Interview With A Friend #2 Featuring Karen Kuhn

Karen and I met 7th grade when we sat near each other in band. However, I don't think we became friends right away. Though, after a while we became best friends and hung out all the time. When we both took AP US History our sophomore year in high school we would have "note card parties" where she would come over for a sleepover and we would stay up until 3 am doing note cards for class and drinking lots of pop. We went to youth group and lunch almost every Sunday afternoon and we had a great time with band and dances and crazy high school times. Karen is very intelligent, we were in the same french class for all of high school, and she's very musically gifted (in high school she played the tuba in band and sang, though I'm sure she still does both). She has a knack for getting sunburned really badly and she's really funny, especially when she's had a lot of caffeine/sugar, and is just a blast to be around. She is doing great in college, loves OSU, and always has a lot of things on her plate to do.

Here is her interview:

Where do you go to college? What are you studying/majoring in? And why?
I go to college at The Ohio State University. I'm majoring in English with minors in French and Linguistics because I want to go into publishing and I find language super interesting.

What was your favorite class this past year/hardest and why?
My favorite class was Language, Sex, and Gender because it gave me very important insight on how the way we use language and how it influences/reflects gender and sexuality stereotypes.

What would you say is your dream job?
My dream job would be to work for a publishing house as an editor or as a critic of the arts.

Karen (R) and our friend Jeri (L).
To learn more about Jeri, click her name.

Who are your favorite designers?
I think the only designer I could even tell you a first and last name is Coco Chanel...

Do you have a favorite quote?
"Well-behaved women seldom make history" -Laurel Thatcher Ulrich

How would you describe your personal style?
On a good day, my personal style is very simple. Solid colors, not a lot of jewelry. On a bad day, it's jean shorts and a t-shirt.

What are your favorite stores?
American Eagle is my favorite for jeans, but I really like JC Penney, Charlotte Russe, Forever 21 etc. Target is good when I'm looking for cheap clothes.

What’s your must-have accessory?
Can't go without wearing earrings.

What is your go-to outfit?
Usually a cute tank top and cut off jean shorts for the summer, or if I'm feeling really lazy, a strapless dress.

How are you spending your summer before sophomore year?
This summer, I'm trying to spend as much time with friends as I can before I move out of Milford.

How has college changed your wardrobe? What is your favorite go-to summer outfit right now? 
College has made me realize that it's easy to look cute without putting in a ton of effort. I love wearing white shorts with a solid tank top and an unbuttoned chambray shirt with the sleeves rolled up. Sandals are a must.

If you could go anywhere and do anything, where & what?
I think I would go to India to document their languages and learn more about their culture.

What influences you and your sense of style? Singers/artists/celebrities?
My friends influence my style, but I also get a lot of inspiration from Pinterest.

Interview With a Fellow Design Student #2 Featuring Jessica Cork

Like Gabi, I met Jessica for the first time at a little meet & greet for the major before classes started last fall. First appearances wise, Jessica looked fierce. If I remember correctly she had on these high heeled boots and some combination of clothes that just made her look like she was meant to be a designer. I don't think we really became friends until we sat by each other in Intro to the Apparel Industry, though we also had AD105 together, so we survived that class together. Because of her I learned that taking the bus to art in the morning is way better than walking there at 8am with a huge portfolio kit and a coffee. She's fun and creative, and has a great sense of humor. Because we became friends fall semester, come spring we took drawing together too, which I don't think I could have survived without her and our friend Hale. She has tons of sketch books and her designs are always interesting and fresh. For the fashion show she had a little problem model wise, meaning her original model, who she had made the dress to fit like a glove, quit just a few days before the show. Given the circumstances she did her best, had one of her friends be the model, and fix the dress as best she could since her new model was a little more gifted up top than her original one was. Jessica is a hard worker and I look forward to having art again with her in the fall as well as other design related classes.

Now for her interview:

Jessica Cork.

What are you studying/majoring in? And why?

I am majoring in Apparel Design and Technology and minoring in Art. I chose Apparel Design as my major because Fashion Design has been my dream since I was five years old drawing stick people in square shirts and triangle skirts. I’m minoring in Art because it’s nice to have a little extra something to spice up your resume and because it’s easy. 

Why did you choose Purdue? And what made you want to decide on Apparel Design?

I chose Purdue because it was the first college I found with the major I wanted and it was close enough to home my parents could still come and buy me groceries every once in a while. I was also impressed by their program and their facilities with machines I had never seen before.  Originally I was searching every college’s website for “Fashion Design” in their Art departments. Obviously I was way off. 

 Please describe what you made for the spring fashion show and how you felt seeing all your hard work going down the runway. Also, if you want, any funny stories about making your garment or any struggles.

I made a little party dress that was supposed to be really easy and go together smoothly….didn't happen that way. I will NeVeR work with Lamé ever again. It was a huge pain in the butt and silk brocade… I should have learned the first time I tried to work with it but it is very difficult to work with as it is very slippery and doesn't have any give. It was really beautiful fabric but, because there was no flow, the dress wasn’t quite how I imagined it. Not to mention I sewed the Lamé wrong 5 different times. Inside out, one inside out other backwards, both backwards, wrong side and one backwards and one forwards. Then my model quit on me . . . so can you say stressed?

