Scarves Throughout Time

 By Paige McKirahan 

 

Calling all scarf lovers! Have you ever wondered how this beloved trend came into circulation? Well, wonder no more! With origins tracing their way back to ancient Eastern cultures, the high-brow accessory has come a long way since its days of being used as a sweat cloth!

The use of a scarf as an accessory is said to be pioneered by none other than Queen Nefertiti in 1350 BC Egypt; the headscarf at that time was a status symbol that alluded to royalty and nobility, both of which were qualities possessed by the Queen. She is said to have worn a tightly woven scarf (or scarf-like fabric) under her iconic cone-shaped headpiece. China used the scarf as a symbol of status as well, but in the military more than in government or with royalty. Scarves were used as early as 1000 BC in Chinese military uniform to denote rank; higher ranks typically had scarves made of finer materials and lower ranks were cut from fabrics like cotton. It also has less glamorous roots in Rome, where its general purpose was not for style, but to help people keep clean. The utilitarian version of the scarf was used primarily in 10 AD as a sweat cloth with men wearing them so often that they became an accessory. They were worn either around the neck, draped over the shoulder, or knotted around the waist (similar to how they’re worn today!)

 

Chinese military statues illustrating the use of scarves around the neck, showing rank

(image credits to collegefashion.net)

As time progressed, scarves began transforming into something that was less functional and more fashionable. It is said that Napoleon gifted his wife Josephine a pashmina scarf upon his return from Egypt. At first, she was weary of the gift as it was exotic and not something that was typically worn in their culture (yet). Despite this, she is noted to have become an avid collector, accumulating over 400 scarves in three years that totaled to be worth around $80,000! When the cravat stepped on the scene in Paris in the 17^th century, it emulated military styling in the way that it was tied around the neck or, on occasion, brought up around the bottom half of the face. The French Revolution popularized this style and encouraged wearers to experiment with color and style to demonstrate their devotion to a particular side.

 

A French Cravat

(image credit google.com)

From this point on, scarves began to make their way into the mainstream, especially after Queen Victoria’s ascension to the throne. In the early 1800s, she regularly wore glamorous silk scarves and shawls featuring a variety of eccentric patterns. This 19^th century boom in popularity pushed manufacturers to experiment with a multitude of fabrics including cloth, cashmere, wool mixes, muslin, modal and of course, silk. Following this, the First World War transformed knitting from a hobby to a war duty, and women all over the world knitted scarves for soldiers in the air and in the trenches. Pilots used both knitted and silk scarves, with the silk providing protection from neck chafing.

 

Queen Victoria in blue silk scarf

 (photo credit to hi-fi-audio.com)

Quite possibly one of the most important contributions to the widespread fame of the scarf was made by Thierry Hermes’ fashion house; in 1937, the French designer created the first luxury silk scarf, which was crafted from imported raw Chinese silk. The raw material was woven into high quality fabric that was stronger and heavier than any other scarf material of the time. For the final touch, images and patterns would be hand-printed onto the piece to turn them into beautiful, vibrant accessories. Though the scarves were coveted by many, they were widely unaffordable on account of their expensive construction. When rayon was invented in the 1930s, it perfectly mimicked silk for a fraction of the price; this advancement allowed more people to become involved with the trend. The outbreak of World War II forced this material to be rationed, and scarves became more of a necessity rather than a fun addition to an outfit. Women operating machinery needed a way to secure their long hair to ensure it would not be swept away, prompting them to wear the scarves to do so.

 

First Hermes scarf c. 1937

(photo credit to vintagefashionguide.com)

Nevertheless, scarves returned to their glamorous origins after the war when Hermes beloved style became a favorite of the globe’s most well know starlets. Audrey Hepburn and Brigitte Bardot both wore them either around the neck or on the head; Hepburn loved the style and even went as far as saying, “When I wear a silk scarf I never feel so definitely like a woman, a beautiful woman.” The Princess Grace Kelly herself wore a silk scarf on a 1956 cover for LIFE magazine, and made headlines when she used one as an arm sling later in the year. Even Queen Elizabeth II wore a Hermes scarf when photographed for postage stamps, and loved the style so much that she continues sporting it to this day!

