Doe Eyed Belle

Hey guys, so it has been a while since I have posted a Fashion Ed topic, so I want to get back to posting those at least once a month and this month I wanted to talk about Sweat Free Brands. "Sweat free" means that the item was not made in a workshop or factory where the workers are subjected to dangerous and poor working conditions and low wages.  For anyone who is attempting to purchase ethically made items, you may think you are limited in your choices. Some usually resort to thrift shopping or making their own clothing, but most of us will not resort to those measures right away. Myself for instance, I try to shop at retailers who are trying to become more ethically responsible and who at least have their sustainability/ethic clauses or reports available for the public to see.  Here are a few brands that are sweat free: 1. American Apparel Sleeveless Crop Top Mostly known for their risqué advertising, American Apparel offers sweat free clothing...

Another great option for disposing of garments and clothing items, in addition to giving them to charities, is taking them to your nearest H&M where they will be recycled. Over 95% of garments that end up in landfills can be recycled, so with Zero Waste being the goal, the items that are to worn and torn to be reused will be recycled and turned into raw materials and new products.  They even donate to local charities for every 2.2 pounds they receive. This is why I throw my money at H&M and other similar retailers because of initiatives like this. Visit  Long Live Fashion  for more information. -Desi

Because today is Earth Day, I thought it would be a great opportunity to talk about Sustainability in the fashion industry. So what does sustainable mean: Sustainable - of, relating to , or being a method of harvesting or using a resource so that the resource is not depleted or permanently damaged. Sustainable Fashion - also called eco fashion , is a part of the growing design philosophy and trend of sustainability, the goal of which is to create a system which can be supported indefinitely in terms of environmentalism and social responsibility. Ecouterre.com  or Eco Fashion World  are great resources to learn more about sustainable fashion and the textile industry. With that said, you can not talk about sustainability in the fashion industry and not mention the fast fashion culture and the  stigma that surrounds it.  Fast fashion is the production of garments, designed similar to those seen on fashion week runways and magazines,...

Pantone just announced  that the Pantone Color of 2014 is Radiant Orchid. "While the 2013 color of the year, PANTONE 17-5641 Emerald, served as a symbol of growth, renewal and prosperity, Radiant Orchid reaches across the color wheel to intrigue the eye and spark the imagination," said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute." An invitation to innovation, Radiant Orchid encourages expanded creativity and originality, which is increasingly valued in today's society." " An enchanting harmony of fuchsia, purple and pink undertones, Radiant Orchid inspires confidence and emanates great joy, love and health. It is a captivating purple, one that draws you in with its beguiling charm." Radiant Orchid's rosy undertones radiate on the skin, producing a healthy glow when worn by both men and women, A dazzling attention-getter, Radiant Orchid permeated the runways during the spring 2014 fashion shows and is al...

Today I want to discuss the theories of Fashion Flow: Downward, Horizontal, and Upward. You probably have heard these terms before but I want to go into further detail as to what they mean and the difference between them. Downward Flow Theory ( Trickle - Down) This theory is the most widely known and the oldest theory of fashion adoption. The basic definition in short-to be identified as a true fashion, styles must first be adopted by those at the top of the social pyramid, then the style is eventually accepted at the lower social levels. This theory assumes that there is a social hierarchy in which lower income people seek to identify with more affluent people. Because those at the top want to disassociate themselves with the lower social level, once the fashion or style has flowed to the lower social level, the upper classes will reject it and move on to the next new fashion. The phrase "that is so last season" comes to mind when I think of this theory. Ag...

This was by far one of my favorite scenes from the movie. Even though she is tearing Andy a new one, I completely understood everything Miranda was saying. I feel that she describes the fashion adoption  theory and a little bit of the trickle down theory perfectly.  From Miranda describing the color cerulean and  how it was presented in a collection of Oscar De La Renta's gowns to her stating that Andy fished her sweater out of a clearance bin, she nails it. I love this movie!

When a style or trend debuts, whether it's trying out a new BB cream or obtaining a pair of trendy cut out boots, when would you say it is that you catch on or adapt to a trend? The fashion adoption theory was one of my favorite theories to learn, as it tells you how a style or trend starts and ends. Fashion Adoption : A process on how an individual accepts and purchases a new fashion or a style. This Innovation Adaption Curve plots out the five categories and basically shows that with time, any new style or trends popularity rises and eventually fades. Innovation Adaption Curve There are five categories that describe how early a consumer adopts a new fashion compared with others: Fashion Innovators, Fashion Opinion Leaders, Mass Market Consumers, Late Fashion Followers, and Fashion Isolates and Laggards. Tartan is trending right now, so I feel that it would be a great example to follow. Fashion Innovators Yves Saint Laurent-Metro.US Consumer...

When I hear the word fashion I immediately conjure up images from the pages of fashion magazines (duh) and replay scenes from  The Devil Wears Prada  and  Clueless  ( don’t judge me) in my head. From there I start thinking about the clothes I wear and wonder if it would be considered “fashionable” and start questioning my sense of style and on and on. After all of that pondering, i am left asking myself: what is fashion/style really? Well ,here is what I got. The term  Fashion  by definition is: A popular style or practice that is accepted by a majority of a group. So right now I can say that the Peplum, is in fashion(believe me you’ve seen it everywhere) because it is popular right now and widely accepted, but fashion is not just for the apparel industry alone. ASOS Dress Automobiles and appliances are also fashion items( e.g., blenders that come in a multitude of colors). Almost every product sold is influenced by fashion and it is the cust...