Jessica's Model on the runway during
the Fashion Show.

A back and front view of Jessica's dress.

What was your favorite class this past year/hardest and why?

Hands down, my favorite class this year was the fashion history class. I loved that class with Nancy. I learned about a lot of things I hadn't known before and was highly interested in. My hardest class was AD 105. It had too many restrictions and specificities for me to be able to work well in that class. The teaching assistant would say that there was a better way to do something when it was actually how she would have done it so she expected it to be that way though it was the student’s work and therefore their self-expression. 

What would you say is your dream job?

I think my dream job is to be a fashion illustrator maybe for Armani.

I prefer to dream and draw the designs rather than sit down and piece them together. I can envision and draw a garment better than I can sew a perfectly straight seam.

Who are your favorite designers?

I fell in love with Giorgio Armani’s designs when I opened a magazine and saw a beautifully composed black and white photo of a simple and sophisticated dress that’s design rather than color hinted at an earlier era’s fashion. But I also love how Chanel’s designs are what I describe as “clean”.  No useless frill and needless fripperies. Just details that emphasize the body that is wearing the garment, I love body conscious, simple and sophisticated clothing.

Do you have a favorite quote?

Live and learn

How would you describe your personal style?

Normally comfortable and simple, a lot of black because it’s easy to maintain and match but I do have my more….frilly moments which sometimes turn out badly…live and learn. But a friendly hint…cheetah print and zebra print at the same time = not fantastic idea, unless it is done very minimally and tastefully. 

What are your favorite stores?

Jessica's Bulova Watch
Image Credit: Jessica Cork

Body Central, Rack Room Shoes and Goodwill (Goodwill is the best place to buy from because everything has been washed at least once so you know how the fabric is going to react, like if the seams are going to twist because of poor construction).

What’s your must-have accessory?

My Bulova watch, It’s flashy and functional.

What is your go-to outfit?
Jeans, t-shirt, and black boots (whether heeled or flat).

How are you spending your summer before sophomore year?

Working my butt off to pay for books, hanging with my boyfriend whenever we can get together, Reading (already conquered 14 books), fixing everyone’s clothes they can’t put thread through needle and fix themselves, and school and stressing over what I’m going to make for this year’s fashion show (nothing to do with Lamé, Silk Brocade, or unreliable models.) and driving my younger sister insane of course. :D

Bring on the Documentaries

Every night after work and dinner I try to relax and unwind. Sometimes I sketch or try and start a sewing project. Other times I'll watch an episode or 2 (or more depending on the length) of a show. Almost every night before I actually go to sleep I like to read a little, though if the book gets really good I may end up staying awake a lot longer than planned. However, recently I have been trying to find a movie to watch, but I just can't figure out what I want to watch. Well, today I have decided to do a little "research" and compile a list of fashion related documentaries I might watch. I've taken various lists others have created and decided to share the ones that seem most popular, or just any that are really interesting.

Here is my list in order of date:

1. Seamless, 2005
2. Marc Jacobs and Louis Vuitton, 2007
3. Signe Chanel, 2007
4. Lagerfeld Confidential, 2007
5. Valentino: The Last Emperor, 2009
6. The September Issue, 2009
7. Bill Cunningham New York, 2010
8. A Man's Story, 2010
9. OWN Visionaries: Tom Ford, 2011
10. In Vogue: The Editor's Eye, 2012
11. The Tents, 2012
12. Diana Vreeland: The Eye Has to Travel, 2012
13. J. Crew and the Man Who Dressed America, 2012

I have seen The September Issue, but I really liked it and included it because I will probably watch it again. I didn't include God Save My Shoes because I have already done an entire post about it (Check it out here: http://brieezee.blogspot.com/2013/06/documentary-shedding-light-on-why-women.html). Maybe now that I have a list I will be able to make a decision when I can't pick what to watch. 

Whenever I do watch a movie from the list above I will post a little review about it. Most likely not as long as my post about God Save My Shoes, something short and to the point, so stay tuned.

A Happy Coincidence and Great Buy

The platform is maybe an inch or a little more.

While running errands for work yesterday I spotted a 50% off sign in front of a consignment shop that I pass by almost every day. I decided that after work i would just pop in and check it out. Half-off is quite a deal, especially when prices are already reasonable. When i walked in the place was very open and bright despite the dark storm clouds outside. I immediately found the shoes section, just one standing rack in the back. I found 3 different pairs of heels that fit me and were each very different. The first were slingback heels with a zebra print and outlined in hot pink. The second were Ann Taylor peep-toe wedges. They were a dark nude almost a grayish tint and the wedge was a snakeskin print. They were maybe 3 inches and looked very classy. However, despite really liking them I couldn't quite picture myself wearing them, especially since I am not a huge fan of peep-toe. Lastly, the third pair were about 4 inches with a platform and slightly pointed toe. I wear an 8 usually, and these were an 8.5 so at first i wasn't even going to try them on but the wedges were 7.5's and fit perfectly. So I slid the heels on and realized I needed them. They're black and white, classic and classy, and since they had a white tag they were half off (the other 2 pairs were not white tags and not half off). They are a little big, but in the way that if they were 8's they would be too tight. Weird but that's how they fit. I think I will buy a pair of those stick on pad things to put inside my heels so they fit more snugly. I bought the heels, I couldn't help myself, they were a steal at $4.79 and just like new with no scuff marks.

