*The following article was written by Midwest Fashion Week contributor, Ronda Bowen.
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Men’s Fall 2021 Fashion Trends
The human figure comes in all sorts of shapes and sizes – curvy, tall, thin, muscular, short – and more designers are creating fashion that everyone can enjoy – no matter their size. Not only is this important for boosting self-esteem and body positivity, but it also helps our society to get away from the toxic diet culture, which has long been associated with the fashion industry.
One of the difficulties in identifying brands that are truly size inclusive is that the definition of size-inclusion can depend heavily upon who you are talking to. For example, one designer may believe that their line is size-inclusive, but those who would like to wear the brand may say otherwise. While there is somewhat...
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For a little while now, we’ve been seeing the 90’s trend pop up everywhere in fashion, and this season’s trends for men are no different. Depending on your age, you may recognize a lot of these, and may even feel some stirrings of nostalgia as a result! That said, there are ways to make them work for the moment in a fresh and modern way, without being too “old news”. Let’s take a look at what’s hot this season!
Florals
Tom Ford / WWD
Florals are definitely in this season for menswear. The bolder the better! Look for neon details, but to avoid that costumed look, don’t go overboard. The florals that are hottest this season are the larger,...
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Geir Ness has built his fragrance company around the environment that so inspired him while growing up – the mountains near Oslo, Norway. Following his work with large fragrance companies, he returned to his homeland and began a new journey – creating fragrances that brought the scents of his childhood to others. Geir kindly agreed to answer some questions about his role in the fragrance industry, his accomplishments, and where he sees the future of fragrance heading. Here’s what he had to say!
How did you first get involved with fragrance creation?
I was doing some freelance work to promote several international fragrances and customers asked me where I was from. When I told them that I was from Norway, they all wanted...
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The weather is warming up, and we’re finding ourselves happily switching coats for jackets, and wool slacks for lighter garments. So, what should you pick up the next time you’re shopping for new items? Here’s a quick list of the spring 2021 trends that you should indulge in.
Spoiler: A lot of these were popular in the mid-1990s…
Oversized Denim
Victoria Beckham / Source: PopSugar
Wide-legs, high rise, baggy – oversized denim is back. Full-length oversized denim looks best when paired with a heel, and cropped length can be worn with cute flats. To offset the oversized shape on bottom, they are best paired with fitted tops and blazers. Stylist tip: Baggy denim is great, but make sure it fits...
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The leather industry has gotten a bad rap for sustainability and has been proven to have a negative impact on our environment. But what if having a new leather bag didn’t have to mean choosing between pleather, vegan leather, or supporting unsustainable farming practices? You may remember this post we did a while back on Pinatex®, a leather alternative made from pineapple leaf fibers, but today we're talking about another alternative—mycelium. MycoWorks has set out to create a replacement for leather made from animal hides with their mycelium-based mushroom leather. This sustainable leather alternative promises to solve the problems of synthetic alternatives. This is great news, as leather from livestock has a huge negative ecological footprint.
Why Search for Another Leather Alternative?
Not only...
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An Interview with D’angelo Thompson, Makeup Artist and Author
D’angelo Thompson is grateful for all he’s accomplished—and he’s come a long way since his family uprooted their southern life and moved to Chicago when he was in his early teens. He is now the author of A 100 Days of Gratitude, Enhanced Beauty, Enhanced Beauty for Teens, and Enhanced Beauty: Men’s Grooming. He is also a Daytime Emmy Award-Winning Hairstylist (2010-2011) and Daytime Emmy-Nominated for Hair and Make-Up (2009-2010/2010-2011). Recently, we had a chance to ask the accomplished entrepreneur a few questions. Let’s dive in!
You're a make-up artist and groomer. Can you talk about how you got started in your career?
I always dabbled with and practiced makeup and hair on my younger sister,...
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If you’re getting out this winter, you’ll need to keep warm. Here are the key trends you’ll want to sport, whether you’re just taking walks around your neighborhood, or heading into work.
Fringe Details
Gabriela Hearst
From moto jackets to denim jackets, it is all about fringe this winter. Remember, with fringe, a little bit goes a long way. To avoid looking like you just stepped out of a rodeo, make sure to keep the fringe in the details. This is one trend that can become too much, too quickly.
