Saturday, June 8, 2013

Fashion Rules - wearing white



Fashion, like anything, has rules and for a good reason. Do you ever people watch to see what people are wearing? I do, I like to people watch and fashion interests me so I look closely at what people wear. Rules like don’t wear plaid with print, don’t mix brown and black, don’t wear white socks with black shoes, and your hose color should either match the hem of your clothing or your shoes, were made for a reason.  The rule that is the most controversial is that you shouldn’t wear white after Labor Day or before Memorial Day. All the fashion magazines write about this rule at least once a year.

Why was this rule made and should we follow it.  I followed it blindly for many years, then the debate started raging in our office and it made me think about the logic of the rule, so I did some research into the reason for the rule and here is what I found.

This fashion “don’t” might stem from the fashion industry itself.  Since fashion editors worked mostly out of New York City in the early 1900’s, the editorial spreads in Vogue reflected the seasonality of – you guessed it – New York City.  With a typically rainy fall, very cold winter, and hot, muggy summer, it makes sense that the editors back in the day shunned this light color post-Labor Day for fear of stepping in an unsightly puddle in their new white pants in fall’s wet city streets.

Perhaps a more accurate explanation, though, comes from a time when “summer” was still a verb and the elite class would leave the city at the start of the season, vacation wardrobe in tow, and return only post-Labor day to the drab suits of the urban working class.  By the mid-20th century, the “no white after Labor Day” rule had become a hard and fast way to draw class lines and educate the “nouveau riche” on the prevailing etiquette of the time.

The third and most practical explanation is that white is worn after Memorial Day and before Labor Day purely because it’s cooler.  Summer is hot, and during a time before the tank top existed in its current form, the only things people used to distinguish summer wear from winter wear were color and fabric.  But very rarely is there actually a functional reason for a fashion rule…”  So I suppose that rules this one out.

Even now most people put away their white clothes after Labor Day.  There was, however, a notable spike in winter white that corresponded with the first week of February Fashion Week – perhaps a testament to the likes of McQueen and Derek Lam.

If you are going to wear white before Memorial Day or after Labor Day are there rules?  Of course there are.

Don’t overdo it. Wear one white piece and pair it with another one of the season’s hot colors like magenta or turquoise in spring or emerald or rio blue for fall. Add some great jewelry and you’ll look great.

Choose the right fabric. Fabric choices are the most important when pulling together a season-friendly (and stylish) outfit.  You would never think of wearing a white parka in July; likewise, don’t wear your white linen trousers in the fall or winter. Make sure that the fabric you are wearing is appropriate for the time of year and the temperature.

Check the calendar. The style of the outfit has to be in-sync with the time of year and the weather. Even if it’s June, if the temperatures are in the 40’s you wouldn’t wear shorts and a tank.
Bottom line, if you want to break the rules, at least look like you know what you are doing by being conscious of fabric and style of the outfit that you are wearing and you will be able to wear white any time of the year.

But whether or not you’ll be retiring your white pants come fall, the season of whites is upon us.  So stock up on light colors and sunscreen, because summer’s right around the corner!
What is your opinion on this fashion rule? Leave a comment below.

Sunday, January 27, 2013

Vintage green earrings


In my last blog I talked about the color of the year, which is green.  As promised I’m bring more green pieces out for you to see.  These earrings are my favorite style and I have made myself earrings using several colors from the Swarovski Rivoli collection.

 I used 12mm Swarovski Rivoli crystals which are set in vintage look TerraCast settings. The color of the crystal is called Chrysolite and looks like a beautiful pale green.  I think the Chrysolite and vintage setting make a fabulous combination. At shows I can’t keep the vintage look earrings in stock, they go quickly.  This is the first time I’ve used the Chrysolite, I usually put golden shadow or dark indigo in the vintage setting, so this is a first and I’m very happy with it.

Let me know what you think by leaving a comment.



Come back again for more jewelry that features green stones.
Denise

Sunday, January 6, 2013

Happy New Year 2013

Happy New Year!

It's been a while since I posted here on my blog, the last time was in October.  I guess it's because I got really busy at the end of 2012.  The end of the year is big with craft fairs and getting ready for Christmas.

This year I've decided to post a lot about fashion trends and color. The color for 2013 as declared by the fashion industry is GreenGreen isn't just environmentally friendly. It's the color designers are reclaiming for 2013. And one particular shade--Emerald Green-- has been chosen as the color of 2013. So those of you born in May can break out your emeralds and wear them all year.



Why green? "Green is the most abundant hue in nature--the human eye sees more green than any other color in the spectrum," says Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute. "Symbolically, Emerald brings a sense of clarity, renewal and rejuvenation, which is so important in today's complex world." Green is also a color with a positive effect on the brain, releasing tension and reducing stress, which is why it is frequently used in color therapy, in schools and in hospitals.


From the grass-green emerald to the brilliant lime of peridot, green is moving back into use in the fashion world this year. Styles feature rich, deeply saturated shades that are sophisticated, feminine and bold. They're chic--not meek! Green is going boldly into winter and throughout the year ahead.

Get the look

Use greens generously--demure is not required. No subtle accents here; going green means wearing statement pieces with plenty of intense color. Bright greens are eye-catching without being too intrusive. As it's associated with a rare and expensive gemstone, Color of the Year Emerald Green is considered sophisticated, elegant and luxurious.

Find green accessories on my website at www.jewelrybydm.com