Fashion and Culture

What is the use of fashion? Fashion is the style of human behaviour, popular during usually short period of time. If during a certain period, people begin to put on bell-bottom trousers, wear spectacles with large, disc like glasses,or keep their hats tilted, they are doing so because it is the current craze.

Fashions originate in man's age-old wish to look distinct and attractive. Naturally, they are more popular with women. It is said that the chameleon does not change its colour as quickly as a woman wears out a new fashion, but men too, can't plead innocence.

Fashion In Clothes - An Expression Of Emotion

Fashion in clothes has allowed wearers to express emotion or solidarity with other people for millennia. Modern Westerners have a wide choice available in the selection of their clothes. When people who have cultural status start to wear new or different clothes a fashion trend may start. People who like or respect them may start to wear clothes of a similar style.

Design

Designs are difficult to protect in court, because they incorporate elements that are effectively in the "public domain. Designers in turn respond to this obsolescence with new designs. Although tailors and dressmakers were no doubt responsible for many innovations before, and the textile industry certainly led many trends, the History of fashion design is normally taken to date from 1858, when the English-born Charles Frederick Worth opened the first true haute couture house in Paris. Since then the professional designer has become a progressively more dominant figure, despite the origins of many fashions in street fashion.

New Fashion and Beauty Trends For 2013

No matter how much the world changes, our need for beauty and great fashions will never change. Humans need beauty in every shape and form, which is what makes following the latest trends so much fun.

What are the exciting new trends we should be watching for in 2013? Let's take a look.

Dresses: The Boxy Dress Style

One of the trends we're seeing this year is a change in the overall female silhouette, as expressed in dress styles. We're moving beyond the tight, figure-hugging cuts we've seen in recent years to choices in prêt a porter dresses that have a larger, looser feel. This look can be seen in designs coming from haute couture houses as well as in street style.

Women's Clothing - Top 5 Summer Fashion Styles

Are you looking for a stunning outfit that is guaranteed to get you noticed this summer whether it be a casual get up compiling of a tank top and shorts or a completely out there style plastered in neon?

This summer's fashion is a medley of bright colors and patterns with an array of shapes and styles. Bright dazzling neon and stunning, gorgeous skin-showing lace to sleek and sexy office wear are seen everywhere this season whether it is on the high street, at a special occasion or sat in the office.

High-street labels roll out made-to-measure outfits

It was only a matter of time before they hit the middle ground. But the Italians were uncompromising to begin with - in such things Rome draws the line, they said - and fervently hoped Indians would lose the stomach for anything bigger. We held on, now the Italians are back, with a tape and a tailor in tow.

In a nutshell, ladies and gentlemen, that's how the Armanis, Guccis and the Zegnas of Italian high-street fashion lost their war with the stubborn Indian potbelly as they set out to clothe one of the biggest emerging markets for Rs 1 lakh-plus suits and trousers. As the realisation sunk in that India's wealthiest men - from Altamount Road's pedigreed industrialists to Gurgaon's nouveau riche builders - are so unshapely for their dapper ready-made suits, the Romans have decided to stretch that famous Italian stitch a bit more.

Looking fashionable can also be affordable

You don't have to be rich to look good or fashionable. Globalization has impacted street fashion as well and there are more ways than one to get on the fashion bandwagon.

Everybody knows that peplum is here to stay. Blair Waldorf wouldn't have been caught dead in something that didn't set a trend immediately. But little did the main character of Gossip Girl know that her wardrobe would influence Sonam Kapoor's wardrobe in Aisha in 2010. In New Delhi, the red peplum dress Kapoor wore in the film caught Tinky Ningombam's fancy - the 27-year-old public relations manager marched to her local tailor and had the outfit stitched. Frugal finances don't always need to come in the way of fashion.

Cartoons Enter the Segment of High-Fashion Apparel for Grown-Ups

Disney Consumer Products launches high-fashion apparel for grown-ups

Last year, leading high-fashion retail chains Mango and Zara were in for a surprise in India. Among their top sellers were premium T-shirts featuring popular cartoon character Mickey Mouse meant for grown-ups.

