Summer’s Covergirl Cara enjoys an Aussie summer outdoor.
Summer 2009/2010
- A Word from the Editor - Dawson Ko.
- 90 Days of Summer - Stephanie Lau.
- Looking HOT when hot - Dawson Ko.
- Fashionable Days Gallery.
- Summer Collections 2009/2010 - What's Hot and What's Not - Nicole Barron.
- A Reformed Fashion Victim - Emma Fraser.
- I Wear, Therefore I Am - Tina Nguyen.
- ipod & i - Dawson Ko.
- Fashionable Nights Gallery.
- Fashion for a Cause - Katie Preston Toepfer
- Emergency Shoe Update: From a "Girly-Girl's" Point of View - Maree Jordanoski.
- End Credits.
A creation from Australian label Romance was born S/S 2010
Summer Collections 2009/2010 --
What's Hot & What's Not!
New to Fashionable Eye, Nicole Barron will open our eyes to the high end of fashion, reporting on what our favorite designers are doing this Summer.
Spring is a beautiful time of year - the flowers are blooming, the birds are chirping and everyone comes out of hibernation to frolic in the sunshine. And this is not to mention the glorious fashion that emerges this time of the year - with the Spring/Summer collections having just been showcased overseas and Australia's collections recently been put on the shelves, there is a whole new wardrobe ready to be bought with eager enthusiasm.
What's more, there is something special about this year. With the economic crisis upon us, the focus has been on perfecting our frugal ways, however the fashion world has flown in the face of this philosophy, with much success. The Australian fashion scene has embraced up and coming designers that have been pushing the fashion envelope with daring designs - Romance was Born has become Australia's darlings with their extravagant and mesmerising clothes, while Dion Lee has blown everyone away with his strong architectural pieces. Overseas, fashion goers are turning to frivolity as a means of escaping the cruel blow that the GFC has dealt us. Chanel has been showcasing couture that is as beautiful as ever, with Karl Lagerfeld producing shows that keep on outdoing the last one.
New York fashion Week saw nostalgic sentiments appear in many of the shows; it seems a call back to the simpler days was a perfect fashion pick-me-up. Alexander Wang brought back the cheerleading squad from high school with a refined sportswear dominating his spring collection - grey sweatsuits were teamed with tan leather accessories and structured cuts meant that Wang's goal of creating 'investment pieces' was realised. For the Marc by Marc Jacobs show, Jacobs took this fashion right back to the eighties, and there wasn't one tacky outfit in sight. Models looked delightful with big bows in their hair and the designer showcased bright and bold colour and prints. Jacobs demonstrated his love of the past again at Paris Fashion Week, with the Louis Vuitton show coming right out of the seventies - think moccasins, tassels and afros galore.
Model Karlie Kloss having fun backstage at Marc by Marc Jacobs
Back on our shores, we are lucky enough to have the collections all ready and waiting for us to buy, and it seems that the beauty of spring is being celebrated in all its glory. Despite Fashion Week being a great deal smaller then previous years, the young designers that were showcasing their talents has alot to offer. Karla Spetic held a romantic note throughout her collection, using soft pinks and creams as well as a rose print inspired by her grandmother. Draping pants and fresh white dresses are also featured, as well as the occasional elegant one piece swimsuit.
Romance was Born released a quirky and fun collection that drew inspiration from under the sea and Australiana, with croqueting and fun prints featured. Zimmermann is another label that is ringing in the warmer months with bright and happy prints - colourful geometric swimwear and beautiful floral dresses mixed together with the occasional turquoise piece.
Another trend that is taking the whole world by storm and simply has to be mentioned is the vampire trend. Gothic romanticism is back in a big way and labels such as Antipodium and Ellery are showcasing dark fabrics and a mix of textures from leather to faux mohair and sheer black blouses. Overseas label Rodarte distressed their fabrics in every way imaginable, from burning to sandpapering and when mixed with Rodarte's distinctive draping, only complimented the design aesthetic of the label. Australian label lover are taking a softer approach to the gothic trend with their spring collection 'white moon rising' featuring tailored cuts, high necklines and lace dresses.
While the economic crisis is seeing the fashion world elaborate on pleasing aesthetics, it is still a sad fact that all of these beautiful pieces can be quite costly. And while it is nice to go back to the basics and look for quality investment pieces, many of the lower price chain stores are cashing in on the trends that we are all looking to grab. Florals, sequins and prints can be seen in many shops such as Sportsgirl, Bardot and Dotti, and on top of that, Sydneysiders have just been graced with the presence of Topshop in Incu on Oxford St, Paddington. Here you can find all the girly (and cheap) sentiment of Topshop alongside Marc Jacobs and many other designer labels.
Even though it seems that this has been quite an average year, with many a problems to fret over, the fashion world has been a good escape with all of their flights of fantasies. It might be a wake up call for people to stop and smell the roses - and have a look at some beautiful clothes while they’re at it!