Image: http://www.vogue.co.uk/news

Now for the happy coincidence. As I've written before, I have recently started to read Vogue UK News online every day. It's very informative and provides great insight and pictures. Well just before I was thinking of posting about my new heels I read an article on Diane von Furstenberg and read about her collection and how she is still going strong. The main picture for the article is a model in front of a giant DVF and what's one of the prints she's wearing? Pretty much the same one as on my heels. Sure it's part of her Pre- Spring/Summer 2014 collection, but the print is on more than one model. I am ecstatic, I have managed to nag a great pair of heels for a great price, and will be able to stay "in the loop" so to speak. Though, that's a while away, I plan on wearing these heels during the fall and possibly winter as well. I think they would look classy with black tights and a little black dress, or my bright red dress. When i tried them on I thought about wearing them for the fashion show tomorrow, maybe even paired with my black and white elephant dress and some minimal jewelry. I still haven't decided what to wear, I'm planning on leaving work early so I can shower, get ready, and be on my way to meet my friend and attend the show. I am very excited and I think I will be walking around in my heels just in case I do decide to wear them, I need to break them in first.

Inspirational People #4 *Spoiler Alert For Those Who Don't Know What Legally Blonde Is*

While she is just a character in a book, 2 movies, and Broadway musical, she has been one of my female role models and source of personal inspiration ever since I saw the first movie forever ago. She's a smart blonde who proves everyone's expectations wrong, just the quote "It just felt like, for the first time, that someone expected me to do something more with my life than just become a Victoria's Secret model," illustrates how she's able to take on any challenge if she sets her mind to it. She's Elle Woods, the Delta Nu sorority president who went from having a 4.0 and majoring in Fashion to getting a 179 on her LSATs and going to Harvard. First impressions are everything and her big move from the West coast to the East was a big change for her, causing her to not only be an outcast for the first time, but struggle to win her man back. I loved how she refused to change her entire self in order to win Warner back, she stays the bright, bubbly, blonde with a love of pink and nail care. She may have gone to Harvard to win him back, but she proves she's meant to be there, not right away but after a little bit of time and hard work. She changes her wardrobe, less pink and more "mature lawyer clothing" rather than all the sparkles and fur. However, at the end when she takes on the case by herself she is true to herself and shows up in a pink dress and sparkly high heels.

Elle Woods when she arrives at Harvard with her
little dog Bruiser.

Elle Woods is an inspiration to me because she illustrates how important it is to be yourself and how sometimes the crazy journey to your original plan can completely alter your ending (how she fell in love with Emmett and refused Warner). Being a smart blonde is another reason. I'm blonde and I face a lot of stereotypes, especially since I'm in fashion design. It's not the other people in fashion that hold the dumb blonde stereotype (there's always exceptions though) it's usually the people who not only think fashion design is an easy major and has no importance in life, but those who also think blondes are just generally dumb. Well, like Elle Woods, I proved myself to be an exception. I won't go into my accomplishments but I am definitely not a dumb blonde and could probably succeed in any field (with enough determination like Elle) but fashion is where I want to be and it's what makes me happy, which is  why I want to be apart of the industry.

She's not necessarily my go-to girl for inspiration in my sketches, but sometimes when i'm questioning whether or not I should be pursuing a career in fashion I can think of how she took risks to get what she wanted, though what she wanted changed along the way. In conclusion, the fictional character Elle Woods, is very inspirational for when the going gets rough and you need some reminder that you can do anything you set your mind to with enough determination and effort (and a fabulous wardrobe to boot :) ).

Go-To Inspiration

There are a handful of topics that I can always refer to whenever I am in need of some inspiration. Paris (especially black and white pictures), Coco Chanel, flowers, and shoes (especially Louboutins) are my top picks. Sometimes I really want to sketch but I have no idea what to sketch and I end up staring blankly at my paper. I have drawn a collection based on black and white pictures of Paris from a calendar I had gotten as a present. I've done a collection based on different flowers, varying from white carnations to yellow tulips. Sometimes my sketches won't be directly inspired by one single thing, for example, when I'm just sketching I'll think "Chanel would probably add a bow or a strand of pearls to this outfit I've designed" and then I'll put that in my drawing because it just works and clicks with what I've created on paper. Other times I have collections and ensembles directly based off of one item. When I used a few pairs of Christian Louboutins for inspiration for a collection I simply put a pair on each left page and then did a sketch on the right solely based on if the model was wearing those particular heels, yet altogether the different outfits could work together as a collection.
Here is an example:

Image from http://store.christianlouboutin.tv

I would take these heels and then make an outfit I could envision a girl wearing to pair with the shoes.

I drew the heels first and then designed a dress. It has a pink rouched corset attached to the black fabric of the dress and connects with a big pink bow on the shoulder.

I always have a pile of cutouts from magazines and pictures I have printed from websites to fill my sketch book for inspiration if I need them. However, these are just my go-to inspiration sources for if I get stuck. I find inspiration in many places, from books and movies to Old Hollywood starlets and jewelry. Inspiration is everywhere, all around you, you just have to have an open mind, keep your eyes wide open and be willing to get creative.

