Thursday, June 28, 2007

Hair Special 3: LONG DISTANCE

Runway: The fashionistas' love affair with long hair - the longer the better at Luella, Versace et al - is back on track. Worn sleek, straight and most importantly swingy - not ironed into submission - or layered and in loose semi-waves, this look is at its most directional when draped over one shoulder and combined with a centre parting.

Reality: Incorporating a slightly off-centre parting is more flattering than the ramrod straight variety for those not blessed with perfect model girl features. Regular trims are essential to keep very long hair from looking like rats' tails.


Over the shoulder
Poker-straight lengthy locks, like these flaunted at ES are big news this season, good news for Gwyneth Paltrow, who has been sporting this look for years.



Like Gwyneth, Nicole Kidman knows that poker-straight lengthy locks are both simple and effective - and the over-the-shoulder look was everywhere on this season's catwalks, as shown here at Bendelisi.


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Diesel's Holographic Fashion Show



The audience were stunned during Diesel's show for Spring/Summer 2008 last week in Florence, Italy. Giant aquatic creatures from the deep, snaking robots made from watches and one man submarines were among many other things never before seen on the catwalk leave the audience in awe and open mouths.

The ‘liquid space’ concept for the collection brought life during the 17 minute show. This is the first time that holograms have been projected along a traditional catwalk, being visible from both sides, and the first to combine both real and holographic models in a fashion show.

Watch the video and check out the part where a shoal of fish tranforms itself into a model - this got one of the biggest reactions from the crowd!



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Old Navy Fall 2007

Quite surprisingly, Old Navy has some really cute stuff coming up for Fall '07. I don't have a lookbook yet, but you can check out this ad, which actually isn't super annoying.
Or, you can just click on their outfits for deets. Their hooded fleece coats and swing trenches are absolutely adorable. I'm also hoping they actually will carry those tights in those colors shown on the models.

Congrats, Old Naves. You've come a long way from shapeless, too-short T-shirts.

Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Wearable Fashion Trends 14: Artisan-Look

This summer maybe the perfect time to face fear and unravel a grown-up take on the 1960s homespun aspect. Wherever you look, fashionistas are going gaga over folklore- from mismatched prints and patchwork dresses to embellished smocks, slouchy fringed totes, raffia sandals and wooden heels. You've got to know how-to-wear these new look.


Runway: Bring out your inner artisan look with contemporary basics - think skinny jeans, fitted pants, city shorts and blazer.

Reality: Tightly belt a loose printed blouse for a more body-conscious feel. Always remember to balance patchwork fabrics with sleek indigo denim or black. Don't forget that heavy heels ground anything too billowing. To wrap it up, keep hair and make-up simple when wearing eclectic prints.

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Paris' Freedom Fashion


We've seen her went into jail and just a few days ago we've also seen her went out. Now, she's in the spotlight again because style experts are analyzing Paris Hilton's more natural, post-prison look.



The difference between the Paris we saw strolling out of prison with a little spring in her step and a snappy spring ensemble was a far cry from the handcuffs and sweatpants we saw just over two weeks ago.

Click here to know what the experts sat on Paris' post-prishion fashion statement from hair to heels!

R.I.P Liz Claiborne!

R.I.P. Liz Claiborne, godmama of women's career/casual/ better sports- and resortwear!

Lucky Charms: Have Some!

Having a bad day? Don't just pout, get lucky with these lucky charms.



Evoking the hedonistic mood of a lazy summer's day. Zoe & Morgan's "What's up Rockers" collection is brimming with light hearted bird, wing and cloud motifs. Made of glistening gold and silver, these soulful jewels will perk up the most pared-down ensemble into a striking statement of style. The long pendants add easy cool to sun-dresses and give a rock 'n' roll lift to your evening gown.

Work you charms now...

1. Bird and tassel necklace- Gold plated silver long necklace with smoky quartz crystal stones. It has a bird and cloud pendant towards base with a tassel on the very bottom and slips on over the head.

2. Cloud pendant necklace - Gold plated silver circle link necklace with cut-out cloud pendant. It has a single designer emblem link and simply slips on.

