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Fashion History: From The Waist Down

Posted on May 17, 2012 by Catherine Jane

Do you ever wonder about the origins of certain fashion trends like platform shoes or wardrobe staples like body shapers most famously known as Spanx? Everything we are accustomed to wearing in our daily lives evolved from somewhere. As we become more sophisticated so does the technology in manufacturing these items. Everything that is a part of our modern fashion lexicon can be traced back into history.
Platform shoes first appeared in Ancient Greece and were used for raising the height of important characters in Greek theater. From Ancient China and Rome to prostitutes and courtesans in Venice in the 16th century, platforms have made an appearance, but it was in Europe and the UK from the 30s until the early 50s that they became the style. However, they quickly reappeared on the fashion scene in the 60s, 70s and early 80s in a big way. Platforms were designed on boots, sneakers and just about anything with a sole. Young and old wore them, men and women wore them…everyone wore them. By the early 90s they were considered yesterday’s fashion news until the late 90s when Vivienne Westwood made them popular again. It was a pair of 5-inch platforms with 9-inch heels that Naomi Campbell famously wore when she fell on the catwalk during a fashion show. Popular in the UK, the USA did not catch on quickly but in the mid to late 2000s they were everywhere. They even surpassed the pointy stiletto that was made so popular in the early 2000s. The height of their popularity was in 2011 when the trend was for platforms and heels so high that you walked and lived with the possibility of falling off the catwalk called concrete city streets and seriously injuring your ACL every time you wore them, but like somethings in fashion there is the insane version and the wearable version.

Girdles came from the name of the tradesmen who made them, Girdlers. Girdles are mentioned in history as far back as the year 1000. It was a belt worn around the outside of the waist to secure and confine the garments. In addition, girdles were used to carry weapons or a purse and worn by both men and women. Later in the 20th century the girdle replaced the corset in popularity. Christian Dior’s New Look from 1947 made it essential to wear a girdle to accentuate a “wasp waist”. In 1960 girdles fell out of favor and were replaced by the panty girdle, which was a large pair of underwear manufactured in the tightest spandex possible (not very sexy)—and now we have Spanx.

Stilettos, which are derived from the word stylus meaning pointed instrument, were most notably designed by Kristin S. Wagner (which refutes popular wisdom that a man designed the stiletto). In the mid-fifties the stiletto was made possible through the advent of technology, as the heel was so slim it was important to construct a supporting metal stem embedded in the heel, and was brought to life by Roger Vivier in the mid-fifties. The stiletto’s star faded in the 60s as the Beatles and Hippies rejected the fashions of the 50s. However, they were again made popular in the mid-seventies by Manolo Blahnik. Never to be forgotten, the stiletto made a major comeback in the early 2000s. It is 2012 and they’re back (again).

Nylon stockings, which I loathe, have been around since 1940 after much R &D by DuPont. “Nylons”, as they were called, replaced the ever popular silk stockings. The original nylons of the 40s looked nothing like the pantyhose of today as they only covered legs to the mid-thigh and were worn with garter belts. Remarkably, 72,000 pair of nylons were sold on the first day of their release soon after premiering them at the World’s Fair on May 14, 1940. A stunning 6 million were sold in the first year! Unfortunately, soon after nylons were available World War ll began and the government usurped the production of silk and nylon for parachutes and tires. During the war nylons were hard to come by so GI’s who could find a pair used them to entice their lady-friends. Once the war was over nylons were available on the market and men resorted to flowers and candy as a way to get the girl.

Stephen, take note!

Posted in body shapers, fashion, fashion blog, high heels, history of fashion | Tagged Christian Dior, fashion blog, girdle, Manolo Blahnik, Naomi Campbell, nylon stockings, platform shoes, Roger Vivier, Spanx, stiletto, Vivienne Westwood, wasp waist | Leave a comment

Healthy Is The New Thin

Posted on May 10, 2012 by Catherine Jane

In 2007, The Council of Fashion Design of America adopted a voluntary initiative which advocated for age minimums of at least 16 years old during Fashion Week and healthy working conditions. In addition this initiative also addressed the prolific eating disorders that are so prevalent in the modeling industries by stating, “Models who are identified as having an eating disorder should be required to seek professional help, and models who are receiving professional help for an eating disorder should not be allowed to continue modeling without that professional’s approval.” The supporters of this initiative were quite impressive. That was 2007. The huge news story last week was “Vogue Says No More Underage Models.” The fact that all 19 editors of Vogue have agreed to not use models under the age of 16 is groundbreaking enough, but in addition these editors agreed not to work with models who knowingly have an eating disorder. Pretty much the same bullet points from the 2007 Council of Fashion Design of America’s initiative where the ones agreed upon by the 19 editors of Vogue. Do we believe these editors are really on-board to change the image of fashion? Does this mean the 14-year-old Brazilian model who was featured on the cover of Italian Vogue just last April will never again appear on the pages of Vogue until she turns 16 and that we will no longer see the skeletal frames of young women posing in the latest styles?