Nicole Barron
A Reformed Fashion-Victim Speaks
Emma Fraser records the words from a reformed Fashion Victim.
Can’t afford Gucci, don’t have the patience (or the inclination) to op-shop, but still want to look good? Most of us have no choice but to dress on a budget, and for those still in school or uni, there’s never much cash to go around. Here are some tips from a young fashion guru on how to look as good as you can, for as little as possible – especially for guys who are sick of tracky-daks and shirts like potato sacks from budget clothing outlets.
The Approach
There’s a fun, casual party coming up, and you need an outfit. What’s the plan?
If you’re on the lowest end of the budget, you make sure you go to Jay Jays. I’d buy clothes from Target and Kmart, but I wouldn’t buy everything from there - they have nice accessories, and no one is going to know where a belt came from unless it has a brand on it.
My fashion sense was quite dumb and daggy until I was able to go in to stores and do my own shopping. These days, I’d walk in, find things that catch my eye - five or six things off the racks - take them into the change room and try them all on together. Mix and match, because they may look bad on the rack but good together with something else, or something that looks good on the rack mightn’t look good on you. Make sure you get the correct size and style for your shape – there are certain colours and cuts that suit some people more than others.
There’s no point buying something cheap if it doesn’t look good, so try before you buy!
So what would you go for?
Even if you don’t have money its just good to go into stores and try things on, kind of window shop, see what looks good for when you can afford it. Go shopping with others, but not your Mum or Dad because their style is obviously forty years behind yours. You can always ask the person behind the counter, they’re there to help you, that’s their job.
The girl behind the counter (at Jay Jays) told me not to buy cheaper clothing that screamed the brand name because then everyone will know where it came from, and they are usually the ones that everyone else picks. The plain tees that have nothing written on them, they’re universal, they’re the same from Jay Jays and Just Jeans and Jeans West, and probably Myer as well. If you find something in one store make sure you go and check out the cheaper stores first because they may have the same style for half the price. Also, these stores often have some sales on, and it doesn’t always matter if it’s last season’s fashion if it’s still going to look good – it’s more how you wear it than when it was made.
If it looks good, wear it – but don’t flash the cheap branding!
But what about all the trash at Jay Jays?
If you’re going to go for a loud top, make sure the bottom is quite simple and plain and vice versa… otherwise they’re going to clash. Jay Jays sells a lot of accessories and there is a lot of random junk, but it’s always different, it’s always moving off the rack, and it’s great to accessorise with simple clothes. If you buy a pair of shorts that you don’t need a belt for, don’t hesitate to buy a belt just to pull off the fashion.
A lot of the stuff in places like Jay Jay’s is unisex as well, so don’t be too scared to try on something pink if you’re a guy or try something with skulls and crossbones if you’re a girl.
Try something new – it might pay off!
The outfit
You don’t always need a brand new outfit: search through your wardrobe and match the old with something new. Accessories really do make a difference: hats and belts and wrist cuffs and things like that are cheap and take attention off your outfit while adding a bit of personality. People won’t notice if you wear the same shorts with a different top, but if you turn up to a party wearing the same outfit you wore last week, your friends will make the connection.
Shirt: This shirt is the new addition to an older wardrobe: It was a bargain, down from $59 to $29, which I could easily afford on my budget. That’s why you always look for a sale. I tried on four different styles before deciding, and checked Jay Jays first.
Shorts: A trusty summer staple, these can mix and match with many styles: I wouldn’t necessarily wear shorts above the knee, but that’s what’s in fashion at the moment so I thought I would go with the crowd and jump right in there. These came from Jay Jays and for $30 they are good quality shorts: the stitching is very tight and they fit quite well. Shorts that are almost identical from another store would have cost at least four times as much. These are just for the Summer months, and any pair of shorts is going to last that long - by the time next Summer rolls around everyone has stopped wearing last years fashion anyway.
Shoes:I was looking for a pair of black and white shoes that fitted and were stylish, and these were all I could get at the time. They were from an independent store, and were only $30 - but I would not recommend them to anyone! They look great, but are bad quality. I should have waited or found something better to layby, which is a good way to get something a little out of your budget by waiting a few weeks for it.
Hat: This is something I borrowed from my sister, she got it in New York, and it’s pretty-much unisex. It looks good with everything, and it didn’t cost me a cent!
So, not everything that’s affordable and attractive is a bargain - there is a limit to how cheap you can go. You shouldn’t buy something just because it looks good – look out for poor quality, and save up for better quality when it counts.
Generally, if you’re after a casual style that’s up-to-date, there’s no shame in buying cheaply; as long as you are wise, it’s a great way to look good, and add variety on a budget. Also, find others with a sense of style and swap with them when you can, it’s a great way to expand your wardrobe at no cost.
Emma Fraser