October 2007 archive

Still Looking for a Last Minute Costume Idea?

Still looking a last minute costume for the trick-or-treating festivities this evening?  I can across this idea yesterday and had to share.  It is super easy and can be made mostly with items that you probably already have in your closet. 

7 For All Mankind Broadens Its Brand

The Journal tends to support the idea the 7 For All Mankind’s expansion will give the brand a stronger presence in the market and will be good for the company, stating:

"Launched in 2000, without any advertising but lots of word of mouth in hip, fashionable circles, Seven For All Mankind's jeans quickly became hot sellers, racking up $70 million in sales in its second year in business in 2002, up from $13 million its first year… The brand burned hot enough to catch Wall Street's attention. In 2005, Bear Stearns's Merchant Banking unit bought a 50% stake in Seven for All Mankind LLC for nearly $300 million. Founder Mr. Koral owned the rest. He is staying on with Seven until his contract expires in February."

Seven has also recently been acquired by the major apparel label, VF Corp, who also owns brands like Lee, Wrangler and Nautica.  Seven should be able to use the resources already in place at these sportswear brands while breaking into the accessory market.  

7 For All Mankind’s premium jeans literally exploded onto the scene, quickly earning critical acclaim and an immediate following for its innovative us of fits, fabrics, and finishes in denim.  Will the same happen for the brand’s new line of accessories? 

What do you think?  Will 7 For All Mankind be able to successfully crossover into other product categories or should they keep their focus on the quality denim that so many of us how come to love?

Jennifer Garner Talks About Her Pine IV Jeans

Check out this video clip of Jennifer Garner talking about her Pine IV jeans.  Jennifer has recently been busy promoting her new movie, The Kingdom. 

Click here to check out photos of Jennifer wearing Pine IV. 

Halloween Costumes for the Denim Lover

With Halloween only a week days away, the clock is ticking to come up with some last minute costume ideas.  There is no need to panic with these three simple ideas that can all be assembled with your favorite pair of denim jeans. 

You can easily create a cowboy or cowgirl costume by pairing your jeans with a western inspired vest, a cowboy har and some cowboy boots.  

To create a scarecrow costume, throw on some jeans and a plaid short and stuff the pockets full with straw or shredded raffia.  Tie twine of rope around your waist to make a belt.  Add a few touches of straw to a hat, gloves and boots.  Finish the look with a corn cob pipe and or even a fake crow perched on your shoulder. 

For those looking for a costume that is slightly more creative, check out the Where's Waldo above.  This costume can also be super easy.  First, pair your blue jeans with a red and white horizontally striped shirt.  Add a pair of round, black framed glasses and a red and white striped cap. 

Please feel free to share any other costume ideas that can be created with denim jeans!  I can't wait to hear what you come up with! 

Victoria Beckham Loves Her dvb Jeans

Sheryl Crow - The Next Celebrity Turned Fashion Designer?!?

Rocker Sheryl Crow is the latest celebrity to turn fashion designer. Crow is teaming up with Canadian clothing manufacturer Western Glove Works to launch a low budget denim line. Western Glove Works is also the same manufacturer used by Victoria Beckham's dvb denim line.

The collection, which will be called Bootheel Trading Co., will launch next year and will retail between $20 and $65. Boothlee Trading Co. will be a denim based collection and its expected to become available in stores until Fall 2008.

I have always loved Sheryl's laid back, rocker style and look forward to seeing what this line will offer. 

What do you think?  Would you rather buy clothing designed by celebrities or actual designers?

Jessica Simpson is Definitely In Style

Jessica Simpson graces the cover of the November 2007 issue of In Style Magazine.  Jessica, whose two new movies, Blonde Ambition and Major Movie Star, are in the works, answers questions from both In Style readers and personal friends.  

Jessica looks absolutely gorgeous in these shots.  She is of course wearing her favorite pair of William Rast jeans.  

To read the entire In Style article, click here.

