Burberry’s New ‘White Line’ is Ummm…Confusing
Image Courtesy of Burberry's US Store.
On Wednesday, May 2nd, the British clothing house Burberry released a white collection for Spring/Summer 2012, including a video intro to give shoppers more of a feel for the line.
After watching the models look windswept in slo-mo for 55 seconds with camera panning over them, we’re wondering why? The line doesn’t make sense.
Now, I’m a huge Burberry fan. But who the hell is wearing a trench coat during the summer??? I don’t care how light or breathable the material is, no one in their right mind would don a trench mid-May. I love my trench more than like it’s my first born child and even I retire it the moment temps start reaching into the 7os.
In addition to focusing on the model’s trench coats, the video highlights each model’s white jeans. I’m a big fan of white, especially slim fit white jeans, but they’re nothing new. Based on the video, there doesn’t seem to be a difference between Burberry’s white jeans and a pair from H&M.
I only liked the male model’s sweater out of the entire collection. The subtle, yet oversized Burberry check is iconic, and incorporates the classic look Burberry is known for.
Overall, I think the line would fare better in an area with a cooler, rainier climate than the US. The line would be perfect for England where the average temperature through the summer doesn’t go past 70; however, in the US, it seems like a lost cause.
We’re Against H&M’s Fashion Against AIDS Collection….
Image Courtesy of HM.com.
On Thursday, H&M released their Fashion Against AIDS clothing line to 300 retail stores. The collection not only brings awareness to the AIDS epidemic, the swedish clothing mogul is also donating 25% of all the line’sproceeds to the United Nations Population Fund, MTV’s Staying Alive Foundation, YouthAIDS and Designers Against AIDS.
This isn’t the first time H&M has launched a clothing line to promote AIDS awareness. In 2008, they launched the first Fashion Against AIDS collection, and have subsequently raised more than $6.5 million for AIDS awareness.
We think it’s awesome that companies have collaborated with foundations to promote awareness about social issues, like project RED and Fashion Against AIDS. The only problem is the clothes are hideous.
This season is all about color, and H&M designed the men’s line with absolutely no color. Everything in the Fashion Against AIDS collection is gray, white, or black. Although not everything in the collection has to look like it came out of a Crayola box, it would have been nice to have a little color.
They also took a risk by designing a pair of men’s drop crotch pants. Drop crotch pants are incredibly hard to successfully wear. They have to be very fitted in all the right places, while still appearing baggy.
The awkward fits of the men’s line continue with the women’s, but unlike the men’s line, the women’s line is full of color. The entire line has a very bohemian chic feel. The colorful women’s apparel is complete opposite of the drab, urban men’s line.
Overall, the line successfully brings attention to AIDS, and does so with very identifiable designs. After briefly browsing the collection, it’d take .2 seconds to spot the clothes on the street. The only question is, does the line attractive positive attention or harsh criticism? The clothes look mediocre, but they may wear significantly better than they appear.
Checking in with Commonwealth Proper
After meeting the owner of Commonwealth Proper, Craig Arthur von Schroeder, at the Mitchell & Ness Spring Launch Party the other week, I was dying to see what his 17th and Spruce Street showroom looked like. I was lucky enough to charm my way into an invite.
Everything about this place screams: MAN! I’m not talking the juiced up, grunting, throwing furniture over their head kind of man either. I mean the cigar-smoking, whiskey-sipping, briefcase and custom-made suit wearing kind of man. Don Draper and Nucky Thompson would be regular visitors, for sure. Not only is the showroom a certified man cave, but it simply drips with Philadelphia culture and history–from the Revolutionary and Civil War maps that adorned the high ceilings, to the African war buck in the main dressing room and the shearing scissors from the 1800’s.
