Behind the Scenes with Fashionista Jasmine Lockwood at the 2012 Purdue Fashion Show

The 2012 Purdue Fashion Show was held at Ross-Ade Pavilion on Saturday, March 24. I had the amazing opportunity to go behind the scenes and watch the models prepare themselves and get ready for their big moment. Jasmine Lockwood, a junior in apparel design, was nice enough to let me hang out and get the inside scoop on the fashion show. Her two models, Sarah Garvey and Megan Fraser, walked down the catwalk and modeled her fabulous outfits.

I had such a fun time getting to know all the models and designers back stage. I could have interviewed them all about their amazing designs, but one stood out the most to me. That was Jasmine’s designs. I was so intrigued by her unique designs and I wanted to know more. Jasmine took the time to tell me more about herself and describe her designs to me, take a look.

The audience sits there and watches the fabulous models walk down the runway, but they never get to see what happens behind stage. That is the fun part! Girls were running around like chickens with their heads cut off. I got to witness the models full of exciting and nervous emotions. As simple as it seems, not everything goes smoothly during fashion shows. Luckily I was there to assist Jasmine and help her get Sarah and Megan ready. Check out this video and watch the models prepare themselves before they walk down the runway.

After going behind the scenes, I have a new outlook on the Purdue Fashion Show. It was such a good experience to meet Jasmine and watch her as she perfected her outfits on the models. Last minute nips and tucks would have stressed me out, but she kept her cool and made sure the outfit fits just right. As for the models, I don’t think I would have been able to walk in front of all those people! Sarah and Megan did a fabulous job strutting their stuff down the catwalk. I wish I would have been able to see the entire event, but being behind stage was so much fun.

ACM Awards Fashion

I found more articles online about ACM fashion than the actual award results. That just goes to show you that fashion is a huge aspect of these events. The Washington Post has a great photo gallery of all the country artists and their fabulous gowns on the red carpet. TIME Entertainment has a great article on the Best and Worst Dressed celebrities at the ACM Awards. Check out The Star-Ledger NJ.com for ACM Awards 2012 fashion: Country meets Couture. For those of you who missed the 2012 ACM Awards last night, here is a little recap of the best dressed:

My opinion may be biased because I am a huge Taylor Swift fan, but I would most definitely vote her Best Dressed. I love the long sleek white dress that looks amazing with her blonde hair. As if she isn’t tall enough already, this gown makes her look very long and slimming. I’m loving her new bangs and straight luscious hair. She topped off the outfit with beautiful make-up, tastily done.

Although Reba had about 4 wardrobe changes, I loved her red sequin gown. I must say she looks fabulous for being age 57! The red sequin dress compliments her red hair and she looks radiant.

Jennifer Nettles of Sugarland was certainly one. Her neon pink Max Azria gown was light and flirty, and perfectly on trend with the bright hues emerging this season. I love this color on blondes. It’s such a pretty spring color and looks great, especially on her.

Miranda Lambert looked stunning in this gold gown. The Female Vocalist of the Year and Album of the Year winner glittered in a gold Randi Rahm halter. I love this dress on Miranda and I think it really compliments her figure.

H&M launching new retail chain in 2013

H&M is a great store for College Fashionistas. It is full of reasonably priced stylish clothing. I personally love H&M and a majority of my clothes are from there. I was catching up on the latest retail news this morning and I found an article on Yahoo! about H&M launching a new retail chain in 2013. Of course I had to read it! I am so excited about this!

After rumors emerged this week that H&M is planning its first luxury brand, the Swedish retailer confirmed March 29 that a new store chain will be launched in 2013. I’m not sure if this new store chain will be in our college budgets, but it will still be a great store! Following H&M’s famous designer team-ups with the likes of Versace and Marni, rumors emerged in Swedish newspaper Dagens Industri, this week that the chain is branching into the high end market. In its latest three month report, the store confirmed a new store chain will be launched in 2013, although details are still limited.

“We are making these long-term investments in order to build an even stronger H&M, so that we can give our customers an even broader offering going forward. We have many different projects in progress and already next year we will be launching a completely new store chain,” said H&M chief executive officer Karl-Johan Persson.

H&M is keeping tight lipped regarding further details such as the new chain’s name. “At the moment this is all the information we have available. We look forward to telling more at a later date,” H&M press officer Håcan Andersson told Relaxnews.

The Swedish retailer already owns higher price point high street label COS, and on April 12 H&M will launch its Exclusive Glamour Conscious Collection, which has been worn on the red carpet by the likes of Amanda Seyfried and Michelle Williams and is made using sustainable materials including organic cotton, hemp and recycled polyester.

Avicii Fashion

Avicii will be performing here at Purdue on April 25 at 7:30 p.m. in the Elliott Hall of Music. Avicii is a Swedish DJ, remixer, and record producer. He produces house and electronic music. After releasing popular songs such as ‘Levels’ and ‘Seek Bromance’ he gained more popularity throughout the United States and has continued touring around the world. He was ranked one of the Top 100 DJ’s in a list from DJ Magazine. photo

So the question is… What do I wear to an Avicii concert?

