Festival Style: Coachella Essentials

By Paige McKirahan

As temperatures heat up and summer music begins to flood our all of our Spotify feeds, many have the season’s upcoming festivals on the mind. From Governor’s Ball to Lollapalooza, the warm weather also brings festival style that is wild, bohemian, and full of fashion forward aesthetics. In honor of Coachella, one of the most iconic annual festivals that the United States has to offer, we wanted to check out some of the best festival accessories that the industry has to offer! This musical event’s two weekends of fun make for many Instagrammable moments, so read on to see how we here at TalkingFashion would accessorize our festival fits to stand out in a sea of flower crowns!

Cool Sunglasses 

Stylish sunnies top our list as one of the most necessary festival accessories for reasons we feel are quite obvious. Protecting your eyes from the sun and accessorizing your festival fit to perfection can be done in one foul swoop using a great pair of cool girl frames. Never miss a moment of the fun blinded by the sun! 

Hands-Free Bags

Keeping track of all of your items in a large crowd of people may seem like a daunting task, but with the help of a hands-free bag, all of your stuff will be safe and secure! Carrying around a cross body bag is another great alternative, but with a fanny pack secured tightly around you waist, you’ll never have to worry about losing the bag itself along with all of its contents!

Western Motifs 

Western-inspired looks are extremely common at summer festival events, so why not participate in one of the season’s hottest trends and add a little western flair of your own into your festival fashion fits? Large belt buckles, cowboy hats, fringe, and turquoise are all easy ways to incorporate this cowboy aesthetic into any outfit without looking like you came right from an episode of West World!

Scarves, Scarves, and More Scarves

We have seen a huge headscarf revival this spring season, and we think that scarves are a great way to take any outfit to the next level in one easy step! Whether you choose to tie one around your neck or use one a way to keep your hair from flying in the Valley winds, a scarf is sure to be one of the “it” festival accessories for summer 2019.

Long Necklaces

When it comes to what jewelry compliments bohemian festival style the most, I always look for long, stackable necklaces to bring the heat! This style can make you look as if you an accessories aficionado without much effort and can offer a pop of color to a light, flowy fit.

What is your favorite festival accessory? If you love any of the ones above, click on the photo to buy just in time for festival season to go into full swing! Happy fest fun, TalkingFashion readers! Remember to wear what you love, everyday (and wear you best to Coachella Valley this weekend!)

Designer Spotlight: Mandana Mani

By Paige McKirahan

In the wake of our discussion regarding the top influencers of 2018, we were left wondering if there are any designers that use their platform to operate their own store (similar to our model!) After some research, we came across the fabulous Mandana Mani; this Iranian fashion designer born on January 12th, 1978 (Happy Birthday Mandana!), hails from Tehran and is the owner and creator of her namesake clothing brand, Mandana Mani. Mani posts her contemporary, classic designs on her Instagram account to over 300,000 followers almost daily and invites them to contact her where they can purchase the clothing directly as her pieces are exclusively sold online.

Her Instagram is vibrant and appealing as her stories feature great style inspiration that go hand in hand with her personal designs! Working as her own model, she commonly posts product photos of her wearing her pieces as part of a full outfit, giving the viewer a great idea of how the piece is tailored. She also is active on Telegram, where she frequently posts photos and videos of her clothing to supplement her Instagram feed. Her designs are mostly revolve around outerwear and she makes stylish coats for every season and gender.

Though she is very private about most aspects of her life, we do know that she is a lover of fashion and Jennifer Lopez. She also commonly pairs her beautiful outfits with a variety of colorful headscarves, making her a woman after our own hearts. This elusive fashion mogul was the obvious choice for our spotlight this week because as fellow online business owners and lovers of all things fashion, we could relate to her boss lady ethic! To see more of Mandana and her designs, check her out on Instagram at @mandanamani!

Sources:

Editors. (2018, December 5). Who is Mandana Mani? Everything You Need to Know. Retrieved from https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/mandana-mani-43076.php

The SS ’19 Scarf Revival

By Paige McKirahan

Is the impending cold weather giving you the winter blues before the season has even begun? Are you already scrambling to find gifts for your friends, whether they be fashion experts or trend amateurs? Scramble no longer, TalkingFashion readers; we have a wide collection of the one of the best spring 2019 trends that are sure to wow everyone on your list. As we have finally reached the conclusion of Fashion Month, bloggers and high profile magazines alike have begun to rounding up of the most prominent accessories seen gliding down runways this past September. They all have one favorite in common: the scarf. Across the globe, designers seemed to adore scarves whether they be fashioned into bags, wrapped around heads or even sewn together to make clothing.