Pine IV Jeans Featured on The Today Show

Looking for a way to shop and avoid that post purchase guilt?  With so many brands making donations to charitable causes these days, it is easy to find designers who can make you look great in your clothes and feel great about giving back.  Stephanie Greenfield, owner of New York's boutique Scoop, shares some great brands that give back to great causes. 

A recent segment on The Today Show, focussed on clothing lines that donate portions of their profits to great causes.  Pine IV was featured as a brand that is eco-friendly.

Eco-chic can be beautiful.  Pine IV plants a tree for every pair of jeans sold in the United States.  To read more about Pine IV's environmental efforts click here.

Other great brands featured in this segment include Linda Loudermilk, Mauri Pioppo, and Green and Gorgeous. 

Denim Hits the Runway with Chanel

When you think of Chanel, black and white classic elegance most likely comes to mind.  However, Chanel’s recent catwalk show at Paris Fashion Week moved away from the world of classic elegance and moved into the edgy world of denim!

It seems like everyone in the fashion world, including Louisa Kinoshi at Tartan Online, is buzzing about this collection.  "The last thing the fashion world expected was a show proclaiming American nationalism", says Kinoshi, “but that's just what they got. With a prevalent theme of reds, whites and blues, Chanel Creative Director Karl Lagerfeld showed the high fashion crowd that denim can belong on a fashion week catwalk, in more ways than one.”

With this line, Largerfeld has taken an everyday fabric like denim and has translated it into the haute couture world of high-end fashion.  I am not sure how I feel about the use of denim in this collection.  Don’t get me wrong, I really think the lines of these pieces are gorgeous.  I just don’t know if the fabric is appropriate for the image Chanel upholds. 

How do you feel about Chanel’s new line?  Do you think Chanel is taking the denim trend too far?

Eco Friendly Clothing Lines

Going green is not a new concept. In fact, I have shared environmentally friendly news about ways to recycle your old denim and Pine IV's efforts to be an eco-friendly brand.  This trend of environmental awareness is beginning to take over the fashion world. 

More and more brands are looking for ways to make them more eco-friendly.  Innovative, affordable, eco-friendly designs are here to stay, and boutiques and stores are recognizing this emerging trends, and beginning to make these eco-friendly styles more available to consumers.   

One of my favorite new eco-friendly brands is Doie Designs.  This beautiful collection of Asian-inspired bamboo jersey fashions is the brainchild of Sara Kirsner.  Kirsner previously worked with well known designers Marc Jacobs and Donna Karan before deciding to leave the  high-end world of fashion to focus on her own environmentally friendly clothing line. 

Doei Designs are made from bamboo fabric.  Unlike cotton, bamboo grows fast without artificial assistance and does not require pesticides.   Bamboo is also incredible soft and extremely durable and strong.

One of my favorite piece in this environmentally friendly collection is the Harusame Nagameru Dress.  Check out the entire Doei collection at www.doiedesigns.com.

Take Forbes Advice on How to Wear Fall's Fashion Trends

A recent Forbes article, entitled "How To Wear Fall Fashion's Top Trends," discussed the latest fall fashion trends and offers advice on how to take the runway trends and make them work with your everyday wardrobe. 

 According to Forbes, wearing runway looks can "pose  a risk: What won applause on the runway can get you hooted off the stage of real life. Says David Wolfe, creative director of The Doneger Group, a fashion-forecasting firm in New York City, "For the designers, it's an exciting time; but for consumers, figuring out how to wear these trends without looking foolish can be problematic."

Yellow and other bright hues were a major trend to hit the runways in designer's menswear fall collections.  Forbes advised that the best way to incorporate these brighter colors into your wardrobe is to "use sparingly."  A great way to pull this look off is to incorporated brightly colored accessories  such as a tie or pocket pocket to your outfits.  

For women, the major color trend is grey.  But for those who are looking for a little more color, geometric patterns are the way to go.  Forbes warns that you can "run the risk of looking a fool, though, if you wear too loud a print in too conservative an office. And to wear more than one patterned item at a time is definitely a no-no: You'll look like a test-pattern." 