Fashion Show Excitement and Nerves

Last summer I was able to attend a fashion show on a bridge in downtown Cincinnati, you can read about it under my post "Fashion on the Bridge" posted June 26, 2012. I am excited because I have the chance to go again this year, with one of my really good friends. However, I will be attending the show, not working behind the scenes.....so what do I wear? 

When I was at Purdue's fashion show I was just backstage and running around trying to help and hanging out with friends (all of us nervous of course). Because of this I wore jeans, my gold shoes, and my fashion show designer black t-shirt with my red blazer when I was onstage to receive my award. 

Last year I wore what I like to call "my french dress" because it's loose, sleeveless, and is a cream color with red and blue flowers on it. I paired it with a black, short sleeve sweater for when it got dark, a black clutch, and my gold shoes. 

Me (L) and my friend Karen (R) at the fashion show.

Here you can see the dress more, I'm the blonde :)

However, I remember feeling slightly under-dressed because about 3/4 of all the women had heels on and looked fabulous. 

Also, when I attended the Purdue fashion show before I actually went there, so the 2012 show, I went with my friend Zoe (who is featured on my blog as a fashionista). For that fashion show I decided on skinny jeans, my cheetah print top, a vest I bought in France, and I'm pretty sure i wore my brown BCBG heels that I bought for only $13 on sale.

Zoe (L) and Me (R) at the hotel before heading to the fashion show.

It's going to be hot and muggy, so I don't want to have dramatic makeup or do anything with my hair, such as curling it. I do think I will wear a dress and heels, but do I really want to spend like 3 hours in heels? If only I had a pair of Louboutins I could show off. I'm thinking a black dress (so sweating doesn't show) and my bright pink heels to make it more season appropriate and can work for both day and night.

Me (center) in a black dress and pink heels.
This could work for the fashion show.

I will probably be thinking about this till I leave my house for the show, but that's life. You stare in your closet and think to yourself "I have nothing to wear" even when it's full of options. 

I will definitely be posting a review on the show after I see it, so stay tuned for that next weekend!

Color Scheming: Finding My Color Palette

I’m not quite sure when the seniors know what they’re going to do for their final collection, but as for me, I know my color scheme. Red, Black, and White with a dash of grey if needed. It’ll have a variety of fabrics such as silk, satin, wool, velvet, etc. I’ll keep the prints to a minimum, though I will have to include houndstooth because if I don’t the collection wouldn't really be representing myself. 

Wool shorts, loose blouse, tight vest, red tights, and boots.

 I’ll have evening gowns, short flirty dresses, pants, shorts, vests, and great tops. I've always liked the power that red demands, it’s just like “Here I am, pay attention to me, notice me” and then black is serious and somber but commands authority, while white is pure and fresh and clean. I like the idea of having a mainly white and black collection with red thrown in, either as a pop of color to one ensemble, or a bright red evening gown towards the end. I do have a few sketches already that I know I want to make, especially the gowns, but I am not quite sure how senior collections work.

Stretchy pants, and a fitted black top
with cutouts.

Loose black gown with red
attached at the lower back.

Can I use past sketches and ideas? I have no idea, but the sketches using this color scheme are inspired by a few different things. The ensembles are inspired by black and white pictures of Paris, France. The long red gown, a beauty ad, and the black and red evening gown is inspired by Dracula. I want to make the gowns just so I can wear them, so hopefully if I do make them for school I will be able to find a model who is similar in size. 

Black is rouched and the red is
attached and wraps around the body,
very fitted.

The darker red on top is a bodice under the
lighter red, but the other two darker red
sections are rouched parts wrapping
around her body.

All I do know is that I love these colors together and I want to express these feeling I have for others to hopefully experience. I  don't want to use these colors every single year (I did use them this past school year already). For instance, I plan on using a bright magenta or vibrant yellow for my sophomore pieces for the fashion show. I've been really inspired by flowers lately and these colors would look absolutely stunning in the form of the dresses I am envisioning, and when paired with my one model's tan skin, the colors will pop and look wonderful on the runway. Hopefully everything works out well and i can find the right fabric. But back on topic, I have found my ideal color palette that I love working with- red, black, and white. These sketches are a little old, but they are among my favorites that I have ever done.

Menswear Collections

Burberry Men’s Collection Review

The other day I was reading news articles, and then skimming through UK’s Vogue online when I came across a video of the Burberry Men’s runway show and of course I just had to watch it. I like Burberry and as a brand I think they are very polished and tailored.

First thing I noticed while watching the show was how the runway was set up, with all the windows there was a lot of natural lighting, making everything seem bright and open, giving it an almost hopeful and happy feeling.  I liked the transitions between colors and the use of colors for the shoes also transitioned. It never seemed as though the shoes matched the main color of the ensemble (however there were a handful that did). I like how all the models looked similar, it allowed me to not only focus more on the clothes, but also made it appear as if it was a more solid and cohesive collection. It’s as if it could all come from one man’s closet. I really enjoyed the ankle pants with no socks and the sweaters over button up shirts, it looked very well put together. With the pants all matching it allowed more focus on the detail the tops provided. For a majority of the time the clothing was solid colors, but then there were small stripes and polka dots, it kind of keep things fresh. It’s like you thought you knew what would come next but then BAM polka dot sunglasses or a scarf over top a jacket, it wasn’t a huge change but just enough to keep you guessing. One final thing, I loved the music they chose to pair with the show. I liked that it wasn’t one song and that he had a different song for the end, it helped with the mood.

