Gladiators For Men

  As I proved last week with my men’s short shorts piece men are starting to really think about the way they look  and are obviously taking inspiration from the ladies. In seasons past gladiators exploded into footwear super stardom, being worn by every woman in America who had any sense of style, at all. Once again, now it’s the guys turn! Gladiators for men were seen on S/S 2012 runways in the fall and are now being worn by everyday men everywhere. The men's gladiators is much more authentic to the original roman design however, than the trendy woman's sandal. Very little glitz is added to the male version of this summer time Ugg, naturally. However the occasional masculine metal stud done by Givenchy or colored leather finds its way into the mix                                           

                                                        -Branden Wuensch

Rising Hems For Him

      Its all about the men and our shortening hems this week. For years woman have been testing social boundaries to see how short their skirts and short shorts could get without becoming vulgar. Well, now it’s the boys turn! For Spring/Summer 2012 almost every major menswear designer cropped the legs of their suits and jeans or brought the hems of their shorts to above the knee or higher. This fresh, sexier look is a welcomed change from the baggy, below the knee cargo shorts and tattered jean hems of the past. Although more fitted bottoms for men have been gaining popularity the past few year I have a feeling the flooded/short shorts look will be a trend that may take time to grow on the average American man. However  this look has already been adopted by the masses on many young, hip college campuses. Young men seem to be more open to the idea of showing a little leg.       

                                                      -Branden Wuensch

Wearable Art

      Digital prints have been shown on the runway for a few seasons  by designers like Alexander McQueen, Givenchy, & DVF. This season however, the trend has blown up! With the help of the always present floral for spring digital printing has found a whole new inspiration; A funky alternative to the classic floral print. Bold colors, sharp lines, and trippy designs are being created like wearable art. These unignorable prints have become a favorite for standout stars like Beyonce, Rihanna, and Daphne Guinness.

      The digital printing trend isn't limited to wild florals, however. The design duo The Blonds recently showed a collection of head to toe printed suits for men, which have been worn by gossip and fashion blogger Perez Hilton. Retailers like H&M and Forever XII have also hopped on the trend with lines of digitally printed animal tops and triple print leggings.

                                                      -Branden Wuensch

Long Live The 90's

      It is said “What goes around comes around” and the same can be said for fashion and its always-changing trends. Rewind to the early 1990’s where denim, flannel, and size XL were king. Thanks to the worlds trendiest stars like Rihanna and Miley Cyrus we have seen a Renaissance of sorts, celebrating the most deconstructed style period in history. Never before had we seen woman covering their bodies in oversized T-shirts, ripped short shorts, and button ups formally suited exclusively for lumber jacks. This grudge trend faded and let way to a brighter, more refined late 90’s but has recently reemerged with a vengeance. I must say, I could not be happier!

                                            -Branden Wuensch

Feminine Pastels for Spring

      With spring shyfully making its way into the spotlight we also see designers like Louis Vuitton and Ralph Lauren spot lighting the use of soothing pastels. Powder pinks, milky mint greens, & subtle lilacs were the stars of spring/summer 2012 Fashion weeks from New York City to Paris a few months back and are now starting to pop up like spring flowers in more accessible retailers. Stores like H&M, J. Crew, & Anthropology have all done their own variation of this new, soft spring trend, some pushing it more than others. Although these lady-like colors are somewhat understated compared to their color wheel brothers and sister they still scream the feminine message that designers are trying to convey. Along with the use of these subtle tones an undeniable sense of femininity radiated from most collections shown for spring. Things like girly bell silhouettes, whimsical feather trims, & flirty lace details create the perfect nest for these Easter egg hues to rest on

                                                       -Branden Wuensch

         

One Final Blonds Post!

I'M.DEAD.

After much anticipation, The Blonds S/S 2012!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Its finally here! The Blonds S/S 2012 collection, and it was just as brilliant as I knew it would be! I felt myself getting a little more sick each time I saw a new piece.All the rhinestones, furs and feathers were almost to much for my heart to handle, not to mention the flawless Louboutin's, each pair better then the next! These two men really deserve some sort of "Best Designers of the Century" award. In the past two years this designer duo has shot straight to the top of my list as my favorite designers of all time and I do not see them going anywhere, anytime soon. It is astounding to me the way they somehow find a way to out do themselves every single season. Truly, these men can do no wrong!

Playboy Bunnies have invaded Fashion Week!

