Are Celebrities the New Fashion Designers?

The style of Americans is constantly transitioning. With new designers and upcoming labels being created everyday and multiplying due to more accessible outlets and technology, Americans, now more than ever, have access to multicultural styles from across the nation. Where New York was once thought as the fashion capital of the country, and perhaps even the world, Southern California is gaining more prominence due to Hollywood celebrity influence, completely changing the way Americans gain exposure to the newest trends and fashion.

This has even changed the way designers do business, where once, advertisements and commercials was the most significant way to showcase their threads, a paparazzi photo of Paris Hilton in a certain designer's clothes can make headlines in the tabloids, and accidentally promote the designer. It is not based so much on news print and media to display these clothes anymore, saving millions of dollars in advertisements, but it is the act of giving away free clothes to celebrities, in hopes that they will to wear their designs on a particular day that they get shot in a paparazzi photo. The whim of Hollywood celebrities now has precedence over choosing the trends of Americans across the nation.

Several Hollywood celebrities including Nicole Richie, Paris Hilton and Gwyneth Paltrow have gone even a step further from showcasing other designer's lines, into actually starting their own lines. Seeing first handedly of the influence that they have over promoting other designers just by wearing their clothes, has enabled them to envision the great success they potentially could have by creating their own lines. Nicole Richie has already started her own jewelry line named House of Harlow, with aspirations of branching out to clothing, shoes and handbags. Currently, the price of this jewelry line ranges from around $55 to over $400 and is sold exclusively at Kitson, a popular boutique in LA known for its celebrity customers. It is astounding that such accessories made of metal and tin, probably imported from China or India, without any real precious stones or metal can be so pricey. (http://www.shopkitson.com/index.php?pageId=2&manufacturer_name=HOUSE+OF+HARLOW+1960&show=all).

It is also common that many celebrities just lend their names to a brand in order to promote it. Where they may not have any actual say in the result of their products, if the label says Victoria Beckham on it, it will sell out. Take Paris Hilton's shoe and handbag line for instance. Paris Hilton claims to have no knowledge in designing and sketching. She obviously has no idea how to construct clothing herself, never the less create handbags or shoes, yet her line can be found in Macy's department stores nationwide. (http://www.theinsider.com/news/642268_Paris_Hilton_Launches_New_Footwear_Line_At_Macys)

Furthermore, one of Hollywood's biggest stars, Gwyneth Paltrow, has decided to launch her own fashion line for next fall and winter. The line will be named ZOEtee's Loves Gwyneth and will be a capsule collection for ZOEtee's, a French fashion house. Paltrow claims that the proceeds of this line will go towards London's Kids Company, drawing attention towards this charity in assisting children over the UK area.

Where it is common for celebrities to use the attention that they attract to promote their movies, events and clothing lines, it is also an upcoming trend for them to use the attention that they attract to draw awareness to other charities and good causes. Now, with all these various celebrity collaborations teaming up with charities, it is so easy to be fashionable and philanthropic.

Fashion Tips All Men Should Know

Here are a few fashion essentials all modern men should be aware of. Many of them are not even about fashion but help you look the part. This will be good news for the army of men out there not wanting to follow fashion but still wanting to impress.

Improve your posture

Perhaps the biggest fashion tip of all has nothing to do with fashion itself. It's about improving your posture when you walk, when you stand and when you sit. An army of office workers today slouch at their desk and walk like their grandparents.

Stand straight, pull back your shoulders, push that ribcage out and look straight ahead, not down to the ground. You will exude confidence and for a man, this is worth much more than what the most expensive suit can achieve and is what makes you manly in the eyes of women: confidence to tackle all of life's difficulty, confidence in your ability to overcome adversity.

Look after your clothes and they will look after you

To store your shirts and suits in better conditions and for longer, use wide and stout coat-hangers. Thin metal hangers leave creases and sometimes stain the fabric. With heavy suits, they even get bent. Wide and rounded plastic hangers are cheap and do the job just fine, no need to go for the more expensive wooden hanger.

Learn how to repair a button. Man is in the 21st century and many live alone. There is no point in relying on a woman to do something as simple as that. In fact, it makes you look manlier in that you do not shy away from manipulating something as insignificant and small as a needle and helps you ascertain your independence.

And the unavoidable fashion tips

It is OK to have a few mismatched items of menswear. Men are men, they do not have handbags that need to match shoes, gloves that need to match scarfs and hats, matching earring and necklace sets and so on. So if you wear a brown belt and dark brown shoes with black trousers, it's not the end of the world as long as your clothes look smart and clean. Don't stress unduly about colour coordination.

Since when was a denim shirt a proper shirt? Leave them alone or if you really love denim, at least don't wear them together will denim jeans. Denim shirts are best worn over a t-shirt or vest when the weather is neither warm nor cold enough to warrant a sweater or jacket.

Wear your clothes with pride and care. No more hanging trousers (since when was that fashionable?), no ties askew, shirts-sleeves buttoned up, shoes well-polished.

To carry on the topic of hanging trousers, underwear is just that - best kept under clothes so please, no trousers hanging half-way down the bum, no designer-branded underwear elastic band showing above the trouser belt. No guy wants to know what underwear brand you favour.

Use these fashion essentials in your everyday life without becoming a fashion slave. Improve your posture and watch your physical and psychological well-being improve, not to mention your success with women. Focus not on colour coordination but watch that what you wear is smart and wear proudly.

What Place Does Organic Clothing Have In The Fashion Industry?

Organic clothing, also known as "Eco friendly" fashion, has been in place since ancient times, and is certainly becoming a fixture of the modern fashion industry, in an attempt to provide fashion that is both friendly to the economy and to the consumer since organic materials are ones which are, for the most part, renewable.

Humane and Environment Concern: A Fashion Industry Dilemma.

While many colours are found in nature and are utilised in non-organic clothing, the fashion industry is fraught with dilemmas having to do with issues such as the outsourcing of production to "sweat shops" which pay exceedingly low wages to workers, the harvesting and processing of crops of cotton which have been heavily treated with either pesticides or chemicals, and the pollution caused by manufacturing plants.

Although other factors are involved, these three are the most popular for consideration of "damage control". Certainly, utilising organic materials vs. non-organic, and processing them by means that can better improve working conditions and reduce pollution to a significant degree can be accomplished.

Fashion Designers Who Care: An Introspective

Stella McCartney and Rogan Gregory, among others, have already started leading the fashion industry by example with their choices of renewable fabrics and improvements toward the working conditions of those who produce their clothing lines. While more designers can decide to perform similarly, it can take awhile in today's economy toward getting started in such endeavours. The good news is that others are thinking about following these examples, hence, organic clothing is already a reality, even in the tiniest of beginnings.

Part of the issue with designers and organic fabrics has to do with the nature of fashion, itself. Typically, fashion are designed to last for one to two total seasons, then they are retired to the wardrobe for possible, one-time consideration in the future. A plus, in the many good reasons why organic fashion can become popular with a bit more support, is that organic materials are naturally designed by Mother Nature to last for a longer timeframe. The question posed by those who are sceptical about the future of organic fabrics with fashion have much to do with how such designs could be considered "trendy".

Organic Fabrics: An Overview

The fabrics currently utilised in today's organic fashions include cotton, hemp, soy, bamboo and other materials which are grown without the use of pesticides or other harmful chemicals. Fabric dyes typically come from nature itself, and organic dyes thus come from sources of flowers or other colourful plants, vegetation and fruits which are not treated with chemicals, either.

Dream Fashion Job: Starting an Online Fashion Boutique

Have you always wanted to open your very own store? Are you driven and want to be your own boss? Get the scoop on becoming a fashion boutique owner!

Successful boutique owners are very entrepreneurial-minded people who use a combination of great business savvy and a knowledge of the fashion industry to make profits. Their boutiques target specific customers and carry an assortment of clothing/accessory/beauty designers that appeal to their target market. Boutique owners must be willing to do whatever it takes to get the business going, from planning their inventory, to ringing up customer sales and even cleaning up the store.

Owners must be able to attract investors to fund the initial opening and daily operations of the store. Some boutique owners use loans or personal savings to do so. A solid understanding of business becomes key in obtaining capital to open your store.

Qualifications:
Education: A bachelor's degree in Business Management or Fashion Retailing/Merchandising/Marketing is common.

Experience: Extensive experience in the fashion retail industry in a variety of positions.

Suggested Skills: Solid business skills; management skills; interpersonal skills; knowledge of trends and forecasts; time-management skills.

Personal Characteristics: Entrepreneurial and risk-taking personality; persistence; ability to self-promote.

Here's what Grace Wang, Founder of Unsung Designers, has to say about running an online fashion boutique!

"When I decided to start up my boutique, it was really an issue of timing. I was working at a small start-up that went out of business and I wasn't sure what my next step should be. A colleague and I talked about opening a boutique in Washington, DC. We thought it would be great to work for ourselves in an industry we both loved. Our talk turned into research. We started writing a business plan. The big labels didn't excite me, I always sought out interesting young designers. They were much more cutting edge, they were always ahead of trends. The boutique idea turned into a website because we wanted to reach a wider customer base. We were so excited about the emerging designers, we wanted to make them accessible to people in small towns, across the country, around the world."