In between his busy schedule of dressing A-list stars like Leonardo DiCaprio and getting ready for the MTV awards, the fashionable entrepreneur (who was as handsome and debonair as his clothing) was able to talk to me about what was new with Commonwealth Proper, especially his newfangled ‘Ready to Wear’ pieces: “We at Commonwealth Proper have studied custom tailoring and bespoke clothing practices for the past several years and are now applying the fit principles we learned from those experiences to make the perfect button-down shirt, as well as other ready-to-wear garments that simply fit better because they are designed with the contemporary man in mind. There is no substitute for fit. We are essentially making tailored fit ready-to-wear garments. The proof is in trying our clothes on…”
Craig explained that, while he has a showroom in Los Angeles, he wants to take more time to focus on his presence in Philadelphia, having everything from design, measure, pinning and chalking to the final fitting take place right here. He wants his clothing to soak up as much local culture and vintage feel as his show room does. All Commonwealth Proper designs are equipped with a tag stating when it was “born” and that it was made in the USA. Now, the creative genius, as I fondly call him, wants to produce tags saying “MADE IN PHILLY,” and there is absolutely nothing we hate about that.
Making a Difference with United By Blue
United by Blue is a Philly-based apparel company that prides themselves in being ocean friendly. For every single product sold, members of the caring UBB team remove one pound of trash from the world’s oceans and lakes. As of April 20th, they’ve actually removed a total of 87,863 pounds.
The company recently launched its 2012 Spring/Summer line and let me tell you, it took an impressive amount of self-restraint for me not to immediately whip out my credit card and begin purchasing everything in eyesight. From their vintage, handmade and sustainable jewelry to their extremely soft and chic apparel, they’re sorta like a wonderful mash-up of Urban Outfitters, Free People and American Apparel all rolled into one.
Check out some of my personal favorites below!
Uniform Bravo Bravo Scoop Neck $34/ S.O.S Scoop Neck $34/ Pacific Garbage Patch $34
Navy Women’s Laptop Bag $98/ Vintage Women’s Unstructured Bag $42/ Women’s Blue and Grap Stripe Bag $38
Top Row: Turquoise Cluster Silver Ring $75/ The John Dillinger $28
Bottom Row: Western Shore Strawberry Rhubarb Necklace $38/ Artisan Turquoise Ring $50
S.O.S $34/ Old Boat $34/Sit Ready to Shove $34
~Michelle Mass
Don’t Worry About White Rules…
Credit: discovalante.files.wordpress.com
Earlier this year, the unseasonably warm weather caused confusion about what’s appropriate to wear. This spring has made planning outfits almost unbearable because one day it’s like Philadelphia and Miami swapped places, and the next it’s as if Philly got bored in Miami and moved north to Maine.
Now that spring weather is here to stay, some bold fashionistas have already started rocking white. I’m not talking about a white accent piece here or there, I’m talking about white staple pieces, like pants, before Memorial Day.
According to Time Magazine’s exposé on the origin of the “No White After Labor Day” rule, white was deemed unacceptable before Memorial Day and after Labor Day because white linen was traditionally worn by vacationers to symbolize leaving their urban lifestyles for one of leisure.
That’s great, but we live in 2012. If I wanted to leave my urban life, I could just hop on a plane and jet set somewhere warm. Okay being the broke college student I am, maybe I couldn’t, but you get the idea….the white rules don’t apply any longer.
Although some are hesitant to break out the white, it’s an incredibly easy color to pair with this season’s hottest pastels. I love this season’s trends, but I wouldn’t deck myself head to toe in pastels. I’d look like a Crayola box threw up, so why not pair one of this season’s hottest colors with a pair of white pants?
I love to throw white into my wardrobe mix because it’s clean and simple. It keeps an outfit light without distracting from your staple piece. Because this season’s colors are so bright, try working in white regardless of the old rule. After all, rules are made to be broken, right?
