Fashion triumphs over war: History of New York Fashion Week

May 30th, 2011 admin

Fashion shows began in America as the result of a fashion emergency: the terrifying realization that work in the French couture ateliers could very well come to a standstill because of French involvement in World War I. In August 1914, Vogue’s editor-in-chief, Edna Woolman Chase, personally witnessed couturiers Paul Poiret, Monsieur Doeuillet, and Jean and Jacques Worth in uniform, headed off to war. (Always in Vogue, Chase, p. 117) At the time, fashion was rooted in Paris, and without French designs to buy or copy, as Mrs. Chase envisioned it, there would be no fashion in America and therefore nothing to fill the pages of Vogue. Ever vigilant, she took the situation into her own hands and came up with the idea of the “Fashion Fête,” a fashion show of American designers.

The first hurdle was that there were actually few known American designers in 1914. There were dressmakers, who usually copied French designs, and importers of French designs, but very few Americans designing originals in the United States. Chase went to the best merchants, including Bendel’s and Bergdorf’s, and the top dressmakers with her idea for a fashion show and asked them to put things together to be displayed. She then filled her Fashion Fête committee with New York’s best-dressed socialites.  This committee would tackle editing the clothing choices (which were then re-edited by Mrs. Chase). (Ibid, p.123)

 

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The Wide Varieties of Lilies

June 16th, 2011 admin

The variety of lily textures and shapes make it one of the most popular flower types, and the diversity of colour patterns is thanks to their hybridization over time. They can be one solid colour, or they can feature spots that become more numerous toward the centre of the flower. Some lily hybrids are even more striking in colour, with the two parts contrasting one another. On some flowers, the outer part is light and the inner part is darker, or vice versa.

The following are four popular divisions of the lily flower.

 

Longiflorum: These lilies are more commonly used as cut flowers rather than as garden flowers since they tend not to be as hardy as other lilies. Typically these lilies are white trumpet-shaped flowers, often used in wedding bouquets.

Oriental: These flowers are also popular as cut flowers. They come in a variety of colours, although one of the most well-known versions of the oriental lily is one with a white and pink combination, sometimes freckled with dark-coloured spots.

Martagon: These hybrids are an interesting type of lily whose flowers actually face downward. Because these blooms can thrive in areas with a moderate amount of shade, they are often grown in wooded areas of a garden. It can take some time for them to become established, but once they do, they can flourish for years.

Asiatic: These lilies are probably the easiest to grow, and of all the classifications of lilies, they are also the most diverse in colour, ranging from white or light pink to deep plum colours.

 

Sending a bouquet of these delightful blooms has never been easier with the Internet companies like aryanflorist.com, you can take your pick online for lilies and send flowers to India, the U.K., the U.S. , or wherever your loved ones live.  The above mentioned flowers are also popular in gardens since many lily hybrids can be easily grown and enjoyed for many years.

 

 

 

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Latest Fashion and Swimwear for the Beach

May 30th, 2011 admin

When the weather warms up and everyone is ready to head out on holiday or for a cruise, it is time to pick up some great swimwear before all the best selection is sold out—there is a diverse array of choices ranging from simple one-piece suits to designer bikinis. Best of all, the variety in selection means that there is a swimsuit out there to flatter every figure.

Even basic one-piece women’s swimwear is more daring as of late, with plunging necklines and halter tops that draw the eye upward for women who want to divert attention from their hips or stomach. There is even the keyhole style, which already includes a low neckline and has another hole just below the neckline, revealing a small part of the stomach.  The latest, trendy and stylish range of swimwear from Cocolush online bikini shop is now available for Spring/Summer 2011.

One of the most recent ladies’ swimwear fashion trends is the cut away swimsuit. These are really interesting swimwear choices because they are so diverse in the ways that the swimsuit is cut. Some are perfectly symmetrical, with a thin strip of fabric going between the top and bottom and cutting away at both sides, while others cut away on just one side.

It is unlikely that the two-piece suit will never go out of style, but the fashions are constantly changing: today’s latest bikinis include an assortment of separates, such as halter tops, bandeaus, and boy shorts. If you are planning to put together separates that do not necessarily match one another, the best way to coordinate is to choose one solid and one print—for example, a solid top with a striped bottom. Two different print types for the top and bottom, such as a tropical print top and a striped bottom, can clash even if the pieces are similar in colour.

Along the same lines, some designer swimwear companies sell mix-and-match pieces for a specific type of swimsuit. Each piece is the same colour or print, but the cuts are different. For example, if you want boy shorts and a halter bikini top, then you can choose those two rather than having to settle for a two-piece suit that does not have the top or bottom that you prefer.

Choosing a fashionable and flattering swimsuit can be overwhelming given the amount of choices available, but by knowing the latest fashions in swimwear, you can get a good idea of where to start in your search.

 

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