Now that Unsung Designers is a successful business, Grace offers some insight on what a typical day is like for her. "An average day for me always starts with a big pot of coffee! I read the fashion news. I take care of orders, customer service, reply to emails from designers, media, general inquiries. I usually spend lunch meeting with a designer or showroom rep. This is networking time. It's important to constantly talk to other people in the industry, especially when you work from home like I do".

For Grace, the best part of being a Online Fashion Boutique Owner is being immersed in an industry she has a passion for. "It used to be a guilty pleasure, when I'd surf fashion sites and do online shopping at my 9-5. I've learned that working for yourself allows you a lot of flexibility. Working for yourself is also a big challenge. You have to be a self-starter or you'll never get things done" says Grace. In the 4 years that she's been in business, Grace has stayed true to the designers the business is based on, "It was always about respect for the creative process and love for clothes. I fiercely protect my designers and trust their creative instinct. I've done what I wanted to do and have close, trusting relationships with my designers", stated Grace.

Secrets of a Fashion Daredevil - #2 Pan American Designers Shape Up the Status Quo

Magazine sales have fallen almost as fast as newspapers and just slightly slower than music CDs.  Outside of the occasional purchase at the airport gift shop I haven't bought a magazine in years.  Like most of you I get my garb from the global free for all online.  Old and dying are the days when mainstream brands and designers can, for a fist full of dollars, dress a celebrity, have their publicist call a photographer(s) and see them semi-serendipitously arrive at their favorite restaurant or club.  Of course, four weeks later their pictures are splashed all over the pages of Vogue, Cosmo and People, where you are told in a story how chic they are and oh, by the way, their new movie starts this week.  Its was all part of a massive marketing machine controlled by conglomerates for herding the fateful masses.  I have some real news for you, destiny is changing. 

Much in the same way our consumption for music and newspapers changed so is our taste for clothing.  No longer does everyone wear Levi 501s; today there are literally thousands of styles and brands of jeans, each giving us our own identity.  No longer are there only a handful of designers spitting out their rendition of what we ought to be wearing; there is real competition for your attention as the masses begin to become aware of the changes around them.  The world is really shrinking and ideas are being shared around the globe at a rapid pace.  At least for now control belongs to the many.

It is a fact that other countries are growing much faster than the United States. Middle classes are being born around the world, in a large part to the free flow of information and education online.  Ideas are traded at light speed and incremental innovation spans the globe like a mutating virus (in fact, by tomorrow someone will copy this article post it to their blog and sell links and advertising, how about that for incremental innovation. BTW, if you are such a person please give credit where credit is due).  Bold independent designers are being born not from the mass market but from the attention they receive from their niche factions.  Sometimes these independents grow into a market for the masses as the best ideas rise to the top. 

More often now these creators of fashion are from outside the United States.  Inspiration is cycling and pop culture is taking on global tastes.  Once only a factory for the first world, South America a vibrant fabricator of textiles and clothing, is transforming into a fashion innovator. Latin American designers like Daniella Helayel (Sao Paulo), Marcia Ganem (technically Central American) and Martha Medeiros have been lamented by Vogue Magazine and worn by such celebrities as Alica Keys, Janet Jackson, Keira Knightley, Scarlett Johansson and Eva Mendez.  The look is definitely more European and less flamboyant than in the past, a sign of growing sophistication from the region. These designers tend to be personal favorites and not force fed to the masses, at least not yet.  Less known but up and coming designers like Jackeline Aguero and Olga Maria Lotero (Cali, Co.) have introduced designs and are getting attention from the fashion forward.  Many of these new creations are about shape and texture as much as color and style.  You can view see some of these designers and their collections online at Telegaleria.com.  Especially exciting are the new jean styles from the region.  Growing in sophistication these "jeans levanta cola" give women the opportunity to have a style of their own and are tailored to lift and shape the figure.

We have seen the acceleration of change from magazines to music to almost every aspect of our lives.  If you are to stand out you must be innovative and must take chances, like the Fashion Daredevil, you will need  to look globally.  Exciting new designs are increasingly rising to the top of the fashion world from Pan America.  I encourage you to step outside your  own backyard for experience worth having and try some of these new tastes, you may find them delicious. 

Fashion Trends

Successful retailers need to forecast the fashions that their consumers will be seeking. Even top designers routinely perform surveys prior to designing their seasonal lines and the large retailers consult forecasting specialists prior to purchasing stock for their stores. So how does the independent boutique retailer gain access to valuable industry information and trend predictors?

Above all observing what's going on in the weekly celebrity glossy's and monthly fashion magazines, will give you an upfront view of the new names in design, what consumers will be shopping for and where the trends are headed.

Consumer spending is powerfully influenced by the media but tempered by the economy so to find out what consumers are actually buying it is advisable to make frequent visits to busy similar retailers and local shopping malls. Take time wherever possible to chat with sales assistants. They are in the frontline and this gives them a unique perspective of consumer's needs and what the customer is seeking. Other extremely rich sources of information will be found online in the magazine fashion forums, Elle, Vogue, InStyle etc have very active fashion consumer forums. These are useful indicators for finding out what is being purchased and the buzz on upcoming styles.

In the past, US retailers looked to European retailers for market trends. Today, more US retailers are finding inspiration closer to home. There is a wealth of undiscovered local designers in our own back yard who are acquiring a dedicated following. With little detective work you can find these rising stars and establish a relationship that will be mutually beneficial.

Other important ways to anticipate the trends is to subscribe to industry trade publications like Accessories magazine, Apparel News and WWD. These publications are essential especially if you are a boutique in a small town and do not plan to attend industry trade shows. These magazines also now have websites which give up-to-date trend reports.

Today, between each marked fashion trend, we experience new adaptations on the fashion standards and especially routine-retro-revivals. Currently this is taking the form of spandex, leggings, 80's fashion and the neo-preppie look. Wayfarer sunglasses as popularized by movies such as "The Blues Brothers" and "Risky Business" have returned (but in larger sizes and bolder colors) and even some of biggest names of the 80's and 90's fashion modeling scene are enjoying a career revival with major fashion and cosmetic companies featuring them in ad campaigns.

The best way to anticipate new fashion trends is to seek relevant visual input wherever you can - in vintage stores, flea markets and in the street. There are also an abundance of fashion blogs and online showcases discussing what the locals in major cities are wearing, thse are an invaluable resources. Chief amongst these are The Satorialist, Streetfashion.net, London Street Fashion (ftp2.dns-systems.net) and styleandthecity.com.

Whether you are an established retailer or a current boutique owner, ongoing research and trend watching is a vital function of your business if you are to evolve and succeed. Spotting trends or even setting trends will be achieved by keenly observing the market, paying attention to street trends and knowing your industry. As ever 'knowledge is power' in this case it is the power you can leverage into strong sales!

New Fashion Trends for a New Year

The eager wait and anticipation for the New Year is finally over and another year is all set to begin with its very own set of trends and rules for fashion and other things. Apart from a brand new year, this time also marks the beginning of quite a few other things. Fashion trends are definitely one of them. As every year comes to an end, which also marks the end of that year's fashion trends, there's definitely a subtle gloom pervading the air for the simple reason that one has to let go of all those lovely and exciting fashion trends that were so popular throughout the year.

Nevertheless, one ca not dwells in the past and the good news is that there's so much to look forward to every New Year. Each year brings with it a whole new set of fashion trends that defines every person's wardrobe. Among other things, planning and creating a collection as per the year's hot fashion drifts becomes a major activity for every fashion enthusiast. Whether it's trendy Western Designer outfits or ethnic Indian Designer Clothing, picking and selecting the right Designer Clothes that would be hot this year from those which are not, would definitely be an important part of every fashionistas schedule.

It's certainly a must to be aware of the year's hottest trends before engaging in such an activity. Keep abreast of all the major fashion style by going through various magazines, ezines and other fashion websites. After being thoroughly informed of the major fashion trends, it's time to sort out the required Designer Clothes from the wardrobe. Moreover, if the wardrobe essential for the year does not happen to be in the wardrobe, it's best not to lose time but get it as soon as possible. Follow the fashion styles right and get ready to be a style diva for yet another year!

Summer Fashion News - Ankle Bracelets

Adornment to the body dates back to the earliest of times. Rings, necklaces, and bracelets, arrayed on the body, from the ears to the ankles and everywhere in between, have been used as decorations by both sexes. Jewelry like the ankle bracelet may be merely for beautification and decoration or it may take on specific cultural and societal implications and meanings.

In this modern day and age, the wearing of jewelry is much more commonly associated with women, though men are known to outfit themselves with many types of jewelry as well. Popular jewelry can range from the simple, delicate chain, to the outlandish and rare pieces, and can adorn just about any part of the body. The anklet is a piece of jewelry that while has been around for thousands of years, is making a popular comeback.

Ankles are not necessarily the first spot a person thinks to adorn themselves when they begin to put on jewelry. However, the ankle is a perfect location for bracelets, as the foot provides a nice barrier to keep the jewelry in place. One might even say the ankle is like the wrist of the lower half of the body and as such deserves as much embellishment.