Photos: Sakura Sunday
Sakura Sunday is the centerpiece event of Philly’s own annual Subaru Cherry Blossom Festival. But this year’s day-long event was celebrated against an unseasonably green background instead of Fairmount Park’s pink, fluffy canopy of cherry blossoms. Despite the early heat spell, Japanese dancing, drumming, fashion shows, and vibrant costumes of both guests and performers lit up the park.
The sunny and 80-something degree weather brought out an eclectic crowd of anime lovers, dog owners, and fashionistas–all of which could find activities to their liking. Anime fans were invited to show off their representations of their favorite characters in a Zenkaikon Cosplay Fashion Show, while Harajuku lovers took their designs to the main stage for an eccentric, space-age fashion show. The ASPCA and PAWS were present to host the Prettiest Pet in Pink parade. Asian food vendors lined the park’s oblong fountain-turned-pool.
From Japan themselves, one of the country’s best performing art schools, Tamagawa University, lit up the stage with thundering taiko drumming paired with the graceful dancers flicking fans in dresses that looked like origami. Speaking of origami, local vendors sold Japanese wares, from anime-themed snuggies and beautiful kimonos to wooden sandals and paper kites.
Here’s some highlights from the day’s festivities…
If you missed Sakura Sunday, don’t fret- the festival’s activities are near from over. A few events include a sushi making class Tuesday, April 17, “Kirie” paper-cutting workshop the 18th, amateur Sushi-Making Contest the 19th, and a Samurai sword performance and Kimono dressing demonstration April 21st. Check out a listing of the beautiful photo exhibits and galleries around Fairmount Park that will be up for the remainder of the month here.
–Marissa Oswald
Photos: Mitchell & Ness Spring Fashion Event
Last night, I had the pleasure of attending the Mitchell & Ness Spring Launch event at their store on 12th and Chestnut.
I rubbed elbows with some fabulous people, including DJ Biz Markie, Moise Fokou and Keenan Clayton from the Philadelphia Eagles, and the Phanatic himself, while perusing their awesome sports apparel–just in time for Flyers Playoffs. Adorably dressed employees served up baseball style hors d’oeuvres while free cocktails were handed out to the masses.
Check out some of the highlights below!
-Michelle Mass
The 10 Weirdest Phillies Merch
While I realize sports fans are a peculiar group of consumers—one willing to buy just about anything you put their favorite team’s logo on—I couldn’t believe how much ridiculous Phillies merch I came across this past week.
I mean, I’m willing to excuse some pretty eccentric gear in the sake of team spirit, but there’s a thin line between fun and flat-out stupid.
And these products crossed it…
Philadelphia Phillies Tattoo Sleeve
Yep, nothing says ‘hardcore Phils fan’ like a fake tribal tattoo.
Philadelphia Phillies Forest Face
THE TREES ARE ALIVE! AHHH!!!
MLB Philadelphia Phillies Bobo Visor
Half-man. Half-Dr. Seuss character. What a great game day look. Or you could just dye your actual hair red.
Philadelphia Phillies Garden Gnomes
If an army of Phillies gnomes doesn’t keep people off your lawn, what will?
MLB Reyn Spooner Philadelphia Phillies Scenic Button-Down Shirt
For the love of God, please don’t buy this shirt for your father.
Because on game day, name brand hand sanitizer just won’t do—it needs to have a Phillies sticker on it.
Philadelphia Phillies Eye Black
Funnier than the product itself is this photo…and the disclaimer: “Not for competitive use or reducing light glare.”
Philadelphia Phillies Extension Hair Clips
Unless you’re under 12 years of age, this is absolutely unacceptable.
Philadelphia Phillies Mascot Wall Hooks
Really, they couldn’t find a more appropriate place to put the hook?
Philadelphia Phillies ARMagnet
Oh wait, that’s not her real arm? You totally got me! But seriously though, this has to be the dumbest of them all.
Don’t Let Trends Take Over Your Wardrobe!
Image Courtesy of H&M's virtual fitting room.