 

Queen Elizabeth and Grace Kelly in Hermes designs

(photo credits pinterest.com) 

This revival pushed scarves reputation as a luxury accessory and many fashion houses took it with stride as they began transferring their signature patterns, logos, and styles onto to fabrics. This continued through the ‘80s, but in the ‘90s, the market moved away from silk scarves and the public began searching for more innovative accessories. In the 2000s, we have seen some scarf revivals, especially in the past few years as many are beginning to favor vintage styles rather than modern aesthetics. Many “it” girls will now tie scarves around their necks, or even tie them to handbags to make them stand out from the crowd! Regardless of trend, we here at TalkingFashion have been scarf lovers from the start! If you want to emulate royalty or are simply looking for a stylish way to hold back your hair, check out our scarf collection; there is sure to be something for everyone from scarf savants to doubtful debutantes!

London Fashion Week SS'19 Accessories Trend Spotlight

By Paige McKirahan

 

Welcome back to the Talkingfashion blog, fashion week lovers! Today, we have decided to take a look at the latest and greatest trends from London Fashion Week that spanned from September 14^th to the 18^th!

 

 

Many of the aesthetics and motifs from NYFW carried over across the pond, with ‘80s references and bright color schemes presented by a multitude of talented designers.

Animal inspired designs roared in Richard Quinn’s and    Christopher Kane’s emphatic collections, both of which used prints and feathers to convey animalistic desires. There were fun themes put on display in lines that boasted mile high head pieces from Pam Hogg and a reimagining of fairytales by Ryan Lo!

 

 

Feminine aesthetics saturated collections with silk scarves and flowing details, perfectly accenting prim and proper designs seen in Riccardo Tisci’s first show for Burberry. Neon accessories and clothing were key in London (looking at you, ‘80s revival!) with single, dangling earrings in bright hues and large colorful hoops making statements in Fyodor Golan’s line.

 

 

Transparent pieces also channeled the ‘80s and ‘90s with Lucite lightning bolts and clear headpieces spicing up already flamboyant clothing designs. Androgynous styles originally popularized in the ‘70s are also a huge hit for this upcoming spring as Erdem Moralioglu’s Edwardian collection paid homage to male and female cross dressers throughout time.

 

 

Novelty bags and jewelry were the center of attention as vegetable inspired clutches were spotted accompanying models down the runway during Molly Goddard’s show. If you’re not into vegetable motifs, don’t worry; Peter Pilotto hopped on the novelty bag bandwagon as well with their ornate oversized and over-beaded bags.

 

 

In addition to food inspired designs, we also saw whimsical accessories inspired by bugs, flowers, and other household items in Matty Bovan’s collaboration with Coach.  

 

 

If you’re tired of ‘80s aesthetic dominating, look to the revival of ‘60s  tie dye this upcoming year as the colorful print is back and better than ever. Feeling like getting a head start on spring shopping or just looking for an excuse to buy some amazing new accessories? Check out our collections for pieces following all of SS ‘19’s trends!

 

  

(image credits to irishexaminer.com) 

The Laurenficiation of America

By Paige McKirahan

To celebrate the revival of Western wear this fall, it is important to recognize one of the fashion world’s most iconic designers that made Americana inspired pieces a staple in wardrobes across the globe. Can you guess who it is? We’ll give you a few hints: colorful polos, teddy bear motifs, and American flags. If you said Ralph Lauren, the creative mind behind his namesake brand, you guessed correctly! This year, the brand is celebrating its 50^th anniversary, marking half a century of trials, tribulations, and unmatched success.

(image credits to Vogue.com)

Ralph Lauren, born Ralph Lifshitz in 1939, is a Bronx native that studied business prior to his arrival to the fashion world. He began his long career as a designer and businessman during his secondary and post- secondary studies; he would upsell handmade ties to his peers and eventually became a neckwear salesman at Brooks Brothers. After he grew tired of selling others designs and being inspired by thicker European tie styles that contrasted the popular thin ties of the time, he attempted to persuade his employer to allow him to create and sell his own pieces. Upon Brooks Brothers refusal, he approached a multitude of other manufacturers before Beau Brummell, an upscale NYC neckwear boutique, eventually accepted his proposal in 1967. Lauren begin selling and creating pieces right from their Empire State building showroom with nothing but a single drawer to work out of.

His success in Beau Brummell prompted the expansion of his products into other small boutiques and eventually brought on a deal with Bloomingdales. Lauren decided to continue with this growth and came to the conclusion that it was time to form his own company; with the help of his brother Jerry and with support from Manhattan clothing manufacturer Norman Hilton, Polo Fashions, Inc. was born in 1968. The polo name was incorporated because of Lauren’s love for athletics and the style that came along with it, despite the fact that he himself had never participated in the sport. Four years after the brands conception, he decided to introduce what can be considered the label’s most iconic design: the short sleeved collared shirt with a polo pony on the chest. 