Bracelets around the ankle is very common in numerous Eastern cultures. One site, in what used to be part of the great Persian empire, many anklets were found along with all sorts of other trinkets. India is a country whose people are often associated with this piece of jewelry. While both men and women wear them, they are more often associated with women, especially new brides. Anklets are a practical and thoughtful gift for Indian brides and the tinkling sound of small bells on the ankle bracelet usually announces the arrival of the bride to her husbands home.

In the US, dressing up the ankle is a much more contemporary idea of fashion. In the 1950's, as women began to wear shorter skirts and roll down their socks, small chains could often be seen decorating their ankles. While bare feet and ankles were more acceptable in Eastern cultures before the turn of the 20th century, such was not the case in Western cultures like the US or England. Since the skirts of women generally covered their ankles, there was little need for accessories below their skirts. So in some ways, the anklet may be associated with the liberation of women and their espousal of a freer fashion for women. Now as legs are often as exposed as the arms, women find the need to adorn them as well.

Like other jewelry, these bracelets come in an array of types and forms. Ranging from strings, straps, and chains to intricate pieces with precious stones and metals, the anklet is a piece that draws attention to the foot whether it is by itself or one of many. In India, small bells often tinkle from around the ankle, while in the US many choose to adorn theirs with charms. With the ankle, anything goes.

Jewelry is an expression of the person wearing it. How they wear it is an extension of their personality. Many see the ankle as a trendy or popular area for younger people or those who have a more hippie lifestyle. It is easy to see how the ankle may be forgotten, even though it can be quite alluring. The ankle bracelet is a piece of jewelry that can really liven up an ankle or foot, be elegant or outrageous, and stand the test of time.

Other Fashionable Men's Clothing Found in Wholesale

Perception of clothes has been known to be different between men and women. Guys would think of clothing as something to be for function only but for women, they are something to express their style and personality. This is why you will find a lot of women's clothes with enhanced fashion style these days.

But as the years go by, you will notice how guys are starting to be fashionable. You will see that more fashionable clothes are created by popular designers like Armani and brands like Van Heusen and Arrow. The clothes they offer can also range from casual to formal clothing. The good news is that even wholesale clothing suppliers are focusing on not only in making women's clothes but also in manufacturing nice clothing for men.

Aside from the regular polo, shirts, and bottom wear, you will find a lot of other clothing type in the market. Most of the time, you will spot them by just researching online as there are many manufacturers that solely focus in making men's clothing. The following are the types of clothes that men can buy from different wholesale suppliers.

Guayabera

If you are not from the Latin America area, you may not have an idea what this type of clothing is. Typically, they are shirts but they have different in pattern. Guayabera has two pockets in front while as well as having pleats as patterns on both sides of the clothing. This type of shirt is also known as Mexican Wedding Shirt since many Latinos use this polo for this type of event.

Knitwear

You will find a lot of guys who are into preppy style of clothing. If you are not familiar with this style, this is where the wearer would bring several pieces of clothing together like polo, cardigan, and tie. Aside from the preppy fashion, you will also see a lot of guys who just want to wear cardigan especially when the season is too cold for them. These cardigans and vests are usually included in knitwear since they are knitted clothing that they can use for their daily fashion. This will help them not only obtain their own fashion style but also keep them protected from cold temperature.

Neckwear

Coming from the term itself, these are the wholesale clothing accessories that guys can wear on their neck areas. The most common type of neckwear is tie and they come in different designs that will be suitable for formal events and even casual clothing. But aside from ties, you will also find a lot of guys who will buy mufflers and make it work for them as ties especially during cold season. These mufflers can keep them warm yet give them more masculine look for fashion.

These are just some of the other clothing that you will find in the market these days. So if you are a guy who would like to be fashionable, you just have to look for these clothing and establish your fashion sense for image.

Fashion Industry: Ready To Face The Future

The fashion industry is very complicated. There are no standard fashion companies. They come from a wide spectrum of enterprises working in the apparel, footwear, home textiles and accessories markets.
The industry is made up of various kinds of companies like retailers, design source and selling companies, companies with their own manufacturing facilities and other companies who outsource production but retain control over parts of the production process.

Moreover, companies functioning in the high fashion segment often face a different kind of pressure as compared to those functioning with commodity fashion goods.

All of these aspects combine to make the fashion industry one of the most complicated industry. Yet, various issues can be noticeably recognized as common across the industry.

. Consumers have the power

. Supply chains are complicated

. Product launching and delivery takes time

. Companies must be able to manage a product mix

. Inventory control maintenance is important

. Impact of the latest technology on the fashion industry

. Copyright issues for fashion designs
Consumers have more power

Today's buyers have more purchasing power then ever before and are less tolerant due to increased time pressure in today's lifestyles.

They are more aware about environmental and human rights issues and have superior quality demands. They demand a huge variety and more frequent changes in the choices available to them. Moreover, they also expect immediate availability of perfect matching set of garments and accessories in their preferred color and size combinations in the same store.

In terms of satisfying the consumer's needs, retailers are the first in line, but all companies in the supply chain are driven by the prerequisite to anticipate the expectations and requirements of their customers. From design to production and to the final sale, all members of the supply chain need to check that stores are stocked with the correct requirements when the consumer needs to buy!

The companies that are quick to respond to the consumer requirements are those that will remain profitable in an environment of rapid global competition and increasing material and operational costs.
Supply chains are complicated

The fashion industry is distinguished by global supply chains and complicated logistics. Labor and transportation costs often determine where production takes place and outsourcing of all or part of production is common. Companies throughout the industry have to deal with global sourcing problems and need to regularly evaluate their sourcing strategies.

Production work is often done across multiple places, which may be also located in different countries. Setting up of cutting, sewing, subcontracting and transportation, and the synchronization with raw material supply, is a very tedious process.

Product launching and delivery takes time

While working through the many pre production steps, including yarn or fabric selection, garment development, specification and sampling, the industry takes a long time to introduce a new product in the market.

Both, the complex nature of the supply chain and the global nature of production add to the industry's long lead times. This arrangement of long time-to-market and long lead times does not correlate with the need to react immediately to changes in customers requirements.

The ever changing seasonal and trend driven nature of the industry depicts that the product life cycles are too short. Even for cyclic demands where the life cycle may continue further, there are often small changes to design, and color or size combinations may be changed. The logistics of managing the large number of styles and maintaining stock keeping units is a difficult practice.
Companies must manage a product mix

Besides long lead times, fashion producers are stressed to constantly design and develop new product lines to maintain retailers' interest and increase consumer sales. Producers have noted that in order to maintain this speed, raised flexibility and quickness to satisfy changing customer demand, which is quicker than ever before, it is very challenging for them to judge or come out with such types of products. Gone are the days when a perfect fashion trend direction decided what consumers wore. At present, many styles are available, and with rising globalization, consumers can approach fashion news through latest media tools.

Fashion products change frequently, from hosiery and basic underwear through medium-priced high street brands, to exclusive high fashion brands. Managing brand awareness and brand loyalty is a serious task in retaining the position in the market. Margins in repetitive basic products are low, so neither a retailer nor a manufacturer can ever afford being out of stock.

Shifting to the high-end fashion sector, margins increase and sales volumes are lower, but consumers demand an ever changing range of choices, forcing the companies to produce multiple collections per year.

Many companies have to put in efforts to overcome the added challenge of arranging a mix of repetitive lines and collection-driven products, and a requirement to segment their product range and arrange the different segments in a suitable way. From design to demand planning, sourcing, production, distribution and sale, the demand of various product segments must be separately tackled if companies need to perform well.

Companies require clarity about the sector of the market they are targeting, and they have to direct their business in that way.

Inventory control management is important

Companies try to keep inventory levels at a minimum in all industries. In the fashion industry the requirement to maintain inventory levels under control is worst due to less product life cycle. In this industry, there is only one solution to sell the goods.

For collection-driven brands, the entire floor sets must be in the retail stores when these products are introduced, otherwise the chance to sell the goods is missed and obsolescence exposure is a high risk.

For the products that are frequently in demand, it is crucial that retailers and suppliers do not undergo stockouts. This part of the market does not possess the same level of brand loyalty, and customers may well be attracted to shift brands if the color and size they required is not immediately available in the stores when they need to buy.

For all companies, the balancing action of keeping inventory at the necessary level to fulfill demand, while ensuring that they are not left out with obsolete inventory, is a main problem.
Latest technological impact on fashion industry

Recently, the Burton Amp jacket, what is depicted as "the world's first and only wearable electronic jacket with an integrated Apple iPod" was introduced.

According to some fashion experts the clothes will soon turn into accessories for your gadgets. Today new technologies are much involved with clothing and apparels that you can not judge whether you are wearing technology or whether technology is wearing you?
Besides, electronics will keep decreasing in size to such an extent where we would no longer considerably need the objects to hold them. Hence, today the fashion industry is experiencing new challenges: "intelligent textiles", "smart clothes", "i-wear" and "fashion engineering" and are only a few of the trends which will transform the entire fashion industry within the next decade.