Bright colors are the go-to trend of the season, but as with any sizzling hot fad, they burn out as fast as they blow up. The colors are a lot of fun, but everyone’s wearing them, so it’s hard to stand out from the crowd.
I like to incorporate the latest trends with my own style to create a unique look, otherwise my friends and I would look like we’re straight out of a Gap catalog. Trends are a great way to spice up your wardrobe from season to season, but they shouldn’t dictate fashion choices.
Earlier this season like every other season, J.Crew released their 9″ Stanton short in a wide array of colors, my favorite being their dusty berry. Salmon shorts have been a J.Crew staple for eternity the past few spring/summer lines, but salmon and coral are hot in all stores this spring. The key is to wear them as the focal point of the outfit’s color palate. I pair my colored shorts with a simple black deep v-neck and creme shaw collar sweater for chilly mornings because the black shirt doesn’t take away from the main color trend, but it still makes a statement in the outfit as a whole.
The v-neck shows a little skin, a little muscle, and ideally a little chest hair a little tan, all without distracting from the color of the shorts. It turns the simple, yet sophisticated shorts and sweater outfit (or shirt and shorts on hot days) into a sexy, fun day-out outfit.
We love using pieces to accent others in order to create a mood. Like perfume with its various notes, outfits must be designed so the various pieces compliment one another to match your personal style. Mine screams gay club meets the Hamptons, sexy and flashy, yet sophisticated and well groomed.
Play around with the latest and greatest styles and think about ways to work them in to things you already have. Trends are simply what’s hot now -they are not laws. Just because something is hot, doesn’t mean it should actually be worn, cough jellies cough.
Be A Fashionable Phillies Fan
Ladies, there’s no reason for you to be representing the Phillies in frumpy, oversized men’s apparel. With the team’s female (and overall) fan-base having grown a great deal over the last three years, companies have really stepped up their selection of women’s apparel and accessories.
In fact, on the Modell’s online shop, the selection was almost 50/50. More importantly, it appears companies are starting to take female fashion sensibilities into consideration when coming up with their designs, rather than just offering fitted versions of their men’s apparel.
So you’re one of those women I see walking around Center City every game day wearing what appears to be the same generic one-size-fits-all Phils tee—which I’m guessing you probably got for free somewhere—it’s time to seek out a more stylish alternative.
Here’s just a preview of the array of cute/cool Phils gear out there…
Modell’s: Fightin Phils Tee, $34.99 / Racer Back Tank Top, $24.99 / Capri Sweat Pants, $32.99 / Hooded T-Shirt, $35.99 / Sateen Shorts, $17.99 / Moccasin Slipper, $19.99 / Crew Neck Raglan T-shirt, $26.99 / Striped V-Neck T-Shirt, $26.99 / Vintage Full-Zip Hooded Sweatshirt, $54.99 / Cosmetic Bag, $14.99 / Hoodie Purse, $44.99 / Feather Hair Clip, $12.99 / iPhone Case, $29.99 / Socks, $11.99
MLB.com: Ruffle Bikini, $44.99 / Victoria’s Secret PINK® V-Neck Ringer Tee, $32.50 / Flannel PJ, $32.99 / Victoria’s Secret PINK® Hoodie, $64.50 / Sequin Flip Flops, $19.99 / Victoria’s Secret PINK® V-Neck Half Sleeve Tee, $32.50
FootballFanatics.com: V-Neck Fashion Top, $31.95 / Scoop Neck French Terry Sweater, $32.95 / Fashion Replica Jersey, $64.95 / Touch by Alyssa Milano Burnout Tank, $26.95 / Ponytail Holder, $5.95 / Lace Trim Panties, $13.95 / Touch by Alyssa Milano Tank, $34.95
Sports Authority: Hooded Sweatshirt, $89.99 / Camo T-shirt, $27.99 / Personalized Replica Jersey, $79.99 / Tweed Military Cap, $24.99 / Crystal Military Cap, $22.99