Archive for August, 2010

vintage clothing, personal shopping, fashion styling, beauty makeover, wardrobe stylist

August 31st, 2010

Vintage clothing, by it’s very definition, is by no means new. But the concept of vintage fashion is fast gathering momentum and settling nicely into it’s guilded place on the high street and internet. So what is it that we love so much about vintage clothes? What are the reasons behind the worldwide vintage epidemic?

1) Celebrity Culture
Whether we like to admit it or not, we are living in a world where celebrities are king, with more influence and status than most royals! Be it actors, singers, models or TV personalities, our screens and the magazines we read are filled with our icon’s latest look. In the past few years our favourite celebrities have been turning to vintage clothes more and more and boy oh boy have we been following suit… Whether it’s vintage dresses, vintage knitwear, vintage jackets, vintage shoes, vintage skirts, vintage tops or vintage accessories, if we see it in the glossies then we will do our best to find something similar. It’s also made vintage clothing more accessible, more mainstream and more acceptable than it ever has been before.

2) Individuality
You know the feeling. You’ve spent weeks preparing for the party of the year. Carefully and lovingly choosing what to wear, how to style your hair, what make up and scent to wear… The night finally arrives and feeling a million dollars you arrive – only to find your worst nightmare. Another girl is wearing exactly the same dress as you! It’s a horrible feeling and one we all dread, but a perfectly realistic side effect of ‘fast fashion’ on the high street. So how can you assure you will be the only girl in THAT outfit – vintage clothing of course! When you buy a piece of vintage clothing you are buying an item that has one very important factor – individuality. Sure you can buy pieces that follow key trends but it’s highly unlikely that any other girl will have the same vintage item as you. Your vintage clothing can come from any corner of the globe and from any era of time so it’s bound to be super special.

3) Global Awareness
From the way we power our homes to the way in which our rubbish is collected, we have all become much more environmentally aware in recent years. We’ve managed to adapt to splitting our rubbish into different boxes and invested in energy saving light bulbs. We’ve even stopped leaving our TV’s on standby when we go to bed! But being greener doesn’t end there… vintage clothing is a fantastic way to recycle. Imagine how much quality vintage clothing is out there, thousands and thousands of pieces just waiting for new homes. You can even sell your own collection on – whether it’s your too-short sixties minis or your dodgy eighties batwings, vintage clothing companies love to hear from you. We can all do our bit to help each other and the planet!

4) Money Matters
You know the old saying – look after the pennies and the pounds look after themselves! If you’re financially savvy then you are probably buying vintage already. To buy good quality fashion on the high street can cost enough, but designer labels can really break the bank. Buying vintage clothing is an excellent way to get the look you want at the fraction of the normal price. Not only that, but you actually making an investment. Like a fine wine or piece of antique furniture, as your vintage clothing grows older it increases in value.

So there we have it – save money, look super stylish AND individual, keep the planet happy and follow as many trends as your heart desires – it may sound too good to be true but vintage clothes really can offer the perfect fashion and lifestyle solution. So the only question is – if you’re not buying vintage clothing already – why not?!

Busting Diva have a collection of genuine vintage dressmaking patterns for our clients to choose from should they want a modern twist to a vintage garment.or formal attire refers to a tuxedo or dark suit and tie.

Latest fashion styles

August 31st, 2010

High waisted, faded denim shorts have been ubiquitous at this summer’s festivals and in the capital of late. Back then, they were worn with cropped denim jackets, silk blouses and indie-grunge black opaque tights.

Beyonce

Acid wash jeans are the biggest trend in denim for 2009, and the A-list know it. Nicole Richie makes them work with her laid back boho vibe by teaming her’s with fringed accessories and a peasant blouse. Rihanna and Beyonce wear their jeans with an edge, teaming skin tight, ripped and rolled hem styles with leather and toweringheels.

From oversized faded jeans that evoke memories of Bananarama  and Bros, to nylon bomber jackets, cropped tops, BOY London T-shirts, shoulder pads and body-con dresses.

Ripped denim hasn’t really been big since the grunge days of the 90s… so it may come as a surprise that it is back as a fashion trend for women in Spring-Summer 2008. Kate Moss wore ripped denim shorts in a shoot for April 2008′s Vogue Paris, and then we spotted these shots of Gisele Bundchen on set with Mario Testino in a rather revealing torn denim outfit.

On the runways, Christopher Kane’s Spring/Summer 2008 collection brought faded and torn skinny jeans back onto the agenda. Maison Martin Margiela’s collection was also littered with shredded up denim pieces  that took ripped denim to the extreme.

From jeans to skirts to shorts, torn denim is also being embraced by certain members of the celebrity world, including Lily Allen and Lindsay Lohan, below.

So how does the 2008 take on ripped jeans differ from its past incarnations? The short answer is, it doesn’t really. Well not much anyway – it’s more about how it’s worn than the pieces themselves. Unlike from the rebellious heavy metal torn denim of the 80s, or the loose grungy jeans of the 90s, the 08-09 ripped denim trend is all about being sexy and revealing. So will you be wearing ripped denim this year?