Nowadays, many new materials and technologies are applied in textiles and accessories when they are still too costly or primitive for other applications. A wide variety of electronic devices can already be made into clothes and this will rise. New fabrics are already being developed to offer power generation - by using solar power, electromagnetic, thermal and mechanical means.

The combination of high-technology into textiles, e.g. modern communication or monitoring systems or the development of new materials with new applications, has just begun, but the branch has already moved in a gigantic expansion for this sector. Particular applications for the health and security sector, e.g. clothes with extern monitoring systems, already today exist in a large quantity.

Within the coming few years, we'll see a lot more new applications in garments with latest technology. Hence, there are many designing challenges for fashion designers and engineers for making most demanding fashionable wears.

Copyright issues for fashion designs

Fashion apparel is a multi-billion dollar business that has no national boundaries due to its global existence. Designers, retailers and consumers decide their statements according to international fashion trends. In the last decade, consumer awareness of particular designers has also raised dramatically. Magazines and newspapers also cover the fashion industry as a part of their national news coverage, concentrating on the dynamic world of creative designer expressions.

The common man is very much aware about names and faces of fashion models and the designers for which they model. At present many television channels and feature films involve the fashion industry. Consumers can now identify the various types of designers and designs.

Today, many designers find inspiration from street fashion, celebrities, vintage styles and other designers' work. Even though there are possibilities of duplication in products and designs due to easy accessibility of the latest printing and computer technology, and due to appearance of the regional or traditional designs in apparels worldwide, it can not be ignored easily. It is really a challenging task to cope with this issue globally.

Fashion is an Addictive Passion

Everyone needs fashion clothes for everyday, so it's a constant competition to be the most stylish. To stand out from everyone trying to do the same thing, is now a talent. A person's clothes can make or break someone who's trying to make it out in the world. And since it's the first thing anyone can see about a person, it's also the first thing they judge them on.

It's a booming industry, one of the most lucrative in the world. Billions are spent every season. Not just on the clothes but on the presentation of them to the public. Fashion shows are theatrical shows, with all sorts of gimmicks to bring audiences to view otherwise ignored collections. Whilst there are other shows that people would give a leg and an arm to attend. The hallowed names in the fashion industry that are talked about in near reverence, but can also drop out of sight at the moment they make a mistake in what they make. It's a vicious business and everyone is out for the kill. Now the world is everyone's critic, anyone with an internet connection can bash a budding designer's dream, all it takes is someone important enough to say it.

It's so easy to keep track of trends and be the fashionista in any crowd. These days, all you need to get fashion news is to open your mobile phone. Even Twitter has fashion accessories updates that regularly come every few minutes. What's hot, what's not, it can change from season to season, or it can reincarnate in a different getup. It can get overwhelming for anyone wanting to stay on top of the fashion scene. Blogs, news sites, articles all provide a barrage of information to the everyday fashionphile. People can even just use these sites to actually shop for the stuff they just read about. It's that easy, they just have to digest it.

Fashion clothes become more and more outrageous to make an impact. Whilst others proclaim to be perennial classics. Cone bras clash with little black dresses as each person strives to find the middleman, or go the extreme right or left. Fashion bags always have an "It" bag for each season. Lines form to buy one bag for thousands of dollars, waiting lists for years are created. Bags no longer just something someone uses to carry stuff in, it's sometimes the focal point of a fashion statement. An eye-catching bag on an otherwise staid outfit can bring it to life. It's the details that count. Fashion rules the world, and everyone wants to follow the law.

Fashion Trends Followed by Hip Hop Celebrities

The lifestyle of the rich and famous personalities determines how much fashion trends they follow. Most of these celebrities get famous for their unique style of their own clothing line and accessories they wear. Apart from music and dance talent, they are considered as the all-around entertainment personality and an eventual fashion image at the same time. Hip Hop celebrity is a combination of fashion with a classy style, attitude and sophisticated music performer.

The fashion line they follow has a unique collection of ultra stylish accessories, shoes and clothing with exclusive patterns, radiant colors, and fabrics. These urban wear can be chosen from wide range of variety for both men and women. The best trendy clothes are more preferable by the people which make them stand apart and can be easily recognized with their choice of clothes. They simply show an attitude with a style in comfort.

The clothing wear by today's youth is the most of the clothing worn by celebrities. Such clothing is inspired by music and fashion. Whether they are spending holidays or just relaxing, youth love to be in such fashion. Celebrities clothing gives cool looks and sheer comfort. The celebrity wear consists of entire range of clothing. It includes jackets, t-shirts, hoodies, jeans, shirts, track pants, thermal wear etc. They all are available for both men and women in its unique style and cut.

Hip hop artists prefer to have sport flashy design watches which exactly suits the glamorous and funky style of the famous personalities. They are designed exclusively for superbly looking men and women. These cool, sporty and branded watches match the outfits of the celebrities. You can even find these artists with an exclusive collection of fashionable watches.

The hip hop celebrities can never be seen without their accessories. The number of well-known hip hop artists has always received a lot of attention and enjoy getting noticed for their diamonds watches and stainless steel accessories. They are considered as their favorite materials and seem perfect with their personality.

If you want to know about the happenings in the celebrity world, just have a look on the numerous websites available exclusively to join celebrity gossips. At such places, you can enjoy and get information about latest fashion, celebrity news, entertainment news, rap music news and gossip on celebrity. They are loaded with free listening songs, new songs, new rap songs, their reviews and cover all latest hip hop news. These websites are updated frequently and tightly focused on the hip hop lifestyle. Whatever detail you want for your favorite celebrities, just click and get satisfied answers related to your questions. They are actually a one stop shop for albums, music videos, events, fashion, gossips, TV shows and plenty of pictures for every celebrity.

Whatever your clothing style is, but the stylish and trendy urban wear of celebrities will surely give you a new look and attitude!

Is Online Fashion School Right for You?

Want a career in fashion design? According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, most employers prefer to hire designers who have an associate's or bachelor's degree in fashion design. But what if you can't enroll in a traditional fashion degree program? Here are four things you should know before you decide if online fashion design schools are right for you.

1. Online Fashion Schools Are a Valid Option

The good news that online education is becoming more common and more acceptable in the workplace. Many traditional schools are now offering courses and complete degree programs online, and a 2008 article in USA Today cited research that found that "83% of CEOs and small-business owners who are familiar with online education (also called 'distance learning') believe that online degrees are as credible as those earned on a college campus." While your job chances ultimately depend on your portfolio, work experience, and where you apply, know that online schools are increasingly gaining credibility.

2. Online Fashion Schools Require Initial Research

Part of the reason that credibility has been an issue is diploma mills. These fake institutions have Web sites where the gullible can offer up their money, complete little to no coursework, and receive their diploma in the mail. Of course, these schools are not accredited, so the degree means little in today's job market. Do your research before enrolling in an online fashion degree program. You can contact the Council for Higher Education Accreditation or check out the U.S. Department of Education Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs to make sure you're attending an accredited online fashion school rather than a diploma mill.

3. Online Fashion Schools Require Just as much Work as Campus Programs

The rumor is that online schools are much easier than traditional schools. This is not the case; an accredited online school required just as much work as a traditional fashion program, and likely includes classes in subjects such as the following:

• Color
• Textiles
• Tailoring
• Making patterns
• History of fashion
• Computer-aided design

If you're interested in running your own fashion design business, it's useful to have fashion merchandising, marketing, or business courses and degrees.

4. Online Fashion School Requires Responsibility

One of the greatest benefits to any online degree program is the flexibility it allows; you can study wherever and whenever it's convenient for you. Of course, all this flexibility means that online fashion degree programs require a lot of responsibility. In online courses, you can often complete the work (and the class) at your own pace, which means that procrastination could easily be a temptation. If you're someone who needs the schedule and reinforcement that a traditional classroom provides, you might be better off enrolling in a traditional fashion school.

It definitely takes computer savvy, dedication, and a true interest in your subject to complete a fashion degree online, but if flexibility appeals to you, attending fashion school online can help you achieve your goal.

How to Get an Internship at Fashion Rocks 2007, Or Any Other Award Show For That Matter

The running theme in just about everything I say as it relates to jobs in the music industry, or an entertainment career in general, is that it's not as hard as it looks. The most difficult thing you'll have to tackle if you're going to pursue this trek is your own reticence to move forward and take a gamble - and perhaps equally as important - the necessity of working for free.

So with that in mind, let's take a look at what sort of approach might land you a plum internship gig working for something like Fashion Rocks 2007, which will air on September 7, 2007 on CBS. Now, I'm going to assume for the sake of argument that you've got very little if any experience in the music industry for this experiment. Heck, you might even live in Podunk-nowheres-ville, or even live overseas which would be a real challenge! You'll see, however, that even with these apparent limitations, landing a music industry internship really isn't that difficult. In fact, you might find that living overseas or in the middle of nowhere might even help your chances!

Okay, so this is how I would do it:

Research your butt off!

