Halloween: Glamorised.

Today has been a long, tiring, stressful, hectic day.
But I still have time to write! Check out http://www.livedonow.com/home/london-shopping/, especially if you are a Londoner, or go to London a lot.

I am soooooo excited for Halloweeeeeeeen. It's going to be amazing (although I'm doing nothing.. I might watch a very scary film on my own, get the adrenaline going). It will be amazing for everyone else! Have fun guys!

I still haven't established yet whether I have reached the 'dressing up as a slut' thing for Halloween. I kinda like looking scary. Unsexy makeup. Crazy hair. When I was younger I'd get really afraid of those witch noses that you buy.. so I kept trying to flush it down the toilet, and my parents would get pretty mad but I'd keep doing it.

The one thing that terrifies me in this world is ghosts. And DON'T say that they don't exist, because they do. And even if they don't, then the thought of them terrifies me.
I was thinking of a cool way to be a ghost, instead of a sheet. Gotta be honest though, if someone appeared at my door dressed looking like the picture, I would be pretty terrified.
I'd be a magical ghost. I'm thinking Bollywood. I'd wear a floaty white sari and I would look fabulous. Everyone would want me to haunt them, because I'd be like a scary wave of amazingness.


Maybe ghosts don't always have to look so scary. Chanel's Paris Bombay show is pretty Indian and awesome, so I considered giving an example from that... but I thought I'd go for an actual sari.

This one would be pretty cool (minus the extravagant hair) because it's transparent. And no, I don't mean that in a slutty way. But you're supposed to see through ghosts right? The model looks so elegant, she's a positive ghost, and that gives me peace of mind for a few minutes. I'm not saying dress up in a sari for Halloween, this would be both costly and impractical, but it would be cool to think outside the box like this when it comes to sorting out your costume.

Right now, there are two main ways to categorise True Halloween Supporters. The scarily dressed, and the sluttily dressed. But what about the elegantly/glamorously dressed? That should be a better known option. The sluttily dressed sometimes manage it, because short cuts can def be glamorous. If you think about it, Halloween is a Fashion holiday to some extent, as well as a religious one etc. For pretty much everyone, the main act of Halloween is to dress up- unless you're a pumpkin grower.

There should be like a big Halloween party with everyone who wants this. And there could be designers etc.  and people who work in the industry. The designers could create their own mini collections of Haute Couture Halloween. I think that would be so cool. We could get a runway down the length of the venue and models could display them. Canapes, wine, photographers.. Totally professional. Halloween has the potential to be so glamorous. More people should take advantage of that (unless you don't want to). And everyone would dress up of course.

Bit of inspiration for you, my dear reader:

Devil: Has to be sexy.. the devil is the definition of evil... so no red floaty dresses. Think black louboutins (or equivalent) and maybe something like this: http://images.asos-media.com/inv/media/7/7/6/4/2194677/red/image1xl.jpg I would say this dress is more glam than slutty. If you disagree go for something longer.. http://media.topshop.com/wcsstore/TopShop/images/catalog/62N19BRED_large.jpg That's pretty hot too. Dress as crimson as you can :) It's not plain, it's a statement.
Witch: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpfUbd16k9L7J8NWjoZTcXzB4JNSuV0gOSMGZhWBCS87cjBvuQQjuIMINwDoCnLR5DC7qHRwFJTjk3X91F_EE0ls07qkwrLg4r5UJsZT-P7cT7rQ0WGY3rPwTQVddUub836mgmiEV3kQ8/s1600/Elie+Saab+Fall_Winter+2012-2013+Collection+2.jpg Any of the top ones tbh, couldn't choose just one because Elie Saab is amazing and everything is magical in Elie Saab land.
Ghost: (Above)
Sea witch: I saw this dress and have now decided that sea witch is a popular look. Very seaweed-esque. Make sure you're tall/ wearing heels if you're gonna go for a dress like this. http://media.missselfridge.com/wcsstore/MissSelfridge/images/catalog/18E11KBLK_large.jpg

I hope you have a fabulous Wednesday night!

Charlie's Angels Apparel! (and film)

Angels are like diamonds. They can't be made, you have to find them. Each one is unique.

'I work for myself'' 'Well, your boss sucks'

I've been inspired. I just watched Charlies Angels: Full Throttle and I was so amazed by what they wore, that I just had to share it. Their outfits were SO COOL. This is more of a pictures post, than a written post. I'll write a little bit though :)

I think during the film they've used the classic approach to good and evil. One of the bad characters, Madison (played by Demi Moore) tends to be in Black while the 3 main girls (Alex, Natalie, Dylan) are in white or wearing colourful clothes. Having said this, in the last fighting scene the Protagonists are in black too, which is interesting. Perhaps it is because of the fact that Madison was once an angel (good), but then turned bad- and it is suggesting the the current Angels also have that power.

