MCQUEEN, YOUR MAJESTY

In Sarah Burton’s premiere collection for the late Alexander Mcqueen, homage was paid to the late fashion great; we were also introduced to the Monarch Butterfly Trend. Burton wove the Monarch theme into the collection intricately, offering up accessories, cocktail, and evening dresses. The trend blended wondrously with the collections Majestic Warrior theme. Appropriately present in a collection dedicated to a royal legend, this trend speaks not only to the death of a great designer, but also to the demise of an earthly wonder, the monarch butterfly. All across the world populations of the Monarch have declined due to the earth’s changing temperatures, and due to the rapidly decaying ecosystems of the Monarch.

Monarch’s are typically found in Central and North America. These vibrant creatures survive only on nectar. Each adult monarch lives only for about five weeks. When the fall season arrives, a new generation of Monarch is born which has a life expectancy of up to eights months. This generation migrates from Canada and the United States to the middle of Mexico, after which they begin their journey back to the north. The greatest threat to this worldly wonder is the loss of habitat due to over-wintering.

I’m not sure of the details surrounding the sale of the collection, but if this were my collection, each monarch-inspired garment purchased would adopt a certain number of Monarch butterflies. The profits from the sale of the merchandise would go towards the World Wildlife Foundation’s preservation efforts. These awe-inspiring creatures of the world are absolutely necessary for our future generations. One of the first creatures to spark imagination in young children is endangered, directly as a result of our endless consumption habits. Global Warming is a very real, very portentous threat. Can we really be inspired in a world without wildlife?

I encourage you to visit wwf.org to see what you can do to protect the declining Monarch Butterfly population.

(source wwf.org)

THE COSMOS TREND

It’s like the first time you saw an aurora borealis. You were eight, out camping with your dad, your brother, and your next door neighbor. You looked up and you finally witnessed this phenomenon that you learned about from a Bill Nye video your science teacher showed while taking a smoke break. You looked up to the night sky that evening and immediately your imagination was engulfed in flames of curiosity. Maybe there is another universe with aliens that sorta look like us, you wondered. AND maybe that “low flying plane”, as your dad insisted, was actually a UFO from another planet!

This trend is sensational like that. I love the aural colors. The gradient, soft glow emanating from the cosmic color story gives it so much character. This is a wonderful alternative to the acid wash shirt. The Immaterial Materialist approves.

(source stenopad.tumblr.com)

Vintage and YOU

Young people all over the world are constantly looking for ways to develop a unique, self expressive style. Some seek out exclusive, limited edition sneaker collaborations, some shop for exclusive luxury handbags and some look for vintage clothing to add a retro twist to their wardrobes. The challenge of modernizing a vintage piece is both gratifying and refreshing. If done properly, it can create a hip look that can earn the wearer much style credit.

WHERE TO SHOP
There are many places to shop vintage clothing. The most obvious places are local vintage boutiques….However; the most rewarding and most exciting method is to visit a thrift store. Budget conscious stylephiles across the world have opted to thift clothing instead of buying full price. Thrift stores can be hit or miss. You can usually tell which thrift stores are good as soon as you enter. Just take a deep breath in. My favorite thrift stores all smell like a combination of four attics, fresh kittens, and sweat. If a store smells like pure body odor funk being masked by Glade plug-ins, it may be a warning sign. I’ve found that thrift stores in the inner city tend to be overpriced, while stores closer to suburban areas are a bit more reasonable. Either way, you’re likely to find hoards of interesting pieces.

Estate sales are my absolute favorite shopping events. They tend to turn up exciting vintage fashion and home goods at reasonable prices. An estate sale is an all encompassing journey through a person’s life, from their clothing, to their jewelry, to their furniture and everything in between. If you’re lucky enough to come across an estate sale, be sure to bring lots of cash. Cash is king and most estate sales don’t accept anything but.

THE THRIFTED SWEATER
My favorite pieces to thrift are sweaters. Sweaters are most exciting to thrift because when you’ve found the perfect sweater, you quickly fall in love with it. I’ve been into countless thrift stores and have found some amazing sweaters. I’ve learned its all fun and games until you get it home and wash it. The root word in sweater is sweat. Most of them reek and need to be sanitized immediately. I will warn you though; vintage wools MUST be dry cleaned, regardless of what the care label says. I’ve washed some vintage sweaters and they come out of the machine smelling like a combination decaying skin and crusty tube socks, no matter how much downy I use.
WATCH THE LABELS. Before you buy a sweater, check the content label. If the label says 100% acrylic, then the sanitizing process might prove to be a bit easier. Polyesters and other synthetic fibers are typically machine-washable. 100% cotton or, even better, 100% Pima Cotton, is usually machine washable and can be washed with hot water to take care of that extra funk. I wouldn’t recommend wearing or trying on a sweater until you wash it. In that case it’s important to have a good eye for sizing. Keep in mind; YOU WILL NEED: WOOLITE AND DOWNY, TONS OF IT.


HOW TO WEAR VINTAGE
Ah, the fun part. It can be so much fun using a vintage piece to finish a look. It’s important to examine the piece for it’s character. Any piece could incorporated into a look by taking cues from it’s color story or possibly using it to create a texture story. The shape of a vintage dress can be emphasized by pairing it with a similar-shaped shoe. The shape and color can be played by pairing it with slim fitting jeans and round-toe oxfords. A vintage rectangular satchel can add flair to a structural summer dress.

BRANDED VINTAGE
Hip retailers have caught on to this enormous vintage trend. In an effort to get the attention of their stylephile customer, stores like American Apparel and Urban Outfitters carry their own brand of vintage. Urban Renewal is Urban’s line of vintage and reconstructed clothing. Each piece is updated at the company’s HQ in Philly. The line features pieces that range from $20-$75. The line offers up some tantalizing retro trends that will make any fashion queen crème.
California Select is American Apparel’s line of vintage goods. The vintage buyers at American Apparel seem to have a great time finding vintage dead stock sunglasses, watches, and clothing. The line features some super-hip finds. California Select’s price point is a bit higher than Urban Renewal, averaging at about $45-$105. However, the line carries potentially valuable retro goods. Each piece is both cool and classic, appropriately American Apparel.
The idea behind shopping vintage is to create a unique style that expresses the individual’s tastes. Because a person is fashionable doesn’t necessarily mean he or she is stylish. The point is to create a style that is both timely and that reflects the individual’s personality. For most people, it is much easier to walk into a store and be styled in the likeness a specific store’s intended customer. For the ones that thrive on style, the excitement is in the challenge of creating a completely unique look.

“Most women divide their time between getting things....and getting rid of them” –Gary Goldschnider