The United States Fashion Round Up

By Paige McKirahan

Following fast on the heels of the fashion week, we are traveling back to the United States this week just in time for the streets of New York to be overflowing with the most fabulous fashionistas from all over the globe. This fashion capital, along with the rest of the country, is the perfect playground for both street style aficionados and high profile designers alike, which will be illustrated at the helm at the first NYFW of 2019. Though it may feel like your timeline is saturated with subpar content from this out-of-this-world event, we are here to ensure you are following the best of the best when it comes to American brands and influencers. Read on to see who deserves all of the likes and reposts this season!

 

Julia Engel

 

This Charleston-based influencer created her blog, Gal Meets Glam, while in college and her chic style brought high-profile partnerships with brands like Tory Burch, Gap, and Coach. Her reach has only increased in the years since her blogs conception, so be on the lookout for her own fashion line launching sometime this year!

 

Nicolette Mason

 

 

This influencer is breaking fashion barriers with her funky style and disregard for industry norms. As co-founder of plus size brand Premme, this blogger is causing quite the stir among her 175k followers with her fun captions and unapologetic dedication to self-love.

 

Leandra Cohen

 

This influencer is an accessories lover after our own hearts; after the creation of her smash blog Man Repeller, she became an icon in the fashion world for encouraging women to wear what they love every day regardless of otuside opinion.

 

Madelynn Furlong

 

 

This Minneapolis turned LA-based blogger is a woman of many talents; in addition to running her blog Wide Eyed Legless, she provides her thousands of followers with runway-worthy outfit inspiration on Instagram daily!

 

Reese Blutstein

 

 

Reese Blustein, a 21-year-old influencer from Georgia, is taking the fashion world by storm with her twin sister Molly by her side. This Atlanta native specializes in indie, up and coming brands and details all of their fabulous pieces on her blog, Double 3xposure.

 

In addition to these amazing influencers, there are many brands being created right here in the United States that share our affinity for great accessories! Read on to see which American-made pieces  we are dying to get our hands on this year!

 

SVNR

 

 

Created by Christina Tung in Brooklyn, this jewelry brand's aesthetic is reminiscent of creations found in a preschool classroom. The fun, colorful pieces are all made from sustainable materials. An added bonus? They are all one of a kind!

 

Notte Jewelry

 

 

Jessica Say, the mastermind behind the Notte name, finds inspiration for her pieces when traveling between the two biggest fashion capitals in the world: New York and Paris. Her retro motifs and affordable prices make her a fan favorite, and we see her becoming one of Instagram's must-have brands this year!

 

Legier

 

Created right in LA, these Legier jewelry pieces are making waves in the world of Instagrammable accessories. The designer, who is a former art historian, uses their knowledge of design periods to ensure all of their jewelry feels like wearable fine art. 

Anita Berisha

Coming from humble DIY roots, this Pinterest-turned-couture brand can be seen on occupying shelves with the likes of Gucci and Balenciaga. Berisha's handcrafted pieces are classic and clean, appealing to jewelry lovers from all aesthetic backgrounds!

The Last Line

 

This jewelry brand knows how to catch an eye; their colorful, wild designs are sold by the piece and made for matching. A perfect mix of diamonds and all colors from the color wheel, The Last Line creates pieces worth breaking the bank for!

We hope that you have enjoyed travelling with us so far and have found new obsessions hailing from all around the globe in China, Australian, and the United States! If none of these have been your style, do not fear; stay tuned next week for our journey to the UK and Great Britain in search of even more fashion finds!

Sources:

A Voguish Valentine’s Day

By Paige McKirahan 

We all know that Valentine’s Day, the world's most beloved romantic holiday, is fast approaching as February 14^th is less than a week away! In the midst of your mad dash to find that perfect gift for your special someone in the name of St. Valentine, you may be left wondering: who is this Saint and why are we even celebrating Valentine’s Day in the first place? 

The history behind this day of love is somewhat mysterious; there are three martyred Saint Valentines that are recognized by the Catholic church and the stories surrounding them are all enigmatic, sharing the same emphasis on the saints’ empathy, heroism, and dedication to romance. The celebration of Valentine’s Day came on the heels of the saint’s popularity in England and France during the Middle Ages. This celebration first began as a festival and feast that most think was held in the middle of February in attempt to implement Christian ideals into the pagan celebration of Lupercalia. Lupercalia was a fertility festival dedicated to Roman gods Faunus, Romulus, and Remus. This festival began with Roman priests sacrificing a goat for fertility and a dog for purification in a sacred cave where infant Romulus and Remus were thought to have been cared for by wolves. They then took the goat's hides and dipped them into sacrificial blood, which was then used to gently slap women and crop fields to increase fertility. The women then placed all of their names into an urn for each of the city’s bachelors to pick out of, resulting in a pairing for the coming year that often ended in marriage.