*Comfortable shoes (converse sneakers, gym shoes)

*Neon colors

*Shorts or a skirt (it will be hot!)

*Neon tank top or cut up shirt

*Fun jewelry

*Bright sunglasses                                                                     photo

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As for ticket information, general admission for the public is $45. Student tickets will be $42. Note that there are only 6 tickets per person. Tickets went on sale on March 23 at the Elliott Hall of Music and Stewart Center box office. For more information you can call 765-494-3933. Purdue Convocations will take care of other questions and you can contact them at convos@purdue.edu.

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Walk of Fashionista

Today in COM 497, my professor Jane Natt shared a humorous observation with me. She spotted a girl walking to class on campus wearing “workout shorts & heels.” I’m not sure what this girl was thinking, but I wish I could have witnessed it myself. No matter where you are or what time it is, workout shorts & heels are never a good match. If someone sees you wearing this they will most likely shout out “walk of shame!” Although it is not guaranteed that this girl spent the night with a guy the night before, it seems to be the most obvious guess.

Walk of shame definition: One usually wears either the clothes they went out in (skirt and heels) or the clothing of the person they slept with (large t-shirt and basketball shorts) the morning after.

No girl in their right mind would ever volunteer to do this “walk of shame.” Fashionistas on the other hand should always be prepared. I thought it would be interesting to get a guys point of view on this topic. Vinny Barraco is currently a senior at Purdue and a member of the Kappa Sigma fraternity. He witnesses “shackers” (aka girls that spend the night) doing the walk of shame very frequently.

Q: What do you think about girls wearing guys clothing and their heels from the night before?

A: I think it’s actually pretty hilarious, but very embarrassing. I must admit, guys actually sit and watch out their windows for shackers to walk by.

Q: If you saw a girl wearing “workout shorts & heels” on campus, what would you think?

A: I would automatically think she was walking home from the night before.

Q: What day of the week do you see the most shackers doing the “walk of shame?”

A: Definitely Friday morning. The girls try and leave around 8:00am before everyone wakes up for class.

Q: What is the most popular article of clothing for guys to lend out to a girl?

A: Basketball shorts. The girls like to keep their shirts and heels on, but for some reason they love to steal our shorts.

Q: How can a girl prepare herself to avoid this situation?

A: Guys that have girlfriends that stay over a lot will most likely drive them in the mornings. Some girls bring over “shacker bags” of clothes to wear home. If a guy doesn’t let you borrow his clothes or offer you a ride home, call your friends to pick you up and never talk to him again.

Hopefully all you Fashionistas will learn something from this interview and NEVER wear workout shorts or basketball shorts with heels! Even if you aren’t walking home from the night before, you will still look like a shacker. Prepare yourself with a change of outfit or rock the same outfit from last night. Keep those basketball shorts for the guys to wear, you are a Fashionista!

Fashionista Rain Boots

Although I am not a fan of rainy days, you can still be stylish in rain boots! While sitting inside on this rainy day, I found some pretty interesting rain boots that I would like to share with you. First let me start off with some history of the rain boot. Rain boots were originally created less than 200 years ago, in early 19th century England. Arthur Wellesley, the First Duke of Wellington, wore Hessian boots, which were tall, tasseled boots for men, brought to England by the Hessians. The popular Duke instructed his favorite shoe maker to modify the boots a bit, removing the fancy trim and making them a bit more form-fitting.

Designers get pretty crazy when it comes to rain boots. Anything goes! I wouldn’t be caught dead in some of these boots, but I get a kick out of looking at them! It is essential for college students to have a pair of rain boots so you can truck your way to class in those puddles. But, I don’t know if you can pull some of these crazy rain boots off at a school like Purdue.

Flower Boots     Cow Boots         Cowboy Boots        Umbrella Shoes       Penguin Boots       Rain Level Boots

Creative Ways for Spring Cleaning

It is officially that time of the year… Spring Cleaning Time!! I’m sure you are all starting to run out of space in those small dorm rooms or apartment closets, I know I am! That is why I dedicated my entire day to spring cleaning. This is an all day event Fashionistas, so be prepared to cancel your plans. There are many different ways to go about this difficult task. I suggest doing it the “creative” way because it makes it more fun.

First, take everything out of your closet and separate it by category. That doesn’t necessarily mean t-shirts, pants, dresses, accessories. You can sort them by color, event, date of purchase, whatever you want! Just make sure you organize everything before you get started or else you will find yourself buried under piles of clothes.

This is when you get creative! Perhaps you love the pattern of a blouse, just not the cut. Or a tear along the hem of your skirt has kept you from wearing it. Try repurposing these items into new, inspired creations. Learn how to take your old jeans and turn them into pillow cases! Take an old belt and make it the strap to a new purse. Don’t be afraid to cut an old dress and turn it into a new shirt. Reuse and Recycle old clothing so you don’t have to go shopping and spend money.

Don’t forget Keep, Donate or Repurpose: When trying to decide if an item should be kept, remember the two-year rule. If you haven’t worn an item in this long, chances are you won’t any time soon. Consider donating it instead. Seldom is a piece of apparel so damaged or outdated that it should simply be thrown away. Help out people in need by taking your items to a local donation center.

