Monday, April 12, 2010

EBay sells more than just junk!


EBay is making a come-back you wouldn't normally dream of. They have recently entered the world of fashion in the hopes of becoming the place to buy designer clothes. Yes, you did read that right.


Previously known for selling used clothes, EBay launched a new fashion site Mon. March 29, 2010 that is dedicated to competing with other Web sites that offer designer clothes at a steep discount. The Web site wants more shoppers to think of it when they want to find new bargain fashions.
This update is the latest in a series of changes that will make EBay act more like an outlet mall or a "private sale" instead of the widely distributed marketplace it's known as now. Redesigning their interface with a better search engine, gallery views and easier navigation, they may be on their way to competing with top sites like Amazon.com.

French Connection has already teamed up with the site to act as a seller with many other fashion brands and retailers following close behind. Several new ways of selling will be brought together by fashion.ebay.com, the new microsite devoted to fashion.


The company began with short-term sales of a small selection of discounted items, also called "flash" sales late last year to test drive the new site. With positive feedback, they later launched a flash-sale site known as the "Fashion Vault".


EBay is going even further by enlisting brands like Lord & Taylor to make an outline outlet mall later this Spring.
There is still the lingering question of whether or not EBay can overcome their image as a secondhand clothing site. Time will only tell, but I would say that EBay is headed in the right direction.

Monday, April 5, 2010

Living in a material world and I am a Material Girl!

Madonna and Lourdes, Madonna's 13-year-old daughter, are starting up an affordable fashion line for juniors that is to be launched in late July.

The collection, aptly named, "Material Girl" will be available at Macy's and online at Macys.com. Because of its launch date, young fashionistas can be outfitted with the latest gear from the fashion icon and her daughter just in time for the new school year.

Just three years ago, 2007, Madonna did a fashion line called M by Madonna for the Swedish fashion chain H&M. Though Madonna enjoyed creating her last line, she said this time it was her daughter who really wanted to do the joint collection.

Lourdes has been around the fashion industry and famous designers her whole life as her mother has close friends in the industry and is constantly in the lime light. Stella McCartney is creditted as getting Lourdes interested in fashion at the young age of eight.

Lourdes fashion style is said to come from her dance background and the bands she listens to. Madonna of course credits her daughters awesome sense of style to her great DNA (haha).

With such a great sense of style and close designer-friends for inspiration im sure just like her mother, Lourdes with be another iconic 'Material Girl'!

Monday, March 29, 2010

Do blondes really have more fun?

In the fashion world, one day trends are in, the next day they are out. That includes things that some might not always think about like hair styles.

Hair trends vary from year to year or more easily seen from decade to decade. The mullet, crimped hair, and afros have all been hair trends of the past. The newest hair trend for 2010 isn't a cut or style, however. It's a colour.

Spring 2010 is the season of the redhead.

Redheads have long been ignored and the blonde bombshell has dominated the fashion industry for decades. But redheads of 2010 don't just represent hair colour; they represent an attitude, a personality. Think playful, confident and add in a little bit of fiery passion to capture what this season's trend is all about.

Less than two percent of the population is natural redheads, also associating the colour with something rare and exclusive. This leads up to the golden rule when it comes to red hair in 2010: It can't look fake.

Stylists recommend going to get your hair done professionally in order to prevent a style disaster of turning your hair purple or orange.

Pale porcelain skin, freckles and those with fair eyebrows look great with red hair. These qualities can make your new look pop yet compliment your face.

To really make your new red 'do' compliment your overall style image for 2010, go for the warrior hair style (long, voluminous red waves), the pin-up look (a sleek side part with 1940s style waves) or the maiden style (twists and braids interwoven with flowers or ribbons).

No matter what your hair colour, fake or natural, the hottest look for 2010 is inner confidence and letting your feisty redhead within come out to play!

Monday, March 22, 2010

The breakdown: Top 10 collections from 2010 Fashion Week

Style.com recently posted their top 10 collection picks from the 2010 Fashion Week and by adding my own spin on their translations of the collections, I gave this drab hard news article a much needed everyday girl's opinion for other real girls out there.

The top designer was Alexander McQueen, who died a week prior to New York Fashion Week. Was he chosen because of his death as a tribute to his life's work or was it because of his skills as a tailor? I can't help but feel that it was because of the former reason though I can't deny his astounding draping abilities and love for romantic clothing shown so well.

Burberry Prorsum came in at number two with live streaming of the show and a "click to buy" button on the site the same day as the show. Christopher Bailey delivered an edgy show that had everything from aviators to python thigh high boots, which isn't exactly everyday footwear but we all like to have a little fun sometimes.

Celine by Phoebe Philo was third on the list with a strong and powerful show including black leather outfits that were elegant rather than high school goth.

As number four, Chanel brought in 240 tons of snow from Sweden for the show by Karl Lagerfield, who made faux fur look real and appealing to even the most ardent animal activists.

Fifth place went to Dolce & Gabbana with their classic leopard spots and black lace. Sixth was Dries Van Noten who gave everyday women exactly what they want with sweatshirts and button-downs!

Marc Jacobs sent all unknown models down the runway to the tune of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" and tweaked oldies such as pantsuits and sequins to make a whole new collection coming in at number seven.

Number eight was Michael Kors who delivered his all-American classic look amazingly. Ninth was Prada who "unexpectedly" cast Victoria Secret Angels as their models.

Rounding out the list at number 10 was Rag and Bone with menswear-inspired basics and somehow were able to make camouflage and plaid work in the same outfit.

This list contains some of the most enlivening designers of our time who all delivered a more edgy look for the season and drew inspiration from old looks and adding their own flares to make them new again. I give the top 10 collections an A+ for their refreshing take on this Spring's trends which tend to flow to florals and pale pinks every time the snow starts melting.

Monday, March 8, 2010

"Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week brings excitement, glamour and feelings of happiness to us all." -Patricia Field, Costume Designer

Mercedes-Benz New York Fashion Week took place February 11-18 and featured many established designers as well as up and coming ones.

Hundreds of celebrities and their purse-sized pooches rush to the coveted front row seats at fashion week, but how do the 'regular Joes' get a peak at what's hott this season? After all, we are the ones buying most of the designer's stock.

The answer lies in social media.

Every 13-year-old girl with a computer can log onto their Twitter, Facebook or YouTube account and get live video streaming, photos and interviews right at their fingertips.

These social networking sites are all used to promote fashion week and most of the time are all interconnected as well, making the search for whatever your heart desires just a little bit easier to find.

Fashion week's twitter tweets links to their Facebook page as well as links to pages about their designers and sponsers. A click of a button and the entire fashion week's contents are right there in front of you. No search required.

In a world where the youth have the attention span of a fish (three to five seconds), social media is needed to draw them in and hook them permanently. By creating these pages on sites that are used on a daily basis by fashion week's target audience, the designers are ensured that their clothing line will be noticed.

And don't you worry, even those celebrities who are oh-so-lucky to be invited to the shows tweet their intellectual thoughts on the new fall trends and sometimes they even figure out how to post pictures of their favorites.

-Fashion in the fast lane