Fashion Hookup

I personally feel that buying quality denim is far better than buying designer jeans . Often the price will reflect the quality with supermarket value products often of a much lower quality denim and of a poorer cut. However this is not always the case. Although designer and more expensive brands tend to be better cut, at least for a teenage or young person’s body shape, the denim is sometimes lower quality, a real case of paying for the name.I personally feel that this is the case with brands such as diesel, which my boyfriend is a particular fan of. However every pair of these jeans I have seen him in have become ripped very quickly compared with other brands.

Personally although I steer clear of value supermarket jeans, which seem to be designed for older women and are cut larger in the bottom and hips area, I don’t buy designer either. I feel that an equally good cut and equally good if not better quality denim is available from less well known brands such as the European store ‘pull and bear’. Although this does mean I have to purchase my years denim from a store on holiday.

1980s:

This is the decade I grew up in and the decade that at the same time scares me the most. Flat shoes, leg warmers, shoulder pads (I can’t believe they came back), leggings, leather jackets, fingerless gloves which I still don’t understand, lots and lots of neon colors and heavy makeup. All are just wrong except for the leggings. I used to love wearing leggings and I am glad they are in style now because they are very comfortable!

How Madonna got away with the lacy tops, leather jackets and fish net stockings is beyond me, but at the time it shocked the public and became one of the most recognizable looks to date. The music industry flourished with the beginning of the MTV generation. When I think of the 1980s I think Footloose and Flashdance, I mean, how can you not! Jeans became acid washed and men started wearing eyeliner and lipstick. Enough said…this decade was a disaster. I don’t know anyone who would look back at their pictures from this decade and say ‘Hey! I looked hot!’

Simple - why buy one handbag with enough figures to make you faint, when you can buy at least 10 fake ones for the same price. Let’s face it - even if we have that one favourite designer handbag we will inevitably want to use more than one handbag in a year. And not every handbag is created equal - handbags come in all shapes, colours, textures and sizes, each with its own use. Why limit yourself to just one? Replica bags can be made of exactly the same materials as their designer counterparts yet cost a tenth or less of the price - and all that just because of a label.

Here’s a question - is the average woman really a discerning fashion expert in disguise? Chances are no, they wouldn’t be able to tell a good knock-off from the real thing.  However, if you’re strutting around town with a brand new faux Birkin bag, and you’re dressed like you do your fashion shop at the local charity store, someone’s going to catch you out.

To some, buying a real designer bag and showing it off to your friends is a great moment in any woman’s life. Not only does your ego soar to the high heavens, but there is the added bonus of watching your friends turn a slight shade of green - bliss.

1970s:

Where do I start? How about I make a list of the words that come to mind: Hot pants! Platform shoes, jeans, bell bottoms, polyester, mini skirts, maxi skirts, Yves Saint Laurent, Charlie’s Angels, disco fever, cat suits, trouser suits, custom t-shirts, three piece suits, and the list can go on…

This is the decade in which my mother was in her twenties and when I was born. I have seen the pictures, and I have fit into her old clothes that still have a special place in her walk-in closet. I definitely like the whole ‘boho’ look that came out of the late 1960s and 1970s and admit to owning many clothes in that style, but I cannot imagine living during this decade. I’ll leave that look to Sienna Miller and Kate Moss.

The eBay market place is home to many different items, real and fake. North Face jackets are extremely popular items on eBay because they can be sold at high prices because they are high quality jackets. However, there are a large number of North Face jackets which are being sold on eBay which are fakes. It is widely reported that you will find at least 300 fake North Face jackets at any one given time on eBay.

Like with many fake items on eBay, it is very difficult to tell the difference between the real and the fake items until you get them in your hands. However, one thing you can check is the location of the seller. I do not intend to be prejudice in any way, but you have to be very wary of the sellers of the North Face jackets if they are located in Asia. It is widely reported that you can only very rarely find a real North Face jacket from an eBay seller located in Asia, the majority are fake.