To learn more about the right way to wear this season's trends check out "How To Wear Fall Fashion's To Trends"  at http://mt.corpblogsite.com/mt2/www.forbes.com

The Skinny on Tight Jeans for Men

Just how tight is too tight when it comes to men's denim?  It seems like the men's denim scene has been dominated with one look for as long as I can remember; the low slung, baggy look.  Recently though, we have begun to see a new trend emerging in the men's denim world. 

The skinny jean is now making a crossover into the men's fashion world.  The trend of slimmer menswear is popping up on celebrities and rock stars who have begun wearing slender, tight, and even women's jeans.

According to an article in Men's Health Magazine, there is a simple way to determine if jeans are too tight.  Quickly do an "anatomy test. If I--or you--can see any of your frontal anatomy through your pants, they're too tight."

Skinny, tight jeans are certainly not for every man!  Check out the clips below from Seinfeld to see what happens when Kramer tries out the tight jean trend.

 

Julie: Help me Find Jeans for my Curvy, Athletic Figure!

Janelle Asks Julie:
“Hey Julie. I'm 16 and 5'5 and I have wide hips and a big butt. I'm also athletic so I have big thighs and calves. However, I have a small waist. A few months ago I was measured for a wedding and got 34 in the waist and 43 in the hips. It is so difficult to find pants that fit nice.If they fit my thighs and hips, they make them look big and are way to big in the waist. I'm starting to not like shopping anymore. Maybe you can help me!”

Julie Responds: 
Hey Janelle!

A girl should always like shopping!  It is just a matter of where you shop, and if you're looking for jeans, you came to the right place!  I have found with similar body types in comparison to your description, are doing really well with a trouser or flare jean; the wide leg opening helps to balance out the hips and thighs, and creates a long and lean look.  If it is a boot-cut you prefer, I would encourage you to stick with a darker wash for a minimal clean-cut look.  Keep in mind, a fabric with at least 2% stretch also helps to hug your curves, while maintaining comfort.
For utmost accuracy, plug in your measurements, and narrow down to your style preferences; I would recommend a fit score of 3.00 or higher.  Here are a few of my top picks:

Pine IV, Kyoto

Kasil's Tribecca or Chelsea; (button closures on the sides are functional for curves)

JAG, Chick-a-Dee

WORN, Alder

 

Best,

Julie

Get Fit and Give Back!

The Great Debate - Button vs. Zipper Fly

Have you ever wonder about the logic behind a pair of pants that takes an extra 10 seconds to unbutton, an extra 15 seconds to button?  Many can even argue that buttons close the fly less completely and less efficiently than a zipper.  So why do some many of the premium brands only offer button fly jeans?

The button fly was included with the first pair of Levi’s, presumably for the same type of sturdiness provided by the rivets that made jeans last longer than other pants. At some point zipper flies were introduced, and the confusion began.

Comedian Jerry Seinfeld let the world know that he only wears button fly.  During an episode of his hit TV show Jerry stated: "That is one place on my wardrobe I do not need interlocking metal teeth.  It's like a mink trap down there."

What's your stance on this issue?  Do you prefer button or zipper fly jeans? 

 

Denim Invades the Boardroom!

In a recent article by Ezine Articles writer Megan Youngblood, the trend of denim becoming more and more acceptable attire for all occasions is discussed.  The article, entitled “The Modern Citizen: Jeans in the Boardroom,”  explains how even though the price of premium denim has risen, jeans have still managed to make there way into environments were they were previously taboo. 

It has become more and more acceptable to wear denim to the office.  According to Youngblood, one of the major reasons for the acceptance of jeans in previously non-jean friendly environments is the higher prices.  For example, “when your Citizens of Humanity, True Religion jeans, and Seven For All Mankind jeans have prices in the same range as your dress pants, you’re bound to see a crossover.”

Price tag aside, it is clear that certain styles, washes and cuts of denim are more acceptable for more formal settings like the boardroom.  When taking denim into a professional or formal environment, look for jeans with dark, clean washes and minimal embellishments or treatments.  Also, avoid cuts that cling too tightly to the body.  More relaxed styles are more acceptable as they create a more polish, professional appearance.

