Of Gods & Geeks @ofgodsandgeeks-blog - Tumblr Blog

Crinoline

1865

One of the most characteristic features of fashion during the middle of the 19th century was the crinoline style, using crinolines incorporating steel hoops. Skirts began to swell out in the 1830s, initially by layering petticoats to create the extra volume. This was inconvenient, so in the early 1840s, the crinoline petticoat was developed, originally made of linen and interwoven with horsehair (“crin” in French) to provide enough stiffness for a single petticoat to easily swell out a skirt. In the second half of the 1850s, a cage crinoline was patented that linked together a series of horizontal hoops made out of wire or whalebone. Further progress led to the use of steel hoops, resulting in crinolines that were lightweight and easy to put on or take off. This development led to a sudden trend for massive skirts, which reached their maximum size in the 1860s. As the structure of this exhibit shows, the crinoline technology continued to play a part in the subsequent bustle style.

Got to geek out at the Asian premiere of Dior and I movie 🎥 last evening.

Fashion films make such lush reminders. They take me back to the days when I was a fashion design student attempting to make a dress out of a dream, and they call up why I do what I want to do.

While it’s Raf Simons' story of stepping into the revered world of Dior as its new creative director and rising to the challenge of debuting his first collection — haute couture, in eight weeks instead of the usual four-six months no less — for AW12, director Frédéric Tcheng shared: “Who is the ‘I’, in the title Dior and I? I strived to keep the answer open to many possibilities.” It is through Raf Simons we see the huge machinery at work in Dior, from the top guns and his fellow creative directors to the petite mains, who pretty much stole the show.

I love the little sewing kits they hang around their necks, how “serious tailoring” set their hearts racing (heart rate goes off the radar at the mention of velvet involved!), how they pop Haribos like anti-anxiety pills, and how they believe the spirit of Monsieur Christian Dior remains in the atelier to check their work.

And when it finally culminates to show day, I could understand how bittersweet it is for them to complete the creative journey; it was a cue that the movie was soon to end. And it was hard to hold back the tears when you see the kind of reception awaiting Raf Simons, and how overwhelmed he must have felt at the time.

#RafSimons #Dior #AW12 #ChristianDior #AutumnWinter2012 #AW2012 #FW12 #FW2012 #FallWinter2012 #DiorAndI #movie #film #Haribo #FredericTcheng #fashion #style

The last batch of looks styled on Looklet.

Well, I've had fun. Till we meet again, Looklet!

#FASHION #LOOKLET

Just googled to see if there's any new updates on Looklet to no avail.

Ah, well. another one bites the dust, though a part of me believes it's got something up its sleeve and we'll just need to be patient.

As mentioned, I've screenshot all the looks I've put together. Saving them here in memory of a kickass styling site.

Another batch in the next post!

#FASHION #LOOKLET

In the face of another economic crisis, one said to be worse than before, escapism is on the fashion mind.

I've noticed a lot of dance-related trends. Longchamp's new ad campaign centres on the free expression of dance. Dancing With The Stars just completed its 13th successful season. From Gucci to (the new remake of) The Gatsy, the flapper is clearly the girl of the moment.

Frills and fringes, we've seen aplenty and adapted many. What's curious is another fashion trend emerging from the dancehalls: the mullet dress.

The drama of the dress makes for a showstopping red carpet statement. In 2010, January Jones made her presence felt in a blue Versace. Later, Jessica Alba had her turn in Valentino.

The trickle-down effect is much faster than expected. S/S 2012 runways showed a slew of the mullet dress, but adventurous dressers have already gone to town with it.

#FASHION #JANUARY JONES #JASON WU #JENNY PACKHAM #JESSICA ALBA #MARY KATRANZOU #DANCING WITH THE STARS

Well, now we're greedy. But I try my best. Here's an interview with choreographer Blanca Li for Oh! My Dog ad campaign (by LongchampParis)

#LONGCHAMP #FASHION #AD CAMPAIGN

More? Here's the making-of Longchamp's Oh! My Dog ad campaign (by LongchampParis)

#LONGCHAMP #AD CAMPAIGN #FASHION

Le Film - Oh! my dog (by LongchampParis)

Just like the dynamic, progressive brand and its cool collabs (Tracy Emin, Jeremy Scott, Mary Katranzou), the Longchamp woman is a multi-faceted girl-on-the-go.

Her energy is celebrated in the new campaign through dance choreographed by Spanish dancer Blanca Li, who felt that the ads should be shot in the everyday urban backdrop of New York, instead of postcard-perfect setting in Paris, to capture the active lifestyle of the Longchamp woman.

The models have dance background, like Coco Rocha who is an accomplished Irish dancer. However, unlike past campaigns that have featured Kate Moss, Sasha Pivovarova, Daria Werbowy and Audrey Marnay, the brand will now do away with a famous face fronting the campaign. The Longchamp woman will be the new star.

What a change, eh? Refreshing, playful, by the way, the concept is dreamed up by new advertising agency Air.

#LONGCHAMP #AD CAMPAIGN #FASHION

The Balzane is Longchamp's star of the season.

If you didn't already know, Longchamp's DNA is steeped in equestrianism. Founded in 1948 by Jean Cassegrain, Longchamp is named after the famous racecourse in Paris, thus its galloping racehorse logo. Since the race takes place in a clockwise fashion, you see the racehorse facing the opposite direction, running towards the left.

The "Balzane" refers to the white markings found on horses' legs. Its signature feature is the trompe-l'œil saddle-flap. For Spring 2012, iguana is the exotic skin du jour. Longchamp replicates the lizard's tiny scales and brown markings on supple goatskin.