Natalie definitely has the more all-american girly- girl look. Perhaps not the most practical one when it comes to.. well doing her job.

Dylan is more vintage. She is the most 'streetwise' and rebellious of the three, so wears strong colours such as bright orange in that crazy motorbike scene.

Alex tends to look the most sophisticated out of the three. She wears tight fitting clothes to make her more agile, presumably, and a lot of red and black. She manages to pull it off in a non-evil way. Maybe it's because she smiles a lot!

Costume Designer: Joseph G Aulisi

I really wanted a slideshow of all the pics but Google plus has gone really weird.. So I made a collage. Took me ages. Longer than I expected.

Do a little dance? 

Make a little love. 

Get down tonight.

Videos!

I was gonna call this post "The Ghana Fashion Week Diaries! Day.. oh wait." but it isn't quite as snappy as the one above.
No GFW3! Apparently the third day was a roundup of all the designers etc., so nothing new. Here is a video summing up the collections on the first day:



I enjoyed the music a lot when I watched this. Here is the link to the second day video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYDf4bC3_Z4

Also, unless for some reason, you aren't a friends fan, check this out. I didn't know whether to put this on here.. but it is my blog. And it is my favourite ever scene of friends. And it is fashion related. I can envision myself being the exactly like Monica in this video when it comes to my wedding, even though sometimes in my normal day-to-day life, I can be exactly how Rachel is..

 
Very soon, I will have something more interesting to say, I promise. xxxxx

The Ghana Fashion Week Diaries! Day 2.

Daaaay 2! (6th Oct 2012)
Let's get on with it.

The Opening collection was Brigette Merki Ibrahim designs. Some of the looks are very sophisticated and womanly. I have noticed that this collection pays a lot of attention to the silhouette of the wearer. Ah hourglass shape is often achieved by the exaggerated shapes of the dresses- and it actually looks quite flattering. Big prints are used a lot in this collection.

Mina Evans, a Ghanaian Designer, was next. Her collection featured a lot of icy blues, which was a change from all the prints that have been seen so far. Quite a varied collection too, with some dresses being structured and close-fitting, and some with big peplums and swooshy masses of material. The collection kind of reminds me af fish in the sea, but in a good way.

Nigerian Designer, Oroma Cookey-Gam of Alali Boutique owns a very contemporary collection, with vivid patterns broken up by plain white or black. Tops and dresses with a peplum are definitely a feature. All the models also seem to have their faces covered, not sure why. Maybe it is to give the idea that they are mannequins? Or to mask their identity, implying that any women could look good in these clothes. Who knows?

Next came 1981, an Italian brand (Nana Kweku Brenu). Every piece is supposed to enhance the customers personality. On most of the clothes, bright pink details are used on white backgrounds, and for me, the effect is very strong and visually appealing. Some of the dresses are bright pink,. which is a little overwhelming I guess. In terms of style, most outfits are close fitted and flattering. Mid length cuts are used on pretty much all of the skirts and dresses.

Brigette Merki Ibrahim, Mina Evans, Alali, 1981, Cocolily, Morts&More, Mimi Lee, Mimi Lee, AFG, Christie Brown

Cocolily is a Canadian Brand by Naana Tennachie Yankey, and it was 5th in line. It describes itself as 'daring yet playful'. The dresses are short but floaty, and accessories plain, in order to not distract from the clothing. Not sure whether I approve of the belt in the dress above though..

A collection dedicated to formalwear! Which is by the first UK brand of GFW, Morts & More. The designers are in fact a duo (Joshua Umoren and Sena Mortoo). Bright accents are used on these suits, such as light blues and hot pink. But it is balanced out by the delectably neutral base tones. There are casual suits, very formal suits, suits with no jackets, suits with long jackets, suits that dont match on both halves. But they are all very stylish, I find.

The next collection contains a lot of futuristic styles- I rather love it. It made me add more examples up there, because all the designs are just soooo cool. This is a UK/Nigerian brand called Mimi Lee. PVC and metallics is used a lot in the garments, as well as eccentric ruffles, dramatic cuts such as Peplums and dipped hemlines, which really give a revolutionary look.