 

I am starting to see photos from behind the scenes at The Blonds S/S 2012 fashion show, which took place just a few hours ago. The Blonds always have a very obvious,  fun,  and upbeat theme to all their collections and this time around it was Playboy. I've mentioned before that this show was the only thing I was looking forward to seeing this Fashion Week and for good reason! Just seeing pictures of Phillipe Blond's jewel encrusted bunny costume and bunny tail Louboutins is almost to much to handle. I can only imagine my reaction when I finally see the whole collection! Knowing that when I wake up tomorrow I will be able to find pictures of my most anticipated show somewhere online makes it almost impossible to sleep. It's like I'm a little kid, the night before Christmas morning. 

Fashion Week BFF's ?

  

I must admit, earlier in the week, when seated next to Nicki Minaj at the Carolina Herrera show, the queen herself, Anna Wintour, did not seem very excited to be in the presence of such a loudly dressed young woman. Obviously, she was forced to hide any hard feelings when seated next to 

Nicki a second time at the Oscar De La Renta show. Only Anna knows if her friendly demeanor was genuine but if its all an act, she could have fooled me. 

Jeremy Scott S/S 2012

The Jeremy Scott S/S 2012 show was to die for! I am gagging over the Postcard mini dress. I think I could cut off the sleeves and around the neck to turn it into a dope tank for next summer. On another note, I'm going to have to do some research into the identity of this male model in order to Google image search-stalk him later tonight. 

So long, Fashion Writing Class...

Tomorrow is my final day in my Fashion writing class, and this post will be the final post to this blog as an assignment. I have enjoyed this class and creating this blog more then any other class or assignment thus far in my VMCAD career. This class has helped me to realize how much I truly enjoy writing and researching into topics in which I have interest. I loved seeing all the people, from all the different countries around the world who have visited my True life: I'm a fashion student blog. I want to say thank you to every single person that has followed, read, or even just looked at my blog. This thank you is not a good bye however. I have loved this assignment and plan to keep on updating this blog just as regularly as I have the past few weeks. I now find myself blogging as a hobby versus an chore and I have Mindy Drcar to thank for that. Thank you so much!

Nicki Minaj is a breath of fresh air to the Fashion Week tents

 

Nicki Minja at the Prabal Gurung Show proving to us why we call her the Harajuku Barbie. In a sea of black Nicki brought it in a color blocked bra top, silver tutu, printed tights, blue suede Natacha Marro, platform heels, an extremely over sized hair bow, and a pink pretzel necklace by Onch Movement. Although I, personally would rather have the black, button up, lace number hanging in my closet this outfit is a perfect example of why I and the rest of the world has fallen in love with her. Also I commend her for wearing such a statement piece necklace by such a small designer like Onch. The press she has giving him in the past few weeks, first with the ice cream necklace at the VMA's and now this, really is priceless. Such huge, entertainment, heavy hitters wearing such small brands and lines is what really gives young, creative people like myself hope. Thank you Nicki!

My name is Branden and I am additced to Metallic Shoes...

Okay, so I know that the metallic movement is nothing new to the fashion community. Also, I am sure by some standards it is a trend that has come and gone but for me it will always be in style. There is just something I love about the shine it give off and the way it catches passers by's eye's. With that being said, there is nothing like a pair of shiny shoes to send my endorphin levels threw the roof! I dont even have to like a pair of shoes to buy them, as long as they are made of some sort of shinny leather or canvas. For example, I recently bought a pair of gold Keds and a few days after buying them and wearing them around I decided I hate them. Not only because they give me brutal blisters on the backs of my heels but because they make my feet look like the flippers of some sort of aquatic animal. Now that I am thinking about it they have a look, very similar to gold water shoes. Although I only see myself wearing these shoes outside to get the mail or now, perhaps to the pool come next summer I do not plan of returning them. Had they have been classic, tan, Keds, however they would have been back on the Next boutique shelves next-day. Another example of this metallic favoritism are the sequins Ugg Boots.  I dont want anyone reading this to think that I am a fan of the Ugg Boot, or that I think they are social acceptably to be worn anywhere other then to shovel snow from your driveway but when I saw these boots I literally felt my temperature rise. You know that feeling when you see someone for the first time and you some how know that this is the person you are going to marry, but once you get to know them you can not stand to be around them? That is how I feel about these boots. I can see myself, sometime in the near furniture battling a case of insomnia. When all of a sudden, thoughts of these boots will flood my mind. I will forget all about my upcoming phone bill that needs to be paid and vigorously type in "Uggs Australia" into my Google search bar.
  Before I know it $170.00 will be missing from my checking account and in 5 to 7 business days I will have a pair of shiny, imported boots on my door step that I will never wear. One last obsession that I am struggling with at the moment are the Metallic combat boots shown above. I dont see anything wrong with the combat boot, and after all it is one of the biggest trends of the moment but really, why do I need a pair of gold boots? I know I will wear them but my mind always goes back the question "Do you really need them?" After writing that last sentence I have decided the answer is yes and I will be ordering them after I revise this post. I have been told over and over by friends, co workers, and class mates that my love for metallic shoe is "To much" and "Extra" but for me every outfit looks better with a little shine south of your ankles.

