Sewing

It's been about 5 weeks into the school year, which adds up to about 70 hours of Fashion Design class! We've spent a majority of this time learning how to sew- both hand sewing and with machines. Even with industry machines, it still takes an incredible amount of work to produce a garment. I never realized either how much hand sewing is still necessary because it can't be reached by machine. In haute couture, 100% of the garment is hand sewn, which justifies the price a little more in my mind. Although I knew about haute couture before, I thought "handmade" meant basic sewing machines being used by hand, with no fancy programs controlling them or anything. In reality, handmade means no machines at all whatsoever. I'm sure this is to make the garment more expensive, because a machine is capable of producing a tighter and straighter stitch. I also know now that being a couturier is not the job for me, because hand sewing is tedious as fuck and I have very little patience for it.

Gucci SS 17

Gucci's womenswear collection for Spring Summer 2017 is getting drowned out by their menswear. However, the show was still very enjoyable to watch and showed intricate design with incredible attention to detail. 

collage by nickverrreos.blogspot.com

The collection was very much up to trend: I noticed deep v's, cropped trousers, flatforms, oversized outerwear, jewel tones, and high waisted shapes-- all of which have been common this season. What made this collection stand out was that the silhouettes were heavily 80's inspired, with most designs featuring the shoulders. Overall, the  show was structured and angular with the lines, but still came across as feminine due to the prints and light materials.

from elle.com

Community Service

Community service is important, not just for the people being served, but for the people serving too. This is because it builds skills that are necessary to thrive in the 21st century, such as collaboration, communication, critical thinking, and creativity. Working with other volunteers and community leaders is a great way to build connections too.
Last Friday, our fashion design class took a field trip to help set up the annual SVQA Harvest Quilt and Fiber Arts show. It was a lot of fun getting to see the behind-the-scenes of how an event is run, and it felt good to know that we were an important part of the show coming together!

image from www.morganhilltimes.com

fashion CHALLENGES

I love a good challenge. It doesn't even matter what it is- brain games, math problems, races- chances are you've got me hooked. I'm the kind of person will do just about anything if you start the sentence with "I bet you can't...".
However, my favorite challenges are fashion challenges. This is what I call when you have a super specific occasion and must think of an outfit to meet the potentially oxymoranic situation. Here's some examples:
*I should make a polyvore account and create these outfits. maybe later* *also I'll add more when I have more time*

1. You're going to an outdoor concert with your girls, and must be warm but slutty at the same time

1. High waisted shorts with sheer tights & thigh highs, plus a bra top with an oversized distressed denim jacket

You're having dinner with your family, and then to the club straight after

1. Nude strapless bodycon dress with a long navy peacoat and black stilettos  

It's Crazy Day at school, and you know you're gonna run into bae

1. Keep a controlled color palette. Like choose one crazy print and pull all your colors from it. Wear a cute and bright bikini top over a tank top and patterned spandex over bright tights. 

Comment if you have a situation, and I will think of an outfit for it! This is literally so much fun for me

T-shirts

Ever since the 50's, t-shirts have gone from a military undergarment to a closet staple. Like most styles of the century, the t-shirt rose to popularity after people saw it on the big screen in movies such as A Streetcar Named Desire and Rebel Without a Cause.  
Just about everyone has worn a t-shirt, and it's not hard to see why. T-shirts are cheap, comfortable, casual, and can be worn with just about anything. 
The rise of screen printing made it possible to have custom t-shirts made for any occasion. It wasn't long before marketers started using printed t-shirts to advertise too. 
I doubt the classic t-shirt will ever go out of fashion. They might not be considered faionable, but these easily customizable, casual garments have quickly become a part of American culture. 

Sharon Stone wearing a Gap T-shirt on the red carpet in 1996
from usmagazine.com

I have to write a blog post but I don't know what to write about

FASHION 

Reshma Quereshi on NYFW - a different opinion

Yesterday, Reshma Quereshi, an acid attack survivor, walked the FTL Moda show during New York Fashion Week to raise awareness about acid attacks and to fight against the sale of cheap concentrated acid. These acid attacks are a common form of harassment towards women in India and some Middle Eastern countries, and are devastating for the victims.
Although I do believe Quereshi is remarkably strong, am in awe of her achievements, and wholeheartedly stand behind her goal of raising awareness for a crime that usually gets a blind eye, I have mixed feelings about writing this post. This is because I agree with the idea that the way to accept diversity is to stop making a big deal out of it, so that models who don't match the typical Euro-centric beauty standard become a norm, instead of an anomaly. We don't want this to become one-time thing, or a designer's special quirk.  I, personally, would love to see a world where models of all sizes, ages, and backgrounds are the standard for a fashion show, instead of having "that one person to make it politically correct." We're close, and we're getting closer! But we're not quite there yet.
Thank you to Reshma for the help you've brought women around the globe.

from www.reuters.com