Charles...the light at the end of the tunnel!

Today in class, we discussed the purpose of scholarly writing.  We talked about how to write one, why it would be necessary to write one, and how professional they are to be written.  I gave Charles my opinion that teachers should chill out when assigning these papers.  I suggested that teachers should give boundaries...such as 5-8 pages versus just saying write 8 pages.  Sometimes it can be  mistake to ask students to write so much, especially if the student feels as if they don't need that many pages to get their point across.  Asking for too many pages can lead to rambling.  Also, I learned how to go into the library.  I have had a great fear of entering into the Art Institute of Ohio Cincinnati's library.  I was afraid of the silence, the table that is suppose to keep my bags and books hostage without anyone watching over them, and getting lost in the maze of book shelves. Charles made me face my fears....I walked into the library and with the guidance of my friends, we found the journal that Charles sent us to find.  I thank you Charles for making me face my fear.

Fall 2011 Trends

Want to create a fall look but not sure how?  Here at Forever 21 we will show you how....step by step!!!

1. Choosing a blouse.
• When picking out a blouse, make sure that it is a color or pattern that can go with multiple outfits.  The last thing you want , is to buy a blouse that can only go with one pair of pants, one pair of shoes, and so on.... Try to find a solid color.  The color trends are deep reds, dark purples, and a deep green.
2. Choosing a pair of slacks.
• Pants are the easiest items to put together.  The fall trend is to have dark colored slacks.  If your slacks are colored, make sure the blouse you choose (above) will go with the pair of slacks you buy. What's the point of getting a pair of pants that the slacks you just bought don't match.  And if all else fails, denim are our lifesavers.  they go with just about anything.
3. Choosing your Footwear.
• This season, boots from the ankle to the knee are what all designers have created.  The trend is to have feathers, furs, rhinestones, and rivets embellishing the shoes.  Find a pair that will go with multiple outfits.  Boots can be expensive, so make sure they will match with all of your pieces.
4. Choosing your Outerwear.
• One of the most important pieces to you outfit is your outwear.  The outwear can consist of sweaters, fur vests, and trench coats.  The trends in colors are still the same.  For jackets, we have drifted away from the leather, and have evolved to more of a canvas feel jackets.  Tan has over taken the black, red and purples have over taken grey.  Since you will be wearing your outerwear everyday, you want it to match your above outfits.
5. Last but Most Important....Accessories!
• When creating a look, your clothing and footwear is only part.  But what completes the look are the accessories you put along with it.  This can mean your handbag, jewelry, scarves, hats, gloves, and sunglasses.  This season, gold is a color that looks amazing next to the clothing color trends.  The handbags should compliment with your outfit, not compete with it.  So get a neutral color that will last with this season and next.  

The goal is to create a look for fall of 2011, but there is nothing wrong with getting pieces that will last longer than just this season.  Why not create a timeless look that you can recreate this fall and in fall 2013.  Fashion is not necessarily inexpensive. However, if you follow these simple 5 steps, you can save money by not having to purchase as many pieces next year.  You can stay simple, but add your own personality.  These are fall 2011 trends, but what makes the trend look even better, is your own flare!

Cincinnati Fashion Week

Friday, May 12, 2011, I attended the Cincinnati Fashion Week's Graphic Fashion.  Graphic Fashion is when designers use graphic design to show off their designs.  At Graphic Fashion, designers showed off their designs by having photographs of the models in their designs in display windows.  The designs they came up with was having a strong contrast.  they put the models in all white clothing with neon colors for their makeup and shoes.  After the revealing of the windows, they had an after party to follow.  They had free food and drinks as well as great music to have fun.  At the after party, they had the models from the photographs arrive in the clothing they were modeling in the display window pictures. The revealing of the windows and the party were amazing.  The party was elegant and the windows were creative and well thought out.  I'm excited for next years Fashion Week!

Retailer Trends

In retail, the layout of the store is crucial in being successful.  Customers do not only come into stores to shop, but they enjoy whole shopping experience from the moment the arrive to the store till they checkout at the register.  When a customer arrives at a store, hat is their first impression of the retailer.  The window displays are going to be what helps set the idea of the store.  The display should show the retail store's "personality" and be the attention grabber.  As you walk into the store, fixtures and mannequins are the only things showing off the clothing, otherwise, you just have sweaters laying on a table.  It is a presentation of your products.  Customers want to see the clothing presented and on display.  Retailers are using fixtures that show class and sophistication.  Going "green" is a big fixture trend.  Fixtures are no longer being all metal, but are wooden and organic.  Also mannequins are being made from 100% organic cotton and recycled plastic.  They are spending a lot of money on making sure that their customers are getting what they need aesthetically.  They want customers to love the displays and grab their attention and then love the look on the fixtures and then buy the outfit because of how it was presented.