cocoafashionisto412-blog

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Leaving the City

As my time in the Big Apple is coming to an end, I can’t help but reminisce about all the amazing memories and friends I made this summer in the city. It really is pretty crazy that I will be leaving this amazing city in less than two weeks but I feel like I just moved in last week. This summer has gone by so quickly and has been filled with so many firsts and amazing events that I truly am so grateful I was able to experience the city in the way that I did. Taking classes, interning and maintaining a social life here has been tough one the past several weeks but I can confidently say that they were some of the best times of my life. Everything from being able to meet the CEO of Milk makeup, to exploring the Nordstrom corporate digital merchandising office, to seeing some of my favorite celebrities on the streets; this summer has been such a whirlwind for me and I truly never want it to end. I can't help but think back to the weeks leading up to moving here I was so anxious and nervous and swore that I was going to hate the city, but I can now confidently say that this city now has heart.

New York City has a certain charm about it that no other city I've visited has possessed; it almost felt as if I was in my favorite movie each day. Everyday, I wake up and I am genially excited to see where the days adventures take me and just the sheer amount of opportunity that is here really blows me away.  Although my time has been pretty amazing, there have still been some less than perfect moments. I can’t say I will be sad to leave behind the obnoxiously long horns blazing, the rats, the smelly/toxic air, the weird people on the streets/subways or even the sheer heat in the summer. I definitely will not miss the crazy packed subway cars during rush hour or just the amount of craziness that is going on around me in the city, but despite all of those things I still find myself smiling from ear to ear just knowing that I’m in THE city for my industry. 

I’ve learned a lot about myself being here for the summer and I think that during this short time I have really developed and grown into the person I am meant to become. I have learned that I’m not the most confident person but will always fake it. I have also learned that I am a really good fast walker and have totally nailed the New Yorker Walk as I call it. I’ve learned that I’m more outgoing and social than I thought and that I am able to handle the pressures of living in one of the most populated/expensive cities in the nation. I have learned that although I may lack confidence at times that I will always stay true to myself and to the people that matter around me. I can’t say these things have come easy to me, but throughout the summer I continue to learn and grow in new ways that still surprise me to this day. 

This city really has been a whirlwind of emotions, but through it all I can say that I really really will miss this amazing city. This city is unlike ANY other city I’ve ever been to and has a certain draw about it that hooks you and keeps you coming back! I can whole heartedly say that I will miss this city very much when the sad time comes to head back to Kent, but I will forever remember this summer! This has been a summer for the books and I am looking forward for what the future has in store for me and my journey. After living in the city for a few months, I can say that I absolutely see myself moving here and pursing my career aspirations. Just being in the city and knowing the sheer amount of industry here is enough motivation for me to wake up everyday and hustle, hustle, hustle! People really were right when they said that this place is magical. I don’t know what it is about the city, but something will keep me coming back! Cheers to a successful summer in the city that never sleeps & to continuing my career! I’ll sure miss your NYC :(

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The Digital Closet

With todays rapid advancements in technology, it was only a matter of time until technology and fashion met to create a new, innovative idea. Stylebook is the 21st centuries fashionistas best friend for so many reasons. This fashion app that was created to allow the advancements in technology help organize and refine shopaholic and hoarders closets alike. The app allows you to track your real-life wardrobe pieces and then saves them into a catalogue. The app then will recommend outfit suggestions based off of a particular piece of clothing chosen by the user and will even tell you how many times you have worn the particular item. The app helps to declutter and reinsure people who feel unsatisfied with their closets or don’t really know how to put together an outfit. It acts as a personal assistant, a stylist and personal shopper all in one! 

CEO and co-founder of the app Jess Atkins create the app out of pure necessity and frustration with the current way of cataloging clothing items for Vouge and taught after a solution to the problem and thus Stylebook was born! This app gives customers the power and knowledge of knowing exactly what items they have in their closet, how many times they've worn an item and even suggest outfits for events for them. Due to all these features I believe that this app would be incredibly useful at my internship with Bobbie Thomas because we are constantly cataloging and curating her closet for possible outfits for her on-air segments and we often find ourselves going back into the photo archives to see exactly what pieces she has already worn. This app would alleviate a lot of stress and time from the cataloging process and would effectively utilize our time better during wardrobe meetings. This app also allows you to create custom mood boards for various categories/events and even offers a wide range of brands pieces to purchase directly from within the app. The app also allows users to pre-plan their outfits for the day, week or month all within the easy to navigate calendar view. 

