Color and Fashion: Black and White

By Paige McKirahan

As a true classic color combination, black and white has been at the head of major fashion movements whether they be minimalist, sophisticated, or grungy. We typically associate black and white color palettes with more old school style and most certainly old Hollywood glamour; the presence of black and white film during times of high profile fashion events can prompt this association, even though the clothing itself could have been in color! 

This relaxed color palette, especially when it is applied to clothing, can set the tone for an entire look. It allows for stand out accessories or jewelry to pop more than ever, especially when accented with a brightly colored accent piece for contrast. Though it seems quite simple, it can add an edginess to a look that could not have been achieved with full color pieces. You can dress up these subdued hues with any type of accessories whether they be colored or colorless gems, coordinating black and white pieces, or wildly patterned accessories.

A lack of vibrant shades should not be a concern, as black and white works well in any context from a night at the ball or an afternoon at the coffee shop! Accessorize your look with some of our black and white jewelry, or amp up your black and white clothing with some of our more flamboyant pieces! Whichever way you decide to style this trend, you can be certain that your chicness will shine (even during this Halloween season!)

Color and Fashion: Pantone Colors

By Paige McKirahan

As the leaves outside are beginning to change, we here at TalkingFashion are feeling chromatic and decided that there is no better time to discuss the colorful hues of the fashion world! Though it may seem that the evaluation of color in this realm could be everlasting, the best place to start is with Pantone’s Color Trend Report! Every season, those at the Pantone Color Institute create a report covering the top colors seen making their way down the runways at New York Fashion Week for the upcoming season. As trends regarding hue found in fashion collections tend to be an indicator of color trends across all mediums of the design world, Pantone’s guide is an easy way to see the inside the minds of creatives. 

After evaluating the collections for Spring/ Summer 2019, we see a desire to look forward with empowering colors showing confidence, an uplifting spirit, and joy. The unexpected combinations show creativity and illustrate a cross between high fashion and street style that eclipses seasonality. The vibrant hues highlight authentic desires without overpowering design; read on to see the 12 colors and four neutrals in action as described by Pantone!

Neutrals:

(All credits to pantone.com)

Keep an eye on the blog this week for more discussions of color, pattern, and style in fashion! 

Creeping Into the World of Jewelry: The History of Insect Motifs

By Paige McKirahan

Over time, we have observed designers and innovators create pieces of art and fashion that reflect the interests of society. Given our long standing fascination with nature, it was only natural that insect motifs would crawl their way into the wild world of accessories. From using real insects to creating them out of diamonds and pearls, this aesthetic choice has been popular for centuries and it seems that it is here to stay.

As many common themes in jewelry do, the practice of incorporating insects in accessories has roots in ancient Egypt. Scarabs in amulets were widely popularized and most of the time, real scarabs would be used in the creation of these pieces. Butterflies, which are the most popular insects depicted in fashion, were incorporated into Egyptian bracelets as early as 2600 B.C. It has been said that wearing insect motifs has long been associated with the symbolism surrounding each of these arthropods. The cicada along with some variations of beetles and butterflies have positive attributes relating to immortality, rebirth, rejuvenation, longevity, and courage.

Why do we form these types of associations you ask? It could be attributed to the fact that we have been able to naturally or historically observe the lives of insects. Many go undergo the process of metamorphosis, where they grow and completely alter their appearance in different growth stages. Though ancient wearers of these designs may not have known about the science behind these transformations, they would have still noticed these obvious changes, influencing them to form the positive associations we are familiar with today.

As time soldered on, insects were incorporated into designs sporadically until they burst in popularity in the Victorian, Edwardian, Art Nouveau eras. Throughout these periods, natural themes were popular in all forms of art, from fashion to architecture. The emerging industrial era and romantic associations surrounding nature prompted the widespread use of insect motifs. Many featured depictions of moths, butterflies, and dragonflies, and were created from a variety of gems, pearls, and colored glasses.

Insects in fashion are still prominent themes in collections from Jeffrey Campbell to Betsey Johnson. Whether it be in ancient Egypt or the New York runways, we love the wild look of arthropods in jewelry here at TalkingFashion! Head over to our collection and search for your favorite bug-inspired pieces to accessorize any season!

Cameo Jewelry's Fine-Carved History

By Paige McKirahan 

When looking for accessories that seem to be tiptoeing the fine line between art and fashion, there is one piece that is sure to be found: the cameo. This jewelry features miniature reliefs that typically show a profile view of a woman’s face or a mythological scene, and have captured the hearts of many with their high sentimental value and impeccable craftsmanship. The name for the object has origins in Italy where it means “to engrave”; it is also said that the term was derived from the ancient Arabic word “khamea”, translating to “amulet”. Now that we know what the object is, let’s explore its rich history.

