#( and that old 2000s thing where girls would put like animal print patterns in their hair )

[nvuy]

xilonen wouldve been so sexy if she was black with that cheetah print and her blonde highlights. i wouldve fallen to my knees.

unfortunately shes gooner bait

[montmartre-parapluie]

Will you please explain American Girl Dolls to my poor European self? Thank you!

Hi @orlissa!

I’m probably not the best person to explain, being a UK gal and very, VERY new to the fandom- but what the heck, I’ll try! 

picture-heavy below the cut! 

I’ll borrow from my good friend Wikipedia for the serious facts:

“ The Historical Characters line of 18-inch dolls, which were derived from the 18-inch dolls made by Götz in West Germany (during the late 1980s to the 1990s, were initially the main focus of Pleasant Company, founded by Pleasant Rowland in 1986. This product line aims to teach aspects of American history through a six-book series from the perspective of a girl living in that time period. Pleasant Rowland came up with the idea after she returned from a trip to Colonial Williamsburg, where she noticed there was a significant void in the toy market for younger aged dolls and saw an opportunity to provide an alternative to baby and adult dolls.

Although the books are written for girls who are at least eight years old, they endeavour to cover significant topics such as child labour, child abuse, poverty, racism, slavery, animal abuse and war in manners appropriate for the understanding and sensibilities of their young audience.”

There were initially 5 original dolls. You could choose from Molly, a girl from World War 2,  Addy Walker, a fugitive seeking freedom during the American Civil War, Kirsten, a little Swedish girl from 1854 who lives on the prairie, Felicity, who deals with outbreak of the American Revolutionary War, and Samantha, who’s from 1904.

it sounds pretty dry and educational In the Wikipedia , but oh my giddy aunt, the QUALITY of the stuff they put out! 

for instance, here’s Kirsten - and this is just a FRACTION of her collection. She had hand-painted wooden furniture, beautifully made. She had trunks. She had 19th century accurate little footwarmers, reproduced ACTUAL children’s books FROM the 1850s, Her Saint Lucia’s Day outfit! Even down to warm flannel underwear for those cold nights out West in the New World!

And here’s a close-up of the LITTLE school set. A REAL Victorian school slate, chalk that actually works, a little schoolbag - authentic miniature exercise books from the 1850s - even tiny merit awards printed on card! And all authentic!

This isn’t the only doll they do this for, either? Addy?

real little crinoline, working wooden Lazy Susan table, Victorian bonnets, tiny perfect little sewing accessories.

Samantha also gets accessories that look like they’re straight from an Edwardian Toyshop...

(the flower pressing kit! the tiny skates! The painting box!!)

Molly’s stuff wasn’t/isn’t as interesting to me, because I’m not really into the  20th century, but even her accessories are cute! (the little 1940s radio!)

I tell you, I would have SOLD my soul for any of this. ANY of it. But especially Felicity, because the 18th century has always been my favourite time period , and her stuff...just  WOW. I feel the need to give you all her stuff, because... it was amazing.

THE TEA SET. THE PATTENS. THE MINIATURE HORNBOOK. THE CLOTHES PRESS. 

And this stuff is all really faithfully produced, and just... really well made and researched. As a history nerd, I get twitchy fingers just looking at all this!

And they just.. KEPT on producing this awesomeness. All through the 1990s and 2000s. They extended the range to include  Kaya'aton'my, a Native American girl from 1764, Josefina, a Spanish Colonial girl from 1824, there was a Regency girl, Caroline from 1812. - and Marie Grace and Cecile, a lovely set of  French friend dolls from New Orleans in the 1850s - and there were so many more!  

I am incredibly bitter & twisted that Europe & the UK didn’t get a look in on buying these. (although I think West Germany had them in the early 1990s?) I suppose as it’s American history, they didn’t think it would sell well abroad, but - gah, I’d have bought it all! And they could have branched out into European history, which is just such a tempting thought.... 

(You can probably see why I post about A Girl for All Time - they’re very much a new UK take on American Girl)

My mother actually collected American Girl stuff for a while when the US postage was cheap enough for it to be feasible , but I wasn’t around then much and only took a vague interest. Lock-down’s been making me re-evaluate my opinion! Especially once I learnt the company made do-it-yourself SEWING PATTERNS as well...

(this is definitely on my to-do list, by the way. )

Recently the company has archived most of these lovely things in favour of more modern dolls, which I think is a REAL shame. Educational, well-made and fun is a hard mix to achieve in one go, but American Girl did it. Definitely worth a Google search if you’re interested in seeing more!

[wemahboob-blog]

T-Shirt The Yard Stick to Measure the Fashion Trends

T-shirt: The yardstick to measure the fashion trends

T-shirt: the building block of fashion

As season changes from summer to monsoon and monsoon to winter, fashion trends also change accordingly. But after every three or four months the majority of us do not have the time or the need to buy new clothes. Then the question comes: What kind of casual dresses or garments will change you according to your range of styles, colors and mood? - Obviously the T-shirts.