At the 2012 Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in February, Marc Jacobs used two under aged models according to the standards derived from the CFDA Health Initiative, one was 14 the other was 15 and as all models do during fashion week they worked long hours. These models came from the Ford Modeling Agency. The agency said they were in favor of the 2007 initiative but had not agreed to the age requirements for runway models. Marc said,”I do the show the way I think it should be done, and not the way somebody tells me it should be done. If the parents are willing to do the show I don’t see any reason that it should be me who tells them that they can’t.” Okay, I get that. You want to take artistic license—after all, this is your show and you have a message about fashion that includes the parading of pubescent children in an adult show. This all works except for one little thing— you are in violation of the basic labor law, you know the laws people fought and died for during the Industrial Revolution. You remember the laws that banned the abuse of child labor, specifically the amount of hours a minor can legally work. Today the federal age requirement is 14, the hours a minor is legally allowed to work is no more than 4 hours a day when school is in session and during that time a minor can only work between the hours of 7am and 7 pm. There is an ethical question as well… just because the parents of a minor are willing to exploit their child does that make it okay for others to exploit them as well?

The modeling industries’ abuse of child labor has been linked to financial exploitation and eating disorders that arise from the pressures to be young and remain thin. This pressure to be young and thin morph’s its way into our daily lives creating an unrealistic and unhealthy environment. I love working in the fashion industry and I want it to be the example that all other industries aspire to emulate. But if this change is to happen then it must be seen not only on the pages of fashion magazines and on the runways but these ethos must be reflected throughout the entire industry, then maybe we can all relax about the fact we are heavier and older then the face of fashion.

Posted in fashion blog, fashion editors | Tagged 2012 Mercedes Benz Fashion Week, CFDA Health Initiative, Marc Jacobs, modeling industry, starving models, under aged models | Leave a comment

The Sole Of Fashion

Posted on May 3, 2012 by Catherine Jane

Recently shoe designer Christian Louboutin sued Yves Saint Laurent and its parent company, PPR, for trademark infringement. The famous red-soled shoes that are associated with the Louboutin brand have also been used on Yves Saint Laurent shoes and Christian is not happy. He believes he alone owns the right to use red lacquered soles on his shoes and said, “What PPR does via Yves Saint Laurent is breaking my trademark, which I find offensive.” Christian’s lawyers’ have compared his red-soled shoes to the color blue that Tiffany’s uses for their boxes which begs the question, “Can a brand, company, designer own the right to use a color or design in a specific way?” Christian says he does not own the color but he says he does own the right to use it exclusively on the bottom of his shoes. Christian lost the first round. No doubt this ruling will be appealed.

It is interesting that PPR is challenging Christian’s trademark position because in 1993 it was Yves Saint Laurent vs. Ralph Lauren. At issue was Yves Saint Laurent’s claim that Ralph Lauren had copied their tuxedo dress from 1966. Yves Saint Laurent won this confrontation in the French courts. The charge was for “counterfeiting and disloyal competition”. A lawyer for Yves Saint Laurent said, “Each time a piece is copied, its value is diminished. From the moment the clientele sees a dress everywhere, they lose interest.”

Two things: First (and sadly) this industry is known for chasing a label or counterfeiting. The faux label market is a multi-billion dollar industry which even insiders have said they don’t mind because in the end it drives the market to want the real thing. Second, there is nothing original about an idea once it has been copied. Further, once there is a demand for something it will be copied.
Design is not merely the use of a single color on a template nor is it a redefining of a classic silhouette. It is not that simple. Design is the coming together of texture, form and color in such a way as to evoke a pleasant sensation.

Take it outside boys.

Posted in designer labels, fashion, fashion blog, fashion designers | Tagged Christian Louboutin, Fake, fashion blog, legalities of fashion, Ralph Lauren, Yves Saint Laurent | Leave a comment

Looking Through Logo Covered Glasses

Posted on April 26, 2012 by Catherine Jane

In fashion big brands dominate and no brand is more ubiquitous than Marc Jacobs. Marc Jacobs is to clothing what Starbucks is to coffee. You don’t have to look far and wide to find a cup of Joe from Starbucks or a handbag by Marc. The Marc Jacobs label isn’t just clothing and accessories, it is a branding machine. Do we connect to Marc Jacobs because his designs are really what we want to wear or is it that when someone asks us who made our tote we want to say, “It’s a Marc Jacobs’s bag”? Status is wrapped around much of what we buy, especially in the luxury-goods’ market. That sense of prestige you feel when you grab your Vuitton as you walk out the door is a good feeling.