After the release of this cult classic, the brand grew substantially over the following decades and expanded into women’s wear, fragrances, and home goods. The name was changed in 1987 to the Polo/ Ralph Lauren Corporation and it was around that time that the rise of streetwear iconography took hold of some of the label’s most emblematic figures. When the brand released its first American Flag sweater in 1989, it prompted toy maker Stieff to gift Lauren with a teddy bear wearing a mini Polo outfit. He loved the bear so much that he began selling the it in stores and put its likeness on sweaters and shirts, a design that is still overwhelmingly popular in the streetwear community today. 

(image credits to highsnobiety.com)

 In 1993, Lauren decided to step away from ivy league style and walk a more rugged path with the creation of Double RL (RRL). Though he had country-inspired collections that preceded this new design channel, he wanted to create something completely separate that would allow to fully explore the vintage Western motif away from his parent brand. This sub-brand broke out of the constraints of the Polo aesthetic and its source of inspiration lied in the prairies with early 20^th century workwear. RRL, which is named after none other than the Lauren’s over 15,000-acre ranch in Colorado, includes a full line of shirts, denim, flannels, sweaters, jackets, and chinos that emulated the designer’s love for Americana in an entirely new light.

 

(image credits to heddels.com)

The brand’s commitment to recreating accurate representations of heritage is evident by its careful selection of fabrics, construction, and color. With the use of leather, fringe, and Navajo style patterns, he conveyed this vintage feel with ease. One of the true embodiments of Western workwear is blue denim; the denim line in this collection is coveted with each pair being cut and sewn from the meticulously created East-West denim, making the Slim Fit Selvedge Jean a fan favorite. The pant has a five pocket construction and can range from mid to low rise with a button fly and leather waist patch. A rare feature of this denim is that it offers three options for inseam- length, allowing buyers to choose their perfect fit.

Today, Ralph Lauren is still headquartered in New York with over $2 billion in annual revenue. The story of its creation is truly a rags to riches display of the American dream; he took his ideas from a small drawer in Manhattan to the drawers of clothing lovers all around the globe. Though Lauren himself is no longer the brand’s CEO, for 48 years he was the driving creative force behind his beloved fashion house that made the prep aesthetic a cornerstone in the fashion community. Let’s all be sure to pull on our boots and polos to commemorate this golden anniversary the right way and for a little more inspiration, head over to our collection to get 20% off Western styles for this weekend only!

The Initial Purpose for Sunglasses 

Sunglasses were not created for the fashion purposes that they serve today - that is just what they evolved into. Initially, they were created for those in the military as a shield from the sun. New designs and shapes of the lenses were being created to explore new ways to stay safe from the sun. The U.S. Army Air Corps commissioned optical specialists Bausch & Lomb (B&L) to create another type of sunglasses. They were to produce one that protects pilots from high altitude glares. That challenge was solved by creating and perfecting a particular dark green lens tint that consumed light in the yellow band spectrum. 

Publicizing Sunglasses 

The special B&Ls are now known as aviator sunglasses, a very common type of sunglasses. At first, they were not available to the general public to purchase. Only one year later they became available to the general public to purchase. 

Now comes the fashion part to sunglasses. Sunglasses became incredibly popular ever since they were publicly available. Nearly everyone wanted sunglasses because they were both practical and stylish simultaneously since the 1950s. More and more designs were being created to introduce more styles and more ways to wear sunglasses. 

The Big Trend 

Trend setters and fashion leaders began wearing sunglasses with uncommon styles. In the 1960s, they found if the glasses were dark heavy framed plastic glasses, it made men and women look younger. This was during the youthquake movement, so youth was fashionable. If glasses could give an illusion that one was younger, many would pick up on that trend. 

Color and shape was an important factor when it came to your glasses. 1960s frame and lense colors came in various pastels and primary colors. The trend was to wear glasses that matched makeup or an outfit. Some had trouble getting into the bizarre shapes and designs. 60s glasses frames included shapes such as the half moon, wrap around, horn rim, oval, octagon and Harelquin. Some other older styles were reestablished such as the thin retro round glasses. Granny glasses came back, which were old fashioned frames but with new colored lenses being worn by all ages. Mirror lenses made their way in fashion in the 60s too! While all were very fashionable, sometimes they were difficult to see in. However, fashionable glasses in the 60s were meant to look good and be seen, not necessarily to see adequately in. 

The Trend's Revival 

In fashion, we tend to repeat trends after so many decades. Today, the trend for retro sunglasses has returned and is making a large comeback. We are seeing 1960s - 1970s glasses all over again. Blogs and celebrities are reviving the trend even more so. Industry leaders are bringing back vintage styles more and more.