Even when you have received your North Face jacket, it is still difficult to indentify if the jacket is real or fake. In many cases, the fake North face jackets will have the authentic tags and the exact same quality patterns as on the real jackets. They are the exact same looking jackets but with a major difference, the material! The fake North Face jackets will not be made from the Gore-Tex material. It will be manufactured from a cheap substitute material.

You will soon realise this when you go out in the rain or snow later on and you find that you are soaked through within minutes and you are sweating like mad! If the material is real Gore-Tex then this shouldn’t happen. You should be kept dry! It may be easier to identify bad materials if you are already an owner of a known to be real North Face or other similar quality jacket. You could pour an amount of water on an area on both jackets and observe how wet the underside of the jacket feels and also time how long the wet patch takes to dry. If there is a major difference in the time taken by the two jackets then you will have probably identified that the jacket is fake!

The best advice that you can give to anybody when buying a North face jacket is to be suspicious right from the beginning. I know that doesn’t seem appropriate but it must be done. If you take some time to research about the jackets and use your own common sense if you see a really cheaply priced jacket, you will soon be able to identify if the North Face jacket is fake. It is not easy, but you will soon be able to differentiate between the real and the fake.

Would you ever wear North Face jackets or any other hiking jacket as a fashion statement?

Outdoor jackets have been popular with hikers and people who enjoy walks outside for many years. Why? They are of course perfect at protecting you in any conditions, making them great for the British climate. However, outdoor jackets have also now become a fashion statement to the British public who do not actually intend on wearing the outdoor jackets for hiking in, oh no, they intend on wearing them as a fashion statement. I do not know how this came about but I do think that it is a very strange concept but if it is something that will evolve in to a much bigger trend remains to be seen. I sincerely hope not though!

This trend in wearing an outdoor jacket as a fashion jacket seems to be most popular within the teenage groups. I have seen an increasing amount of school children wearing their North Face, and Berghaus jackets. I have also witnessed children who appear to have worn the same outdoor jacket every day for about a year. Why, oh why is this popular at the moment?

You would never catch me dead wearing one of these jackets as a fashion statement? The biggest reason why I would not wear one of these jackets as a fashion statement is because they really are not fashionable at all!  I am a big fan of fashion and looking good in the clothing that I wear and it is beyond me how anyone thinks this looks good in a fashionable way. The majority are made up of horrible patterns and are usually only marginally better with the range of colours.

In addition to this, there is a certain group of youths who tend to wear outdoor hiking jackets as a fashionable item; some people may call them ‘chavs’. These particular groups of youths can use the design of these outdoor jackets to their advantage, as they usually have hign knecked collars which can be tightened so it can conceal every part of your face except for your eyes. Certain youths use this technique in a way to intimidate people and look threatening. A group of twenty youths stood on a corner with their hoods up, completely concealing their faces is not good for society as it can mean that they can commit felonies and avoid any punishment as they have no way of being identified.

So, if I did happen to think that these jackets looked attractive and would look good if I were to wear one as a fashion statement then I would still chose not to where one as I would not like to be associated with such a culture. I want to see these sorts of problems being removed from our streets and I would not be happy with myself if I were to encourage the popularity of this kind of fashion, and the kind of culture that sometimes goes along with it.

I really do not see how anybody in their right minds could wear these outdoor jackets a fashion statement. I am not denying that they are excellent jackets for hiking in and they look good when you go hiking but when you are in social town centres, it is just not the same. They do not look nice in any way and I really do hope that thi fashion trend ends, leaving these jackets to be worn as intended, hiking!

My favourite designer clothing is made by Dolce and Gabbana; I think their clothing is divine. It just epitomises everything I would expect from a high class design house.

Dolce and Gabanna is an Italian based design house but has stores and premium outlets throughout the world from London, Mumbai, Bangkok to New York and lots more in between. They are a truly globally international fashion name. Dolce and Gabanna is a design House, it employs a number of designers perhaps with a flair for a particular aspect of designing. The Dolce and Gabanna label is not only fabulous for fabulous womens and mens clothing but also for handbags, footwear and even fragrances.