A really important message was conveyed through the T-shirts modeled for AFG (Trade not Aid). Though the company is UK based, the T shirts are made from African cotton. It is supposed to promote sustainability within the African Textile industry.  The brand prides itself as using resources which are 100% African. All the Tee's use one colour for the text and one colour for the background, making the message clearer. The slogans involved 'Love from Africa' and 'African Grown and Sewn' (I like that one), among others.

Aaaand the laast designer who rounded off the 2nd day was Christie Brown, from Ghana. After browsing the styles, one word came to mind, and that is raaainbow! All the looks contain so many colours, whether it is just one piece or everything. The clothes here are fun, but it is the design that makes them sophisticated too. High waisted pencil skirts with matching crop tops are worn a lot, as well as little shift dresses with big high heels. All the garments are skirts are dresses, which adds to the femininity of the collection, and they are eye-catching without being gaudy. A fine balance.

Phew. All in all a very good combination of styles. I wish I could have gone to this.

The Ghana Fashion Week Diaries! Day 1.

Prologue: 
I keep changing the name of this blog.. I think I might stick with this one though! I found out that it is the meaning of my name, and I decided to prove how happy I am about this revelation by changing the name of my blog. Anyway, fashion involves diamonds for sure. Or just.. shininess in general.
Imma get right down to it. I think todaaaay I will examine Ghana fashion week which ended last week. Can I just say that I never knew it existed.. but then I guess lots of places have fashion weeks, all over the world. Winchester had one last year- yep teeny Winchester.  

Day 1

The brand Love April opened the show. Apparently the aim of it is to create a sense of comfort and freedom through the clothes. I can see how they achieved this.. The clothes flow a lot, and look quite casual overall.  I really like the African influence on this dress (the pattern under the bust- I don't think it is a belt). The double strap is a nice feature. Gives the idea that she is secure- which fits with the message that the designer (Nina.. Cant find surname) is trying to give.

Another designer is Nelly Hagan Aboagye of Duaba Serwa. The clothes here are mainly dresses, which are more bold in terms of colour. The African influences in the clothes are very strong. Some of the prints are beautiful. The colours in this collection are definitely brighter, and glass beads are also used. Very contemporary look.

Next comes a Nigerian brand, Orange Culture. Dresses both men and women, which is rather refreshing. Another nice message: the clothes here are for people who don't want clothes to define who they are- they want to stand out from the crowd. The designer is Adebayo Oke-Lawal. I think the clothes in this line are nothing short of awesome. It is still colourful, but the patterns are darker and there is more of an ethnic vibe. The menswear includes a lot of orange, which reminds me of the sun.

Love April, Duaba Serwa, Orange Culture, Orange Culture, Konfidence, Maria Mia, Jil Boutique and Sarah Duah

Konfindence is another emerging Ghanaian brand has the aim of appealing to more sophisticated women. It's cool that authentic kente fabric is used- I found out that it was once the 'cloth of kings' and only worn in times of extreme importance, which sounds pretty sophisticated to me. The clothes I can view are black and purple, and according to Wikipedia, Black Kente cloth means Maturation and spiritual energy, while Purple is associated with femininity. it seems that the clothes are fairly plain, but patterns are shown in the accessories (bags and shoes).

The following label is in fact, a Spanish one- designed by Maria Gonzalez. It is called Maria Mia, which is revolved around making the wearer look elegant. It is almost like the first designer Love April, as a lot of white is used. The collection includes subtle patterns, such as polka dots and stripes. She uses a lot of different textures, perhaps to compensate for the lack of colour. All the clothes look comfortable.. but prestigious, which is pretty difficult to pull off, so I take my hat off to her. I love the slight peplum in the example above.

Next label... one word- triangles :) A lot of triangle prints here. It is called Jil Boutique by Adoley Addo and is Ghanaian. And geometry in general.. The cuts of some of the garments are diagonal, and the peplum adds to the dimensions. Of course, presently in western fashion, geometry is in (Prada) and I love how it is a trend in Ghana too. Kente cloth is used in this collection too, which is an authentic touch. This collection involves a lot of bright colours against black- it is not all bright colours, which is a very good balance.

The final designer for the day is called Sarah Duah, and she is from Germany. She is the only one out of the lot to focus on hair as much as clothes, maybe to the extreme. Either her clothes are made out of actual hair (which I doubt) or some kind of fibres that resemble hair.. but yeah, there are plaits on the clothes and everything. It is kind of stone-agey, but the clothes are so dramatic. Who needs faux fur when you can wear hair? A little crazy!

It seems I have a lot to say about GFW.. so I only did day 1 today. Stay tuned for part 2 of the Ghana Fashion Week Diaries! Will be uploaded tomorrow, or the day after!