With all of these incredibly useful and time-saving techniques, the Stylebook app is a fashion app that I believe every fashion-lover should download. It gives users unique insights into their closets and encourages them to set outside their comfort zones and wear garments that they may have never thought to grab. The Stylebook app is a great way to manage inventory in your closet and will be a helpful tool for countless fashionistas. 

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From the U.K to the U.S

 AnOther magazine is an up and coming indie fashion/lifestyle magazine that was created in 2001. The magazine is under the company Dazed media and is published twice a year. The magazine is known for its mix of outstanding world-class photography as well as its high fashion spreads. The magazine aims to be a creative breath of fresh air from the stagnant fashion magazines out there. The magazines goal is to diversify itself from the competition by being completely original and staying true to their British roots while still incorporating the trends and visions of the young creatives shaping the future of the fashion scene. AnOther magazine creates its fresh perspective by contracting the worlds most up and coming creative individuals that cover all aspects of society; everything from fashion, to politics to art/photography. This unique blend of contributors is what makes AnOther magazine differentiate itself from its competition. Each stylist, photographer, artist and political associated with the magazine brings their own unique perspective on the worlds latest trends to the magazine and creates a community of industry professionals looking to analyze the market.

The contributors of AnOther magazine offer thought provoking information that is engaging and stimulating for readers of the magazine to interact with. The marine focuses on three main areas; Fashion & Beauty, Design & Living and Art & Photography. These three key sections make up the the DNA of the magazine and offers readers a wide variety of content to consume. The Editor in Chief Susannah Frankel serves as the brands muse and helps to curate the brands aesthetic and direction through her artistic vision. 

AnOther magazine also has a strong, artistic following on their social media platforms which helps to not only engage readers, but to attract new creatives to check out the magazine. The magazines social media efforts seem to have a bing impact on their engagement and I believe this magazine is something truly unique. It offers perspectives on the industry like no other magazine and I am glad I was able to discover/share it with people!

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What’s On the NYC Streets This Week

This was definitely a fashion-filled week in the NYC streets. The New Yorkers were bringing their A-game when it came to fashion and I spotted several different trends. The concrete jungle comes with its own set of unique and individualistic styles that you wouldn't see anywhere else in the world, and this  week I was inspired to capture the three biggest trends that I thought of when I thought of NYC Summer 2019.

The first trend that I was spotting all over the NYC streets were the chunky “dad” shoes. These shoes have become increasingly popular due to the rise of popularity of usury streetwear brands such as Balenciaga and Gucci creating over-the-top chunky soled shoes. I spotted this trend almost EVERYWHERE I went and saw it offered at stores from Barneys all the way to Forever 21. This is by far one of the biggest trends of the year and brands like Yeezy continue to profit off this incredibly valuable trend. 

A majority of the outfits that I saw on the streets with this trend seemed to be styled more on the casual side with outfits that can easily add that “cool” factor to any outfit! 

The next trend that I saw everywhere was the babydoll dress. This dress is extremely popular in the hotter months due to the breathability the dress offers as well as th versatility of the garnet. It can easily be styled to dress up or down and goes with just about any shoe you can put with it. This trend is one that may not be the newest trend, but this summer in particular I have seen it everywhere and styled so many unique ways. This dress is the perfect balance of style and practicality which makes it such a popular choice on the NYC streets.

The last fashion trend that I saw literally everywhere on the streets in NYC were the neon biker shorts. This trend was popularized in part because of the Kardashian sisters rocking the look with oversized tees and Yeezy’s on instagram but this trend has gone way beyond the digital realm. This trend is seen all over the city and is styled differently depending on the persons individual style but popular looks include and oversize t-shirt or wearing the biker shorts with a blazer for a more street-chic vibe. Women (& Men) are rocking this street-inspired trend and is definitely the fashion moment of this summer. The biker short trend is so popular I believe is because it is so versatile and can be comfortable and fashionable at the same time. 