Finding your first little crumbs

Beginning with the end goal in mind, my first step would be to check out the Fashion Rocks 2007 website. If you go there, you'll notice that, at the moment at least, it's pretty much worthless. Typing "Fashion Rocks 2007" in Google turns up a mere placeholder from the 2006 show. Great. Well, actually, it's not too bad, because I want to show you how the entire process works. So, we've reached dead-end number one. Welcome to the music industry! Now what?

My thoughts at this point are: This isn't the first time they've done this show right? So let's see if there is anything we can learn about last year's show that might help us get an internship at this year's award ceremony. Let's get our search engine fingers ready. . .

Since I'm a researcher and freelance writer by trade, I have a method of sorts for locating the information I need to find. As a result, the first technique I use when conducting research either online is to start with a narrow field. I do this by choosing the most specific terms I can think of related to my question, AND by typing those words IN QUOTES within the Google search box.

Doing so, helps me stay focused on the topic, and helps to produce the most relevant leads. Now, I love Google, and I've used it for this example, but you can use any search engine you find works for you. I'll add that in my experience traveling, I sometimes find that the localized Yahoo, sites for example, sometimes produce a better range of local results, so if you're overseas and looking to intern at a specific event or company in your country, you might wish to keep this in mind.

But we're talking about Fashion Rocks here, right? And this award show is being held in the U.S. so let's take a look at what sort of results we get by typing "Fashion Rocks 2006" in quotes within Google. . .Bingo!

By keeping the search wide and NOT using quotes around our search phrase, Google gives us a whopping 2,380,000 to look through for leads. Narrowing the search down, however, by using quotes yields us a much more manageable, and relevant 841 leads to move forward. This will help tremendously when trying to land this gig in such a short period of time. After all, we're only talking about two months or less 'till Fashion Rocks launch time! Ahhhhh!

Making your own trail

Now that you've got some search results, let's take a look at a few to see where to go from here. What you'll want to do when looking through the return results is look for about five or six sites that you think might give you more information that could lead to some mention of the people and/or companies that make Fashion Rocks hum. Remember, because you used quotes, you now know you have relevant results to look. Reason being is that by using quotes you're finding those specific words together in a sequence, so even though you might not see an angle to what you're searching for when the results first pop up, the words "Fashion Rocks 2006" are in there somewhere! So look with your business hat on!

When I looked through the results, the sites listed below popped out at me immediately as good targets to further narrow my search for this internship. I have detailed below the site name and the reason why I thought it might be a good site to explore further.

The site: Fashion Rocks 2006 Blog

Why: The obvious day to day stuff about what happened

The site: Interactive Media Awards

Why: Hmm...award winners. Nice leads?!

The site: Party Line Rentals

Why: Might be a business with connections to the fest

The site: SAWF News Connect

Why: Lots of news about fashion and entertainment

The site: theswagtimeblog.com/events_music/index.html The Swag Time Blog

Why: Marketing departments targets. A God-send?!

Finding the nuggets

Now that you've got what seem like good sites that might help you narrow down your internship search, start looking on those pages for the names of people and companies associated with the event. And remember, we're looking for folks that work behind-the-scenes. . .while it's great that you know Kanye West was at Fashion Rocks 2006, and he looked dashing and all, you're not concerned about his suit, you want to work with the folks that worked with him, behind the scenes.

So search for the names of managers, representatives, agents, etc. Basically anyone who might work with the talent and who might be interested in having you come on board to help out with the show. Remember, internship opportunities don't purely exist with the show promoters, but with EVERYONE involved as well! You can also stretch this search out to the artist's record label, management company, booking agency, clothing representatives. . .anything really. The potential is limitless.

Think you won't find anything?

Skeptics, pay attention. For those of you leisurely strolling through these pages seemingly finding nothing worthy and ready to throw up your hands in disgust, I would recommend looking again.

Just glancing through these pages myself while writing this post I discovered tons of angles to worth pursuing if I was looking for this type of music internship. A little tip: look for the names of companies or associations that can take you to the next step in your search, and think outside the box. Who is providing services to this event? How about manufacturers, accountants, magazines, consumer products? If you're coming to this event without much experience, what you're really looking for is a leaping off point to get more experience. So if handing out water bottles to models gets you in the tent so you can network with the music industry insiders you're looking to connect with then THAT is exactly what you're looking for with this gig!!

Take for example The Swag Time Blog. Other than listing the cool s.w.a.g (stuff we all get) that award show attendees receive just for showing up, what else is there? What information exists on that page can help you get a job? Well, how about the product names of every dang thing these artists are going to get in that little freebie bag of theirs! Each one of those products is made by a company very interested in spreading their name all over the planet by giving away *for free* (notice that word there. . .you might be working for free as well for the same mission) their fancy product. AND, each one of those products is being pushed by a marketing department somewhere in the bowels of company 'X' that you could be helping out come 'game day'. What you want to do is be one of the people working to help make that happen.

Don't forget to toss away the idea of hob-knobbing with the celebrities, you want to work in music not be an idol worshiper. . .there is a huge difference. So let's get started! On the swag site, the swag is listed. . . .go dig up the company information that will help you accomplish this, and get to work!

I'll also mention that there are also several different web address for the show this year. . .why, I have no idea, but they are out there. For more info try [http://www.fashionrock07.com] and [http://www.fashionrocks2007.tv] Alright. So you've invested some time and energy into locating the names of music business companies affiliated with Fashion Rocks. Maybe your little list contains a few of these types of firms:

record labels, band managers,booking agents, street team companies, brand ambassador firms, lighting companies, rigging companies, modeling agencies, Fortune 500 firms,

First of all, great job! Now let's think of a few ways we might get a hold of the right person at one of these companies who can help you get in the door at the event, and perhaps lead you to your first music business internship experience!

What to do with all these names?

Your next steps

If you have individual contact names: If you're fortunate to have found a direct contact, then quite simply, pick up the phone and give them a ring. Some folks you call will not want to speak with you, and others will be glad to hear from you. People in marketing/promotions tend to be a fairly talkative bunch by nature, so if you catch them at a good time, you'll probably be in good shape. A couple of pointers are worth mentioning here:

1. Have at least a resume ready before you start making your calls, this way, you can send something off after touching base with your contact. Doing so makes this process faster, and also demonstrates your professionalism to the person you're contacting.
2. Don't sweat a cover letter too much, I find they're fast-becoming useless for this sort of thing. If they ask for one, I would be surprised. . .if they do, however, put something short and sweet together in the body of your email to them to facilitate this request.
3. If you're calling record companies don't call on Tuesdays or Wednesdays, these are typically the days the promotion folks are on deadline and/or in meeting and the times when they definitely don't have time to chat. Shore up your calls for later in the week.
4. Be honest, know the label's artist roster and don't sound like too much of a fan. Music industry folks love passionate music-heads, because that is what helps sell artists and records. What they are not looking for are fans that will be too busy hanging out in the green room with the drummer and not out on the street working. Keep that in mind and you'll be in awesome shape!

If you have company names, but no individual contact names: This will be common, so don't let it freak you out. Believe me, this is where all the fun begins! You're going to need to pick up the phone for this to work as well. Please don't waste your precious time writing cover letters and sending them off in vain to the black hole of HR at these firms. If you do, I'll bet one of two things will happen.

Scenario number one: Your beautifully crafted resume will reach the HR department and after reading it Mr./Ms. anonymous HR professional will wonder. . . "hmm. . .what do I do with this?", and promptly put it aside/throw it away and all that effort will be for naught!

Scenario number two: Your beautifully crafted resume will reach the HR department and because those in HR are so insanely overworked/underpaid your resume and cover letter are never even looked at to begin with. Either way, your dead, and again, your efforts are wasted!

So please, don't send anything in until after you have picked up the phone and called to speak with someone. If that someone later suggests you send something in, then by all means rock that baby in there.

Okay, so you've got company names with no immediate contact. . .what do you do? Well, after looking up the companies phone number by either going to their corporate website, or using something like the Fortune 500 list on CNN, give 'em a ring. When you get through to the receptionist tell her that you're a student and you would like to speak with someone in marketing who might deal with interns. If they ask what this is regarding, just tell them the truth. Being a student you have an advantage over 99% of the people that call in asking to speak with someone. Typically the person answering the phone should put you through. These three things are pretty much what you should expect to hear after asking this question:

1. "I'll put you through to marketing"
2. "I can't put you through without a name"
3. "You'll have to call HR/I can put you through to HR"

If you hear number one, you're gold. Make sure you have your spiel together when you get through and then run with it. By the way, I ALWAYS ask for the person's name BEFORE they transfer me to "marketing". This way, I know how to pronounce the person's FULL name when they pick up AND if I happen to get their voice mail, I can call again in a few days to follow up without having to go through the whole introduction again with the receptionist. Getting their full name will also allow you to follow up with an email later in the week as well. So, if you get number one, then you're good to go. But what if you get numbers two and three?

Dealing with objections

If fate draws you the dreaded "no name, no game" response, thank the receptionist and do some quick homework. Unfortunately some companies restrict passing you off to someone unless you know your contact's name. I find this ridiculous, but that's the way it goes. So what can you do at this point? First step? LinkedIn. Do a search for the company along with the title of the person you're looking for and viola! you're in business!