3. Clutched wing pendant necklace - Gold plated silver necklace with wing-shaped pendant at base. It has a small clutched fist above the wing pendant and slips on over the head.

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Tuesday, June 26, 2007

2007 BET Awards: Kudos

Yesterday, was a regular Dreams reunion at the 2007 BET Awards. Onscreen girl group mates Beyoncé Knowles and Jennifer Hudson each won a leading two awards, a common tally for a kudosfest that spreads the love among hip-hop, R&B, sports and movie stars.

Beyoncé, who shook it like a Polaroid picture during her gold-suited performance of "Get Me Bodied," was named Best Female R&B Artist. She also took home the first award of the night, a Best Video win for "Irreplaceable."

Here's a rundown of the winners at the 2007 BET Awards:

  • Best Female R&B: Beyoncé
  • Best Male R&B: Ne-Yo
  • Best Group: Gnarls Barkley
  • Best Gospel Artist: Kirk Franklin
  • Best Hip-Hop Artist: T.I.
  • Best New Artist: Jennifer Hudson
  • Best Collaboration: "Runaway Love," Ludacris featuring Mary J. Blige
  • Video of the Year: "Irreplaceable," Beyoncé
  • Best Actor: Forest Whitaker
  • Best Actress: Jennifer Hudson
  • Best Male Athlete: LeBron James
  • Best Female Athlete: Serena Williams
  • BET J Cool Like That: Gerald Levert
  • Viewers' Choice Award: Birdman and Lil Wayne, "Stuntin' Like My Daddy"
  • Humanitarian Award: Don Cheadle
  • Lifetime Achievement Award: Diana Ross
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Fighting in the streets - The style of The Clash

The Clash

Having changed my mind over who to blog about first countless times over the last two days (actually weeks) the tossing and turning is over. In the end it had to combine my two favourite things: music and fashion. So let's start with the Clash.


Alex Michon Bernie Rhodes (the manager) said "There's gonna be a lot of fighting in the streets. Things are going to get rough so we're going to need clothes which are tough." Rhodes approached a number of fashion students to realise his vision of tough streetwear that looked great on stage. Rhodes chose Alex Michon (pictured left in a Clash shirt) who at the time was a 19 year old art student. Her successive waves of militaristic designs have ultimately defined the look of one of the most visually exciting bands. We can also see the influence contemporary influence with brands such as April 77 exploring similar ideas.


You would be misinformed to say that the Clash just wore what they were told to (never a good thing because you have to wear the clothes, not the other way around!). A key facet of their style was the individual inputs from the band members. Simonon (pictured left, and looking awesome!) for example during the early days designed Pollock influenced paint splashes on the clothes and shoes. It is unlikely that I would do that a whole outfit but splattering your accessories, such as tie/pocketsquare/bag would look great. Another example is Joe Strummer adapting the zip jacket designed by Michon and worn at their famous Rainbow gig (April 1977) by stitching a ripped up photo from the Notting Hill carnival onto the side. (I have hunted for images to illustrate these two points but alas i am empty handed so please just imagine it, or better still send me what you find!). What we can take from these examples is; be creative. Look at the clothes you buy and wear, make them yours. Rather than just buying a new item of clothing look at what you already have, can you adapt an old piece that has been sitting in the wardrobe unworn and give it a new lease of life? Currently my to do list involves tapering trousers, adding zips to jumpers and pockets and of course this will all be blogged about no matter how successful or otherwise.


Clash
Another part of their style mentality we like is the fact that the individual needs were taken into account for example Strummer had to have a little plectrum pocket inhis trousers and an inside pocket for the books that he always carried with him. At times too many people neglect their individual needs when thinking about the clothes they buy and wear. Granted, not everyone needs special pockets (even though they are cool) but thought about what we do in the clothes we wear has to have an influence on what we actually wear.


Overall when we think about what The Clash wore, we think of primary colours (with plenty of black), stencilled slogans/phrases and of course zips! I currently love black vintage leather biker jackets with a number of chunky zips but the hunt for one that fits as I want it to is proving hard. At the moment House of Holland-esque slogans (especially the typeface) are everywhere and to be honest I am a little tired of them but if witty and or interesting why not add one to an old t-shirt.