Encouraged by the response the one-off experiment met with, Disney Consumer Products the retail and merchandise arm of Disney UTV, is rolling out high-fashion branded apparel meant for adults featuring Mickey, Minnie and other famous cartoons. Disney hopes the move will help it broad base its consumer base, which is now heavily child-centric, boosting sales and profit margins with the introduction of higher margin products.

Young & Trendy… Kids Fashion is Here to Stay

The world of fashion is taking a new generation by storm. And this generation is young, small and tender. Kids fashion is becoming big, getting all the attention from designers, companies and well yes the parents. And expectedly the trend first started in Hollywood.

Every six-year girl would like to be like Suri Cruise, daughter of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes. Travelling in private jet to meet her famous father, she personifies luxury, glamour, and girly style. Her extra trendy, branded dresses are as famous as the accessories she carries around. It's rightly quoted by her father Actor Tom Cruise that "Suri dresses herself and she was born that way," This is so true.

Zahara Jolie-Pitt is another on the list. She is as much a style icon as her celebrity parents Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt with her Ralph Lauren Boots and Gucci, Juicy couture tops. Carefree look of Violet Affleck, daughter of celebrity parents- Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner, is a craze in so called kids fashion world for her UGG Australia boots to Ray Ban glasses to Bonpoint dress. Ditto, for the celebrity stylist Rachel Zoes son Skyler who is an epitome of fashion, with his signature style hats.

Lungi Craze

We all are familiar with the Indian Lungi, I am sure each and every household has this one piece of garment. The drape of this garment is such that it gives the wearer a lot of ease of movement and comfort. It is very open drape and is therefore preferable in hotter regions and that is why it is more worn in hotter regions like south India, Sri Lanka, Burma and even the eastern oriental countries. The Lungi is also known as a sarong. It is a traditional garment and popular in regions where the heat and humidity create an unpleasant climate for trousers. Lungi is generally woven from cotton and is available in many designs, patterns and colors.

Depending on local tradition, lungi can be worn by men and/or women. They are tied or fastened in various ways, and can be used in different cultural activities, ranging from normal daily life to elaborate wedding ceremonies. There are various forms in which a Lungi can be draped, but the simplest form is where the lungi is just draped around the waist and the two ends are tied in a simple knot, however the pretzel knot is considered to be more secure. As the lungi is a draped garment the length of the hemline can be altered by adjusting the tucking at the waistline.

Available in varied prints and self woven designs the Lungi has become so much in vogue that it is considered unisex garment. The most commonly worn are those with checks or the ones in a single dark hue.

Exciting Careers in Fashion

Fashion has a rippling effect on people from different walks of life. It gradually gains popularity among different strata of society. To help fashion reach out to the consumers, a large number of professionals are needed. Apart from fashion designing, you can find a number of exciting jobs related to fashion.

If you are not into designing but still want to remain connected with fashion, you can perform other job duties such as Fashion marketing/ merchandising/buying and forecasting in context of every kind of wear be it the sophisticated haute-couture, ready-to-wear or for the mass market and street wear.

Fashion Production Across the Globe

The term "fashion" generally refers to a popular practice or style in the areas of clothing, makeup, accessories, footwear and so on. However, when considered in a strict sense, fashion mainly refers to the trend in dresses or the kind of attires and apparels people put on. The issues of style and design have a lot to play when looking at fashion across the globe. Fashion production has continued to be a moving trend all over the world. Several kinds of fashion attires are all over the place. Fashion trends keep coming onboard on yearly basis. The fashion enterprise is indeed an interesting aspect of business that is generating waves across the world.

Fashion productions are thriving all over the world. Different kinds of fashion products have continued to be produced by many companies across the globe. The fashion industry is always a beehive of activities in almost every nation of the world.

Fashion Development - A Historical Exposition

Fashion has been an age long phenomenon that has always surfaced in every human society across the world. Human beings all over the world have great need to cover themselves and also makeup in order to look good. Fashion trends have always showcased in every nation on a regular basis. Different kinds of fashion accessories and other fashion related products have continued to be in great demand all over the world.