Double-Breasted Jackets and Coats
Yohji Yamamoto
Classics are definitely in, and the double-breasted jacket is no different. If you can, consider a splurge on a classic brand like...
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This fall and winter, don’t be left in the dark. Even though many of us are still staying home and social distancing, it’s no reason to forgo fashion. This year’s fall footwear makes statements. Think chunky heels, over-the-knee boots, and details with some serious pizazz. Want to know what pieces you should add to your shoe closet? Read on.
Tight Over-the-Knee Boots
Over-the-knee boots have made a huge comeback this season. While some of the over-the-knee styles are slouchy, most are tight. Especially popular this season are the over the knee sock boots. These boots with stretchy material are both warm and fit a variety of calf sizes comfortably.
Chunky Soles
2020 has certainly been bringing a lot of fashion inspiration out of the...
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With an increase in wildfires in the west and severe storms in the east and south, it’s important to talk about sustainability. Historically, fashion has been a particularly wasteful industry – especially when it comes to following ever-changing trends. Many fast fashion producers design pieces to last for only one season’s worth of wear, with the expectation that the item will be discarded. There are several problems with this – one being that it adds unimaginable amounts of waste and chemicals to our landfills, waterways, and environment.
While sites like Poshmark and ThreadUp are growing in popularity, fashion brands and designers are looking for ways to make their fashion more sustainable. Here’s a list of the Midwestern designers and fashion brands...
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Soon, we’ll be having the last campfires of the season, the last trips out in the kayak, and we’ll be moving back indoors. As things cool down outside, things are heating up on the runways as men’s fall fashion is popping up in stores and online. Here are the pieces you need to have in your closet to keep the summer heat turned up through the fall and into the winter.
Fuchsia and Red
Source: Stylecaster
Fuchsia might be an unexpected fall color, but it’s fabulous. Red is also big this season. If you want to really be on-trend, go head-to-toe in these attention-grabbing colors. If you’re feeling like head-to-toe pink or red is too much, invest in a...
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As the summer days start to wane, and we move into crisp morning breezes, we’re all starting to get antsy for pumpkin spice lattes, transition outfits, and evenings spent taking in the cooler air. Naturally, that means it’s also time for my personal favorite item to come in the mail – the September edition of Vogue. While many of us are still spending the bulk of our days working from home, it’s still good to keep up with fashion and what’s “in” – if only for the sake of our own mental health.
We’re starting to see the 80’s and 90’s trends of seasons past die down, and style this coming season is once again more eclectic...
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Why settle for a plain blue mask when you could have a fabulous designer mask? That’s the question many fashion designers have been asking. From 2021 prom dresses that will have matching masks to masks complete with satin and ruffles, designers know that for the foreseeable future, the right mask will be the perfect finishing piece for your outfits. Here are some of the designers we’re watching.
Tokyo Twiggy
Source: Tokyo Twiggy Instagram
Tokyo Twiggy is an Indianapolis-based fashion designer. Her mask designs, all made from custom textiles, are colorful and fun–plus, they’re reversible! All of her masks are machine washable and come up over the nose as well as cover the chin, making them as safe as possible....
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In part one of our Black Fashion Designers You Need to Know series, we met some amazing fashion designers you may not have previously heard of. From Berny Martin at Catou to Akosua Afriyie-Kumi with AAKS and from Carlie Cushnie to Fe Noel, these fashion designers are bringing the heat to both the runway and print. Now, it’s time to continue our list of the black fashion designers you should know–let’s dive in!
Laquan Smith
Laquan Smith started his brand in 2013 when he was just 21 years old. He learned patternmaking and sewing from his grandmother and developed a passion for design. Laquan Smith loves glamour and he creates garments with an amazing attention to detail from his studio in Long...
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You’ve added new books to your “to read” list. You’ve added social activism tasks to your “must-do” list. You’ve learned the names of all of the black representatives in your state. Now, it’s time to get familiar with the black designers who will have you looking fabulous the next time you’re ready to dress to impress.
Ade Hassan
Ade Hassan launched lingerie and hosiery company, Nubian Skin, in 2014. She wanted to fill a need for women with darker skin to have lingerie and hosiery with four skin tones to help women find their own “nude” color to wear under other garments.