Along will all of these trends that are of-the-moment, I also was able to stop but Soho to check out the latest FENTY by Rihanna pop-up store to check out the newest clothing line from fashion conglomerate LVMH. The Fenty pop-up offered an inviting and relatively minimalistic style with subtle tropical influences with flowers and tropical prints throughout the pop-up space as well as some prints on the garments. The line featured everything from sunglasses, to hats, to jeans, to two-piece sets and much more! 

It offered a silhouette for everyone and features various silhouettes and shapes flattering for all body types. The line also features silky cocktail dresses and utilitarian inspired oversized denim dresses with corsets built in and fanny packs. The collection was very on trend and has clear nodes to street-style. Rihanna herself was quoted in an interview saying that the entire collection was made my her and features pieces that she’d wear herself to make her feel and look sexy and confident. The pop-up space definitely embed Rihanna’s overall aesthetic and you could tell by the designs of the clothes exactly who the creator was. The collection is a breath of fresh air for the industry and symbolized the next generation of fashion. The collection is bold, unique, flattering, well constructed and well marketed and will have a lasting impact on the industry. 

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Fashion Mag Showdown

We all have come to love and covet Vogue magazine as the powerhouse fashion magazine, but now it has some friendly competition with international and domestic fashion-based magazines. Paper and i-D magazine have proved their worth by surviving several years in this crowded segment of magazine; but which one takes the crown? Let's break both magazines down and explore some similarities and differences between the two!

Taking a look at the covers of both magazines you’ll not an immediate difference. Paper magazine has a very bold and simplistic approach with minimal typography that chooses to express its issue through photography, while i-D uses its cover to express a message that includes much more typography and an overall more organic feeling. On the i-D magazine cover, under their logo they have included some words to summarize their magazine while Paper offers no mention of what's inside their issue. 

One difference between the advertisements that I found interesting was the fact that i-D magazine immediately went to full page luxury advertisements. Each brand got 2 pages to display their products in however they wanted and they’re overall much more subtle and minimalistic than the Paper magazine advertisements. The ads in Paper seemed to be spread out throughout the entire magazine and placed more of an importance on brand endorsements like Trixie Matel, the famous drag queen, for SKYY vodka and Kourtney Kardashian featuring her new lifestyle blog named Poosh. There also appeared to be more advertisements in Paper magazine than i-D. Paper magazines advertisements were more diversified with ads from alcohol companies, interior design agencies and fashion houses while i-D magazine focused more on the fashion/accessories spectrum. 

The content within these magazines share similar aspects while offering totally different reading experiences. There are many more editorial looks within i-D magazine and they seem to share a similar message of empowerment and embracing the individual. The i-D magazine editorials feature vastly different models with individualistic styles that represent who they are with matching typography to go along with them. Paper magazine also includes several editorial shoots, but they seem to display a different message. Paper magazines editorial looks offered fewer words along with them and an overall more colorful and expressive mood. I-D magazine focused more on telling stories through their editorial shoots while Paper went for more of a bold/eccentric stylistic approach. Both magazines offered comprehensive breakdown of the items featured in the spread along with supplementary text. Both magazines did a great job at expressing the mood/tone of the shoots and were laid out perfectly to catch the readers eye. 

The imagery that was used in both magazines speaks to their customers and you were able to tell through the photos chosen that they both have a good understanding of what their customers would want. I-D magazine’s pictures in their featured story were mostly in black and white which gave this the article this vintage vibe. The fashion imagery chosen for i-D represents each models individualistic style and personality and I believe that this is exactly what they were trying to do. They wanted to create an issue that offered a wide range of models that would appeal to a larger audience. The magazine offers images of beautiful models, drag queens and even ordinary individuals to tell their fashion narrative and the magazines unique perspective makes it stand out as memorable for me. The images offer a mix of creative/conceptual looks, streetwear and numerous examples of androgynous looks. On the other hand, Paper magazine seemed to focus more on fashion/designer looks. The imagery used in Paper is colorful, expressive and creative to go along with the magazines narrative. The imagery was very fitting for the articles that were featured in the magazine and the images did a good job at conveying the right mood.

Both of these established magazine companies had some similarities and differences between them, but this was to be expected as they’re both competing in the very saturated fashion magazine market. Fashion publications are constantly trying to reinvent themselves to better relate and understand their target customers and both of these publications showed just dedicated they are to bringing the latest and greatest in the industry! 