Overall I enjoyed the show and I hope if you have some spare time you’ll watch it, it really is refreshing and I look forward to more men dressing how Burberry dresses their men.

You can watch the video here:

Shoe Dilemma: Desperate Need for Solution

As I am cleaning out my closet and deciding what to keep and what to pitch, I have once again realized just how many pairs of shoes I own....and it's a big number. I've been making some hard decisions and getting rid of some shoes that I just don't wear as often as I thought I would or ones that are too worn out.

But here is my dilemma, as I am getting rid of shoes, I want more shoes to replace them. Just the other day I got an email about a sale where select shoes were only $15. I then went to the website, browsed the sale selection, and because of my size and preferences, ended up with about 5 pairs of shoes in my shopping bag....however I gave it more thought. Did I really want to pay that much for shoes right now when I am trying to save for rent and school textbooks? No. So instead of clicking buy I weeded my shoes down to one pair, a pair of cute heeled wedges that looked as if a Monet painting was printed on them with blues and purples mixing wonderfully with the flowers. However, there were only 4 pairs left and I just couldn't decide if I wanted to buy them. First of all I have never ordered off of the website before and I hate not trying shoes on, what if they didn't fit and were uncomfortable? All sale item purchases were final. While I was trying to make a decision it went down to only 1 pair left in my size, finally pushing me to enter all my information because I knew I would love wearing these shoes. Suddenly, instead of a nice page declaring I had managed to snag the last pair, the screen told me the page hadn't been able to load because the internet was down. I had lost my chance at snagging the shoes. I took it as a sign, I wasn't meant to spend my money on those shoes, but maybe I will be able to find an even better pair.

The shoes I really really wanted to buy.

So, for now I will continue to just get rid of items and try my best not to add anything new for awhile. At the moment I am trying to save up my money (and I do have a separate fund for when I find the perfect dream pair of Louboutin heels) and not buy new clothes or shoes. Though, checking out Goodwill never hurts. :)

Interview With A Friend #1 Featuring Jeri Plante

Jeri and I have been friends since freshman year of high school. We knew each other before that but it wasn't until marching band and participating in band camp the summer before freshman year that we really became friends. She marched trumpet and I marched baritone; after bonding over how much we didn't want to be there, a friendship was created. We were roommates for every single band trip (so about 10 trips possibly), we had sleepovers and girls' night, went to Panera for lunch many times, and were in the same group for going to prom senior year. Jeri and I don't have exactly the same style, however, I am always loving the ensembles she puts together. She has a lot of really cute dresses, shirts that have neat cut outs and patterns, and a lot of fun jewelry. Anyway, here is the interview I did with her on college, style, and taking her first trip out if the country:

Jeri (L) and me (R) on a marching band trip
 to Disney in Florida.

Where do you go to college? What are you studying/majoring in? And why?
I go to BGSU (Bowling Green State University in Ohio) and I was undecided in my major because I keep majorly second guessing myself in what area I want to go into.

What was your favorite class this past year/hardest and why?
My favorite class this past year was either my astronomy or my personal finance class. I found my astronomy class to be really interesting and we went out on a stargaze on night and got to use different telescopes and got to see all kinds of stars. I really enjoyed my personal finance class because of my professor. It was a small class (only 15 people) and I was the youngest so I always got picked on but it was all fun and I actually use the information I learned in real life. The hardest class I took was definitely business calculus. I've always been really good at math but this stuff just didn't click with me.

What would you say is your dream job?
I wish I had a dream job… That would at least point me in the right direction as to what degree to pursue. 

Do you have a favorite quote?
 I’m not sure who said this quote but I really like it. “Success isn't the result of spontaneous combustion, you must set yourself on fire.”

How would you describe your personal style?
My personal style is always changing… I always like to wear nicer clothes anytime I go out. Lately I've been wearing dresses accessorized with belts, jewelry, sweaters, and cute shoes.

What are your favorite stores?
My favorite stores are Forever 21 and Target.

What is your must-have accessory?

Jeri (far left) and me (2nd from left) with 3 of our other senior friends before
going to dinner before prom.

 My earrings are my must-have accessories.

What is your go-to outfit?
I have two go-to outfits. The first is my royal blue dress with a cute cutout bow style back. It’s from Modcloth and I love it. I usually pair that with my brown wedge sandals and some jewelry. The second is some kind of nicer looking tank top with skinny jeans, my wedges, and jewelry. 

How are you spending your summer before sophomore year?
I am mainly spending my summer working, but I also will be going on a mission trip with my church to the Dominican Republic!