Akosua Afriyie-Kumi
Akosua Afriyie-Kumi founded AAKS to share weaving techniques from Ghana with the world at large, while also creating a sustainable...
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I’m not even the least bit ashamed to admit that most of my fashion over the past three months has been with comfort in mind. In fact, between you and me, yesterday was the first time I’d left my home in those said months, and it was for a doctor appointment. While I’ve bought some new clothes, its been garments that are much more attuned to gardening and outdoor adventures with kids than my usual garb. I can’t be the only one with heels on timeout, and with boutiques largely still closed to the public, one has to ask: What have been the effects of COVID-19 on the fashion industry?
Boutiques Have Gone Online and into Exclusive Facebook Groups
Many of the...
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Accessories are the frosting to your outfit. They can switch something from a casual look to something more formal and polished. What should you consider adding to your accessories closet as we round out spring and move into summer? Here are some of the top items you should look for.
Face Masks
Image Source: Hollywood Reporter
Face masks are here for the foreseeable, but you don’t have to settle for humdrum when making a statement that you care for others’ well-being. Matching your mask to your outfit or to the occasion is becoming more common. Dressing up for an anniversary date outdoors? Why not sport a mask made from faux-glitter cotton? Heading to a park for a quite picnic...
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A lot of people aren’t just spring cleaning, they’re quarantine cleaning. If you find yourself among them, then you might be looking at an overstuffed closet wondering which pieces you should keep, which pieces you should store, and which pieces you should let go. Here’s a guide to help you make those tough decisions – especially helpful if you’ve been experiencing a bad case of decision fatigue.
What to Let Go
Letting go of things – especially if we’ve had them for a long time – can be difficult. I’m a big fan of starting with the hard things first. As you’re sorting through things, here’s a list of things to repurpose, recycle, sell or donate:
Anything you haven’t worn in the...
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Whether you create the tie-dyed garments on your own or you purchase them, tie dye is having a moment again. After receiving attention on the latest season of Project Runway, many fashionistas are stocking up on garments that have received this fabric treatment. Before you deck yourself out in head-to-toe starburst designs, it’s important to consider how best to wear your new tie-dyed garment. Here are tips on how to best style tie dye and avoid looking like you’re wearing a costume.
Accessorize with Tie Dye
When you don’t want to make too big of a splash, or if your office is more formal than most tie dye garments, consider accessorizing with tie dye. A cute tie dye tote or fun tie...
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Last time, we talked about the trends for women that we’ll see this spring. Now, it’s time to talk about men’s spring wardrobe trends. If you’re ready to start rocking the looks that say, “warmer days are on their way,” then you’ll want to take a look at these 2020 men’s spring wardrobe trends.
Utility
Photo: GQ
What’s better than a couple of pockets? Lots of pockets. The more pockets the better – and not just in terms of having room to stash items. We’re seeing lots of utility pieces – mainly jackets – coming down the runway this season. Not only is a good utility jacket a fashion statement, it’s a practical wardrobe piece.
Open Collars
...
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Despite the snow on the ground in some areas of the Midwest, spring is just around the corner. So put your puffer jacket and velvet details to the side for a minute and get ready to talk about what’s coming around the corner.
Crochet
Photo: Filippo Fior/GettyImages
Crochet details are heating up the runways and print spreads as we head into spring. To make the crochet-trend workable, consider a crochet sweater over a cute camisole, crochet cardigan, or even crocheted hem on a skirt.
Leather/Vegan Leather
Versace/GettyImages
Leather and vegan leather are showing up everywhere – from floor-length trenches to dresses made of the material. If you’d like to work this trend into your spring wardrobe, consider a...
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While many are still talking about the best and worst dressed stars gracing the 2020 Oscars red carpet, there’s room for a tangential discussion: trends in eveningwear. While few of us in the Midwest will wear a gown like Sandra Oh’s to galas and other black-tie events, we can still take inspiration from the event to use when selecting – or commissioning – our own gowns.
Sequins and Beading Bring the Bling
From Scarlett Johansson’s Oscar de la Renta gown to Brie Larson in Celine, the Oscars red carpet was filled with shimmer and shine. When it comes to sequins and beaded details, it’s most successful when the dress shape is more traditional – the more beads or sequins on the dress,...
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