If this doesn't work, then it's back to Google! Start playing around with combinations of words that will get you the contact's name. Things like "marketing director" plus the company name would be one such example. Alternatively, you could type "Internship Coordinator" plus the company name you're ringing up. You're going to have to be creative, to pull this off, but I will say that marketing folks, more than anyone are likely to have their name on the Internet somewhere, you'll just have to track them down. If all else fails, you could call the Public Relations department. . .their contact information is almost always plastered on the website for all to see.

These techniques can be used of course before calling the first time, but I find that a lot of times, it's too damn time consuming to do upfront. Once you've got a name, pick up the phone and call again! If ugly number three rears its head, then go ahead and be put through to HR. If someone picks up (unlikely) give them your spiel. If you get voice mail, leave a message. I ALWAYS leave a message at least once. If HR doesn't call you back, don't worry about following up with another call. You've probably reached a dead-end. But, if someone does call you back, you'll be one step closer than you want to be. If nothing pans out on the HR front, I would visit my advice in response to number two. It will get you far when doing your internship search.

Trust me, this works

When I was trying to get an internship at record labels back in the day, I sent out (literally) over 100 resumes to record labels big and small. Only a few responded back to me. The majority of responses I got were thanks, but no thanks letters from HR departments. The phone calls I received were from the Promotion Directors at the labels responsible for interns. Out of the two or three calls I received, one landed me a gig with Virgin Records. 100+ resumes and 2-3 calls=1 internship. That's a lot of work, and way too much time on paper. The technology you have at your disposal for networking and landing the music industry internship of your dreams is remarkable. Put it to use, pick up the phone and get started. That volunteer or internship experience at Fashion Rocks 2007 awaits!!

If you think I've given a few good tips here, email me me at doc@musicbusinesspage.com for my list of "The 10 best music business articles you cant stand to live without!" It will send your mind a flow with new ideas to get a job in the music industry! In minutes you'll have ideas that you can put in motion tomorrow to get started on your dream of a career in the entertainment industry. I love being a teacher, let me share my insight with you today.

Good luck, I'll see you at the meet and greet! TM

How To Do Your Own Fashion PR

Having a fashion publicist is definitely worth the cost, but if you're an emerging fashion designer, that may not be a business expense you can afford just yet. If you're working with a zero budget for your PR campaign, don't sweat. (Well, try not to.) Here are a few ways to get around that dilemma and pitch your fashion label on your own:

1. Do research on how to pitch effectively.

One of the biggest gripes that magazine editors have are weak pitches! If you're going to go head-on with an editor, especially in fashion, have your pitch down to perfection as a PR professional would. Research what to say and what not to say. Know whom you are contacting by first name, last name, and title. Think of the "elevator pitch". Can you introduce yourself and describe your company within 15 seconds? That's how direct your pitch should be. List the basic who, what, where, why, when, and how in an easy, conversational tone, and conclude with an open-ended question about following up with you to send more information about your label.

2. Getting a follow-up and properly responding.

If you're lucky, a fashion editor will get back to you in regards to featuring your collection in an upcoming issue. Be prepared for any requests that may be asked, i.e. designer bio, line sheets, lending agreements, or lookbook images. At this point, your lookbook or press kit should already be completed for your current collection, and make sure that it's updated for every new season. Be swift in your responses to editors when they ask for things because they can easily move on to the next designer if you're not keeping up with them. Remember, they have frantic deadlines and you're considered to be on their time!

3. Sending your press release to the media.

A well-prepared press release can definitely alert the media of your new collection. Spend some time on PR distribution websites and study how the best ones are written. Follow the standard model of a press release and formulate a few paragraphs about the new release of your collection and about you as the designer. Set up a free account with press release distribution sites and schedule your releases to be sent out to the local media. You can also e-mail and fax your press release directly to news stations and newspapers (they're always looking for local stories to cover). Who knows - what if you're called in to be featured in a morning news segment? That's definitely a good look for your press portfolio.

4. Invite the media to your launch party.

If you plan on celebrating the launch of your new collection, you're responsible for securing the venue, setting up the event, and sending out media invites. It's best to send formal invites to editors through the mail at least 3-4 weeks in advance so that gives them the opportunity to pencil you in their schedule. Fashion bloggers are also great to invite, of course. Event photos, blog write-ups, and Twitter mentions from different bloggers means more publicity for your fashion line, which you need in order to attract more customers. Make sure to save your press clips and send thank-yous to anyone doing coverage of your event.

5. Make friends with fashion stylists.

Another way to possibly have your fashion line featured in a magazine is to have a stylist hook-up. They're always pulling clothes for photo shoots and looking for hot, new designers to work with. Get acquainted with some fashion stylists in your area by using social media and going to different fashion events in your city. It's also good to know a lot of photographers, models, and makeup artists who can probably help get your collection used in an editorial photo shoot.

There's so much work that goes into handling the PR side of a fashion label that more than likely should be handled by a pro. Once your label starts becoming increasingly profitable, hiring a good PR team to help you market your brand would be the best way to go. While it's in your hands for now, do tons of research on the job of a fashion publicist and implement some of those ideas into your own marketing campaign.

Fashion Rain Boots - A Trendy Necessity For the Rainy Season

Rain boots today are no longer the traditional black or yellow boots that were available years ago. Those boots were quite dull and women often avoided wearing them because they were clunky and awkward. Well, there is great news! In today's market, you can easily get stylish rain boots in any color or design you could imagine. You need only look online at some of the major shoe retailers to see the amazing selection that is available.

Rain footwear today matches the polished and trendy styles that people have come to expect from shoe designers. Indeed, rain boots have fused into the fashion's mainstream due to designers realizing that people wanted fashionable boots to put on that would not only keep their feet dry and protected from the elements but boots that would add to the overall look of their outfit.

Fashion rain boots are fun, colorful and very popular. You can pick out designs such as polka dots, plaids, stripes, flowers, or animal prints, just to give you a few examples of what is hot today. They can also be found with many of the same features that are found in leather boots, including styles that have lace up or side zipper closure, high heels, and styles that are trimmed with fake fur. Some of the higher end designers even make waterproof leather boots! As you can see, the design offerings of today's fashion rain boots are as varied as the people wearing them.

Rain footwear has also become popular among celebrities as famous faces in Tinseltown are often seen sporting rain boots that are both stylish and functional. They are getting attention whenever they are seen out on a rainy day. The old 'duck boot' was a very common style years ago, and even that style has gotten a fresh face-lift as it is being updated by shoe designers with plaids, stripes and other unique designs in a wide variety of colors that will match any ensemble.

Contrary to what many people may think, rain footwear is not just for women and kids. There is also a growing selection of stylish rain footwear for men. Men, after all, are no more fond of getting their feet wet in rainy weather any more than women. Rain boots for men are usually constructed of natural rubber or PVC and are typically available in one of two types. Ones that slip right over a shoe or ones that can be worn alone and removed once indoors. Top footwear manufacturers are making boots for men that are available in the traditional black or brown styles as well as in a large assortment of colors and fashionable styles for the man who wants to express his individual style.

A wonderful combination of fashion and function, rain boots are as much a necessity as they are a fashion statement. During the rainy season, it is advisable to have a pair or two to keep your feet dry and comfortable during inclement weather. Shopping for rain footwear can be fun given the wide variety of styles and colors from which to choose. You can easily get a great pair of stylish rain boots to match your personal style as well as your mood. Some popular brands include Hunter Boots, Chooka, Tretorn, Sperry, and Burberry. However, these are just a few of the many brands that are available.

Fashion rain boots are also very affordable. For quality boots that will not come apart at the seams over time, you can expect to pay anywhere from $45 on up to $300 for the higher end designer rain footwear. Fun, funky, playful, outrageous, or simple- it is your choice. No matter what your tastes are and regardless of your budget, you are sure to find a great pair of rain boots out there that you will love!

Fashion For All Body Sizes

If there were one thing that you could change about your body, what would it be? There are actually a large number of us out there who would like to change more than just one thing.

There are many who say that they are too skinny, others who claim that they are too large, some claim that their cleavage is too big or too small, and others who would change the size of their butts. However, not everyone has the money or inclination to get cosmetic surgery and not everyone has the time needed to devote to an exercise plan. That is what results in many feeling hopeless, like things are never going to change. However, there is good news, while you may not necessarily be able to change the way that your body is, you may be able to "change," the way that it looks. You can do this with fashion.

There are many people who believe that fashion and fashion tends are only for those who have a "perfect" supermodel body. But the truth is that nobody is perfect. What you may not necessarily realize is that fashion comes in all different sizes, shapes, and styles. There are fashion trends that exist for individuals of all different sizes and shapes. A few of those fashions are briefly touched on below.

If you are small in size, height wise, you may be considered petite. When it comes to petite clothing, there is a whole line of clothing that is designed for those with petite body frames. The clothes are often designed so that pants to do not drag on the floor and so forth. Petite clothing comes in all different formats from swimwear to work wear. The most important reason to choose a designated petite piece, is that the styles are appropriate, unlike what you will find in the children's department

If you are athletic or active, you may have an athletic body frame or appearance. This is often one that is muscular in nature or toned and fit. Unfortunately, not all women's clothing is designed for individuals like you. That is why there are clothing lines that are designed especially for active women and women built like you. In addition to traditional exercise clothing and casual clothing, it is more than possible to find elegant evening wear that is designed to complement your fit and athletic body frame.