Actually, fashion development has been a progressive thing. Generally, the term fashion refers to popular styles and practices seen in the area of clothing, makeup, footwear, furniture and accessories. However, the term mainly refers to clothing, makeup and accessories when considered in a strict sense. The development of fashion can be considered in four major phases namely, ancient, medieval, industrial revolution and contemporary phases. Let's examine each phase.

Fashion School Tips: 5 Tips for Success

The idea of fashion school might seem like a catwalk, but in reality a degree in fashion is extremely demanding, rigorous and competitive. By following these five fashion school tips for success, you will be well on your way to a degree and a fashion career!

Tip 1: Pursuing Your Passion

If you are interested in pursuing a fashion design degree, it's important to evaluate whether this is the right field for you. Do you see a fashion design and think about how to make it better? Can you not stop yourself from going through every magazine and critiquing the looks? Are you constantly altering you and your friends' clothes? If you answered 'yes' to these questions, then fashion design school is probably for you!

Fashion Universities: How To Stay In Fashion

We have to admit, all of us have been on the to-don'ts list of fashion at least once in our lives. More than just putting together pieces of clothing and accessories and hoping that it pulls together, some people take fashion more seriously than you think. Creativity and attitude are insufficient when it comes to the fashion industry. Proper training from the top fashion universities has become a necessity in becoming a popular fashion designer.

Fashion universities know that the fashion industry is a competitive field. Designers often go back to school to take refresher courses as they don't want to be left behind on the latest trends. The following then are tips to fashion designers on how to stay in fashion in the industry.

Why Fashion Is Always Changing

Everyone is affected by fashion to some extent. In the era of early supermodel age, fashion could be categorized by glamour or commons. Today, fashion is fast, trendless, comfortable, and personal. Street fashion, as one of the most popular form, is more of a reflection of personality and lifestyle than of trends in general. Because social media have offered abundant avenues for people to get to know trends happening now, fashion has becoming really shapeless. Hollywood stars have their Facebook and Twitter accounts updating almost every second of their day including what they are wearing. Thus, Stars set fashion trends. However, Stars are not the only people only can openly express their fashion styles. Bloggers of fashion, not just professionals, but ordinary peoples, can send out their fashion style to the world. In an instant, fashion has truly become everyday, everywhere, and everyone.

In the information age and a much globalized world community, fashion has transformed in its outlook, and concept as it starts embodying many varieties of elements of different cultures. For example, in the 1980s, jeans had monopolized youth culture not only in the U.S. but also other countries, particularly East Asian countries like Japan and Korea. Now, American styles are no longer the standard as designers of different ethnic background incorporate their own outlook into their design. In addition, in this much globalized world, ethnicity is no longer the only factor that affect the trend in fashion as it was decades ago. Now, people are guided by taste, lifestyle, and experiences. For instance, Alexander Wang's simple power women's look has won many fans of minimalism. Thus, it is possible the fashion's trajectory will more closely appeal to people's lifestyle and social trends.

Fashion Blogging Essentials - Getting The Right WordPress Fashion Theme

Fashion is a popular blogging topic. Fashion trends change in an instant and the blog platform is a great way to announce these trends because blogs can be easily updated and can be read by millions of people worldwide. By the time new trends are reported in television and the magazines, they may have already been reported in fashion blogs all over the world. This is why a lot of credible fashion blogs are religiously followed by the fashion industry generating thousands in advertising revenue. This makes fashion a lucrative blogging topic. Starting a fashion blog required first choosing the right WordPress fashion theme.

A fashion theme is a basic WordPress theme with added plugins and functionality that is relevant to fashion topics. The color scheme and layout is designed to appeal to demographics that are very interested in fashion. The theme uses light and elegant colors that are sometimes similar to the color trends in the fashion world. The theme is designed to properly display images, flash content and videos as most fashion blogs are picture and video heavy. The theme has also a lot of added widgets and plugins to add to the functionality of a fashion blog. Widgets like fashion tips, weight loss tips, fashion gossip, trend updates as well as mini dress up games to enhance the site experience of the blog visitors.