In fact, prestige is so wrapped around owning these trophies that the faux markets are booming as well. I mean who really has $2,500 lying around to buy a shoulder bag? For a fraction of the cost of the real tomato, you can acquire something so similar that who is to know? The need for status trumps the need for authenticity. Real or fake, consumers drive the production of these labels.
Last year I was on a mission to replace my beloved sunglasses. The lenses were so scratched I could no longer see clearly through them. I loved them because they fit my face. They were smaller dark frames, so unlike the huge dark frames everyone was sporting but more importantly they had no logo on the sides. I like to shop locally so my first stop was my neighborhood optometrist. The salesperson handed me a pair saying, “Everyone is buying these, they are by Marc Jacobs.” I put them down thinking, “Damn you Marc!” and I asked to try on at least a dozen more. Each time I picked up a pair I noticed the logo thinking that maybe the logo wouldn’t look so big once I had them on. I was wrong. The double C of Chanel, the giant D in Dior and the rhinestone encrusted Versace all compelled me to want to run home and grab my deeply scratched sunglasses out of the trash and get used to looking at the world with blurred vision. I settled on a pair with bigger frames than what I wanted, but they were logo-free. When I was in New York weeks later, I couldn’t help but notice all the designer sunglasses for sale by street vendors.No surprise, the first ones I spotted were Marc’s.

Posted in designer labels, famous designers, fashion, fashion blog, fashion designers, knock-offs | Tagged designer handbags, designer sunglasses, fake fashion, fashion blog, faux labels, Louis Vuitton, Marc Jacobs, Versace | Leave a comment

Fashion’s Ground Zero

Posted on April 19, 2012 by Catherine Jane

Do you ever open your closet door looking for something to wear and freeze at the prospect of pulling an outfit together? Suddenly, your fashionable wardrobe takes your breath away as you try to decipher what to wear. In your frustration you have this urge to pitch everything and start over again. Your days are busy, your life can be stressful and pulling an outfit together for your day of meetings and then dinner is just one more chore in your over scheduled life. There is no need to go to such drastic measures. Sometimes it is as simple as reevaluating everything you have and finding a way to make your wardrobe look fresh. Other times it is a matter of editing your wardrobe and passing some of your cherished pieces on to the other world of the Salvation Army. However, if you could start from ground zero, how do you begin to create a wardrobe?
Like building a good home you would start with a good foundation, building from the bottom up. Your foundation begins with choosing a base color. Consider the color you choose as the backdrop for a photo-op. The color should be the optimum choice for your complexion, eyes and hair. Don’t necessarily think black either! The base colors to choose from are; black, brown and grey. If you are blonde with fair skin and brown eyes you might start with the color brown. If you have dark eyes and hair with an olive complexion, black is the way you want to go. Grey is a good choice for blue eyes and red or blonde hair. The fact is these colors are neutrals and will work with everything else you choose.
In selecting the right skirts and pants think about your silhouette. The skinny pant is all the rage but might not be the best choice for you. If you carry your weight in your saddle bags try a wide legged pant; think Katherine Hepburn. If you have curves at your hips you can wear a slim pants nicely just don’t wear them so tight in the calf area as to make them look like leggings (you have leggings for that).

The same formula applies to skirts. If you have voluptuous thighs think about an A-lined skirt. A pencil line skirt works for curvy shapes but consider where those curves are. In general the best length for most of us is just below the knee. That said, if you are more comfortable in something shorter, make it shorter. You will feel better. Half the battle of looking good is feeling great.

Once you have your basic skirt and pant covered it is time to move on to tops beginning with the most basic; start with two essential shells. My suggestion is to snag one that is the same color as the pant and skirt you select, the other should be a color that is a great color on you. Red hair and green eyes; try teals and greens. Brown hair and brown eyes; think about purples and reds. Blonde hair and blue eyes; blues and tangerines are a good choice. Try different colors on to better understand what looks well on you. Your complexion, eye color and hair color dictate what colors work.

Everyone needs a cardigan. In choosing a color add cream to your basic colors of black, brown or grey. If it is your first one make it long sleeved. Remember you are building a wardrobe so you need to start with the basics.

The best style for a coat that I can recommend would be a trench coat. Here’s the clincher for choosing your basic trench. If black is your basic color then get a grey or cream trench. Chances are you chose a black basic shell to go with your black pants and you don’t want to look as though every day is another day of mourning.

One pant, one skirt, two shells, one cardigan, one trench. It is a great beginning.