Tags: Clothes, Fashion, dressed,
Teaser: Northwest cities in the top 10 for fashion designers, said The Atlantic.
Headline: The look of luxury: Wearing the right clothes
While some people — like Clint Kelly from TLC’s What Not to Wear — make it look
effortless, everyone knows fashion takes a lot of hard work. Not convinced? Watch
this video on the making of Dior Couture.
Anna Cohen, Portland designer, emphasizes sustainability in her designs. She strives
to balance people, their surroundings and their relationship to the world.
“Fashion is a snapshot of whatever is of value in a culture in any given time,” Cohen
said, as quoted in The Oregonian. “Even if you’d rather not think about fashion, when
you dress, you’re making a statement.”
Northwest cities may not be recognized globally as fashion trendsetters, but they
are among the top U.S. cities for fashion designers, ranking six and eight,
respectively, according to The Atlantic.
And, who cares what GQ magazine says in its list of worst-dressed cities. Who
doesn’t appreciate a little personality? (But maybe stay away from the flannel if you
can.)
“Traditionally, for something to be luxurious, it had to be made of the highest quality
with attention to every detail…Today, [it’s] having more time to enjoy life,” Tom
Ford said. Ford has been designing for 20 years, first, at Gucci where he helped
create “the look.” Now, he creates more personal designs at his exclusive Tom Ford
brand.
Open your closet. Does your look exude personality and confidence?
1. Always be comfortable, but not without style. (Put away the raincoat when
the sun’s out.)
2. Pair sheer, lacy layers with different textures. (Say no to plaid patterns — at
least sometimes.)
3. Use leather to dress down your little black dress. (Or perhaps, as the skirt.)
4. Combine pale or nude hues with a pop of color like sunshine or curry. (Gray
and black aren’t everything.)
5. Opt for sleek jeans, loafers and a nice blazer, men. (Ditch those Nikes and
hoodies for a change of pace.)
What’s summer without a new pair of sandals? It’s the time to put away your boots
and let your toes roam free. Find the perfect pair with this slideshow. No matter
what the season, layers never go out of style in the Pacific Northwest, but this year’s
trends embrace contrasting textures.
On a visit from New York City to do research for his show, Kelly dubbed Seattle
“casual to a fault” and PDX as having “some of the worst-dressed people I’ve seen in
my life.” Take him with a grain of salt, though, since his success is based on his
ability to repair fashion emergencies.
Contrary to popular opinion, fashion isn’t just for women. The shoes make the man,
or so they say. For those times when you need to leave behind your Tevas for
something a little more haute, try a Croc Moccasin or one of these other shoes
recommended by Caitlyn Chase. And, local stores like Nordstrom and Blackbird
have a reputation as hot spots for dressing fashion-forward men. GQ even noticed!
Want to make sure you’re up to date on the hottest in Northwest fashion, read one
of these blogs from Seattle fashion experts. Designer Sydney Chavez blogs here
when she’s not shopping at Seattle boutiques.
Michelle Lesniak Franklin is the fourth designer from Portland to win on Lifetime’s
Project Runway. (Take that, Clint Kelly!) Her brand, Au, is the symbol for gold on the
periodic table of elements, and signifies strength, warmth, optimism, balance and
intelligence.
Luly Yang is a couture designer from Seattle, specializing in occasions. She has a
passion for helping people become the best version of themselves. Yang said, “Good
design is about…being surrounded by beautiful things…This, in turn, encourages us
to live better and be better.” And, who doesn’t want that?