How To Choose A Good Fashion Institute To Get Admission To

Fashion designing is one of the most sought after and upcoming careers in India. More and more youngsters and middle aged individuals are following the latest trends and trying to keep themselves updated on recent fashion developments. Even the older generation has become very fashion conscious and getting dressed in the latest style is not limited to the younger generation only. Fashion courses are perhaps most in demand with various fashion institutes in India promising to offer the best programme in fashion.

Designing of clothes and accessories is an art and just as a career in any other field requires proper training so is the case with fashion designing. A fashion institute offers structured programme in fashion technology that makes an individual skilled in creating exclusive, unique and fashionable clothes with various types of fabrics. Due to the recent spur in designing careers, numerous institutes are coming up with high level and attractive courses. Different institutes have different fee structures, course curriculum, reputation etc. Moreover to a common man fashion designing might seem just like wearing different sorts of attractive clothes. But it is not so. There are various branches in the field of apparel designing also just as in the field of engineering or medical sciences. An appropriate institute offering programme in fashion offers the choice of studying most of the branches.

Fashion Modeling - Prospects After Completing Education

Fashion modeling sounds glamorous and ostentatious profession to many people especially to young girls and boys. The exclusive life style, page 3 parties, designer clothes, international ramp shows and money lure every youngsters but this is just the half truth. The fashion modeling career requires lot of hard work, dedication and self sacrifice to be successful. Fashion has become universal now, there is a huge demand of male and female models in the market. All famous fashion models are being paid very well for any modeling assignment and ramp walk. Their remuneration depends upon the fashion designer and organizer they are working with. Where as aspiring models begin their career with smaller modeling agencies and low budget modeling assignments.

Today fashion modeling has become a huge profession and there is abundance of employment. There is no such educational requirement or age limit to become a model. You may be a school pass-out or graduate, all you need is a good face, height and a glass hour figure. To get into fashion world is a Herculean task due to excessive competition in this profession. All top models are earning very handsome this naturally makes competition very fierce. The international recognition, limelight, celebrity status also make it more difficult to get a break.

Top Fashion Schools - Initiate Your Profession in the Fashion Industry

Top fashion schools offer a wide diversity of courses in preparing students for employment in the fashion industry. The fashion industry is permanently changing due to the fact that individuals always like to buy modern clothes. If you assume you 've got what takes to become the next big thing, the first thing you need is an education in fashion design at one of the top fashion schools.

Fashion program official recognition is an universal indicator of quality, focusing more on the quality of academics and the rigor of training at a school. In order to turn out to be certified, all the top fashion schools gone throughout a very complicated certification procedure with the National Association of Schools of Art and Design. The accreditation committee is in charge with the evaluation process.

All About Fashion and Fashion Week

Fashion is the general style or custom of clothing worn at any given time. The word "fashion" comes from the years when people described a woman who was well dressed as a "fashion plate".

Whether or not it had a name, fashion has always been important to women. Now it seems to be almost as important to men. Beau Brummell is probably the most well known and talked about male fashion plate in history. His colorful clothing and accessories were copied by men all over Europe.

Couturiers with famous names such as Worth, Dior, Balenciaga, Chanel had famous fashion houses in Paris. These were the haute couture designers that every other fashion designer since has aspired to become. In spite of Prêt a Porter (French for ready made or off the rack) the world still looks to Paris first when fashion is concerned. Today, although fashion designers and models come from all over the world, fashion week in Paris is still the most exciting event of the year.

Fashion Photography - An Exciting Career

Do you have burning ambition to be a fashion photographer? The ability to learn new things? Can you handle constructive criticism? You need to ask yourself these questions as you research into your new career choice of becoming a fashion photographer.

An interest in fashion is really important, you need to know your fashion. Learning about designers, trends and what designer is 'in', what is going to be the new seasons fashion, this knowledge and passion is just as important as the photography side of being a fashion photographer.

Do you have a vivid imagination, can you think outside the square? You also need to be confident in your self and your ability to be a fashion photographer, in a very high paced, at times stressful profession. Therefore you must be professional in the way you conduct yourself in offering your services? Do you have the right mindset to achieve your goals. Like all choices in becoming a success, you need to set yourself reasonable an attainable goals to be able to reach the top as a fashion photographer and into high fashion photography.