The Elie Saab A/W 13 Collection is incredible.

I've been a bit late in looking at the A/W trends for next year as I have been preeetty busy with work etc recently.
I just wanted to say how absolutely astounded/amazed/in awe I am of the Elie Saab collection. Ehmagaad it is beautiful. You know when you see a show and most things are awesome, but there are always a couple where you're like 'really? Is that a good idea?'? Well while watching THIS BEAUTIFUL COLLECTION I was too stunned to say anything, if I am honest.
Every single garment is so beautifully designed, with the most flattering fit and intricate detail. You can tell that 1920's influences have gone in to the collection. Some of the dresses have a dropped waist. However, the collection includes a lot of belts, which fasten at the back.
This dress is particularly beautiful: http://www.eliesaab.com/#/en/haute-couture/fw-2012-2013/8/1
One of the reasons I love fashion is a pretty common one: I love how it pushes boundaries. Before now, I would have thought that a stunning dress like this would be ruined by a belt, because it breaks up the flow of it. However, I enjoy the fact that the waist is so defined, it is the perfect way to accessorize a dress like this. The material, as you can see, is see- through and the model is, or appears to be wearing no earrings, she is very exposed. She looks pretty vulnerable, but the way I see it, the dress almost looks like it is protecting her. It gives her confidence.


The same kind of thing can be applied to the dress to the left. However this one is more daring with a low V-neck cut, and the gold detail is more scarce around the leg area.

Most of the dresses in this collection are long and well-fitted, and nearly all of the dresses have belts on them. the use of metallics is particularly powerful, it gives off a certain element of grace. Each dress  has a lot of sparkles, which manage to look very classy and so pretty. They all kind of remind me of early 20th century princesses.

I think all the shoes in this collection have ankle straps- though many dresses are too long to see the shoes. I think that the models pull this off well, but people of an average height or who are petite may have difficulty pulling it off because the strap might be a little over powering. That's just my opinion though, of course it depends on the dress. If it is too embellished, perhaps a slightly more simple (not boring- there is a difference..) heel would work.

And finally, let me turn your attention to the grand finale. Presenting...

She actually looks like a princess. I wish I was a Princess, because then I could wear these garments all the time without looking silly and it would be fabulous. I like the fact that the dress isn't as white as most Wedding Dresses are. And they still managed to add a belt in there and get away with it. This dress is nothing short of a Vision. It is a miracle that people have the creativity and the knowledge to design something like this. Elie Saab has overtaken Temperley in the gowns department for me. What a lucky model!

Trend Trivi-uuuh. Coupla things I have learnt

Not everyone suits all trends! Just because your friends are wearing parkas with leather sleeves (big atm for some reason.. sort of a mini-trend), does not automatically mean you will look good in one too! I would say that if you mainly wear clothes to appeal to others and enhance your features etc., pay more attention to what actually suits you. Seems pretty logical but i see so many people who get it so wrong. To an extent that it isn't just my opinion- like obviously wrong. No-one is going to start yelling at you for not being 'fashionable enough' if you don't wear a leather sleeved parka (primarily because no-one cares enough to do that.. which is consequently why i'm talking about it on here..). And if they do, you can be like 'hey man! I'm sticking to clothes for my own kind. That makes me smart!' and they will walk away.

There is a difference between a 'fashion trend' and 'what everybody is doing', and people tend to get confused by this. An extreme example would be when boys decide to wear their trousers too low, exposing their underwear. IT IS TRULY UNFORTUNATE. Don't try to justify it by being all 'it must be fine because everyone is doing it.' Everyone doesn't read the terms and conditions before clicking 'accept'. Does that make it fine? No.

Don't think that you have to resort to expensive sources like Vogue or Elle or Harper's to get info on current trends. Once the actual trends are identified, it is difficult for magazines to get it wrong. the cheap mags like 'More' are pretty good on advising on the subject too, I find. Of course, the detail and the accuracy provided in Vogue etc. is of a higher quality, so if you are someone like me, you will go to more reliable sources like that.

People always say that charity shops are great for finding current trends, because trends tend to regurgitate a bit.. the looks are always different, but the actual clothing usually isn't. But I have never walked in to a charity shop and found anything on trend. It's always old jumpers and boring, shapeless jeans... I guess this depends on where you live though. In Kensington for example, I bet you'd find some great bargains on designer goods. and in central London charity shops, I bet the choice is better. Cos London is all fashionable, right? :)

As mentioned before, clothes come back 'in' all the time, so don't get rid of your key pieces from a season. Chances are, you will need that peplum top in 2023 or something. and those flared jeans from 2004........ perhaps you will maybe need them again too.. (hopefully not). Not that I have kept mine because I was teeeeeeny then.