T-shirts have always been believed as the mere essentials - those basic requirements that form the base of fashion - the building block of fashion. If you want to know how much fashion trend in T-shirts have changed in the last couple of years, take your measure tape.

Fashion, which had started in the 50's, became inspired with its sociological and industrial advances. It was a noble time to be young, and fashion became a rip along the position of age. In the 60's people started to wear the tie dye and screen-printed cotton T-shirts. Improvement in printing and dyeing stood out for more variety and came in to fashion and it bloomed in the 60's. Tight trend of the seventies In the 1970s the disco scene was enormous, concert dancing was popular with dance parties and tight pants with T-shirts were a trend. The whole '70s trend was form-fitting - 'very tight', where the extra-large, loose-fitting, urban-influenced tees moved out and tight T-shirts with tight polyester, usually with bell-bottomed men's pants escorted by stand shoes were used to attract the young girls seeming for romance, were very popular.

Che min DE fer pants, Elephant Ear Pants, embroidery on pant legs, flag pants, Gabardine Pants, HASH Jeans with Bonds T-shirt (raglan cut T-shirt with ribbing around neck and sleeves), Rock Concert T-shirts (with a logo picture of a rock star or a rock band or trademark of rock band) and tie-dye T-shirts (homemade T-shirts with stripes and curved in different colors of dye) were generally popular in 70s and women generally were short mini skirt, maxi dress, midi skirt or hot pants with T-shirts.

The eighties: Iron-on T-shirts with stonewashed jeans pant trend

In 80s Iron-on, the coolest kind of T-shirts was popular. Tight Stonewashed Jeans, Parachute Pants, Corduroy Pants, Tight Leather Pants, Super Tight Minis with Fido Dido, Ocean Pacific T-shirts, Long T-shirts, and Hard Rock Café etc T-shirts were popular among them.

The nineties - Baggy and bright denim trend

Levi brand T-shirt that had "Button Your Fly" written in very large letters were very popular in 90s. Flare Jeans, Baggy & Bright denim, the schoolgirl look of baby doll dresses with puffed sleeves and thigh-high stockings, slip dresses worn over T-shirts became popular and was a trend of 90s.

Fashion of 2000

T-shirts with "Boys Are Great", "I Make Boys Cry", etc slogan T-shirts with zip off at or around knee pants were popular in 2000. Duller colors were more popular at the beginning of that decade and V-neck sweater and have accents woven in around the neck, waist was very popular.

T-shirts have passed through every social, cultural and economic level of human life and got a great acceptance in day-to-day life from big cities to small towns all over the globe.

Age option: Feel young forever with T-shirt

T-shirts are not only a chief item, but have become stylish and nice career apparel. Fashion has always been impelled by younger people, of course, and not anything says young like the T-shirt. As usual, the young are looking for something out of the ordinary. Wearing T-shirts in old age provides a lifestyle option rather than an age option and gives feeling of younger.

Women T-shirt: A separate identified market

During the last two-three decades, women's participation levels in the corporate houses, business, fashion, jobs, sports, exercises or yoga etc have reached an all-time high all around the world. The old unisex T-shirts became a thing of the history; today women require T-shirts that fit them that wash and feel comfortable at work place or while transporting and adopting a more feminine approach to styling, have made a big difference in the variety of designs and products. Women are also considering T-shirts as a multi-purpose garment and by both ways the women's T-shirt market is growing. Today, women have so many options in the market as many T-shirt producers have seen the bright prospectus and are producing better women's T-shirts in quick changing scenario of demand, which covers better fabrics, latest designs, good color combinations, great styles etc. And the women's T-shirt is going to acquire a separate identity from men's T-shirt.

Co-relation of T-shirt and ink demand

Fashion or selection of colors also vary, when season or trends changes. Color is considered as a serious business when it comes up to T-shirts, as a key differentiation in wearable apparels.

T-shirt printing is in fact silk-screening or, more properly, screen printing. The 70s brought huge improvement in T-shirt printing began with making screen-printing machines in the basements and garages and these printed T-shirt business referred as Imprinted Sportswear Industry in general. In the 1980s the advancement in ink business enhanced and T-shirts became part of every aspect of our culture, promoting businesses, government, and non-profit organizations. Retailers discovered the significance and eminence of T-shirts and have bought tons of products in various themes, brand-name and styles.

The most important advancement during the 80s was the boom created by the automatic T-shirt printing machine, enabling screen printers to print a many T-shirt printing in a single day. Automation changed the whole thing and with the coming of the 90s, the computer was fetched into the mix of designs and patterns in T-shirts. In the end of 2000 the over all textile screen-printing industry had passed through a very difficult stage, but as development of printing technology successfully achieved the need of ink and screen printing technology, sustained still and gained better position. And now with the improvement and development of latest printing technology, you can have a number of options like two-dimension and three-dimension; digital printed, animated or printed T-shirts. Today the ink or printing is exclusively depends on T-shirt industry/productions while considering textile printing industry.