 To read more about wearing denim to the office, check out Denim For The Office - What Every Man Should Avoid and The Skinny on Business Casual. 

Give back and get gorgeous!!!

National Denim Day may be over, but there are still plenty of ways to support the search to find a cure for breast cancer.  There are plenty of beauty products out there that save your life but these three literally can.  When you purchase any of the following products a portion of all the proceeds goes to breast cancer research.

Check out www.esteelauder.com to see their entire Pink Ribbon Collection.  All purchases of items from the Pink Ribbon collection will help Estee Lauder in North America donate $500,000 to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

Visit www.target.com to pick up Sonia Kashuk's 8 Piece Brush set.  The set includes a blush/powder brush, a nylon applicator brush, a blending/smudge brush, a medium eyeshadow brush, a small eyeshadow brush, a lash/brow groomer, an angled eyeshadow brush, and a compact mirror.

Finally, you can give back buy purchasing philosophy's Shower for a Cure shower gel.  100% of the philosophy net proceeds from the shower for the cure is donated to the Women's Cancer Research Fund.

Back Pocket Designs - Part 2

On Monday, I posted information on how to choose the best back pocket design for you.  Now I want to hear from you!! What is it that you look for most when purchasing your jeans?  Is it the back pocket design, the wash color, the brand name, etc?  Let me know!  I can’t wait to hear what you find important in your search for great jeans!!!

Fall Denim For Men

I came home from work the other night and sat down to relax and check up on the day's news in the local newspaper.  While reading, I came across an article in the lifestyles section that I have been meaning to share with all those guys out there who are wondering what looks will be hot for fall and winter.  The article, "Standard Time: Deeper Blue Hues and an Authentic Fit Rules Men's Jeans This Fall," was published in the Lowell Sun on September 25, 2007.  

According to the Lowell Sun article, men's denim look this coming fall and winter are reflecting a James Dean look. "The standard fit is the perfect everyday pair of jeans that work for just about every occasion," said Kimberly Terry, spokesperson for Gap stores.  Many men's denim retailers are returning to a more classic look for fall.  According to Terry, "Washes are more subtle, moving away from the more extreme washes of a few years ago."  

This is great news for the guys who are sick of the trendy washes and treatments that go out of style so quickly.  This season, look for a dark, clean wash and classic fit.  Check out Chip and Pepper – Bobby Baby in New Credit to see an example of a classic fitting, dark washed jean.

Back Pocket Design

How do you tell one pair of designer jeans from the next??  Simple, all you have to do is take a look at the back pockets.  The designer denim craze has created a population that is obsessed and fascinated with back pocket designs.  Most brands today have such a distinctive back pocket that makes them easily identifiable. 

 

With unique colors, stitching, shape, and size, choosing the best back pocket for you can become a daunting task.  Just because the design may appear to you on the hanger does not mean the back pocket will work on your body.  Keep reading to see which

Every brand has a distinctive color, stitching, shape or size that can either enhance or detract from your behind when you are wearing them. They may look great on the hanger, but do nothing for you when they are on your body. We'll try to help you understand what's best for your size and shape.

Oversized pockets:
Oversized pockets can be funky and fun but they do not necessarily work on all bodies.  When oversized pockets are placed very low and end up sitting more on the back of your thigh than on your butt, they can create the appearance of a perky butt on smaller seats.  For those of us with a larger bottom, these oversized pockets can make our behinds look even larger and shorter.  Check out J & Company’s Malibu jean for a great clean oversized pocket. 

Embellishments and Flaps:
Heavily embellished back pockets can really make heads turn. Intricate embroidery (like that on J & Company’s Beverly New Dagger), multi-colored stitching (on Antik’s Bootcut and Wide Leg) , and fabric insets (like that on Kasil’s Eleanore) are all designed to focus attention on your assets. These types of pockets are great for adding dimension and interest to your seat. While this is perfect for flat seats, making them appear fuller and rounder, it can be too much added bulk for those with fuller behinds.

