Ladies in Print

A club and collection of commentary about ladies using printed textiles to their advantage. 

[ladiesinprint]

Watching With Care

In a perpetual state of watching, how do you filter who has the power to influence you? This question is so hard to answer, because it's so easy to get taken by a wave in a seemingly endless rush of images. As someone who developed an eating disorder after entering into the modeling industry a few years ago, I understand how hard it can be to answer the question I posed.

A way that I can help control who I decide to let influence me on social media is by following accounts who give their followers some power, too. I'm given the power to learn something when, for example, a friend posts a photo of an activity they enjoyed doing this weekend or a brand posts about the historical influence behind a new design. There is power in learning something meaningful from a photo on social media when it can lower judgements about whether or not you simply "like" the photograph. I've found that this has helped me have less black and white thinking patterns and see people less as good or bad. Just like I take more time now to decide if I want to spend more time with someone after making introductions with them, I'll ask myself, "What is this account's general message?" Then, I can decide if that message makes me feel joyful, curious, angry, etc.

This print can currently be purchased on sale from the brand Scotch & Soda. It's available on the dress shown here, as well as a t-shirt, button-up, jacquard top, crew-neck graphic sweatshirt, blazer, and slim-fit trousers.

[ladiesinprint]

Under the blue light

Under the blue light feeling warm

Tinee winee bikinis shuffle up the shore

As a tight embrace grips around my waist

Pulling me in

Under the blue light feeling pink

I shuffle up the shore

And my chest feels tight

Didn't put enough lotion on

Under the blue light feeling orange

I've been peeled open

Spent the day in the Florida sun

And was thirsting for a taste of hydration

Under the blue light feeling red

I'm underneath the surface

Arms beside my thighs

Gliding in place

Under the black light feeling blue

The waves are carrying me along

I surface my head, eyes closed

And a voice howls to assert that I'm there

Do you find that the moon looks darker when you've been in the blue light all day?

This Ball and Chain Co. X Johnny Gloom (@johnnygloomtattoo) pink satin bomber is listed on depop in a unisex size S for $48. Here's the link for the listing from the seller in El Segundo: https://www.depop.com/products/donovannorth-ball-and-chain-co-x-cf5e/

[ladiesinprint]

Ted Baker London

Where I found this dress second-hand:

I discovered the brand Ted Baker this weekend after purchasing one of the brand’s dresses with an amazing print. The print has images that are found from looking up, such as clouds and chandeliers, in that order. It made me take in the dress from the bottom to the top, because the pattern is so symmetrical, yet disorienting. I went to the shop (Consigned Designs in Greenwich, Connecticut) to try on clothes that day and get a change of scenery, and I chatted with a woman about my age who was doing the same thing. Finding the dress and chatting with the woman in the communal dressing room are two events that made this day feel like the world was “opening up again,” which I’ve been hearing people say since the vaccine rollout. A way I’ve found this to be true in the same places I frequent throughout the week now is through the way my approach has changed to placing myself inside a place. The ceiling becomes higher when the chandelier is above the roof, and finding a dress that fits just right becomes a great find when there was only one such dress in the store.

Use the print to your advantage:

The world is opening up again, right? Now that the vaccine is here, that's what I've been hearing. Look on the bright side, the world is opening up again. I may be waiting for somewhere to go again, but I'm always going. Every chance I get, I'm determined to go on my laptop in a coffee shop or the library. I just found out a library 30 minutes from me is open until 9 p.m., and that might be my new place to go.

Maybe it is time to look from the bottom, all the way up. Practice starting from what's blooming (now that it's warm out in New York) to the tops of trees. Maybe the colors will begin to blur, because it's the season to stop seeing black or white.

Now I don't have my head in the clouds. I'm as stable as a grand chandelier. Like a sculpture atop a Cathedral, I'm peering out. My telescope is frozen at one angle, but I'm seeing a kaleidoscope of clouds. I don't see them pass by; I only see them as they hit my point of focus. I'm not blowing on this dandelion to see what's ahead. If the clouds are under the ceiling and the chandeliers are above the roof, the bright side is in front and up is in this season.

Inhale to notice in front of you the tingle of a full and furry dandelion, the smell of a tropical flower, or an avalanche of pigment. Exhale to open up a place and place yourself in.

Ted Baker printed items that you can use to your advantage from thredUP, a second-hand e-commerce platforms that gives you a 50% off coupon for your first purchase and does returns!

[ladiesinprint]

Nice Things Paloma S.’ Bauhaus Women Collection

‘Praise’ is cited in the Oxford Dictionary as, “the expression of approval or admiration for someone or something”. When it comes to fashion, the word 'praise' is usually associated with the act of complimenting someone on how they are wearing a garment. The print in Nice Things Paloma S.’ Bauhaus Women collection stands out, because the brand praises a very specific group of women by paying tribute to the parts of their groundbreaking work that went unseen.