Please describe a little about your trip and how you're planning on packing for it:

I leave June 23^rd so I just started packing today actually. I plan on only bringing a small suitcase and a backpack. We will be helping with construction, running a Vacation Bible School (VBS), holding a college conference, participating in a local church service, and we will do a little bit of site seeing, along with visiting the beach and going snorkeling! I started pulling different outfits that I might want to bring today and I’ll be bringing a wide variety of clothing, anywhere from overalls (for VBS) to gym shorts to swimsuits to maxi dresses. It definitely helps having an itinerary before you start packing so that I know I will actually be wearing the clothes that I’m bringing and I’m not just wasting space in my suitcase.

How do you feel about going out of the country for the first time?

I am super excited and very nervous for my trip. I've never been out of the country before so it will definitely be a new experience. The culture is very different in the Dominican Republic. It is a third world country. I’m a little worried about the culture shock. I took three years of Spanish in high school but that won’t get me very far. So the language barrier is a bit intimidating too. The whole experience and working with the people will be amazing though.

If you could go anywhere in the world and do anything, where and what?

If I could go anywhere, I probably wouldn't pick the Dominican Republic, I’d either pick an island somewhere or Paris. One day I would like to see the Eiffel tower and I would also like to lie out on a beach and swim in the ocean. 

Have you done research about where you're going? Such as weather and cultural aspects for clothing?

I've done a little bit of research about the Dominican Republic. I learned that many of the people there dress up a majority of the time but I also learned that it wouldn't be completely out of the ordinary to see children walking around naked. As for the weather I looked it up and it seemed pretty similar to our current weather. It looked like it rains more there though… I guess we’ll see.

Are You Ready?

Sort of another update post, I'm off work tomorrow and I have big plans regarding sewing, cleaning, and blogging. I will be posting another interview with one of my apparel design classmates soon. Also, I will be interviewing at least 3 other, non-Purdue, non-fashion major college students (all just finished their Freshman year as well). I want to get different perspectives on similar topics as the fashion majors but also bring other topics, such as traveling, into the mix. These interviews will be coming this week at the earliest, on top of another inspirational person and a few key items for a summer wardrobe. Also, my friend Michelle has agreed to use some of her spare time to do some creative nail, hair, or make-up demos for me. SO I will be doing a piece on her since the two of us will be collaborating to make the posts amazing.

So stay tuned and keep checking because with my spare time this week I will be investing a lot of it into this blog and trying to improve it and keep things up to date. 

Staying Up to Date

One of the many things I learned my first year at Purdue in Apparel Design was to try and stay on top of the news, especially the news involving the fashion world. I have been trying my best to do this. I check various news sources in the morning, I'm subscribed to receive daily/weekly/monthly newsletters from places such as Style.com, Vogue, and Rachel Zoe, and I also have certain tags for checking Google News such as Fashion, Fashion Design, Vogue, etc. On top of this I discovered I really like reading the online Vogue UK news, it's very interesting and well put together. They have interviews, updates, people, great pictures and more! I still enjoy Vogue US but UK is neat because it's just a little different vibe and I enjoy the site.

How does everyone stay in tune with the fashion world? I'm thinking of just going ahead and getting a Vogue subscription for the year. I should also start catching up on WWD because when I had to read it for class Fall semester I enjoyed some of their articles, it'd be interesting to see if multiple places write about certain topics and comparing what they have to say about those topics. I hoard my magazines though, so I like the online options. However, I do love thumbing through my glossy magazines and looking at all of the pictures and then ripping some out to paste in my sketch books on my inspiration pages. It's not the same when you print out pictures, at least it isn't to me. 

I'll leave you with a quote about staying in tune to everything going on around you:

"Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening" from Coco Chanel (Fashion Quotes).

Works Cited:

"Fashion Quotes." Brainy Quotes. N.p.. Web. 14 Jun 2013. <http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/fashion.html>.

Cleaning Out the Closet

So this isn't a post referring to one of Eminem's songs (if you didn't think of that well now you can check it out), this is a post referring to me actually cleaning out my closet and boxes and figuring out what clothes to keep and which ones to sell or donate. I have way too much stuff in general, but one thing that really clutters up my space are all of my clothes and shoes laying about. Since I've been on summer break I have yet to fully unpack, leaving me with boxes everywhere half filled or fully filled. Over the next couple of days I will be going through everything and making important decisions. It's hard for me to give away certain items because of memories (the main reason I have a million t-shirts). However, I know I don't wear some of them a lot and I could probably do without a lot of the clothes I have, especially since I've only been getting more and haven't gone through my clothes in forever. 

I plan on taking all the things I don't want to keep/wear anymore and then dividing them into categories:

1. Items I will keep for crafts (such as a t-shirt quilt or scrap fabric)
2. Items to try and sell at second hand stores
• Ex) Snooty Fox and Plato's Closet
3. Items to donate to Goodwill or give to my friends (such as shoes)

Hopefully I will have a lot of stuff to give away and will be able to actually have an organized room and closet; something that hasn't really happened since we moved into the house years ago.

I will be reposting on this topic once I have everything all organised and will be posting before and after picks.