T - Shirt used as a widespread marketing or publicity tool

Would you like to make a statement? Then you will need a T-shirt: A T-shirt is a cheap idea of clothing or a portable advert with its clothing to declare political, musical or social connection for everybody to observe, like The Tennis Women's T-shirt with the statement on the court. "I am going to make you run!", or as Indian tennis player Sana Mira had statements "Well-behaved women rarely make history", "Attitude Unlimited". It provides a cheaper marketing or publicity weapon. Events, campaigns or programmed like women's rights, civil rights and more found their way to the face and rear of T-shirts. People began to state who they are/were and what they put for without ever saying a word simply with logo or slogan. Today, in addition to performing as a medium for stating personal beliefs, team affiliations, hobbies and more, T-shirts are favored, because in a word they are comfortable - no insignificant issue in today's place of work, an atmosphere where T-shirts are going up in greater figures by the day.

More choice than ever before

The T-shirt by no means going out of fashion, it is the base or foundation of the over all textile and garment market and drives the total business. It is a very significant part of the enigma for what people require and choose and much market research study showed that one can't ignore the commodity as well as new trendy market. There are many options or choices that you didn't have just a few years before.

Today, there are many kinds of cotton T-shirts available in market. Open-end cottons give a softer feel for an outstanding price. Ring-spun cotton has an exceedingly soft hand and organic T-shirts to protect from chemicals. Though, more practical, performance-driven fabrics such as dry-fiber are growing in recognition which is awful due to lots of segregation in which a style that the consumer is well-known and at ease with. T-shirts made from a 60/40 cotton/poly blend in unisex sizes XS-4XL, ANSI-certified polyester and non-certified 50/50 are very popular. High-performance polyester micro fibers T-shirts are mostly preferred by working people due to their characteristic of reducing the moisture rapidly from body. On plain fabric putting of lace and crochet are also being used, to create feminine looks. Recently DuPont's Sonora fiber (polymers that lend better stretch, recovery and stain resistance to fabrics) is also used in T-shirt as a material.

The T-shirts are finished with jazzier for party wear with gold in the prints and trimmings are also a strong trend in recent times. To create prints more fascinating, sequins, beads, buttons and embroidery and to craft a sparkle look on the tees cotton laces lose out to metallic laces and glitter, texture weaves along with layered contrasting fabrics of tulle, chiffon, bubble fabrics, crinkle printed semi sheer crepes, are also used. Ethnic, jungle, graphic or graffiti-inspired, prints with bright or muted, multiple colors are extremely used now a days. Styles of tees include rose, forest and blue, layering, retro men, graffiti and graphics, khaki and blues and striped patterns are a strong trend in T-shirts for men.

More and more options are available with much texture choice, such as ribs, hemp, pique, ottoman, etc. and more fits for men, women and junior are available. T-shirts are offered in range from the awfully light of 3.8 ounces to the normal 5.5 ounces and be capable of as high as 7.1 ounces. Heavier weights have the benefit of existence of durability and remaining their outline under frequent wearing and washing. Lighter-weight tees are more relaxed, particularly in warmer climates, and provide a perfect fit. Higher-end T-shirts will provide the additional strength of double-needle stitching and shoulder to shoulder string. In 2004 stretch T-shirts brought high demand in women's jersey products both made of 95 percent combed ring-spun cotton and 5 percent Lycra and heavyweight T-shirts in 50/50 blend, 100 percent cotton, ultra heavyweight in 100 percent cotton and premium ultra heavyweight T-shirt in 100 percent combed ring-spun cotton.

Worldwide fashion designers noted that average consumers were only concerned about jeans and T-shirts in 2004-05 for daytime and still the trend is continuing. Sportswear, sports styling will continue to possess consumers who wish comfort in everyday wear and will continue to demand for ever. In recent times wearing the corporate T-shirts in offices became a trend, and the demand is increasing, even it is more demanding for the purpose of corporate gifting with particular logo or corporate statements.

Conclusion

Today, a common shift towards sporty and comfortable wear in fashion lifestyles seen, and T-shirts are becoming popular and "active wear" with many brands, designers and become a basic part of anyone's casual wardrobe and favorite in athletic teams, schools, gyms, athletic events, golf events, outdoor active groups, firefighters, the college bookstore market, emergency service workers, police offices, camps and outdoor workers and even in corporate houses. In a nut shell, people with active jobs or hobbies are motivating to use more for a tee that stay them cool, dry and more relaxed.

The coming out of general fashion trends is a social process but as appearance of new competitor in the textiles industry T-shirts are turning out to be more fashionable and are replaced with tailor garment shirts and other wears and the T-shirts are considered as a multi-purpose garment by majority consumer.

Whether color combination, fabric used, publicity tool, new or old trends of men's or women's fashion, new printing technology, etc changes fashion trends or whether fashion trends arrive and pass on, clothing www.giftinger.com should always be fun with T-shirt due to a strong reason of more availability of options. Hence, T-shirts will no way get out of fashion, over all be consider as a building block of fashion.