A tradition that began at the end of the 15^th century, cameos were first widely popularized by Queen Victoria and featured women’s profiles carved in sea shells, which is a practice that is still favored today. Despite this romantic evolution, the decorative jewelry piece has not always been a feminine accessory. In fact, they have been favored by men throughout history and this fondness began nearly 300 years prior to the birth of Christ. In ancient Egypt, carving reliefs into rock were used to record significant events in history as far back as 15,000 B.C. Cameos of this era frequently featured depictions of ethical values or made a statement about faith and loyalty.

Since the conception of this genre of jewelry, it has had a variety of uses throughout history. In early Greece and Rome, many carvings featured mythological creates, attractive women, or biblical events. The Hellenistic era saw young women using cameos to express their romantic desires; these pieces commonly depicted a relief of a dancing Eros as an invitation for seduction. The Renaissance brought these motifs to the attention of Pope Paul II and it is said that his love of the piece contributed to his death as his extensive collection of cameos kept his hands and body so cold that he ultimately froze.

In addition to their use as military accessories, they were also collected by women in the Elizabethan period to prove cultural status and serve as a souvenir for their travels (specifically to the newly discovered Pompeii). Even Napoleon became enchanted by the creation; he wore one to his own wedding and even founded a school in Paris dedicated to teaching the art of cameo carving.

Cameo showing Napoleon and his bride c. 1810

(image credit to pinterest.com)

Cameos are made from a variety of materials, but in order to tell if they are authentic and not made of plastic, you can expect them to be carved out of the following:

Carnelian Shells:

As the most frequent shell used for cameo carving, this material is low intensity with colors in peach and orange tones.

Sardonyx Shell:

With a thicker outer wall and dark brown interior, this shell can resemble marble when carved. The cameos in these shells tend to cost more because of their rarity, and they are distinctive in color with a white foreground starkly contrasting the darkness.

Mother of Pearl:

Best set in silver, mother of pearl cameos customarily are opaque with a bluish-grey color.

Agate:

Agate cameos are blue or green in color and have a more modern look, despite the fact that this material has been used to create this piece for centuries. 

(Above photo credits to thecameocollection.com)

If these materials aren’t easily recognizable, you can check the authenticity of your piece by observing the cameo’s appearance. Ones made in plastic are typically thicker than shells, so if they are real, they should be slightly transparent. You can also check for cracks as shells are fragile and are susceptible to damage if not cared for properly. Checking the carvings is another easy way to differentiate between plastic and real, raw material as those carved in shell should have fine markings whereas plastic is more smooth. For cameos of all types, check out our collection for brooches, rings, necklaces, earrings and bracelets that are sure to add a romantic touch to any fall look!

Magnifying the History of Binoculars

By Paige McKirahan

As a direct descendent of the telescope, binoculars are a little bit more portable; whether you need a close look at a sporting event or are trying to see some big game in the woods, the functionality of binoculars are unmatched. The question we are posing, though, is how this steampunk-approved device came into circulation. 

Though the birth of the telescope is seen as somewhat of a mystery in the realm of history and science, Hans Libbershey is the first to be credited with the invention. The Holland based spectacle-maker was the first to attempt obtaining a patent for the star-gazing instrument in 1608, making it widely known regardless of his connection to its creation. Galileo Galilei, the great Italian scientist, introduced the device to astronomy in the following year; he used it be the first to see craters on the moon, as well as sunspots, Jupiter’s moons, and Saturn’s rings. This telescope begun an astronomical revolution and consisted of two lenses: the objective and the eyepiece. The objective were the convex lenses and the concave lenses at the eye-facing end were dubbed the eyepiece

Two of Galileo’s first telescopes

(image credit to pinterest.com)

These lenses allowed Galileo to magnify objects up to thirty times, but a major design flaw regarding back draw gave the telescope a very narrow field of vision, forcing the user to constantly move the device when viewing details in the distance. Looking to combat this flaw, Johann Voigtlander did so by creating the first set of binoculars, affectionately known as Galilean binoculars, in the 1820s. After he managed to repair the back draw issue, he also added eye tubes, which are used to better focus images.

Galilean binoculars

(Image credit to Wikipedia.com)

This style was extremely popular for the next three decades in the theatre, social events, and outdoor activities. They were often detailed with pearls, silver, gold, bone, or colored leather and were modified to resemble fancy glasses used at the opera. In 1854, though, a new type of binoculars took hold of the public; Italian optician Ignazio Porro’s innovative Porro Prism binoculars had a wider range and were better performing than their predecessor, making Galilean styles almost obsolete. From then on, inventors and innovators continued developing new binocular designs, ultimately shaping them into what they are today. Steampunk connoisseurs and sportsman alike love the instruments, with the former being more so interested in vintage, rustic styles. The creation of the piece and the overall look fits perfectly into the steampunk aesthetic and allows those dressing in the style to display their love for innovation.

Opera glasses and steampunk binoculars 

(image credits to pinterest.com)