Tips From Nkeru

Long Day and Long Night at Art Institute of Charlotte.

2008-09-11T07:02:00.000-07:00

I am currently a Fashion Marketing and Management at the Art Institute of Charlotte. Before attending the Art Institute of Charlotte, I had 10 years of experience in retail buying, marketing, management, visual merchandising, and sales. After years in retail, I had fallen in love with the industry and began the search for higher education in the field. I understood that by gaining more knowledge about this industry that it would provide more opportunities.

Attending the school has helped me to realize that fashion is not limited to only clothing, but is an art of expression. The Art Institute of Charlotte has exposed me to all aspects of fashion and has sparked an interest in marketing. Each quarter at the Art Institute of Charlotte has allowed me to hone my skills and ignite my passion for the field. My creative skills have developed to be able to incorporate research to fit the needs of the client. I have learned to justify my creativity by bring supporting evidence to the table that adds value to the work. Additionally, my motivation to produce high quality work and the drive to being successful keeps me moving to the next level. To me, everyday is a learning experience

Like any other experience there comes the good, bad, and ugly. There are many good times at the school. One of the most exciting opportunities at the school was when a group of Fashion Marketing student and I held a fashion show to benefit the community. Edible was a fashion show to help feed the hunger. The bad were the long days spent by my computer doing projects without sleep. The ugly is when I turned in projects that I spent long weeks on and it was not good enough and I have to go back and redo it. Despite my bad experience I would not trade it for anything; I have learned skills and habits that I can apply to my career of choice.

Fashion to The Extreme: Why is America Wearing $300,000 Price Tag?

2008-09-10T20:45:00.000-07:00

Cindy McCain’s extravagant fashion $300,000 sparked conversation up from the media. Mrs. McCain’s ensemble to the Republican National Convention included $280,000 diamond earrings, a $3,000 Oscar de la Renta gown, a Chanel J12 watch valued at $4,500 and a pearl necklace that cost between
$11,000 - $25,000. Not to mention designer shoes, so what does this fashion state about American’s possible first lady. How can McClain state that he understands real Americans when his wife is a wears $300,000 assemble to the convention. Real everyday Americans can not afford this extravagant price tag.

How can one understand the working class when you choose to remind the public that you are high class luxury status? So is Cindy trying to win America’s vote for her fashion or will she step out of her shell and begin to understand the poor and working class?

B Kamins Deep Wrinkle Concentrate

2008-08-28T08:59:00.000-07:00

B Kamins deep wrinkle-fighting serum dramatically lifts plumps and tightens deep-set creases around the eyes, mouth and forehead. This formula has deep firming and pore-tightening ingredients that perfects the skin without using of needles. Collagen boosting ingredients help restore firmness and plumpness to the skin. Powerful anti-oxidants help to fight ongoing damage from chronological and environmental aggressors.

Estee Lauder Turbo Lash Motion Mascara

2008-08-28T08:21:00.000-07:00

Lancôme’s introduces new vibrating mascara Lauder’s. This new mascara is "Turbo-charged" motion mascara with auto-powered, vibrating brush gives volume, length, curl and separation all at once. It gently separates and saturates lashes. With this discover you will find lashes you didn't even know you had. Here's how Lauder's works: Twist off the cap and the tube automatically powers on and starts vibrating.

5 Essential Pieces in My Closet

2008-08-27T18:49:00.000-07:00

There are 5 essential pieces in my closet that allows me to go from day, weekend to evening. The 5 essential pieces are yellow double-breasted, sleeveless ruffle top, stretch skinning leg jeans, pencil skirt and little black dress.

OFFICE

I took the yellow double-breasted jacket from last year and add ruffle front sleeveless top and grey pencil skit. This look is an
up- to- date look for a modern-day business women who enjoys fashions. This outfit screams out elegant.

WEEKEND

I kept the top and jacket that was worn to work and add a pair of my best fitting denim. To complete this look I added animal print shoes and the season best color accessories.

EVENING

I Pulled out my little black dress from last year and add the ruffle sleeve stop to give an up-to date look. Glam is theme for the evening event. So I add CZ earrings, black studded bangle and hot 4in” silver pumps to complete this look.

"Now look in your closet and see what you can find to create your different look with five basic pieces."

Showstopper

2008-08-14T08:02:00.000-07:00

Last season's yellow can be mixed with this year trends. Yellow, burnt orange, and green are great complimentary colors to combine to create new looks for this season. Wait before you dispose of your last season looks. I encourage you to mix trends to create an update look. So go shop, buy some items, and start mixing.