 

Lupercalia celebration (source)

 

Despite the fact that Lupercalia was outlawed on the account of it being “un-Christian”, Pope Gelasius wanted to continue the celebration and declared February 14^th to be St. Valentine's Day at the end of the 5^th century. The association with love didn’t come until around the 1400s when the first written valentines began to appear. By the 18^th century, it was common for those across all social classes to exchange small gifts and notes with their loved ones to commemorate their affection for one another. 1900 brought the machine printed cards that began to replace handwritten notes as the preset messages made it easier to express one's emotions in a time where that was ultimately discouraged. Today, an estimated 145 million Valentine’s Day cards are exchanged this year, with women purchasing over 85% of those pieces.

 

Early Valentine (source) 

 

While this holiday tends to be all about romance, it is also one of the year’s best opportunities to dress up and wear what you love in celebration of the day of love! From heart motifs to a color wheel of red hues, Valentine’s Day fashion may be cliché for some, but we think it’s a fun way to bring a pop of color to the otherwise gloomy February weather. One of the most popular gifts given to commemorate the day (and one that lasts longer than chocolate or flowers) is jewelry; whether it is diamonds for your significant other or a fun new accessory for yourself, this holiday is a great excuse to grab that piece you’ve been debating about buying. While simple jewels in bracelets, rings, earrings, are necklaces are common when they are given as Valentine’s day gifts, this holiday’s accessories have a lot more to offer.

 

This jewelry buying sentiment didn’t come into play until the 1930s when Hallmark, the most famous greeting card company in the world, created a line of Valentine’s Day jewelry that took consumers by storm. Diamonds weren’t a popular choice until the 1980s, which means that costume jewelry prevailed and featured images like teddy bears, flowers, hearts, cupid, or other love-centric designs. Of course, most items are red and pink in tone, but some may go for a more edgy route and celebrate Valentine’s Day in black! If you’re stuck on what to gift to your loved ones (or to yourself!), check out our collections for some great gift-giving inspo!

 

Sources:

Paris Haute Couture SS19 Accessory Trends Spotlight

By Paige McKirahan 

It’s our favorite time of year again here at TalkingFashion; Instagram is full of the industry's it-girls and fashionistas are fabulously flaunting their Fashion Week looks as new,vibrant spring pieces are making their way down the runway! This week has been full of Paris Haute Couture fun with brands ranging from Chanel to Armani stunning the masses with their colorful, spring oriented collections that are making us beg for warmer weather! Taking your eyes away from the dazzling clothing designs may typically seem like an impossible feat, it is the fantastic finishing touches we can’t stop raving over for spring/summer 2019.

Dramatic headgear has been a fashion week stable for multiple seasons, and this week was no exception when Paris put the Haute in Couture with wide brim hats from Ralph & Russo; conical, beaded headpieces from Giorgio Armani; and floral fascinators from Giambattista Valli. Guo Pei went above and beyond with their headwear as they incorporated tree motifs, weaving branch like headbands through their model's hair. The best headwear of the week? Chanel and Dior take the crown with their sparkling swimming caps that stole the show when paired with their gorgeous gowns. 

 

From top: Armani, Dior, and Pei (source)

 

Statement bags, which tend to be another fashion week favorite, were once again sent down the runway in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors. Balmain boasted bowling ball motifs, while Armani and Schiaparelli gave us geometric couture that matched perfectly with their out of this world aesthetic. Possibly the most surprising of them all was the oversized backpack seen in Givenchy’s show; the bag, complete with a large bow addition, was designed by none other than Claire Waight Keller, the mastermind behind Megan Markle’s wedding gown!

 

Givenchy (source)

 

Nothing says haute couture like statement eyewear, and Paris delivered with precision as designers presented their wackiest eyepiece accessories on Parisian runways this week. In addition to the amazing headgear, we saw a multitude of eye netting to match with Dior’s circus-inspired collection. Face mesh was also seen in Antonio Grimaldi and Iris Van Herpen Collections, making their models look more like art pieces than people. Elie Saab proved that oversized eyewear is still in with their exaggerated, transparent designs that emulated futuristic glam. Arguably the most interesting accessory of them all was seen in Balmain's show as every model was sent down the runway with tiny sunglasses that were reminiscent of handheld binoculars commonly found in vintage horse racing photos.

 

 

From top: Iris Van Herpen, Balmain (source)

 

Now that you have seen our favorite accessory trends that Paris Haute Couture has to offer, what ones do you want to take home? If these pieces have you craving new spring looks fit for the Parisian runways, fear not! We have a great collection of pieces in all of these categories that are sure to elevate your spring wardrobe to a new level!