New Jeans for my New Job

I buy jeans maybe once a year or every two years. They're a staple in my closet, but I rarely need to replace them. Sure, every now and then a pair will have holes in places you just can't fix or will just stop fitting properly. Then I'll buy a new pair, and sometimes if I find a pair I really like I'll just buy 2 of that pair and have sort of a back up if something goes wonky. But since my new retail job requires that if I wear denim at work it needs to be their brand, I needed a wardrobe update. During the school year I worked in the dining court in my dorm and I pretty much wore the same 2 pairs of jeans 3 times a week to work. So about 12 hours a week these jeans suffered spills, stains, rips, etc. This left my wardrobe with only a couple pairs of jeans, which isn't a big deal except I wear jeans all the time and a lot of wear can cause some jeans to be ruined a lot quicker than you would expect.

I decided to go shopping yesterday, with my employee discount (half off my entire 1st purchase), to find 2 pairs of jeans that I could incorporate into my wardrobe with no effort and that fit me enough to be willing to spend the money on them. I am used to not spending over $20 for a pair of jeans, so the fact that the prices range from $40-118 made me a little worrisome. I just like spending less on items so I can save up my money for other things unrelated to fashion (or books and rent) or saving it up for a big fashion item (such as a pair of Louboutin heels I've been drooling over forever). I went with my mom for some bonding time and we found 2 pairs of jeans that fit me really well and aren't over the top in any way. I got one pair of skinny, dark wash jeans with a little embroidery detail on the back pockets. The other pair I bought are short (i tried on the regular and they were about 3-4 inches too long for me), a medium/dark wash, boot cut, and have detailing on the back pockets and noticeable stitch detail. They are both comfortable and I plan on wearing my new skinny jeans to work today to show how I can incorporate the brands we sell and what we represent style wise by mixing these jeans with my own collection of flats and tops and jewelry.

Since I'm currently wearing the skinny jeans (breaking them in for later), here are a couple of pictures of my other jeans.

I probably could have taken a better photo, but here it shows the different shades  and  the detail in the jeans.

Here is one of the back pockets with the stitch detail.

Resorting to Chanel: Chanel's 2014 Resort Collection

I love how on Style.com you can view the fashion shows, sure it's just pictures, but it's a great way to stay in tune with all the styles, colors, accessories, etc. This morning, while writing and stamping for work, I watched the Chanel Resort collection as a picture slideshow, and I loved it. The men's styles were even amazing. It was a great transition from their last show, which seemed more dark and mysterious to me. This show was more light and airy. The colors were mostly whites/creams and blacks and blues, keeping things simple but bringing in prints and a variety of fabric choices. I admired all of the pearls; layers and layers of pearls adorned the necks of some models walking down the runway. Usually I don't really love a lot of the Chanel shoes presented in the shows, however, I really liked the heels in this show. I thought the makeup and hair added an edge to the otherwise non-rebelliousness feeling.

I like that Style.com allows you to view current collections; it makes it easier to stay current with all of the future trends and stay in tune with the designers and what everyone in fashion is thinking about. I try and stay updated with everything by reading magazines, such as Vogue and Seventeen and Teen Vogue and WWD, but I also go online to sites such at Style.com and Vogue, etc. I also read books, watch fashion related shows, and go to art museums. I think doing all of this allows to me to think more creativity, expand my mind, and come up with great ideas I wouldn't have otherwise.

I think it's important to stay in tune with everything happening inside the world of fashion, especially if you want to be a part of it someday. Also, people in fashion always have to stay steps ahead of others, always thinking and always on their toes to come up with newer and better ideas than what's going on. They need to keep people interested and guessing. 

If you're interested in reading more and seeing the pictures from the Chanel collection, then go to this website: http://www.style.com/fashionshows/review/2014RST-CHANEL

The Fashion Devil Is Back For a Sequel (Potential Spoilers for The Devil Wears Prada)

If you love fashion, Anne Hathaway, Meryl Streep, Vogue, magazines, or just want to watch a great movie or read a great book, then I highly recommend The Devil Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger. But now to the new and exciting news, Lauren Weisberger has written a sequel to The Devil Wears Prada titled Revenge Wears Prada: The Devil Returns and takes place 10 years after Andy (the main character) left her job at Runway. I for one am looking forward to rereading The Devil Wears Prada and watching the movie (which is slightly different from the book) before I dive into the sequel. 

The whole story line just reminds me of all the obstacles and various potential challenges I am going to face in the fashion world. The fashion world isn't for everyone and I know it's going to be hard, but I love it so far and I think I can handle it.

I Know it's Almost Summer but Here are the Pantone Colors for Spring 2013

Last fall in my Intro to the Apparel Industry we were given an assignment that I thought was a lot of fun. First we were introduced to the Pantone website and how they collaborate with a handful of designers to portray the selected "It" colors of the season through the designers' sketches. We were then given a figure already drawn (but no clothes on it) and given the task to pick a designer and color selection and create our own ensemble and explain our inspiration and why we picked the designer and colors. My outfit turned out to be a pink pencil skirt and peplum top, wool and plaid, with a solid pink satin (possibly) down the right side of the garments. My designer had used all over one color so I chose to as well, using the one shade of pink for the whole sketch. i drew inspiration from Katharine Hepburn for the more masculine, clean cut and tailored lines, but leaned towards Audrey Hepburn with the pink and then the shoes to make it more feminine and pull it all together. I loved the assignment and I think it allowed everyone in the class to see what each person's styling and sketching was like and how we all think about colors and garments.