Sagging: A History

2008-08-14T04:55:00.000-07:00

Many trends have come and gone, but most people are not aware of where the trend began or how long they will last. Most trends tend not to have long staying power. One trend that has had more than 10 years of popularity is sagging pants. Sagging pants is the art of wearing ones pants below the waist, usually hanging low enough to show underwear. There is some controversy as to where it started. So has the trend been popularized from behind prison walls? Or is it the influence of hip-hop?

One theory of how sagging pants originated is from prison in the 1990s. Prisoners are given oversized uniforms without belts. Belts are a popular way to commit suicide; by hanging oneself, to hang others, or to be used as a weapon in fights. Other reason is that when they wear their pants below the waist is that it is sign that says that they are homosexual.

Sagging pants were not meant to be trend for the males. The other reason was that wearing your pants below your waist states that you were another inmate’s property. The inmate who related the story was an elderly black gentleman who had been sentenced to life in prison and had been there for over fifty years. He marveled how such a mark of shame has become a fashion statement. He says “that younger inmates don't believe him when he tells them, but swears it's the truth”.

The trend has been contributed to the influence of the music industry. Many artists, in the hip-hop genre, were known for letting their pants sag. It became more common to see rappers, like Dr. Dre, Snoop Dog and Lil Wayne, in a video with their pants sagging to right at below their hips. It became even more popular as these same rappers began their own clothing labels. Clothing labels, like Phat Farm, Ecko and FUBU, are known for not even offering a small sized men’s shirt.

The characteristic of the low-slung look became mainstream and took off during the early 1990's when Calvin Klein used rapper Marky Mark in their advertising campaign for underwear. This advertising campaign was the first glimpse of men showing their underwear in a sexy way.

The sagging pants trend made way to skateboarders in the suburbs and high school hallways. Work wear brands such as Dickies and Ben Davies designed baggy clothing that became popular with skateboarders

As the trend grew, it began to influence the styles of jeans. Low-rise jeans are intended to sit low on, or below, the hips. More men and women began to wear underwear to function with their low-rise jeans. However, the look has been predominantly male and the recent trend for women to reveal their G-string underwear. Low-rise jeans may be worn to display more skin at the waist, torso, and hips. Low-rise jeans may also partially reveal the buttocks when the wearer sits down or bends over. Cleavage becomes visible.

Trends

Law

Stereotypes

Charlotte Fashion Week

2008-08-13T17:40:00.000-07:00

Glam! Glam! As time is closely approaching, North Carolina first fashion week introduces Charlotte NC Fashion Week. This will be a fabulous event that will feature runway shows, workshops, and live entertainment. Lines by Flow by Tara, Dammi and Pixton Bridal and many others will be showcased during this 3 day event. This event is a great representation of charlotte place in the fashion industry. The main goal of the event is to promote local fashion and beauty in the charlotte and surrounding areas. This great event will unveil September 18th -20th at the Blake Hotel located at 555 McDowell Street, Charlotte, NC. This is a wonderful opportunity to mingle and meet other industry professionals. Hope to see you there. Please log on to http://www.charlottencfashionweek.com/ for more information.

Are you dandy? Do you believe that your man is a dandy? Do you even know what a dandy is?

2008-07-31T06:15:00.000-07:00

Before one can known whether or not they are dandy or their man is dandy, dandy must be defined and looked at from a historical perspective. A dandy is considered a man who takes pride in their physical appearance. They take time to prefect everything about themselves. They are known for their refined language, leisurely hobbies and for looking to advance their social standings.

The first mentions of dandy is associated with George Bryan Brummell, but the word can be traced back as early as the 1770s with the song Yankee Doodle Dandy. The song was written to describe what the American troops looked during the French and Indian War. During the War, a Yankee Doodle Dandy was hodgepodge brigade. The troops were dressed in the clothes that they wore when the left their homes. There were no uniforms.

The word made its way to English history because of the separation of classes. The royal class appreciated the dandy because of the attention paid to appearance and to nothing else.

Anatomy of a dandy

If you added 2 cups of charm, a half a cup of smooth, and a quarter cup of suave, you would have yourself a dandy. Dandy is a term used by many to describe a man who oozes style, and grace. He has the “it” factor. You can’t describe what “it” is, but you know “it” when you see it. Dandies are tall, thin, handsome men who are so smooth they seem to glide when they walk. They never have a hair out of place, their faces are cleanly shaven, the placket of ruffles on their shirts cascade down to finely starched linen pants, which leads your eye to a pair of silk stockings, which are guarded by freshly polished shoes, accompanied by nothing other than large gold buckles. They are financially independent, in the sense that they feel they do not have to work. Not only are they handsome, but they have the wit and the brains to match. Their charm can’t be ignored, nor can their cynical and nonchalant attitudes. They are the men that we hate to love, and the ones men unlike their kind love to hate.