The Dolce and Gabanna clothing range can perhaps be divided into three very distinct areas, the famous and luxurious Dolce and Gabbana label, the D&G range and a new departure the D&G Junior range. I have purchased from the Dolce and Gabbana range and the D&G, more from D&G than the premium Dolce and Gabbana ranges. I have not bought anything from the D&G Junior range but I am sure it is as good as the other areas within the label.

Dolce and Gabanna is a premium designer range; designs have been worn by the likes of Madonna, Kylie Minogue and Isabella Rossellini. The range is famed for its luxurious and exclusive designer wear. The range is very expensive but it is well worth the money. The fabrics and prints used are vivacious, colourful, feminine, floaty yet hot and sexy.

I have had the pleasure and good fortune to have been able to purchase a beautiful dress from this range; it was for an extremely important and one off event. I have only had reason to wear the dress once but hopefully I will get the opportunity to wear it again. Whilst the dress may not have been an exclusive it was still handmade for me and my body shape, I am not tall and I wanted something that would look in proportion when altered for my height. The dress made me feel terrific I felt really well dressed and that I looked good in the dress, it was money well spent. The material of the dress was very floaty and it looked very feminine yet it was very modern in design, not too over the top but very flattering. It was a pleasure to wear the dress.

I have had more experience of buying from the D&G range; this is a more casual, urban inspired range. The range includes everything from great quality jeans to casual jackets and tops, there are also beautiful shoes and boots available. I have shopped in Dublin and Manchester for D&G clothing; I have bought some beautiful suits and some everyday wear. The clothing makes me feel very special. It is well made and finished and is designed to compliment the figure. Many of the items are bright and colourful and there is definitely a feel of Italian styling to the designs.

Even though Dolce and Gabanna clothing is expensive I definitely feel it provides good value for money. The clothing is beautifully designed and well made using top grade fabrics and accessories. When buying a piece of Dolce and Gabbana I feel that I am doing something very positive, I am investing in the clothing but also investing in myself. Wearing the designer clothing makes me feel good and very positive, it is not the sort of clothing I wear when I am sad or depressed, I wear it because I want to make a statement and be noticed.

I have also bought some Dolce and Gabanna fragrances, although I must admit these would not be my favourites. I do really like their handbags and do own three bags; they are very beautiful and very pretty. For me Dolce and Gabanna is a label that I am proud to wear and proud to recommend to others.

1950s and 1960s:

These are the decades I belong in fashion-wise. Most of my favorite movies and style icons came out of these decades. I consider the 1950s and 1960s to be the most classic periods in fashion and the majority of the styles are still mimicked today.

The best style that came out of this era in my opinion was the pencil skirt/suit. They were tight, sexy and brought an extremely feminine touch to a more masculine look. Style icons of this decade included Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe, Grace Kelly, Sophia Loren, and Elizabeth Taylor to name just a few.

The 1950s revolutionized the poodle skirt and leather jackets…you know…because Grease is the word.

In 1961, my favorite movie of all time was made Breakfast at Tiffany’s. I remember the first time I saw the movie; I was just a child of maybe 7 or 8 years old. I was in awe of Audrey’s character Holly Golightly. I think I pretty much wanted to be her, (how worried my parents must have been for me, wanting to be a call girl and get $50 for the powder room). Her style and beauty was nothing less than perfect to me.

Click here to see the style icons of the 1960s

1940s:

Fact - this was the decade in which nylon stockings was invented.

Shoulder length hair with wavy curls was a big trend, think Lauren Bacall, Ginger Rogers, Katherine Hepburn, and Veronica Lake. The styles of the sexy big screen sirens had a huge impact on women. Dresses and skirts were mostly knee length and for tops, shoulder pads were unfortunately in style. I remember when I was younger, my grandmother would try to give me old clothes of hers and I swear the majority of them came from the 1940s when she was in her mid-twenties. Now, I wish I had saved some of them because I am sure there was bound to be something vintage that would be appropriate for the present decade. I was a child, I was a fool to popular culture, and there was no way in hell I was going to wear something 40 years older than me.