In Paris, designers took scarf design to a new level when prints and fabrics commonly used for the accessory were instead fashioned to create clothing. Chloe loved the trend and attached long, flowing scarves to belts, giving us superhero chic with her feminine collection. Marine Serre and Ottolinger also boasted scarf like designs as many pieces in their collections emulated classic scarf motifs with ease. The bright colors, flowing silhouettes, and expressive patterns were visually stimulating and offered a new take on the classic aesthetic.

Ottolinger and Chloe SS’19

(photo credit to accessoriesmagazine.com)

Though runways in Paris boasted versatile ways to wear scarves, the most popular use for these fantastic pieces seemed to revolve around the head. Though it may appear that head-covering accessories are some of the most divisive in the fashion community, it is clear that designers agree that this long standing trend is here to stay. Tom Ford and Michael Kors alike featured a wide variety of head wraps with color palettes ranging from minimalistic chic to vibrant couture. Kate Spade’s SS ‘19 collection is quite possibly the most scarf filled of them all as almost every single model strutting down her runway was adorned with the fabric pieces around their neck or their heads. Whether you’re looking to accessorize your hair in style or simply elevate a look with ease, scarves offer a fashionable option that even the style amateurs in your life can rock!

Michael Kors, Tom Ford, and Kate Spade SS ‘19

(Image credits to elle.com)

Paris Fashion Week SS’19 Accessories Trend Spotlight

By Paige McKirahan

Hello, fashion week aficionados! As a month of fabulous spring and summer fashion is finally coming to a close, we wanted to take some time to discuss the biggest trends on the Paris runways to conclude our fashion week series. Paris Fashion Week, beginning on September 24^th and ending October 2^nd, stunned with styles that emulated popular trends from New York, London, and Milan. Single statement earrings reigned in Balmain and Loewe’s shows, with oversized silver and feather-adorned pieces perfectly accompanying their flowing silhouettes. Off-White showed their appreciation for the neon trend with bright green accessories complimenting the white, athletic inspired designs.

Balmain and Off-White

(photo credit to elle.com)

The tropical aesthetics that dominated in New York were a favorite in Paris as well, with Ottolinger taking island motifs and creating a surfer inspired show that boasted chain link bags and colorful scarves that seem as if they washed up from another world. Transparent lucite pieces stole the show as Anrealage and Balmain went back to the ‘80s to create clear bangles, bags, and dramatic chandelier inspired headpieces. Scarves and classic prints were a favorite of the Marine Serre show, as their eclectic line also boasted spherical novelty bags and transparent wearables. Metals were coveted in Milan and it seems that their popularity was only heightened in Paris as Saint Laurent used shiny accents in everything from belts to eye masks.

Anrealage, Balmain, and Marine Serre

(image credits to accessoriesmagazine.com)

People that claim that everything is bigger in Texas have obviously never seen a show on the Paris runways; towering headpieces from Rick Owens and elongated necklaces from Gucci illustrates our love for all things oversized. If you’re not a fan of the tiny sunglasses trend that has overtaken the fashion industry, many designers seem to share your sentiment as they are beginning to move back to the classic bug-eyed look. Paris undoubtedly showed our love for excess as bangles stacked to the elbow and rings on every finger were staples in Dries Van Noten and Chloe shows. The only thing that seemed to be downsized in Paris were the bags; tiny clutches and wearable pouches were all the rage in lines all week long. Now that we have covered the trends from all over the globe in of one fashion’s favorite months, what were your favorites? Luckily, you don’t have to travel far to find them; check out our collection for some of the hottest spring and summer trends that are just a few clicks away!