 

Sources:

Best accessories from Haute Couture Fashion Week SS19. (2019, January 24). Retrieved from https://www.standard.co.uk/fashion/accessories-haute-couture-fashion-week-paris-a4045791.html

N/A (2019, January 24). The Glitziest Accessories From Couture Fashion Week. Retrieved from https://www.elle.com/uk/fashion/g31889/best-jewellery-accessories-haute-couture-fashion-week/?slide=4

Fashion and Travels: English Hat Heaven

By Paige McKirahan 

 

All over the world, hats have seen their popularity and overall style fluctuate with market and consumer interest. One country that seems to be still be at the helm of the headwear frenzy after years of iconic hat moments is the United Kingdom. From the bowler to the fascinator, the British infatuation with all things hats has traditional roots that date back centuries. As a nation of self-proclaimed hat wearers, the accessory has been pivotal in defining class, gender, and occupation throughout for centuries. Long have they been associated with symbolic meaning, hats have seen a resurgence of popularity after the most recent Royal weddings have placed a spotlight back on millinery in a big way. 

The flat cap, which is one of England’s most iconic styles, can be traced all the way back to medieval times and became a subject of Tudor laws. An act of Parliament was even instituted stating that all males over the age of six had to wear a wool cap on Sundays and holidays; this became a requirement in 1571 and there was even a fine in place if they did not comply! The flat cap then became an icon of working class culture in the following centuries and prompted the birth of the bowler. Conceived in the Victorian Age, this style was a staple in the closet of the businessman after its practical construction quickly caught the eye of the public. There are many iconic wearers of this style like Liza Minelli and John Steed, but no one immortalized the bowler quite like Charlie Chaplin did when he made it a part of his famous ensemble!

 

Charlie Chaplin in a bowler (source)

 

The deerstalker is another essential British hat design that was made most popular by Sherlock Holmes. As the cornerstone of a Victorian gentleman’s hunting attire, this hat was not created for daily wear in the city and moving towards the Edwardian era, we saw millinery become widely prevalent in hat making. Designs became more elaborate and commonly featured decorative items like lace, birds, flowers, bows, and artificial fruits. Their grand design required the use of hatpins in order to secure their stance on the head, and they allowed women to sport their fabulous headwear even when they were out campaigning for women’s right to vote!

Moving into the 1940s, we saw the rise of the headscarf turban hat as women needed them to ensure their long hair would not get caught in machinery while working in factories. This turban style was a symbol of the war effort and lead to hats becoming an essential piece in the resurgence of Parisian haute couture. Though it seemed that hats would remain a classic accessory at this time, the rise of car ownership in the 1960s denounced the need for lavish headwear or utilitarian hats as they were no longer needed for weather protection or class demarcations.

 

A turban hat in action (source)

 

In the past decade, this British love for hat wearing has been revived with a new generation of Royals. Royal headgear has always been a staple in English culture, and thanks to the wedding of Prince William and Duchess Kate paired with the 300^th anniversary of the Ascot races, the hat’s classic status has been restored. Rachel Trevor-Morgan, who has been milliner to the Queen since 2006, has created hats for a multitude of royal events including The Queen’s 80^th birthday Service of Thanksgiving at St. Pauls and her Diamond Wedding Celebration. This amazing designer credits the Duchess of Cambridge to be a pioneer in hat wearing that will inspire wearers for years to come. Since her wedding, the Stockport Hat Works Museum, which is the only of its kind in the country, is peaking in popularity with their attendee’s headwear use even steadily increasing.

One hat-maker seeing great success is Piers Atkinson; his background working with Zandra Rhodes formed his eccentric style that can be seen on the pages of pivotal publications ranging from Italian Vogue to Tatler. His kitschy, eye-catching designs have been seen on the heads of Kate Moss and Dame Shirley Bassey, establishing himself as a classic contemporary designer with traditional techniques to match. Fred Butler is also seeing similar popularity with her hand-crafted pieces; as the granddaughter of a milliner, she has hat making in her genes and her skilled techniques are loved by the likes of Bjork and Lady Gaga. Hats off to Britain for having such a rich hat history, and we can’t wait to see how their style evolves over the next century!

 

Piers Atkinson Design (source)

Sources:

Magazine, B. (2013, June 17). History of hats. Retrieved from http://www.britain-magazine.com/features/history-of-hats/

Designer Spotlight: Christian Dior

 By Paige McKirahan

 

As a household name in both the fashion world and among creatives alike, Christian Dior was the obvious choice for our designer spotlight this week. This French couturier was born on the coast of Normandy in 1905 as one of five children born to a wealthy fertilizer manufacturer. He moved to Paris at the age of 5 and used his artistic inclinations to sell his sketches on the streets for small change. Though his parents hoped that he would become a renowned diplomat, he was adamant about pursuing his art, prompting his father purchased a small art gallery for him to take over after he completed school. The gallery held a variety of artistic works by artists like Pablo Picasso and tiny but mighty gallery saw small success. Despite this,  Christian was forced to close its doors in the wake of the Great Depression in 1929, the deaths of his mother and brother, and the demise of his father’s business. 

