some people are born fashionistas, the rest of us just need a little help
Founded in March 2010 by Mallory Whitfield, Miss Malaprop is an online boutique that features Mallory’s reconstructed clothing and accessories along with “independent designers & artists, eco-friendly and sustainable products, New Orleans & Gulf Coast based businesses and issues, and people & organizations who are working to make the world a better place.”
If you’re looking for unique pieces that are functional, cute and fun, visit Miss Malaprop. You know I’m always talking about putting your own spin on your outfit by adding interesting pieces. This is a great shop to get some of those interesting pieces. I took some time and got inside the mind of Mallory to get the skinny on what drives and inspires her.
What inspires you to create?
I have just always loved making things, for as long as I can remember. I hate seeing things go to waste, so artful recycling has always been a big inspiration to me – I love trying to figure out ways to reuse things. That’s how I first got into sewing. I wanted to breathe some new life into my old clothes, and it’s sort of evolved from there…
What is one tip you would give to an up and coming designer?
Try to find a mentor. Having a mentor, or knowing people who are going through a similar experience as you, can be SO helpful. It’s great to have a support system to learn from and grow with. I’ve met so many amazing local designers and entrepreneurs and they’ve all been very helpful. Try to get out there and network – attend events related to the industry you want to be successful in, but also expand your circle outside of that. You never know who might be beneficial to know in the long run. Be exceptionally kind and generous, and it WILL come back to you.
Finish this sentence:
Fashion is open to interpretation. Fashion is what you make of it. Fashion should come from within, not from without.
Share a favorite quote that you use as a creative inspiration.
Jack Kerouac has always been one of my favorite writers, and I love his quote from Belief and Technique for Modern Prose: “Be in love with your life.” I actually love all the quotes from that piece and he has so much quote-able work, but that quote especially is something I try to live my life by. It’s one of the reasons why I’m so proud to live in New Orleans, a place where magic happens on an every day basis. I try to live my life full of joy, as much as possible, and try to live so as not to have any regrets. What more could you ask for?
Take some time and browse Miss Malaprop. There is a plethora of great things to expand your current wardrobe!
Founded by Allison Bubash in January 2009, AllyBu is a wonderful online boutique featuring brightly colored handbags and totes that can definitely add a pop of color to your wardrobe.
An accountant by day and handbag designer by night, Bubash makes it possible for us ladies to expand our handbag wardrobe without breaking the budget. She shares her thoughts on fashion and the art of design.
What inspires you to create?
My inspiration for my bags comes from a variety of places or things. I may see a beautiful piece of fabric that I have to do something with, or a thought may pop into my mind about a bag I want to create during my morning workout.
What is one tip you would give to an up and coming designer?
Don’t give up! Not every idea is going to be appreciated by everyone, but it doesn’t mean it isn’t a great design. Maybe a little tweaking will make it the next seasons “must have” item.
Finish this sentence
Fashion is in the eye of the beholder and ever evolving.
Share a favorite quote that you use as a creative inspiration.
“Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep.”
I encourage you to visit AllyBu and broaden your handbag horizons with some great color!
This past weekend I had the pleasure of attending a fashion show featuring the summer line, Rachel by Rachel Roy. These clothes were very cute and prints was definitely the name of the game. Her models were dressed in the cutest summer dresses, shorts and skirts. I saw some great ways that we can work on incorporating more prints into our wardrobe without overdoing it.
I must admit, I’m not a fan of prints. I’m much more comfortable wearing brightly colored solids than prints, but I’m definitely open to making a change. A great print can really make an outfit pop. Check out these pictures of the models that were in the show.
This is a great way to participate in the legging trend in a way that is cute and comfortable.
I love this outfit because it combines two great prints and a lovely pop of color in a way that works. I also love it because I accidentally got a picture of a lady standing behind the model wearing the same dress with a solid cardigan and some neutral sandals and both ladies look wonderful. I also love that it inadvertently shows how this Rachel Roy dress can look great on different body types.
See how this purse pulls everything together? It goes wonderfully with both the dress and the jacket but it’s not too matchy matchy. Purses are a great way to pull an outfit together.
This look is a wonderful example in how adding accessories can really step things up, but you can be just as cute going more basic. For example, this cute dress and the sandals can stand completely on their own. If you want to wear it out to lunch or brunch, throw on the white sweater. If it’s a little chilly out, toss the scarf around your neck. If you are going out to dinner, take the sweater and scarf off and just go in the dress. Either way, you look great.
This is an easy outfit to copy.
I just love how easy, breezy this outfit is. You can easily throw on this great dress and these great sandals and walk out the door. No muss, no fuss, but you still look great.
I really enjoyed this line and the wonderful thing about it is that you can visit your local Macy’s and pick up one of the pieces. If you aren’t familiar with Rachel Roy but want to learn more about her, visit her website www.rachelroy.com. Another awesome thing is that if you don’t live near a Macy’s or her line hasn’t made it to your city yet, you can purchase pieces directly from her website. If you decide to pick up a Rachel by Rachel Roy piece send me a picture of you wearing it and I will feature it on here.
For those of you unfamiliar with Fashion Week, it’s the biggest event in the fashion industry. It happens twice a year, in the Winter and in the Fall. The Winter Fashion Weeks typically cover fall fashion trends for the upcoming season while the Fall Fashion Weeks typically cover the spring fashion trends for the upcoming season. Confused? I suppose that could be a bit confusing if you’re not into the whole Fashion Week phenomenon.
For clarification. Right now we are heading into the fashion week season for Spring 2009. Starting in a few days and running from September 5-September 12 is Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in New York. Mercedes Benz sponsors several fashion weeks throughout the season and New York is one of the biggest. For a full week, fashion industry insiders, celebrities, recording artists, actors and budding fashionistas will converge on the already bustling New York city for fashion shows and parties. The main stage for Mercedes Benz Fashion Week is Bryant Park where there are several stages set up for the most high profile fashion shows. However, if you don’t have the budget or celebrity status to be invited to those shows, there are other fashion shows that will be going on as well, which will be just as fabulous but possibly more accessible to us non celebrity types. One of which is Nolcha Fashion Week, which runs September 8-September 12 in New York and from September 14-September 18 in London. Check them out if you happen to be in one of those cities during those times. www.nolchafashionweek.com
After Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in New York is over, there are more fashion weeks happening all over the world. Here is a list of the ones coming up this year and their websites.
New York-September 5 – 12, 2008 www.olympusfashionweek.com
London-September 14-19, 2008 www.londonfashionweek.co.uk
Milan-September 20-27, 2008 www.cameramoda.it (this website is in Italian so read carefully)
Paris-September 27-Oct 5, 2008 www.modeaparis.com
Los Angeles-October 12 – 16, 2008 www.mbfashionweek.com
I any of you watch America’s Next Top Model as faithfully as I do, you are fully aware of the current winner of cycle 10 was the resident full figured model, Whitney. Whitney was 5’10 and a size 12, which is definitely on the larger size of the fashion industry that typically leans towards women sized 2-4. She made it through the long competition and lasted through the weekly panels of being judged alongside models that were clearly more befitting of the fashion industry’s standards without doubting herself or losing confidence. She represents the further expansion of the fashion industry. It’s wonderful to see the industry embracing models that represent the majority of the population of women. Check her out in her glory!
I’m a writer and blogger that works in television and film production. I am a Clueless Fashionista dedicated to making fashion fun and easy to understand. If you’d like to learn more about me, visit my website www.ashiasims.com.
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