape wear that has captured the mind of every consumer of Shape wear. The body Shapers exciting new offers are marvelously designed and the best quality of fabric used in making of them. The bra and the full body shaper have got record highest rating among the women. If you want body shaper to be work for longer time and you will remain smart and in shape then buy the Spanx Body shape wear that is solution for all your shape requirements

Fashion and Its Trends

Fashion is the style and custom that is adopted at a given period of time and it keeps on changing from time to time. As the world progresses toward the innovation of more powerful machines which are easy to manipulate, on the other hand fashion is not left behind. Different types of clothes made from different materials and designs have made people to change their mode of dressing of which smartness may vary from one person to the other. To wear a pair of jeans while attending an official duty was seen as indecent, but nowadays one can wear as there are some of jeans that look like official wears and match best with shirts.

Fashion can not only be on the clothes design, but also the under garments, caps and all that entails dressing in general. Nowadays there are different clothes that suit different occasions. There are certain clothes that are best for music; there are those for afro music, and they like wearing big clothes and the hair style will also reveal the type of music. The rock stars will dress in ladish like clothes which are tight and shiny. In the past there clothes were for general purposes there were no specific clothes for specific functions except for the wedding gown which one could know it was meant for a bride.

There are clothes meant for summer others for winter, spring and autumn and this is as a result of fashion. Women are the one who are greatly affected by the fashion trend and they always want to be the first to have a certain fashion that is new in the market. Hair is also included as part of the fashion as there are many different hair styles.

The advantage of fashion is it has brought civilization and discovery of other textile that are durable, long lasting. Most of the people observe fashion as the western habit which occurred mainly during their economic or social change but in real sense nowadays fashion is experienced in every corner of the world with every community coming up with their own mode of fashion that identifies them. On the other hand fashion has played a big role in creating employment opportunities and it is among the well paying jobs.

What a person wears can easily tell what kind of a person he is, the behavior and generally you can be accorded respect as per the mode of your dressing.

Fashion also varies according to age, social class, generation occupation and the geographical location. The young may look well when dressed in the old people clothes but when an old person decides to dress like a youth bet he will attract the attention of all the people because he will be looking ridiculous. Fashion has also been used to denote a certain social class as one can easily tell the class one belongs to through the mode of dressing and the make ups used and the material. It can also tell someone's occupation and the geographical region one is coming from.

When choosing the type of cloth to wear be careful so as not to offend the people around you as some may cause people to perceive you in a wrong way. Do not dress because you saw someone else dressing you should know why he or she dressed it and for which purpose because you may end up wearing a swimming costume in a sporting activity.