StrummerWe have only really touched on some of things we like, we don't want to bore you this early but it means we will return to this band! For us at Style Salvage clothes (although extremely important) are only one aspect of style. The Clash and in particular Joe Strummer provide ample material in discussions regarding how to style hair...but you will have to wait for that.

Totes Tuesday Cuters

K. Lotsa fun cutes pix for Tuesday, in ascending order of affordability. Lotsa Betsey Johnson, for some reason.


DRESSES
($19.99, Mossimo, Target.com)
Cute, and not OVERLY Denise Huxtable-boho.


($40, Drifter, TheArtofShop.net)
The photo is piss poor, but the dress is sorta cool.



($48, Nice Face, FredFlare.com)
Beyond cute, and another good poly-seasonal piece!


($187, Betsey Johnson)
OMG! Yellow puffy clouds = 2 cute 4 wrds!



($189, Betsey Johnson, Overstock.com)
OMGOMGOMG. I HEART this bow dress.



($216, T Bags, Polkadotsandmoonbeams.com)
Love the Pucci-esque colors and the Deco-esque design!


($282, Voom, Polkadotsandmoonbeams.com)
Torn between thinking this is cute because it's not too-too ethnicy, and wondering if it looks too much like a cheap futon cover.


($296, Alice & Trixie, Polkadotsandmoonbeams.com)
Probs my faves of the Polkadotsandmoonbeams dresses. Love the colors and silky appppeeeealll! Weeee!


($330, Betsey Johnson, Zappos)
Es muy elegante, no?



TOPS
($19, Hottopic.com)
This would be especially cute minus the studded belt and zebra hair.


($26, Drifter, TheArtofShop.net)
I'm not a HUGE graphic print fan (at least on Tees), but this is cute -- and cheap -- enough!


($32, Soundgirl, 80spurple.com)
The fact that the deer on this Soundgirl top are very tiny make the whole thing not too, well... dear.



($35, American Vintage, Theartofshop.net)
I'm a huge fan of this Paris brand, which I've found is hard to find in Los States. I like this top, though it sorta screams "Will bleed all over fucking everything in the wash" to me.


($40, Soundgirl, Amazon)
More cuteness from my beloved Soundgirl.


($115, Spring & Clifton, Azaleasnyc.com)
There hasn't yet been an instrument invented that could measure the amount of my love for this top.


OTHER STUFF
($24, Loyal Army, FredFlare.com)
Cuter than a day-old lil kitten crawling out of an upended olde-fashioned milk jug! And I love that it says "All Skate" and "Couples Skate" on it! Tee!


($35, Betsey Johnson)
Also muy elegante.


($44, Betsey Johnson, Amazon)
Loves the leops.


($95, People's Liberation, Theartofshop.net)
I would very much like to own these and wear them with the Spring & Clifton shirt, which I would also very much like to own.


($395, Michael Kors)
Despite my general disdain for black patent AND for large silver hardware, I actually really like these for reasons I still can't quite pinpoint.


... And... scene.

Manifesto

Style Salvage has evolved from two friends talking/obsessing/analysing about the way guys dress around us, driven by one of our favourite past times: people watching. However, our addiction has also been satisfied by images captured within all forms of popular culture. We often accept how modern figures within pop culture influence us but we want to show how icons of the past can also play a role in how we dress. One of the key themes of this blog will be to take certain ideas from what we see and evolve them into something more personal. Having spent years practising the above in private we now have the motivation to share our insights, ramblings, grievances and celebrations with you. Why now? Well, we now live apart, one in Manchester whilst the other is in London...so to avoid huge phone bills we needed to find a cheaper avenue to air our musings and Style Salvage is it. Consequently rather than just two people going mad hopefully a few more of you can join in.

We have been influenced by many of the fashion blogs out there but primarily by thesartorialist, who is everything we want to be when we grow up (yes we know we're probably meant to be grown ups by now). However, as a whole within this arena men's style is neglected but it will be neglected no more.