According to Pantone, Spring of 2013's colors are: Dusk Blue, Tender Shoots (a shade of green), Lemon Zest, Linen (a soft pink), Poppy Red, Nectarine, Monaco Blue (a darker blue), African Violet, Grayed Jade (sort of a soft, faded turquoise almost), and Emerald.

I for one am glad to see that I have some of these (or similar shades) colors in my wardrobe, yet it's almost summer and i think I will be transitioning these colors for the Summer and early Fall seasons.

Here are the Fall 2013's colors: Emerald (a repeat from Spring), Mykonos Blue (similar to Monaco but maybe a tad darker), Linden Green, Acai (a deep but vibrant purple), Samba (a shade of red, so holding on to your poppy items will work), Koi (a darker orange than nectarine), Deep Lichen green, Vivacious (a dark pink), Turbulence (a grey), and Carafe (reminds me of coffee).

For Fall I will most likely be searching for something Acai; out of all the colors it was my favorite. If I find something I will definitely be posting about it, it'd be a huge success for me since I never really search for this specific of a color.

For more information on the colors, the designers they pick, or just to browse and learn more about Pantone, visit their site at www.pantone.com

Trying to Fix a Glitch

Hey Everybody, so I've been searching thru my posts to see if there are any grammatical errors and I have realized that anything I typed up in a Word document or a Google document and then paste into blogger, is highlighted white. I just wanted to tell you I will be fixing it, even if it means just retyping those posts. Sorry and I hope it isn't distracting when trying to read the posts. Hopefully I will find time tomorrow or this weekend and will be able to juts sit down and fix all the posts.

Some, but not all, of my shoes

Trying to fix these posts is like taking all (well almost all) my shoes out of my closet and throwing them into a pile to then organize and sort....and maybe get rid of a few pairs.

Interview With a Fellow Design Student #1 Featuring Gabrielle LaBerge

Gabrielle LaBerge is from Illinois, attends Purdue University for Apparel Design and Technology and will also be a sophomore with me next year. I first met her right before classes started, at a sort of optional get together for everyone in each college, and then divided into each specific major. There were only about 6 of us there when I was there, but it was a great way to meet people for the first time.

I am so glad Gabi agreed to the interview, she is very talented and has a great eye. Also, we were pretty much in almost every class together, but that happens when your major is small and the number of people in your grade is under 30. But, before I ramble on and on, here is my interview with Miss Gabrielle LaBerge.

What are you studying/majoring in? And why? 

I am majoring in Apparel Design and Technology at Purdue University. I chose this major because I have always loved art and fashion. I absolutely love to be creative and being an apparel design major definitely allows me to be that!

Why did you choose Purdue? And what made you want to decide on Apparel Design? 

I chose Purdue because of its Apparel Design program.  Out of all the schools in the Midwest (which is where I am from), I liked its program the best.  Coming into school, I was really skeptical on Apparel Design.  I have a ton of other interests including Psychology, Social Work, and Zoology.  I finally decided on Apparel Design because being creative and artistic have always defined me the most. 

Please describe what you made for the spring fashion show and how you felt seeing all your hard work going down the runway. Also, if you want, any funny stories about making your garment or any struggles. 

Gabi is on the left with her model (her sister)
wearing her design for the show.

For the Spring Fashion Show, I made a black fitted dress with a cutout on the chest with a chiffon butterfly print skirt over it.  It was quite simple but since it was technically the first real garment I have ever created, I made it way more complicated that it should have been.  I was just extremely happy to finally be done with it! After seeing it on the runway, I felt really proud though and saw that my hard work did pay off.  It made me really excited for next year’s show already!

What was your favorite class this past year/hardest and why?

My favorite class was called Introduction to the Apparel Industry.  In that class, we learned about some fashion history, designers, trends, fads, and also touched on production and marketing.  It was kind of just an overview of everything and was cool to learn.

What would you say is your dream job?

My dream job is to be a very successful fashion designer and have stores all over the world!

Who are your favorite designers?

My favorite designers are Oscar de la Renta, Yves St. Laurent, Stella McCartney, and Ralph Lauren.

Do you have a favorite quote? If so, please share.

I have way too many favorite quotes but here’s one that I love: “Believe in yourself so strongly that the world can’t help but to believe in you too.”

How would you describe your personal style?

I really don’t even know how to describe my style.  It kind of changes day-to-day depending on my mood! I’m not afraid to where crazy stuff, but I also love those days where I wear running shorts and an old sweatshirt.  If I had the budget, I know my style would be very classy, a little preppy, and a little old-fashioned because I love the tailored, classy, vintage look. 

What are your favorite stores?

My favorite stores are Victoria’s Secret, Forever 21, Neiman Marcus, and Goodwill! Recently, I've been addicted to finding clothes at Goodwill and changing them up.

What’s your must-have accessory?

Earrings!

What is your go-to outfit?

 Shorts and a crewneck sweatshirt

How are you spending your summer before sophomore year?

Currently, I have been looking for a job—but no luck yet.  So to keep busy, I have been drawing a lot, training for my first half marathon!, sewing a bit, and reading.

"I made these shorts yesterday from a pair of old jeans that didn't fit! I am also obsessed with American flag print right now." -Gabrielle LaBerge