Nice Things dedicated the collection to the 100th anniversary of the founding of Bauhaus, which was a German art school that laid down the foundations of modern architecture and design. The brand stays true to showcasing the work of women at the school, which often fell under the shadows of the men at the institution. As opposed to praising the women for the works of design the school is known for, Nice Things focuses on moments that were authentic to the experience of the women. As such, the women showcased in the print are seen operating machinery, chatting with fellow students, and gazing thoughtfully with heads in hands.

I enjoy finding brands that use prints to tell a story about women, because the muses I associated with fashion brands didn't always represent something beyond what met the eye. I used to admire models solely for the way they looked, and I became inspired to eventually sign with Marilyn Agency New York in my senior year of high school. My experience modeling for a few months opened my eyes to the realization that when I wasn't seen by myself as someone whose story to tell the world stopped at what people could see externally, I didn't feel capable of delivering even that. Now, I'm a recent college graduate who will soon be starting my first full-time job. The Bauhaus Women collection serves as a reminder of the praise that may not always come when it's due and the progress that can materialize from the unseen.

Now, check out the Bauhaus Women collection and this beautifully kind brand to discover how this print is incorporated into dresses, scarves, and shirts!

[ladiesinprint]

Valfré’s 2021 Zodiac Collection

Strings of pearls adorn curves that glisten under the moon, sun, and tall mounds of well-groomed hair. The celestial Valfré ladies make their debut on Instagram with a beckoning call for followers to, “Find your sun, moon, and rising,” on the brand’s e-commerce website. The sun is known in the field of astrology as a representation of the core, the moon as the inner self, and the rising as the outer self. While some look to the stars to learn more about themselves, the “celestial ladies,” like all of the brand’s iconic characters, have stars scattered across the center of their faces in lieu of freckles. 

Valfré’s 2021 Zodiac collection may not offer a glimpse of what lies ahead, but it can be the next purchase for those who are ready to channel their dreams into vision boards. The brand, which sells lifestyle products, such as pillows, blankets, and tees, as well as smoking accessories on a separate website (Valfré Smoke Shop), is known for its dark humor and relatable sayings. Founder Ilse Valfré, who was born in Mexico and now runs the brand from Los Angeles, grew a cult-based following by posting her characters on Tumblr and Instagram. The prints in the latest collection illustrate the brand’s understanding of the aspirational, yet relatable attitude that is signified by Valfré’s iconic illustrations. 

The latest Valfré statements that are printed on the brand’s products include: “All Dolled Up And Nowhere To Go” and “Less Upsetti More Spaghetti”. These mantras give off an heir of confidence that the new drop beckons with a glance. The imagined beings printed on face masks, woven blankets, t-shirts, throw pillows, and temporary tattoos (prices ranging from $5 to $60) look outwards as if they are stopping scrollers to tell them the brand’s tagline, “Enter my dimension.” This reference to the psychedelic style of Valfré’s art can just as easily apply to the altered state of consciousness the brand’s audience of young adults may need to adopt to assure themselves about their own sun, moon, and rising while scrolling through Instagram. The dark, yet humorous part about the Zodiac prints is that they depict female opulence through naked women who are all deemed to be divine, even though one may have claws for hands as opposed to a mermaid tail. 

Below is the Celestial Taurus Tee. Check out more illustrations for the different  signs on Valfré’s e-commerce site!

Let’s discuss...

Would you rather buy a Zodiac tee that resonates with what you have heard about your sign, or would you rather buy one that doesn’t necessarily have to correspond with your sign?

[ladiesinprint]

The Cold-shoulder, Vaccine Top Inspired by Dolly Parton is a Trend That Needs a True Throwback To Do It Justice

Dolly paid it forward in her donation efforts to fund the Moderna vaccine and her call for others to follow suit by getting injected. Her one-shoulder shirt, which became known as the “vaccine top,” represents a glimmer of hope for the future. 

The style became a trend after Liza Minnelli wore a Donna Karan black gown to present at the Oscars in 1992, with her bare shoulders as her accessory. According to FIT professor Tom Scott, the style soon went from the red carpet to the office, as career women were opting for its “subtle sexiness” as a reveal from underneath a jacket. While the trend has had less popularity in recent years, it has always been easy to spot on the e-commerce sites of the women’s fashion retailers Venus and bebe. The narrative associated with the cold-shoulder has stayed the same due to its appeal to fashion brands that pair confidence with sex appeal. “With cold shoulders and a fitted body, this top will draw all the right attention,” reads a description for Venus’ “Cold Shoulder Zipper Top”. 