Want to Become a Fashion Designer? Learn What Attending a Fashion School Will Do For You

If you are planning to become a fashion designer attending school is more than just learning the skills you need to succeed in the fashion world. When you want to become a fashion designer school is an opportunity to work more closely with the fashion industry. Therefore, lets take a look at what schools you should attend, how long you will attend school, what you will learn in school and the fashion show held in school.

1. Choosing a school to become a fashion designer-There are various schools that offer courses to become a fashion designer, however if you want to boost the possibility of jump starting your career you must try to choose a school that is good and prestigious. However, keep in mind that schools with reputations are very selective when it comes to choosing new students.

What is Eco Fashion?

Today I sat contemplating the meaning of the term 'eco fashion'. I thought to myself, "If anyone should really understand the meaning of the above it should be me, as I have dedicated the best part of three years toward the creation of an eco fashion brand." The problem is there is no point in me understanding the meaning if others can't conceptualise the term, and how it may fit into their lifestyle. So here we are, and I am going to attempt to detail the meaning of 'eco fashion'.

'Eco fashion' could quite literally be seen as two entirely different entities. Firstly the idea of ecological and environmentally sustainable ideas being somewhat of a trend, fad, or as it states fashion, something that may be washed away or brushed under the carpet in years to come. Secondly it can be viewed as fashion, as in clothing, accessories, perfumes, aftershaves and footwear, which is made with the environment in mind.

The City Will Witness a Fashion Week With a Purpose, It's Different This Year

"This is a fashion week with a cause" as declared by Mr. Yudhajit Dutta, organizer of the fashion extravaganza called Kolkata fashion and lifestyle week (KFLW). This year the event will have a different story to tell. The most happening fashion and lifestyle week this year has come up with a unique theme and a purpose. Truly the Kolkata fashion and lifestyle week has been responsible both as a platform for Indian fashion trends to project Kolkata as the next fashion capital of India and as an organization for spreading eco-consciousness amongst people.

Eco fashion theme of Kolkata fashion and lifestyle week 

The year 2010 has been recognized as the UN year of biodiversity. The world is facing an urgent urge to save biodiversity and to preserve our ecology from destruction. Kolkata fashion and lifestyle week thus, has decided to redefine fashion with stylized clothing in natural fibers like jute, cotton, silk and bamboo. With natural fabrics and dyes to set the ramp on fire with its beauty and originality, it is speculated that this fashion and lifestyle week will successfully set eco-fashion trends for the future India. The Kolkata fashion week salutes the weavers and weaves of Bengal and celebrates the traditional fabrics worn here. Participating designers at Kolkata fashion and lifestyle week are expected to create marvels out of natural fabrics, fibers and dyes.

Bubble-Up Effects of Subculture Fashion

The notion that trends in fashion take part in a phenomenon known as the trickle down effect has long been recognised by fashion pundits. A process of social emulation of society's upper echelons by the subordinates provides myriad incentives for perpetual and incessant changes in fashion through a sequence of novelty and imitation. Dior's 'New Look' of 1947 consisted of creations that were only affordable to a minority of affluent women of the time. Fashion was governed by haute-couture designers and presented to the masses to aspire toward. However, this traditional prospective has been vigorously challenged by many throughout the fashion world. Revisionist observations have introduced a paradoxical argument that fashion trends have, on numerous occasions, inadvertently emerged from the more obscure spheres of society onto the glamorous catwalks of high-fashion designers.

These styles can originate from a range of unorthodox sources, from leather-jacketed punks and dramatic Goths, the teddy boys of the 1950s, to ethnic minority cultures from all edges of the globe. Styles that emerge from the bottom of the social hierarchy are increasingly bubbling up to become the status of high fashion. There has been significant concern over the implications of this so-called bubble-up effect, such as the ambiguity between the notions of flattering imitation and outright exploitation of subcultures and minority groups. Democratization and globalisation of fashion has contributed to the abrasion of the authenticity and original identity of street-style culture. The inadvertent massification of maverick ideas undermines the 'street value' of the fashions for the very people who originally created them.