If you are considered a plus sized individual, you will also find a line of clothing designed just for you. The great thing about plus sized fashions is that they have changed for the better over the years. Designers are starting to recognise the value in designing clothes to suit all sizes. It used to be that plus sized clothing was designed more for comfort than appearance. While many plus size clothing pieces still have comfort in mind, you may be surprised at the beautiful clothing pieces and accessories that are now available for plus sized women, as well as men.

The above mentioned fashions for petite, athletic, and plus sized women are just a few of the many that exist. No matter what your size or your body build, you should be able to find beautiful and attractive clothing to fit you and your needs. If you are looking for more than just beautiful and attractive clothing, but clothing that is considered trendy at the moment, you may want take some time to check out your local shopping malls. Window shopping is one of the best ways to review the latest trends in fashions, for all different body types. Another approach that you may want to take is buying fashion magazines or using the internet to help you research new, popular fashion trends for those with your body frame or body size.

To sum up, no matter what size you are, you have the right to dress, look, and feel amazing. Fashion isn't just for skinny models anymore; it is for men and women of all different sizes and shapes.

How to Survive Your First Semester - Ten Fashion College Tips to Reduce Stress and Enjoy School

Going away to college for the first time is exciting, but it can be stressful as well. And whether you're going to a state college, an Ivy League university, or a fashion school, that first semester can be the most stressful of all. But worry not, because it's possible to not only survive, but thrive, your first term - and all through your college career. Here are ten helpful tips from a fashion college to get you started on the path to success, no matter where you go to school.

1. Know you're not alone. Who doesn't feel overwhelmed when they start college? New classes, new city, new roommates - it's a lot to take in. But if you're prepared for the fact that you will feel crazed those first few months, you'll be better able to handle it. And knowing that everyone feels the same way you do just makes it a little easier.

2. Get organized. The good news is that in college, parents and teachers aren't breathing down your neck telling you to do your homework and get to classes on time. But that's also the bad news. Now you have to be responsible for it all yourself. Get yourself some kind of organizer - a datebook, a PDA, even a big wall calendar, and use it to keep track of all your assignments and exams. (It feels good to cross things off, too.)

3. Make new friends. Try to meet as many people as you can in your classes. Smile and say hello to students sitting around you. Break the ice by asking them about a lecture or reading assignment. And exchange e-mail addresses with them so you can contact them for notes if you have to miss a class.

4. Keep in touch with old ones. Thanks to social networking sites like Facebook, it's easy to stay in touch with your old high school friends. Doing so makes the transition to a new college a lot easier, because you don't feel like you're suddenly cut off from everyone. Also, you can share stories and advice about adjusting to your new situations.

5. Get to know your teachers. To get over any intimidation about college instructors, meet them one on one in office hours. The more relaxed atmosphere of office hours is a great way to find out more about their academic and professional interests, and they get to know you better, too. Also, fashion school instructors typically are working professionals with industry ties, which can prove to be helpful when it comes time for you to find a job.

6. Don't procrastinate. Time flies by that first semester. Keep on top of reading and assignments because before you know it, it's time for exams. Falling one week behind can turn into two weeks, then three. Sticking to deadlines will take so much stress off of you.

7. Stay healthy. You're already going to feel worn down from having a new schedule and life, so be sure to take care of yourself. Get plenty of rest (all-nighters aren't all they're cracked up to be) and eat right. Be sure to get a flu shot, too.

8. Get involved in school. When you go to a new school, you can feel isolated, like you don't belong anywhere. You can change that feeling by joining one of the on-campus clubs, or by signing up with a committee to plan a school event. You'll meet new people and learn new skills, all with a big dollop of school spirit.

9. Visit the Career Center. It's surprising that many students don't even think about the Career Center until they're ready to graduate. In fashion college, students are encouraged to visit the Career Center as soon as they start college, so they know what opportunities await them. It's highly motivating for your studies when you have a dream career in mind.

10. Have fun. Studying is important, but putting your nose to the grindstone 24/7 will only burn you out. Don't forget to make time for yourself: go to the movies, hit the gym, go dancing, or read a good book. It's all about balance.

Your first semester in college can be one of the most thrilling times of your life. And the way you survive - and thrive - will set the course for the rest of your college years, and beyond.

Fashion News- Black Girls In A White World

It is always noteworthy when politics and fashion collide. In October, The New York Times ran an article entitled "Runways Fade to White". The article described the relative absence of Black models on the runways of the most recent Fashion Week.

As a follower of fashion and a Black woman, the article caught my attention.

I tend to live by the proposition that race is a significant characteristic, but should not govern our lives and or dictate our decisions. However, this year's Fashion Week has challenged those beliefs.

The New York Times article painted a picture of the whitening of the fashion world. According to the article, the number of Black women used in fashion shows has steadily decreased. Frequently, designers request the model's race in advance so that they can reject the Black models. When the agents try to pull a bait and switch, by withholding the model's race, the designers later complain. The designers reject the Black model and blame the agent by saying, "You didn't tell me that she was Black."

While I was unaware of the underlying details, my review of fashion magazines has revealed that Black models were suffering some challenges. I peruse my five subscriptions to fashion magazines religiously every month, under the belief that fashion is universal. Rather than bemoan the absence of Black women on the hundreds of pages, I have rejoiced when I see a Black face on one page.

I used to believe that I was progressive by not letting politics influence my purchasing decisions. Now, I realize that I was naive.

The Census results gave me an easy way to I rationalize the decisions of the fashion industry. Black people account for about 12% of the population so it would follow that we would not be on the majority of the covers of fashion magazines. However, the article indicates that deliberate discrimination and not statistics likely explains the absence of Black women from the covers.

By excluding Black models, the designers are communicating a powerful message. While we do not know what the message is, we do know that the message is not a good one. To suggest otherwise overlooks a basic fact. Fashion is about more than selling clothes, it is about selling an image of beauty. Whatever their motivation, it is clear that many designers do not envision Black models as portraying their image of beauty. Once I find out who the biggest offenders were, I doubt that I will be able to envision myself wearing their clothes...

Fashion Contact Lens

Us gals just have to look good which is why fashion is so important to us. And each of us likes to make our own fashion statement. But have you ever considered a fashion contact lens purchase towards that personal fashion statement? Great news you can find a cheap lens online that's perfect for you. Heck you'll be able to afford more than one style.

One type of fashion contact lens is the colored lenses that can be prescription or non-prescription. Have you ever wondered what you'd look like with green eyes? Thought a great fashion statement would be amethyst eyes? Or perhaps you've always wanted to take your plain blue eyes to the depths of sapphire. There are dozens of colors to choose from and because you are looking to purchase a fashion contact lens you're going to pay less. Prescription lenses will cost a little more.

You can enhance the color of your eyes with any one of these colors or you can take it further and consider eyes that are a little funkier. Have you ever wanted to have cat eyes? You can go subtle or bold. And there are some other neat fashion contact lens like Gothic or even three dimensional. None of these interfere with your vision but they are definitely going to bring some attention your way and what a lot of fun you can have with cheap fashion contact lens.

Another popular lens look are the opaque colored lenses. They don't just come in a great mix of colors they also come in a fabulous mix of designs and patterns. They are very popular with actors and actresses. How would you like to have cheetah eyes? Wouldn't that be fun? And what a great conversation piece.

The latest addition to the fashion contact lens market is the light filtering contacts. These enhance colors like yellow or white. They are often used during sports like golf where you need to track the ball.

You will need to have your eye doctor fit your contacts whether they are prescription or non prescription. There are measurements that are needed to ensure that your lenses fit properly. Once your prescription is on file you won't need it again.

There are some sites that do not require a prescription but really it's not highly recommended as you'll be wasting a lot of money and they are not likely to be comfortable. I mean you do want to get more than one wear out of your fashion lens.

Your fashion statement is all about you - your look, your attitude, your clothing, your jewelry, and your fashion lens. Why not tell them that you are really your own person by adding a cool touch with your fashion contact lens?

Fashion Comes Home to the White House - Creating Your Own Fashion Legacy

There is an enormous buzz around our nation, and even perhaps around the world, about what Michelle Obama will wear to the inauguration today.  It's an amazing piece of a historic event - the role that FASHION will play - and rightfully so.  The endless newsreels playing for the last few weeks have been looking back at past first ladies and the styles and colors of their inaugural ensembles.  And, of course, in this case, there are two little girls to "ooh and ahh" over as well.  What a day to be a dress maker! 

By now, if you were up early, you saw Michelle Obama leave her (very) temporary residence in a golden yellow brocade dress with a matching long jacket and long silk scarf - smiling and waving to news crews as she entered St. John's Church in Washington DC with her husband - the 44th president of our country.  It felt like every news channel you turned to did a critique of her outfit - how it seemed to match the color of the church - that it was a "happy" color and embraced Mrs. Obama's joie de vivre when it comes to fashion.  That it was classic, and yet still her own.  (Who can forget the amount of commentary about her daring black and red ensemble on the night of the election?)