Overall there will be two (at times very different) opinions on the style we see around us, yet we are always united in a shared good taste. With regards to men's style we believe that there are a few simple facets to remember and sadly a huge proportion of men neglect them or just don't know about them so this blog aims to explore and discuss them.

This isn’t about laying into peoples’ clothing choices or focussing on the negative. This is about looking at what we admire and questioning that admiration: what is it that I like and how can I make that work for me?

Surely no outfit is so bad that nothing can be salvaged from it?
• The colour
• The fit
• The material
• The way the pieces go together
• An individual item of clothing
• The accessories
• The attitude
• The intention

At its very worst, the complete unsalvageable will be a lesson in how not to dress yourself.
Look at people around you: people you know, celebrities (alive and dead), look at photos of yourself. Even with the most dreadful outfits, you may be able to find something worth salvaging. It may look awful on them, but if you changed the shirt, pulled up the trousers - could it look good on you?

Above all, we believe that it's important not to carbon copy someone else’s style. Always make it your own. Don’t be ‘that guy who dresses like so and so’; make it something different. Make people guess your influences. Keep it fresh and wear it well; look good but even more importantly look like you.

Something else we hope to cover is vintage shopping for men. Given our love of past fashions and, of course, the particular style icons we will be talking about, men’s vintage is of special interest to us. This interest has been increased by our inability to (so far) find any decent, extensively stocked, well priced vintage shops for men. Certainly that is not to say we haven’t found some, but by and large the men’s sections are vastly inferior to the women’s, frequently just a rack of ill fitting suits in a dark corner. Hopefully over time we will be able to compile a directory of the best vintage shops. THIS WILL NOT BE LONDON-CENTRIC (largely because half of us live in Manchester). Any suggestions of your favourite menswear shops in your area will be welcomed and we will make an effort to check them out on our travels.

We do not claim to be experts on… well, anything, including the styles and people we write about. This is largely our way of documenting any information we find and sharing our tastes and opinions with you. Hopefully one day it will be extensive and in the meantime we hope that it is interesting and useful. Feel free to email us with any comments and suggestions, or let us know if you think that we’ve made any mistakes. Be polite though or we’ll tell your mum.

Monday, June 25, 2007

Be Nice and Naughty!

You'll know it's summer because young woman's thoughts turn to sandals, sundresses and instant bronzer. Yes, even as the rest of their wardrobes are lightening up, celebs are maintaining their crimson smiles. Makes sense. Nothing else packs quite the same glamorous punch. So, the next time you need to make a stylish impact, remember this: There's only one thing that could turn you into both nice and naughty....

Check out these lip gloss shades from Maxfactor, for every lip gloss in the new MAXalicious Naughty or Nice collection tells at least one story.

Monday Maybes

Hi peeps.

Here are all the things I'd maybe buy...

TOPS ($86, Yvette Mandell, Boutiquetoyou.com)
Very berry-licious!


($19.50, Fresh Karma, Ronherman.com)
More fruity fun! And the price! Oh the price! Check out what else is on super sale at Ron Herman. Sick, I tell you! SICK!


DRESSES
($132, Splendid, Oliveandbettes.com)
This looks like the height of comfort. And I like that, comfort.


($49, Volcom, Tillys.com)
Plain ol' plaid adorbsness!!


($44, Puella, Ronherman.com)
Light n' lovely!


NOT-MORTS SHORTS
($25, Asos.com)
In lotsa other cute, bold colors too!


($17, Asos.com)
Fun fer the beach or just cold chillaxin'.


ACCESSORIES
($65, Boutiquetoyou.com)
Cute, but maybe not as much as some of the white aviators I've been seeing/ wanting.


($40, Barrysfarm.com)
Two tools in love! What could be cuter??


($58, Urban Outfitters)
Why do they insist upon sucking me back in?


MORTS
($300, Diesel, Asos.com)
Just as it never should have come to pass that Toni Braxton named her children Denim and Diezel, this get-up also never should have come to fruition. Has anyone else been feeling of late that Diesel should just bow out gracefully? Perhaps there was never a better example of why.