Andy-ism: Drags queens are the new It Girls!

"Drag queens are living testimony to the way women used to want to be. Drags are ambulatory archives of ideal movie star woman hood. "

Auslander 2012 S/S campagin: Andrej Pejic & Rick Genest

These photos are beyond dope. I feel like Auslander shot this campaign not to show off their S/S 2012 line but rather, with the objective to make me happy. What are the chances of 2 of my absolute favorite men in fashion being paired up together in one campaign? I am living for these photos! I want them hanging on every wall in my house!Specifically the 3rd photo from the top hanging above my bed. I think the black bottoms and muted white walls would be a great contrast against the bright white walls and painted white, brick floor of my bedroom.

Falls hottest trend: The Starbucks cup

We are now two days into full on Autumn weather and everyone I know is already busting out their fall favorites; Leather jackets, scarfs, fur vest, hoodies, hats, and boots. These are all beyond obvious fall trends that show up year after year, and will continue to pop up in early September until the end of time. The one fall accessories I did not mention above is the Starbucks cup. I have seen more Starbucks cup in the last 2 days then I did in all of the summer months combined , and to be honest I really think it adds a little something to any outfit. Obviously, Starbucks saw an opportunity to venture into the accessories world and jumped at it. The white and green Starbucks cup looks great when paired with almost any other fall apparel. For example, you will look to-die-for if you just throw on some wide legged trousers, your highest, high heels, over sized sunnies, a fitted jacket, and your cup! Another way to shut it down with the Starbucks cup is to pair it with a super chic, cropped leather jacket, again, your highest, high, drag queen, platform, heels, and a pair of jeans that are obviously 2 sizes too big. You dont have to worry about going out and buying new jeans, however.With all the Starbucks you will be drinking there isn't going to be any time for real food, in turn making all your clothes just fall off of you. There is only one woman to blame for this trend and her name it Rachel Zoe. Ever since she first appeared on our TV screens, Starbucks in hand, a few years ago with her show The Rachel Zoe Project this trend has been gaining constant momentum each fall and winter season. Reaching all time highs this past week. Ironically, the same week as the 5th season of the RZP aired. coincidence? I think not. Rachel really should look into partnering up with Starbucks and designing a line of cups with her RZ logo on it. Maybe even concocting some sort of limited time only, low calorie, non-fat, soy milk, dry, Americana, mocha, vanilla, Caramel, pumpkin spice, peppermint, double shot latte.

Andy-ism: NYC Andy Warhol diet!

"If you do watch your weight try the Andy Warhol New York City Diet! When I order in a restaurant I order everything that I dont want, so I have a lot to play around with while everyone else eats."

Fall is back!

Fall is back, and I could not be more excited! My iphone is telling me, at this very moment that it is 67 degrees outside, but there is no way. I tried to leave the house this morning in only a tee shirt and jeans and was elated when I felt the first chill of fall and a slight breeze blowing up my short sleeves and down threw the bottom of my shirt. I ran back into my house for a quick wardrobe change; I looked at my ranks of clothes and knew exactly what I wanted to wear to class! I threw on a black, girls, basic, long sleeve tee from American apparel, my tightest, dark blue jeans, my signature, silver glitter TOMS, and a silver, fox fur boa from Sabau furs in Lakewood, Ohio and was out the door! I'm not sure how many of you wanted to know how my morning went or what I am wearing today but I am so excited about today's weather that I felt I needed to tell everyone! Now that I have shared all the details of my morning with you I have to end this love letter to Fall and outfit of the day overview and get back to my Pumpkin Spice Latte and try to make a dent in my more exhausting homework assignments.

Andy-ism: Sexy like a super model!

"When you're interested in somebody, and you think they might be interested in you, you should point out all your beauty problems and defects right away, rather than take a chance they won't notice them..."

Andy-ism: Get perfect skin!

"When I did my self portrait, I left all the pimples out because you always should. Pimples are a temporary condition... and they dont have anything to do with what you really look like."