 

Christian Dior Art Gallery (source)

 

Following this event, Christian began working with fashion designer Robert Piguet and did so for around 10 years until he was chosen for military service in 1940. He served for two years and then went to work with couturier Lucien LeLong who dressed the wives of Nazi officers and French collaborators in order to preserve the industry’s economic and artistic prosperity. During this time, Christian was the primary designer at LeLong’s fashion house and worked alongside Pierre Balmain which, as you may have guessed, is the founder of the Balmain fashion house created in 1946.

After working with and under some of the industry’s most prevalent names, Christian decided he was going to found his own fashion house; in December 1946, he founded the house of Dior in Paris and was backed by Marcel Boussac, a cotton-fabric Magnate. Many say that the house was not truly open until 1947, which is when Christian debuted his first collection. 

 

New Look design from first Dior Collection (source)

 

This first collection, containing 90 different looks, was considered the pinnacle of the “New Look” as defined by US Harper's Bazaar magazine editor Carmel Snow. His designs were not aligned with the wartime fabric restrictions and featured calf length, full skirts, cinched waists, and fuller busts. The look garnered some criticism on account of its overall opulence, but it was this lavishness that allowed Paris to re-establish itself as a head player in the fashion world. 

His was an immediate success and was overwhelmed with orders from world-famous icons like Rita Hayworth and Margot Fonteyn. The British Royal family even invited Christian to have a private showing of his collection despite the fact that King George V barred young princesses Elizabeth and Margaret from wearing his controversial New Look pieces. After he became an established name in the industry, he established his ready-to-wear house on New York’ 5^th Avenue in 1948 as the first of its kind. His debut perfume line launched in 1948 as well with Miss Dior being his first fragrance, which was named after his sister.

 

 

Christian meeting Princess Margaret (source)

 

Not to be outdone by any of his counterparts, Dior was the first haute couture brand to license the production of its designs beginning in 1949. Christian realized that his New Look pieces worked hand in hand with one another and he along with his business partner Jacques Rouet saw the importance in licensing his name to an array of luxury accessories including furs, hats, stockings, and ties. This decision was met with great criticism as it was said to “cheapened the haute couture industry”. Regardless, his massive success with the endeavor inspired nearly all other couturiers to follow the same model.

In 1955, Dior hired 19-year-old Yves Saint Laurent as his design assistant and almost immediately knew that Laurent would be the one to succeed him at Dior. He told Laurent’s mother this at the age of 52 and she was quite confused about the remark until he suffered from a fatal heart attack in October of 1957 shortly after his meeting with her. His funeral saw over 2,000 attendees that included his staff and multitude of famous clients with the Duchess of Windsor at their head.

In the wake of Christian's death, Rouet appointed 21-year-old Laurent as the house’s artistic director in an effort to counteract the disarray caused by the event. He held the position until he was drafted and was succeed by Marc Bohan who defined a new era and silhouette for Dior that is known as the Slim Look. This modernized, sleek version of Christian’s iconic look proved to be a hit in the industry and he was an artistic director until 1989. Gianfranco Ferre followed him and then was replaced by John Galliano in 1997 as he was said to have a creative talent that aligned perfectly with Christian’s. Ferre and Galliano transformed the designs and Dior’s ready-to-wear lines shot up in popularity. Galliano’s name was plastered on headlines everywhere when fashion and philanthropic icon Princess Diana wore his first couture dress for the brand.

 

 

St. Laurent design for Dior, 1955 (source)

 

Galliano also was a pioneer in using branded logo motifs and he used that design to create his now iconic saddlebags that were in the hands of every it girl of the era. His brilliant work dazzles but also brought controversy, and he was eventually removed from his position after making anti-Semitic statements on film after a wild night out. Raf Simons then was appointed to the role of artistic director and was a great success from 2012 to 2016. After his departure, the decision surrounding who would succeed him was difficult but game-changing; Maria Grazia Chiuri, the former Valentino co-creative director, took over operations at Dior as the first female to hold the position. Her unapologetic approach empowers women and ensures the brands' success for years to come! We may not have any Dior in store, but we do have a great Saint Laurent piece sure to sate your designer appetite!

 

Sources:

Bannerman, S. L. (2018, July 19). The History of the House of Dior. Retrieved from https://theculturetrip.com/europe/france/articles/the-history-of-the-house-of-dior/

Sowray, B. (2017, August 23). Christian Dior. Retrieved from https://www.vogue.co.uk/article/christian-dior