Chloe, Loewe, and Rick Owens

 (image credit to elle.com)

The Resurgence of Opulence and Femininity in the 1950s

By Paige McKirahan

As society was finally on the road to recovery in post World War II and Great Depression America, fashion began to reflect this return to the norm as it exploded into new directions and silhouettes. In 1947, Christian Dior created ‘The New Look’ collection, which the first from the couture house and his first as a designer. The goal of the line was to revive France’s international fame in the fashion industry and it was wildly successful; Dior’s excess use of fabric and extremely womanly forms were a refreshing change from the rationed simplicity we became so familiar with in the 1940s.

He was extremely fond of the feminine motifs used in the ‘30s and they were easy to bring back into circulation as women were greatly encouraged to fulfill their roles as beautiful, well-dressed homemakers. Influenced by Victorian era silhouettes, skirts became full and busts were padded to create tiny waists in shorter, sexier styles. Despite the fact that this collection was released in the late ‘40s, it became a huge inspiration for ‘50s fashion and set the tone for the decade’s biggest trends.

Dior’s ‘New Look’

(photo credit to harpersbazaar.com)

Fundamentally, the 1950s were a time of conformity and modesty. Women’s appearances were directly correlated to their husband’s success, causing them to spend more time shopping and updating their closets with the latest fashions in order to appear affluent. There were two main dress types popularized in this era: the swing dress and the pencil dress. The swing dress featured a full skirt and the pencil was a form fitting sheath style. Both had cinched waists are were shin length, but the sheath style was impractical to wear around the house as it didn't allow for much movement. Housedresses were full- skirted and simple in cotton, with shorter sleeves and collars. If a woman had errands to run, she could wear her housedress out and spice it up with matching accessories and a pair of heels rather than flats. Evening and cocktail dresses were glamorous and made of rich fabrics including silk, satin, lace, velvet, and chiffon.

 1950s day dresses

(image credit to vintagedancer.com) 

Skirts were full and commonly made of one large round piece of fabric, dubbing them 'circle skirts'. Fluffy petticoats were worn beneath them to add volume and some were pleated at the waist to give an added fullness. Pockets were common and were either hidden on the sides or adorned on the front as an added statement piece. Poodle skirts are quite possibly one of the most iconic styles to come out of this period, though they were not popular as we assume them to have been.

Jewelry in the ‘50s was clean, colorful, and ornate; as spending power increased in this decade, costume jewelry flourished and gave women the opportunity to coordinate their outfits with accessories effortlessly. Some novelty designs and patriotic motifs were still popular, but they were eventually replaced by classic shapes and colors that were easier to pair with clothing. Expanding on this desire for cohesiveness, many women wore matching sets of jewelry, which were commonly referred to as parures. At the beginning of the decade when pierced ears were not socially acceptable, ear clips reigned and were gem-laden and oversized.

Pearls enjoyed a huge boom in popularity as their chicness paired beautifully with the feminine styles of the time. Yellow- toned and rose gold was the favored choice, along with the synthetic plastic Lucite. Lucite played a huge role in jewelry innovations of the period and prompted the creation of the jelly bean pin; this style of pin was quite small and Lucite was crafted into tiny cabochon balls to form the belly part of the animal design. Trifari and Coro were both huge names in the jewelry industry as they produced the increasingly popular costume jewelry and were the largest manufacturers in the American market.

Clip on earring featuring pearl and gold accents

(photo credits to vintagedancer.com)

Small hats were worn by mature women in this time period, typically made of felt and adorned with flowers, feathers, or bows. Pill box hats, berets, plate hats, and the cloche popularized by Audrey Hepburn were all prominent styles and were created to sit delicately on the head as to not compress the hair. Hair flowers were a famous alternative to hats and were integral to the pin-up look. Scarves tied around the entire head or worn as a headband also accompanied the Rockabilly aesthetic and emphasized the hair flip style. One barely left the house without a pair of gloves, and matching them to hats and purses was a popular practice. Purses tended to be smaller and hobo styles were iconic, along with novelty bags made of unusual materials.

After two decades of rationing and longstanding economic turmoil, the 1950s was a period of overwhelming optimism and change. Dior completely altered the fashion world with his debut collection and pushed the trends of the era towards femininity and opulence. We see accentuated waists come back into style and the rise of more traditional values prevail, which greatly influenced industry trends. If this has inspired you to emulate this iconic era’s style, head over to our collection to check out some vintage pieces that are sure to give you that ‘50s feel!