The Balzane Toile is a wonderful cotton and linen canvas weekender trimmed with calfskin that's naturally tanned.

#LONGCHAMP #FASHION

My Week With Marilyn OFFICIAL Trailer (by TheWeinsteinCompany)

"I do remember one moment of being all suited up as Marilyn and walking from my dressing room onto the soundstage practicing my wiggle," she said. "There were three or four men gathered around a truck, and I remember seeing that they were watching me come and feeling that they were watching me go--and for the very first time I glimpsed some idea of the pleasure I could take in that kind of attention; not their pleasure but my pleasure. And I thought, Oh, maybe Marilyn felt that when she walked down the beach."

#MARILYN MONROE MICHELLE WILLIAMS FILM

faithtrustandpixiedustx3-blog

One of my life goals: Learn how to play piano.

ofgodsandgeeks-blog

His music ties doesn't stop with Lady Gaga. Nicola Formichetti himself trained as a classical pianist as a child. Apparently, he still plays to unwind.

#FASHION #NICOLA FORMICHETTI

cavetocanvas

Alfred Stieglitz, Georgia O’Keeffe - Hands, 1917

From the Metropolitan Museum of Art:

Georgia O’Keeffe—Hands is one of the images that Stieglitz made during his first portrait session with O’Keeffe, in 1917, when she traveled by train to New York to see her second show of drawings and watercolors at 291. “A few weeks after I returned to Texas, photographs of me came,” she recalled. “In my excitement at such pictures of myself I took them to school and held them up for my class to see. They were surprised and astonished too. Nothing like that had come into our world before.” The notion that an expressive portrait might be made without including the sitter’s face was indeed novel.

ofgodsandgeeks-blog

Alfred Stieglitz the man of Georgia O'Keefe's life, was also her biggest supporter. He arranged shows and sold her works, but not before subjecting interested buyers under the microscope to ascertain their worthiness of owning an authentic O'Keefe paining.

Stieglitz himself is one of the most influential photographers and instrumental men to bring modern art to America. Together with O'Keefe, considered one of the greatest female artists of the 20th century, their love story spawned a fruitful collaboration in American art history.

All you need is love...

#PHOTO #ART #GEORGIA O'KEEFE #ALFRED STIEGLITZ

The beanie's back. Or at least, according to Anna Della Russo. She looks like she's having a crush on Jil Sander's veiled beanie.

The ladylike veil itself has been been spotted on the streets of late. As proof of its versatility beyond the province of bridal headgear, it's been seen on another It topper, the visor.

Haute.

#ANNA DELLA RUSSO #JIL SANDER #BEANIE #VEIL #VISOR #FASHION

eyefivestyle-deactivated2014072

ofgodsandgeeks-blog

eyefivestyle:

A lot of bloggers fill their content quota showing you their new purchases. There’s nothing wrong with that. Everybody likes new stuff. I wish I had some dough for FW purchases. The absence of said dough, though, forces me to do something more challenging than putting together looks with new gear—going back through my familiar closet and trying to fashion something new.

I am the blogging 99 percent, and I’ve got an exercise for you: Go into your closet, pick out a bunch of cold-weather gear and put together a few never-before-worn looks on the fly. That’s what I’ve done here, and though the final assemblages might not yet be perfectly edited (and I shot more than appear here,) the exercise was fruitful in helping me realize a few pieces I’d forgotten, underestimated or overlooked.

I focused on a few FW items that haven’t showed up much on the blog: My vintage Harris Tweed, a new-old Levi’s jacket given to me by a friend, my chunky shawl-collar cardigan, and this French Connection vest I bought in 2006.

I can't tell you how much pleasure I get treasure-hunting from my own closet. Rediscovering old favourites and reworking them with a fresh new spin is so gratifying, a true test of styling skills. Especially when they still fit. ;)

Nick Wooster once remarked: “A wardrobe is like a garden. It needs constant tending.”.

This is my guiding principle and I practice it seriously. I try to do a wardrobe audit every six months. It's such a tall order for me. Every single piece has a story and together, they chronicle my personal evolution. I confess, I'm one of those sentimental hoarders; believe me when I say if I could keep every single piece, I would!

I suppose, together with the rise of DIY bloggers, this recycling mentality makes for a interesting twist on eco-fashion. I mean, what's the point of buying organic/fair trade/sustainable garments when you KEEP ACCUMULATING?

Fast fashion may not always give the best quality but still, they don't exactly disintegrate. Don't forget, we live in a technologically-advanced world with better fabrics and decent fabric care products, so unless you have been subjecting them to extreme abuse (which I can't think what), they are pretty resistant to damage and can last for a good number of years. At my last closet detox, I hurled out seven bags of clothes (they no longer fit into my lifestyle and if I didn't touch them in the past year, I probably never will) and three pairs of shoes (they hurt).

My shopping mantra is to buy less, but buy better. You probably have heard it before. Sure, it's an echo, probably because shoppers have begun to realise the excess in our possession and really, we don't need that much.

I find it incredibly liberating to make space and protect the precious things that matter.

I can't wait to get started on my bag collection!

#FASHION #NICK WOOSTER

Accessories are my crack.

Furla has always been recognized for its quality bags at pocket-friendly prices, rather than just another fashion follower that satisfies the lust, but not for long.

I'm mighty pleased with how fashion-forward it's Spring/Summer 2012 collection is, tapping into current runway trends like candy colours, perforated leather and sporty spins.

The boys' collection is another wishlist-topper as well with their potential weekenders.

#FASHION #FURLA #PHOTO