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The 1920′s are callin’

When it comes to fashion throughout the decades, there are so many moments in fashion history that stand out to me but one era in particular always comes to my mind and that is the 20′s. The 20′s were a time of liberation and freedom but also a time of drastic change and culture shock. There were several big events that changed the course of history during this time that had a heavy influence on pop culture and all aspects of life. One of the big events that were going on during this time was Prohibition. This made way to the popular speak-easy culture and also the flapper styled clothing, One of my favorite movies of all time is The Great Gatsby and this movie made me have a deeper appreciation and passion for the decade in terms of everything from clothing to everyday social life. Not only was prohibition going on, the women right to vote also occurred during this time which also contributed toward the liberation of the fashion form. 

One of the main fashion trends from the 20′s that I love was the shortening of the dresses and skirts hemlines. Not only were the hemlines being raised, the popular hairstyles were also shortening in length as the bob gained major popularity during this time. This was partly due to the rise in popularity of the Tomboy look that was inspired my mens workwear. All of these trends were born during that time and I have a greater appreciation for all of these trends and women that had the nerve to rock these styles. The 20′s were a time of experimentation with gender, form, silhouette and more which always inspired me growing up and continues to serve as a source of inspiration for me.  

The 1920′s were a time of drastic change and innovation in terms of both fashion and culture. There were numerous sources of inspiration during that time and I find myself reflecting on those time and seeing it used as a source of inspiration everywhere. The decades styles and attitudes are seen everywhere in todays society in a new, modernized way that keeps the decade alive and well to this day and that is why it is my favorite fashion decade. 

https://www.amazon.com/slp/1920-s-fashion/s68ox5qaphf75j8

https://www.whowhatwear.co.uk/1920s-fashion

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Blast From the Past; 40′s Style

Gucci has been a brand that has really revolutionized the fashion industry and continues to push the box of what fashion really is. Gucci creative director Alessandro Michele knows how to constantly reinvent the brand as well as keeping its original heritage present and constant thought all the Gucci products. The Gucci runway shows are always introducing new innovative designs while paying tribute to their incredibly rich history and their shows are always at the top of my list when fashion week comes along. The Gucci Fall 2019 collection was a standout for me this season for numerous reasons, but the clear 1940′s inspiration for the collection was a juxtaposition that worked brilliantly. 

One important design element that stuck out to me from this collection was the use of shoulder pads and an overall exaggerated shoulder silhouette which is a very 40′s feel and I really appreciate the color palette and prints that were used to modernize the decade. There are clear 1940′s references scattered throughout the whole collection. There was almost a utilitarian vibe throughout the collection as well that featured several modern takes on classic suit silhouettes, narrow hips and exaggerated shapes. All of these subtle design factors led me to come to the ' that the collection was inspired by the 40′s. Other design aspects like the use of pencil skirts and skirts right below the knee all exude the overall vibe of the 40′s. The tailoring for this collection is another element of design that Alessandro intentionally placed emphasis on and it compliments the 40′s mood perfectly. There are numerous pieces with raw edges and basting stitches that incapsulate the spirit of that decade. I really appreciated the extreme attention to detail that was displayed in the show with exotic hand-embellished garments, intricate laces and embellishments and the unique styling that only Alessandro could pull off with such style and grace. This collection shows how dedicated he is to his craft and he serves as an important source of inspiration for an abundance of brands in the industry. 

It is clear to see that across all the runways shows there were distinct decades that served as a source of inspiration for the fellow designers and being able to encapsulate the overall feeling and mood of the time period while still being able to modernize it and put your own twist on it has shown to be a clear winner for Alessandro and the team at Gucci. The brands over-the-top designs have made waves in the industry and will continue to act as the muse behind the industry and that is the main reason why they are my favorite designer. 

Along with Gucci referencing the 40′s, designer Prada offered their own take on modernized 40′s look with strong, versatile items that could be work day-to-night and women tailoring. The Prada show does such a great job at referencing the suit-jacket with its own twist on it to modernize it for todays market. The show exuded strong, female characters rocking traditionally thought to be exclusively menswear pieces and embodied them overall vibe of the 40′s time period. Everything from the extra padded shoulders to the whimsical take on menswear embodied the 40′s and I am glad these designers tastefully referenced the decade while still creatively interpreting it different ways to react two stellar runway shows. 

https://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/fall-2019-ready-to-wear/gucci