I, for one, love the acknowledgment that the media is giving to fashion today.  For those of us in the clothing industry - from fabric designers, to boutique owners, to seamstresses and tailors and factory workers - well, this is a really great day for us.  We are center stage all day today - and we know it! 

But truthfully, we know something that everyone else might NOT know.  We are center stage EVERY day - and it's not just for the big occasions.  (Okay, we don't all have an inaugural ball to go to, but we all have those once-in-a-lifetime events - like weddings and proms - where we have that "perfect" dress that gets a million photographs.)  Rather, it's the smaller occasions where WE know that we literally make or break people.  It's the first date with the best looking guy in the office.  (And it's the dinner where you meet his parents.)  It's every single day that you go to work.  What we do matters.  It really matters.  We are literally the thread that ties us all together, from generation to generation. 

Clothing isn't just something to buy, wear, and toss away.  Be sure to save those special pieces to hand down to your daughters and nieces.  Fashion has a way of coming around again and again (can you say skinny jeans?).   And what doesn't come around becomes great stuff for school plays and Halloweens (poodle skirts and white leisure suits, anybody?).  For plus size women, there's also the tremendous honor of having some great fashion in the right size when the young women in your life are struggling - both financially and with their identities.  Even plus size women like Oprah Winfrey have shared that finding the right dress in her size has driven her to tears on the MOST special occasions, like the Emmy's. 

You will be more than the hero when you have that gorgeous plus size little black dress for someone's special New Year's Eve - or a beautiful plus size blouse to accent a great suit for that big interview.  As plus size women, we KNOW how important it is to dress to impress and dress for success!  Having those special wardrobe pieces to pass down is pretty wonderful.

I have visions of Michelle Obama's daughters, one day in the far future, unwrapping beautiful dresses from some treasured garment bag wrapped carefully in tissue paper, and saying to their own daughters, "This is the dress your grandmother wore to meet the King of England, and this is what she wore when she met the President of France."  Our clothing is far more than what it seems; it's part of our life story.  So the next time you have a great dress that you adore, take a picture of yourself in it at the occasion and then, when you save that dress and wrap it carefully in tissue, throw the picture in the box too.  We aren't all "The First Lady" but we ARE all part of a very intimate history to be treasured as part of our own legacy.

Confront Your Fear of Fashion

Are you a fashion flop? Do you look at fashion magazines in puzzled envy and feel like you will never be able to follow the trends? Do you wander the department stores wishing your fashion godmother would point you in the right direction? Do you walk the streets feeling like everyone is looking at you? Don't feel bad; knowing about your problem is the first step toward making a difference. There are millions out there just like you, struggling in vain to make fashion work for them. The good news is, fashion is coming around your way. For example, jeans and t-shirt are more popular than ever. Comfort and fashion combined is always great, right? While jeans and t-shirt are easy to coordinate, and pretty versatile, you just can't wear them everywhere. Take a hint from these common fashion mistakes and learn from the mistakes of others what not to do.

Great fashion is not just about trends, it's actually all about you. Being trendy works for celebrities, but most of us just don't have the budget to update our wardrobe every time the trends change. Learning what looks great on you will take you much further than any fashion magazine. One common fashion mistake is choosing the wrong colors for your skin. Just because the outfit looks good on the mannequin doesn't mean it will look good on you. No one on earth has the skin tone of that mannequin, so how can you choose your colors with that example? Use your skin tone to decide what colors will work for you. If you have fair skin, look for bold colors, they will bring out some color in your skin. For dark skin, you will want light colors that will brighten your features. Medium skin looks great in bold or light colors. Being unrealistic about your size is another common fashion mistake. Buying clothing too big or too small will either highlight all of your flaws, or create the appearance of flaws where you don't have them. Along the same lines, don't make the mistake of showing too much skin. No matter how beautiful your body, showing too much skin can take away from your body and make your bareness the center of attention, rather than your beauty. The idea is to accentuate your best features, not put them on display.

Don't over embellish. Glitter, sequins, and other embellishments can enhance an outfit, and make you look put together, but too much will detract from your look. Use embellishments to attract attention away from your flaws. For example, if you have wide hips, you may want to wear a top with an embellished neckline to draw the eye up and away from your hips. If you know you are a dunce when it comes to coordinating colors and patterns, avoid that trap completely. Invest in neutral colors that can mix and match across your wardrobe. Accessories can lend color to your look so you don't have to worry about looking like a box of crayons.

Fashion challenges don't have to be so challenging, just stick to the safe stuff. Knowing a few tips and tricks can help you keep your secret from the world. You may never look like a trendy celebrity, but who does? Finding outfits that flatter you and make you feel confident is really what's important to avoiding fashion boo boos. Take the first step to fashion recovery and start learning from these fashion mistakes.

Fashion Dresses 2007 - The Magic Slimming Dress Does Exactly As It Says!

The Magic slimming dress is one dress that all women will love as not only does it look good but the unique way that is made means that it flatters your figure instantly and makes you look a size smaller!

Let's look at the magic slimming dress in more detail.

1. The concept

Ever looked at the Tour De France and seen how the cyclists look in Lycra? Well, the Lycra clothing they wear holds the body firm.

The construction of the magic slimming dress uses the concept of holding the body firm on the first level and then uses softer fabrics on top to give a firmer, slimmer look.

2. Design

The magic slimming dress has Elastane Lycra support in the design of the lining and the seaming of the dress. This support is designed to flatter your figure and is part of a new Magicwear range where all garments feature this unique construction. The marketing From Marks and Spencer's who have produced this first range claims:

"Firm control inner lining that is cut and seamed to control and lift in all the right places - holding in the stomach and lifting the bottom and bust"

Well, to any women a claim like that has to be investigated!
The best place to start was the magic slimming dress (as all of us girls need one) and is a simple conservative plain black dress.

The Magicwear (TM) Short Sleeve Dress arrived, in the mail and I tried it on straightaway. Girls the good news is - It really does deliver and is not all marketing hype, which is great news! The dress was not only well made, but made me look slimmer, just as important, it changed my silhouette into a curvy, sexy hourglass shape.

My look was simply transformed and my figure looked great and I actually felt that rather than being in my late thirties, the Magic Slimming Dress took my body back a decade, to before I had children.

As my husband put it "you don't look so big" cheek, but as I was so delighted I took it as a complement.

So why does the magic slimming dress work?

3. The Technical Bit

The inner is made up of 23% elastane Lycra combined with 77% polyester. The double crepe top fabric is made of 49% Viscose, 49% polyester and just 2% Lycra. Crepe yarn, being a highly twisted yarn that curls back on itself so therefore it is quite resistant to creasing.

This double crepe fabric has the advantage of just 2% Lycra and is mixed with polyester again makes it more crease resistant.

The Magic Slimming Dress also has a combination of polyester and viscose making it very comfortable to wear. The viscose absorbs body moisture helping retain comfort in wear. This combination also makes washing easy.

I personally think all women will love this new construction, which has a patent pending at present.

4. A great concept

The concept behind the Magicwear range is so simple, its one of those ideas you think why didn't I think of it?

My Magic slimming dress worked for me and I am sure other women will love it. This range of women's clothing looks set to become one the biggest fashion trends of 2007.

In conclusion, it delivers and that should make every woman happy.

Focus on Sustainable Fashions

How many of us have been tempted in the last few months to buy cheaper clothing that may not be built to last? Certain items such as school uniforms and some other children's clothes can be picked up at surprisingly low prices right now from certain stores. These low-cost items are often considered disposable fashions by the buyer - they are cheap, they get a lot of wear and tear and children grow out of them quickly. Before you know it, they are in the bin.

Then there are the adult and child fashion items from outlets like Primark. Shoppers know that some of these items may not last, but they are low cost, often quite up to date in terms of fashion, and, as they will probably go out of fashion altogether within a season or two, why not treat them as 'throwaway fashions'?

Is this acceptable? Or do we need to think more about the implications of this type of purchase?

Mike Webster, a representative of the charity Waste Watch, believes we should consider the real cost of 'affordable fashion'.

"If manufacturers and retailers had to bear the environmental cost of producing such cheap clothes, they might think again about their prices and quality," he says. "Every time a cheap T-shirt gets thrown into the bin, it ends up costing the taxpayer in the expense of taking it to the landfill, and it taking up space in the landfill."

According to a committee of MPs, council tips have seen the proportion of textile waste rise from 7% to 30% in the last five years.

Asda, Tesco and Primark's clothing sales all performed well last year, and with all three offering ultra cheap clothing it is good to hear that Asda for one is addressing this issue. They have stated that their clothing is not intended to be 'disposable' and that any parent can return the George school uniform range for up to 100 days rather than the usual 28 days if they are unhappy with the quality. If the scheme is a success they may go on to review their entire refund policy to cover adult clothing in this way.

Tesco said it would consider looking at its return policy, but for now insists that their school uniform offers are simply "good quality at good prices".