The Elizabethan Ruff

From the mid 1500s to the 1600s well dressed people of middle or higher class began to wear ruffs around the neck to represent fashion.  It was a process that individuals went through to signify that they were well dressed.  The Elizabethan Era was an era of social structure, people were limited to what they were allowed to wear based on a structure of classes.  Each class was defined by a series of fabrics or silhouettes- binding them publically to a specific group.

Basso & Brooke: The Silhouette

While some may bathe in the thought of a strong and self sufficient woman, this does not mean that we loose all touch of our feminine, or even girly side.  Most hemlines for the season did not reach anywhere above the knee, but in the case that they did, this was the winning silhouette across the board.  While the hem may be short, nothing else is really showing.  It is the dichotomy of being a wild virgin- like the preachers daughter.

Fringe is nothing new in this modern day of ours, a trend that had penetrated the mass market long ago in its Boho form, creating almost a mockery of where it had initially come from.  From Fringed Moccasins to paisley prints it seemed that it had been done!

Looking back at London and Milan, there are millions of ways that it has been redone.  I will choose to trace this sort of trend in Fringe back to Rodarte S.S 2010, where they designed this underwater creature theme, with fabric hanging down from the waist of skirts as though it was kelp-simulating fringe.  This was not your cute little fringed moccasin, it has become this fierce dark creature that has been through the wringer- so to speak.

It is often misunderstood that designers of high fashion are the only ones setting trends and standards, yet the trickle up theory proves itself true season after season.  Designers gain inspiration from many different aspects of life and living as well as from other people.

For example, one cannot deny the success that American Apparel acquired through the manufacturing of this mesh Plunging V-Neck Body Suit.  At the end of the day coming from a designers perspective  you must always be paying attention to what people want- its all about the bottom line.  Where is rent coming from?  While Burberry is established for their trenches and edge, they must also consider what others want and this last year we have all wanted this mesh body suit, until seeing it on everyone else.

The British Fashion Police

They called themselves the fashion police. I call myself a fashion philosopher. Here are the images of roles being played as LFW came to its clolse.

As a journalist and fashion philosopher, one takes on quite an investigative role, and a fashion week investigation of the four tigers of the industry, New York, London, Milan, and Paris, is the task before me now, which is half complete. The goal of this fashion fortnight expedition was pure exploration of an industry that is familiar, yet estranged to newspaper articles and other media opinions that are delivered to my inbox daily in sunny California.

Yes!  Its that shirt that we all got in the 90′s as kids by our parents who had NO CLUE- but apparently they had every clue!  What arose the focus on this shirt initially was the Proenza Schouler collection in NYC, followed by seeing it on one of Style Sights street photographers a few days later in London.

With sheers all the rage for the season, we are seeing ways of re-fashioning a silhouette so that it seems to be brand new.  Looking back at the 50′s when the fabric restrictions had finally dissipated and Dior was able to break out with the “new look,” resonating with the time and place society is in right now.  Instead of seeking new “looks,” designers are taking the same ones that were heavy hitters in the market from previous seasons and  modifying it by adding extra fabric- to correlate with this over-sized trend.  Fashion is out of its darkness, pursuing fresh simplicity that is in no way boring.

Street spottings of the UK’s most stylish fashion week ladies and gents in action!

To be a true style stalker must involve some sort of undercover work. Most photographers will agree that some of the best images are made while the subject is not paying attention. I tested this theory today with people’s feet, snapping away before anyone noticed.

While in Los Angeles, there are no cobblestone walkways to travel across daily, there are cars to hop in and out of. Londoners have to consider comfort as well as style when choosing a pair of kicks for the day. Here’s what was worn to day 2 of London Fashion Week.