Friday, November 16, 2012

Easy Thanksgiving Table Cloth


I bought a few yards of burlap a little over a year ago. It remained rolled it into a bundle and moved from room to room never exactly finding my vision for it, but on the fringe of the holiday season and knowing sticky fingers would soon head toward my glass table I finally gave it a home.

It cost me all of something like $2.25 a yard. It was not quite wide enough to reach the edges of my table so it almost looks like a really wide runner, which is fine, it still works. I left about eight to ten inches draped off either side. Since it was going on the table...with food...I cleaned it first. Also, it was pretty wrinkled after the dryer so I did need to iron it. For a less than $6.00 runner/table cloth that complements the pops of orange very nicely, I think the burlap was well worth the purchase in the end.  

If you want to give burlap a try in place of a traditional table cloth for your Thanksgiving meal this year consider a couple things: 

First, if you buy a few yards of the burlap and your holiday party becomes a bit more wild than expected instead of trying to scrub red wine out of an inexpensive couple yards of burlap try reusing it in your garden to hold in the soil moisture and control wash away or protect your plants form freezes, snow, ice and windburn. Second, use some shiny repeating pops of colors like the orange chargers and the orange bow on the vase. The heavy contrast of the black to the light colored burlap gives the whole table a sharper, more modern look. Just be careful not to add too many rugged touches in addition to the burlap because it could become too severely rustic. 

Happy Thanksgiving!



Friday, November 2, 2012

You Are What You Wear...so dress accordingly

Before you make assumptions that I am telling you to fill your closet with clothing you cannot afford let me explain the title. I am referring to "enclothed cognition" or the effects of clothing on psychological processes. 

I vaguely remember having classes on the psychology of fashion and consumer buying habits in school so in preparation of my line I decided to do a little refresher research. When I stumbled upon enclothed cognition I was intrigued enough with the idea that I thought I should share it with all of you. There had been many studies from the 1970's-1990's about the psychology of fashion in regards to your clothing affecting other people's perception of you, but more recently scientists wanted to know how your clothing causes you to view yourself and if your choice of dress could affect your cognitive ability. 

Since my area is fashion and my hobby interest is in science I will summarize the study and attach a link to a New York Times article that explains the research in more depth because the publishing journal is not available without subscription. The study gave two control groups the same white coat. One was told it was a doctor's coat and the other was told it was a painter's coat. Those wearing the lab coat showed increased performance on attention-related tasks versus the group believing they were wearing a painter's coat. It is thought that the brain's association of a doctor's lab coat to attentiveness and carefulness increase the wearer ability by changing their perception of themselves. 

Another article in Forbes I found very informative featured clinical psychologist Dr. Jennifer Baumgartner. Dr. Baumgartner authored the more informative book than my post, called: "You Are What You Wear: What Your Clothes Reveal about You."

My point, as a designer, is that our clothes affect our perception of ourselves and our perception of others. They tell people "I am put together. I workout and take care of myself" or "This was in a pile on my floor this morning and I may eat that piece of pizza from that pizza box in that same pile tonight." What we now know is that although we may laugh off the stereo-types our clothes give off to others we need to make sure we are comfortable with whatever message we send out to the world because we internalize that person as who we are more than we realize.

Put on a happy color in a flattering fit and Voila! Instant mood boost!  

Friday, October 26, 2012

Some Thoughts on Skinny Jeans for Fall 2012

photo from sassymamahk.com
Skinny jeans are firmly planted, mid-cycle of their trendiness and available for every size and shape. The first point I would like to make is that unlike the bunchy socks of the 80's skinny jeans are NOT best worn with gathered extra fabric at the ankles. By removing that bunching you create a more continual line. Many women fight this problem of off-the-rack pants being too long (and too short). However, with the average American woman somewhere in the 5'4" range I would bet there are more bunchy jeans than we would like to admit. Quite possibly the best part about a skinny jean (or any legging-like pant) is that there is really no hemming required! So, yes, I am a designer, but that does not mean I like to sew. All you need to do is turn under the hem to the length that you need (as shown) to create a much better fitting pant.

I am kicking myself for not buying shiny gold-washed denim last year. I found some cute gold jeans close-out priced last spring and though there is no way this trend will make it another year, but I was wrong. Oddly enough, metallics are not only forecasted for this year but next fall too. 