While the modern woman living through the pandemic can care about being sexy, she also cares about taking the time in the morning to make a choice solely for herself, whether that’s going in sweats to the grocery store or not. The Dolly quote, “It costs a lot of money to look this cheap,” is so infamous because it is the epitome of her genuinely confident approach to life. Her outfit might look like she grabbed it off the rack at the nearest department store, but there’s more to it than meets the eye. Same can be said about her fashion choice for the vaccine, which is why the trend is deserving of a narrative with a wealth of imaginative possibilities. Second-hand e-commerce sites, like Depop, are filled with sellers who change up the story about this style by describing different options for its future wearers. Take a look at a few below, because these sellers definitely have a heightened sense of hope for the ways their cold-shoulder tops will be put to use!

1. “Medieval/Renaissance” and “Peaceful Hippie” 

2. “Space Princess”

3. “It makes you look/feel like royalty. Definitely gives me 1996 Romeo and Juliet vibes.”

4. “Reminds me of a gothic lolita babydoll vibe or vampire costume maybe?”

5. “Cottagcore and fairycore vibes” 

6. “Western hippie vibes”

Have another narrative in mind for one of these cold-shoulder tops? Share what kind of persona or feeling you hope they inspire someone to envision in the comments!

[ladiesinprint]

Desigual X Maria Escoté’s Color Oracle Collection

“In 2020, we turned 36, we grew, we matured and we realized that if there’s something missing from the world, it’s a little more love. Which is why we want to inspire and help anyone who looks to us to help them love what makes them different and, also, to love differently. Love Different is our new brand claim, a leitmotiv that will stay with us. We are the result of a vision to dress people through a different way of making clothes – clothes that have the power to change moods – because we believe that dressing is a declaration of intent.” 

This statement is part of the brand history on the e-commerce site of the fashion company Desigual, headquartered in Barcelona, Spain. The company’s original motto, ‘La vida es chula,‘ or ‘Life is beautiful,’ was fitting for a brand with products ideated from a sprawling office overlooking the island of Ibiza. The company’s newest collection, in collaboration with the Spanish designer Maria Escoté, embodies Desigual’s new vision, which is a nod to their realization that life is beautiful... when different possibilities that can add beauty to life are embraced. The three patterns and color combinations featured in the collection represent the soul, body, and mind, as well as possibilities of characteristics wearers can access as intentions as they get dressed and prepare for the day. 

The new collection is displayed on Desigual’s e-commerce site with their idea, “dressing is a declaration of intent”. Customers are introduced to the collection, called “Color Oracle,” as the site background transforms from white to a fiery range of reds, accompanied by the holographic name of the collection. The design of the collection name, which spins in a circle, serves as the perfect prelude to a multidimensional array of pieces that coincide with the meaning of a hologram: a combination of two Greek words - “holos'' meaning “whole,” and “geramma” meaning “message,” - coming together to create a complete picture. The collection presents energies that vibrate at certain times, as they are activated to present an intended message to come forth from the wearer’s whole being. 

The presentation of the collection, with hypnotically beautiful models in sky-high heels, views as a reference to the attachment of the characteristics that the mind, body, and soul are said to represent as a spiritual meaning that can activate consciously in the wearer. The ideation of Desigual began in 1984, when Thomas Meyer, who still owns the company today, designed a jacket that is now considered one of the fashion industry’s first ever up-cycled products. For a company that was founded with past lives of clothing at its forefront, it’s an authentic step for the brand to use product descriptions on its e-commerce sites to set intentions for consumers that still leave room for interpretation.

And now let’s get into the prints, with an example of each…

1. Mind

Closer look at the print >>>

Venturing into the wild, nature comes to life as light radiates on branches and moss ripples with the pace of a stream. Neon flowers bloom in this powerful duo of exuberant creativity and free-flowing tropical energy. Plant-growth is supported year-round in this region - The tropical mind. 

2. Body

Closer look at the print >>>

The hypnotic nature of this pattern, which diverts attention to various parts of the body, manifests the sensual, calm energy reaped from a period of focusing. The waist of a slim-fitting dress is cinched by exotic lilies, the flowers blast from a pink-haired imagine being onto the chest of a loose tee, and the skin of a snake is dissected and scales are laid one over the other in a refashioned print to travel down, accordingly, with the grooves of the back and chest of a zippered bomber. The color oracle of these pieces of the collection can be described as psychedelic, a term derived from the Ancient Greek words psychē, or “soul,” and dēloun, meaning “to make visible, to reveal”.

3. Soul

Closer look at the print >>>

A flushed, pink sky occurs almost entirely at sunrise and sunset as a result of the clouds reflecting long and un-scattered rays of sunlight. Rave energy can be ignited when a rhythmic flow is interrupted by the jolting joy of passionate energy. 

Discover the whole collection now on Desigual’s e-commerce site.