How to Become a Successful Fashion Designer

If you are like me you live and breathe fashion. You are constantly inspired with so many new designs racing through your mind, so many you can't seem to get them all down quick enough at the pace they arrive. You constantly dream of the day your fashions will be on the fashion runway with the lights beaming brightly overhead, the cameras flashing everywhere and the audience being completely mesmerized by your incredible designs. You can't stop thinking of the day you will open a magazine or watch the Oscars and see a famous celebrity in one of your breathtaking designs. Your book shelf is stocked with fashion books and magazines, and you absolutely can't resist visiting textile stores to view all the latest fabrics, decorative beads, rhinestones and trims.

It's this ever present dream of being a successful fashion designer that has you work day and night on your designs in most cases for many years without pay and working a job to pay the pills which is brutal torture, when all you can think about is living and working in fashion.

Asian and Korean Fashion Style

Fashion is an ever changing concept. Fashion lies icon style, fashion lies in presentation, fashion lies in the way you talk and also on the way you perceive things. style changes from country to country. The concept is differently practiced in different places depending on the climate and choice of the general population.

When talking about Asian style you have so much to say and so many things to present. Asian influence on fashion genre has increased with days. Several Asian countries have now entered fashion competitions to prove their likeness and respect towards impending fashion. Before they used to dot upon local markets and now they want to reach out to international fashion bazaars. They have crossed the lines and have always tried to come up with something new and extraordinary. This is what Asian style all about is. Lots of Asian designers are flooding the international fashion market with their innovations and fashionable endeavors. Most Indian designers are trying to mix and match traditionalism with contemporary fashion to make something really pleasing and appreciable.

Why a Job in Fashion?

Why look at the fashion industry and the fashion world these days? Well there is a good reason to look at fashion especially if you plan on getting a job in the fashion industry. There are different types of jobs in the fashion industry. If you decide to be a designer you have to be up on the latest trends of celebrities and political people alike. You also have to know your clients and what they want and most of them want to be fashionable and be presentable when they go to a job or when they go to a photo shoot.

You can get a job as a photographer in the fashion world and be happy in it but you still need to know what is fashionable in the time you are in and what is considered not to be fashionable. You can be an editor in a fashion magazine and be able to research fashion trends through out the United States and through out the world or you can be a fashion assistant where you go and do things for the photographer, editor or designer. The fashion world has all kinds of opportunities available for jobs if that is an area you are interested in.

Wholesaling Fashion Accessories

The fashion accessories which include all the fashionable items like fashionable shoes, handbags, jewelry and also some dressy outfits are able to create an elegance effect in overall fashion statement for both men and women. Most of the fashionable accessories comprise of all those items that increase the visual effects to an appearance or dressing. The fashion accessories are sometimes found in very costly materials like silver gold, diamond or even platinum.

Fashion Jewelry

Fashion jewelry may be considered as the most costly accessory for all women that improves style and fashion sense. The jewelries are available in the form of necklaces, earrings, bracelets, rings and other kinds of jewelry products. Fashionable wholesale jewelry is designed keeping in mind the current trend of fashion culture. The costume jewelry stuffs are crafted with pristine workmanship which involves many hours of labor time. Though most of jewelry products are available in most expensive elements of silver, gold and platinum, diamond has it own real charm, which has never faded away in the world of fashion. The diamond jewelry items are still the trademark of exclusive jewelry as it was in the past.

Lakme India Fashion Week

Lakme Fashion Week is an event that celebrates fashion. This event is organized by Lakme which is known to the top brand in the cosmetic and beauty in India and IMG fashion which is a global leader in the management and production of fashion week and designer fashion events. Lakme Fashion Week 2009 of Fall Winter was organized from 27th to 31st March 2009 at Grand Hyatt, Mumbai. Lakme is the top brand in the beauty industry which offers the high performance and an exceptional quality of cosmetics, skincare products, and beauty salons all over the country. Lakme provides its consumers a holistic "Beauty Sutra" who experience through its products and services at the Lakme Beauty Salons.

IMG Fashion is a division of international sports, entertainment and media company. Its a global leader in the fashion weeks and designer fashion events. Its an industry that gives a portfolio of events features like Lakme India Fasion Week.