I think we will see skinny jeans a few more fall/winter seasons. We will surely begin to see variations in their liquidity of fit on the leg and ankle. More importantly the focus is shifting from the shape to the fabric or print. Find a way to make the patterns work for you. If you are short look for a small repeating print, if you are heavy look for a print that draws your eye away from your hips, unless of course you carry weight in your ankles, if you are leggy (and I do not feel sorry for you one bit) look for a larger, heavier print. Same goes for colors. If you are bottom heavy wear your lighter color in your blouse and the reverse for top heaviness.

Anyone that lived through the Eighties, well, I hope you liked it the first time around. We will see the shirts get bigger, blousier, and boxier before we see the disappearance of skinny jeans and leggings. 

I hope I have provided a good guide for your informed jeans/legging purchases this year.    

   



Friday, October 19, 2012

A Golf Themed Birthday Pawty!


Although, is does not appear as a dog birthday pawty it is...the cake is for the humans and the pupcakes in the top right of the photo are for the dogs. I just love when I can have an event that humans and their furr-babies can enjoy together. Please remember pets deserve human grade ingredients, but not human food! There are many human foods and ingredients that are toxic to dogs. If you are unsure please see the ASPCA's toxic pet food list. 

Primarily I wanted to share the human cake idea. I stress bake for relaxation and fortunately it led to a pretty cute, themed cake. Since a forth birthday only comes around once it was my chance for a Fore! theme. 

I made two plain white 10" round cakes and stacked them together with a layer of creme cheese, buttercream icing and condensed raspberry jam mixed together. The buttercream icing was tinted light and dark green, tan, and blue with food coloring. I thoroughly washed a bag of my husbands golf tees and lightly pressed them in the sand colored icing all the way around the cake. For the green I built up a layer of dark green and smoothed it with an icing spatula. Next, I had some trouble with my icing bag ripping at the pressure caused by the tip I typically use to create grass. So I took the spatula and laid it in the light green icing then gently with a scooping motion lifted up. The golf ball is a small ball of icing and the flag is a tooth pick with a folded piece of paper. Apparently golf holes are not black, so says my husband after the fact. Regardless, I pushed a hole down into the icing and filled it with some edible glitter. 

Voila! Quite simple really, to turn out so cute!
  

Saturday, October 13, 2012

No Posts? Where have I been?

photo from babettevintage.tumblr.com

I have some explaining to do...As you have noticed, (that is, if you have not given up on me posting anything new) I have been a bit absent from my blog, but quite the contrary from fashion. So you say, if you have been so busy with fashion why are you not sharing important fashion scoop? Well, because I have been working on what will be trending a year or more in advance.

Over the past year I have been making baby steps toward returning to the design world. I have traveled across the USA, learned valuable information they don't teach in design school and finally found myself nearing the end of this leg of my journey. I have found some capable factories and the time to make my decision is quickly approaching. My dream of creating my own women's line is emerging into reality. 

Please forgive my absence. I will post as I can. I could tell you all about Fall/Winter 2013-14, but what good would that do? I know I would probably forget that sort of information if it was not my business.

Friday, September 21, 2012

Return of the Pointy Toe!

Dun, Dun, Duuun...(click it, it's fun!) Return of the pointy toes! 

Dun, Dun, Duuun...Return of the pointy toe heels! Just as our feet have reformed into a normal looking silhouette. Yes, sorry to be the bearer of bad news. If it makes you feel better I have even heard the disappointed sigh of uhhhh, at fashion events from fashion people at this news. Although, I have actually heard at least one person say, "Great, they fit my foot better." So, good for you (and your pediatrist). But the silver lining for the rest of us is that this does not necessarily mean the other toe styles are on their way out, just that pointy toes will be fighting for their position on the display racks. 

Really just be ready for about anything in heels for the next coming seasons...some wild stuff looks to be in the works: color, metals, and sky-high heels. For me, as a 5'2" designer, well, 
I'm pretty excited!

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Fashion's Night Out


Fashion's Night Out is happening Thursday, September, 6th all over the world and probably closer to you than you even realize! This is a night participating stores stay open late, may have guest appearances by various people in the fashion world, support charities, and offer limited-editions.

Check out your favorite mall stores and boutiques for upcoming special events. You can view many registered stores on the Fashion's Night Out website events page.

If you are in Oklahoma City Ruth Meyers is featuring a Nicole Miller trunk show that evening. Which I am sure will be a lot of fun!