If you still don’t have enough room in that closet for all your spring clothes, I suggest putting your winter clothes in a vacuum bag. I don’t think you’ll be needing those bulky sweaters anymore! This isn’t that “creative,” but you can be creative by finding places to hide the bags. 

 

Vera Wang Cosmetics Line @ Kohl’s

I hope you all had a fabulous spring break! I just returned back to America and I am trying to catch up on all the fashion news! A whole week without the Internet was rough… but don’t worry, my blog posts are back!

After researching the latest deals and trends online, I came across an interesting article about the release of a new cosmetic line at Kohl’s. When I found out that it was VERA WANG I got super excited! I don’t own anything by Vera Wang, but I always imagine trying on her wedding dresses someday. Now all of us “College Fashionistas” can finally afford Vera Wang because her new cosmetics line won’t break our budget. Here is some information about the NEW SimplyVera Vera Wang cosmetics line:

* Designer Vera Wang recently announced she will be expanding her fast-growing product range by releasing a cosmetics line to be sold exclusively at Kohl’s.

* Wang — who already has a successful line of clothing at the department store — said the cosmetics line “completes [her] Kohl’s universe,” and will include products like illuminating concealer and lash enhancing serum.

* The line will include 74 products ranging in price from $16.50 to $39.50.

* The collection launches in Kohl’s stores and online starting next month.

Four Fabulous Fashionista Colors for Spring Break

Happy spring break everyone! I leave for Puerto Vallarta tomorrow, so unfortunately this will be my last blog post until I return on March 19th! For most of you, spring break has probably already started. I have been in the “sunshine relaxing mindset” all week! It’s hard to focus on school when all I want is a tropical drink in my hand while I soak up the sun on the beach. Before you depart from Purdue, double check your suitcase and make sure you brought at least two of these Four Fabulous Fashionista Colors with you on spring break! It’s all about the color! Check out Pantone: fashion color report Spring 2012, and take a color survey.

Coral: (pinkish-orange) This color looks great with a tan! It’s a fun spring break color because it boosts your tan. Something about the combination of pink and orange can make you look tanner. I’m not talking about the “snooki orange” tan, I’m talking about the beautiful bronze. picture

Turquoise: (blueish light green) Not only is this the color of the ocean, but it’s also a great color for accessories. Turquoise can be combined with multiple colors and still look fabulous. It stands out and completes the outfit! picture

Tangerine: (orange) This color has a lot of flavor! Looks just like the fruit, you want to eat it! It is different from Coral because it is brighter. This color is so fun and great for the sun! It will even match the tropical drink  in your hand! picture

        BlueViolet: (blueish-purple) They say purple is the color of royalty… wear this color and you will be the spring break queen! Don’t worry about wearing darker colors on spring break, blue violet is a brighter version of purple. Blue violet is a great color to wear out to dinner on the beach. picture

fun.k Fashionista

Spring break is just three days away! Are you done swimsuit shopping? When I’m on vacation, I spend a majority of the time in my swimsuit. Essentially, the swimsuit is the most important article of clothing you must pack for spring break. There are many places to shop online for swimsuits but it’s difficult because you are not able to try it on for size.  I have not found a store on campus that sells swimsuits; if you know somewhere please let me know! Wouldn’t be nice if someone could just design and make a swimsuit specifically for you?

I know what you’re thinking… Where would I find someone at Purdue to do this?

Krystal Anaya is here to solve all your “spring break swimsuit problems!” Krystal is a senior at Purdue studying retail management. She is originally from Newport Beach, California. She started her swimsuit company “fun.k” in July of 2009. All of her swimsuits are handmade and unique in their own “fun.k=funky” kind of way. Krystal recently attended the CSR Career Conference here at Purdue to display her swimsuit collection and talk about her company. She makes all different types and styles of swimsuits, including children’s swimwear.

Anyone can order a swimsuit by simply e-mailing her at kanaya@purdue.edu or visiting the fun.k Facebook page. She will be making many swimsuits this week, so put your order in before it’s too late! Krystal will continue to design and create swimsuits on campus until she graduates in May. Schedule an appointment to meet with her and get your very own fun.k swimsuit! Listen to what Krystal has to say about fun.k swimwear this week.

After I talked to Krystal, I thought it would be entertaining to watch her make a swimsuit in action. She brought all her supplies to my apartment, and we turned my kitchen table into her working space. It took her about 2 hours from start to finish, (which is conveniently equivalent to one episode of The Bachelor!)

I am now lucky enough to be a proud owner of my very own fun.k swimsuit! The process was simple:

• First, Krystal took down all my measurements by using a tape measure.
• I described the style of swimsuit I was looking for (it is much easier if you print off some pictures.)
• She showed me a selection of many different colors and printed fabrics to choose from.
• Krystal began to sew away!
• Every now and then she would have me try on the swimsuit for size adjustments.
• After adding a few final touches… the swimsuit was complete and fit perfectly!