This one i guess is just an opinion.. But imma add it anyway, because this is my blog. I really don't think it is a good idea to mix trends up too much. Like fair enough if you wanna wear a leather skirt and a top with a wintery floral pattern- that would look kind of nice. But dooon't try and do them all at once- it can look a bit funny and jumbled! People will think you are a fashion tool.

Leather Peplum top+ Printed Oxblood trousers+Geometric Patterned bag+Studded shoes+Military style jacket=
Well you can see for yourself.

Thats all I can think of for now. Might do a part 2 in the future.
By the way, I have seen so many girls wearing garments with moustaches- I think it looks a bit stupid.

Reasons.. Counterfeit products, Economy, Brand

For a few years I have actively hated the fact that counterfeit goods are getting produced and bought every day. It seemed logical to me that it could only have a bad effect on the economy, because it is illegal. But I decided to actually look in to it, to see if i have been thinking correctly all this time. Actually, I was going to do my college Extended Project on this, but decided to do it on the impact of war on fashion instead.

Please note that there is a difference between 'Fake' goods and 'Look alike' goods. Fake goods are when they are made to be passed off as the real thing.. the logo of the brand is used and it is illegal. A look alike good is designed to look similar to the genuine good, for example- the famous Chanel quilted bag is the genuine product, but many stores sell quilted bags- they are 'designer inspired'. This post is on FAKE (counterfeit) goods.

This wont be an essay, I'll just list and explain what I have found out. The bits in orange are the key findings.

'They are actually good for the economy'
1) Because they are essentially advertising the real thing. It is a strange but true observation, I can imagine lots more people have been made aware of brands because they are around so many fakes. Think about it. Lets pretend fakes didn't exist. Unless you live in a place like Chelsea, how often would you walk down the street and spot a true Chanel bag? Rarely! Now lets resume to reality, where fakes do exist. The pattern and logo has been made more popular by the increasing distribution of fakes. So this could be good for the economy.. because it can encourage spending in high cost markets, providing the markets are domestic. Having said this, most of the goods, fake or real, are not made here, meaning an increase in imports which is preeetty bad UK-wise for the current account deficit.
Renee Richardson Gosline, an associate professor at MIT's Sloan School of Management, found that almost 50 percent of the women she studied who purchased a counterfeit handbag had purchased a real one within two and a half years.
This is due to the fact that they got complimented for their fakes, but im not sure i completely understand that.. because surely if someone were getting complimented for their cheap fake bag, they wouldnt see much point in splurging for a new one. Maybe they feel guilty? Maybe they should.
2) It can also be said that counterfeit goods improve production in the genuine markets. There may be an increase in competition between prestigious firms, because they are all fighting to appeal more to consumers. This increase in productivity is good for the economy because it increases employment, but also bad because it could result in workers undergoing longer hours, which may not be appealing. So it could have a negative impact on employment as well.

'This blogger is right, counterfeit goods are bad for the economy'

1) LVMH, the parent company of Louis Vuitton, is said to employ 40 lawyers and 250 independent investigators and to spend in excess of $20 million each year in efforts to fight increasing levels of counterfeiting of their products. [2]
The designer company must fork out all this money in order to protect themselves from counterfeiting. It's a shame that they must do this, because they could have spent this money elsewhere, such as advertising or increased production of the product- which would have had a positive effect on the economy of the country they are based in (could have had an increase in growth and exports).
2) Fakes damage the actual Brand. Demand for the fake goods can cause unemployment in the fashion industry, as the footwear and clothing industry in the UK is estimated to lose about 3.2% of their average revenue to fakes [3]. It doesn't seem right that an established Brand has worked so hard to develop a prestigious reputation, only to not gain anything from of it, because their work has been copied. Also, the brand loses its exclusivity, which is a crucial for maintaining the strength of the brand.

Overaaaall, I think that the conclusion should be up to you :) I just wanted to provide the list.

But for me, my original thoughts still stand. Despite the competition among the genuine brands, the production of counterfeit goods still has a negative impact on the brand in general. And as for the Economy, legal movements sometimes prevent the Brand from expanding, which means that there is not as big of an impact on the economy as there should be.

Sources: 
[1] http://www.ehow.com/info_8528744_effects-knockoff-handbags.
[2] http://michiganjb.org/issues/1/article4.pdf
[3] http://www.intangiblebusiness.com/Reports/Copying-Fair-or-Unfair~828.html