Historical Dandies

The very model of the dandy in British society was George Bryan "Beau" Brummell. Even though born to middle-class, he was attracted to the lifestyle of the upper class. While in school, he became friends with the Prince of Wales, the future George IV. Because of this relationship and his dress, he began to regard in the circles around the Prince as a virtual oracle on matters related to dress and etiquette virtually a court fashion arbiter

Dandies were no prissy class of gentlemen, or mincing walkers as their elegant forebears, the Macaroni's, had been. They were the well dressed, witty and elegant men of a new generation. Brummell abandoned a wig and cut his hair in a Roman fashion. Brummell also led the move from breeches to snugly-tailored dark "pantaloons," which led directly to the trousers that have been mainstay of men's wear in the Western world for two centuries. George "Beau" Brummell invented what was to become the modern necktie. The feminist Germaine Greer once declaimed that it was foolishness to allow men to rule the world when they begin the day by tying a rope around their necks. Ironically, today he would be called a "metrosexual".

Brummell took great strides to make sure that his clothing was cleaned. If clothes were clean, he reasoned, the body under them must also be. Unlike other males who drenched themselves in perfume to hide body odors, he washed his entire body with hot water every day. As with everything else he did, this too became a fad.

Another well-known dandy is Prince Albert. Albert Francis Charles Augustus Emmanuel of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha was born on August 26, 1819 at Schloss Rosenau, in Bavaria, the younger son of the Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. When he was seven, his father divorced his mother on grounds of adultery, and she was sent to live in Switzerland and forbidden to see her children. Albert was educated at Bonn University. In 1840, he married his cousin, Queen Victoria. The marriage was unpopular in some quarters, and parliament resisted granting Albert what his wife regarded as a suitable allowance. Prince Albert was also known for designing his wife wedding dress, and now days designers still look up to Prince Albert and design their bridal wear of his creations.

Modern Dandies

Dandy is not a word that is commonly used in today fashion industry, but many designers and fashion leaders are influenced by the 19th century look. One such designer is Alexis M a bille. Mabille is a self-taught couturier. The Spring 2009 collection presented "an imaginary mixed school, a fun, unconventional gang of students, teacher and parents”. He takes influences from college, military uniforms and formal attire. The silhouette is narrow, tight with short and fitted jackets and coats worn with wide-leg pants or slim-fitting trousers.

This style of dress has already been adopted by celebrities, such as: Andre 3000.

To know for sure if you are dandy or your man is dandy, take the quiz. The quiz is called How Dandy are You? The quiz is comprised of 40 questions to determine your level of dandy. Or become a dandy by checking out Modern Dandies. It provides extensive information on everything a modern dandy needs from clothing tips to the books to read.

Influence Trends

2008-07-31T06:00:00.001-07:00

Christy Cox, a 25-years-old Event Promoter, states, “I feel that I am a trendsetter because I do not look to magazine or fashion leaders for influence in my fashion decisions. I have been blessed with the ability to coordinate clothing, to look like a million dollar without spending much."

Ms. Cox is an entrepreneur with limited capital this decrease her available disposable income. So creativity plays a big role in her day-to-day wardrobe. She explained that she is always in the public’s eye, and must be glam everyday, which can be very costly. She states, "I like to shop at second store to find different vintage garments and make them come alive ".

Most people would assume that she spends a considerable amount of money on clothing, but that “most of her outfits are less than $30."

Check out her favorite stores:

Forever 21, Steve Madden and Bebe to pick up some hot items.

Secondhand Retailer Sends Women Back To Work

2008-07-24T03:17:00.000-07:00

Goodwill, a 100-year-old company, is not just providing affordable clothing, training and job placement programs for the community, but they are also dressing them. Goodwill has partnered with a group of volunteers that are willing to assist women with dressing appropriately to obtain employment. The volunteers will assist with wardrobe and image consultation. Volunteers will provide personal shopping for individuals that have completed the job training program and are seeking to enter the workplace. Goodwill agrees to donate $100.00 clothing allowance for each individual that have completed the program. Goodwill and local volunteers hope to help job seekers be more confident about enter the work place.

Look at what $100.00 gets you at Goodwill
1 suit, 3 pants, 12 tops, 1 dresses, 3 skirts, 1 blazer, a pair of shoes
a handbag. a fashion scarf, a pair of earrings

See you there!

Intro

2008-07-17T07:23:00.000-07:00

Hello. My name is Nkeru. I have a strong interest in the fashion industry. I believe that God gave me the styling skills to be able to empower young women into future leaders of the world.