Special Shaping:
Technology and art come together creating pockets with an extra lift.
Asymmetrical pockets with angled corners and unique shaping are specifically designed to flatter your seat. Darted back pockets create extra curve for your seat while special angles and corners work with your curves to give an illusion of lift. Done right, these jean pockets work well for anyone.

Siwy jeans are one brand that is integrating this special shaping into their design.  The tulip-shaped back pockets on both the Hannah and Kat jeans create the appearance of a fuller and perkier behind.

Blue Cult’s Original Buttlifter and Kate Buttlifter also use this special technology.  The yoke or back seam is removed from the jeans which allows for higher pockets and an instant lift.  Diagonally placed darts also give the illusion of a perkier behind.
 

Basic:

A basic back pocket design may seem hard to find these days but a simply designed rear is a classic way to show off simple signature stitching.  The classic back pocket has a basic spade shape that flatters every figure.  Red Engine jeans have mastered the art of the basic back pocket.  Wrangler 47 is yet another brand that keeps it simple and classic when it comes to back pockets.  These simple designs are clean and refreshing in this age of back pocket mania. 

Thank You!!!

 

 

Thank you to all of our customers who participated in our Denim Day Campaign to benefit Breast Cancer research. 

A Cool Way to Recycle Your Old Denim

Looking for a cool and environmentally friendly way to recycle your old, worn out, ratty pairs of jeans?  Well look no further!  I came across an article in  The Witchita Eagle today announcing a city wide drive that will collect any used denim items.  These items will them be converted into home insulation that will be used for Habitat for Humanity in association with the Cotton. From Blue to Green.™ denim drive. 

In 2006, the Cotton. From Blue to Green.™ denim drive traveled to 14 colleges throughout the nation and collected an astounding 14,566 pieces of denim, doubling the original goal. The donated denim was converted to UltraTouch™ natural cotton fiber insulation and helped in the building of 12 houses for hurricane-affected families in Baton Rouge, LA.

Cotton. From Blue to Green.™ hopes to build off of its first year's success by visiting five college campuses during 2007.  Visit www.accesscotton.com to learn more about making donations in your area.

National Denim Day - Help Support Breast Cancer Research

Check out this video clip of Dr. Dennis Slamon, director of research at The UCLA School of Medicine, as he talks about the progress that has been made in breast cancer research and the work that lies ahead.  National Denim Day is a great way for you to aid in the fight to "do better" and help the fight against breast cancer. 

Denim in Los Angeles

Last week, the New York Times published a very interesting article about how Los Angeles has become “the Silicon Valley of high priced denim.” 

Companies such as Bread Denim and Caitac Garment Processing were interviewed to find out why at a time when most people are outsourcing labour-intensivework to Asia and South America some premium denim companies are moving in the opposite direction and having everything done locally in Los Angeles.

Just why is Los Angeles such a popular location for denim manufacturing?  According to the New York Times:

In 2007, denim priced at more than $100 a pair, much of it produced here in Los Angeles, was the fastest-growing category of jeans in department stores. Men's premium denim sales rose 45% and women's 24%, while sales of jeans under $50 fell for both sexes.

By the late 1990s, a handful of tiny denim makers, with names like Earl Jeans and 7 For All Mankind, began popping up in the Los Angeles area. The jeans they made consisted of the same five-pocket design as Levi's; two in the back, three in the front (with one for loose change); but everything else was different. These designers insisted on using the finest denim, imported from Japan and Italy, which incorporated stretch material that hugged the hip, and they required every element to be manufactured by hand, a far more elaborate wash process and abundant hard-to-achieve details.

Los Angeles offered something else crucial for expensive denim companies: celebrities. One by one, actresses like Cameron Diaz and Paris Hilton slapped on jeans worth over $100.00; Photographs of celebrities wearing these jeans ran in magazines across the country, catapulting unknown brands into the spotlight.

To read more about how the price of denim is increased by manufacturing in the United States, check out Premium Denim at Premium Prices.