Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Top 6 Results Show: Lady Antebellum Takes the Stage
Top 6 Results Show: Sons of Sylvia Rock the House
Top 6 Results Show: The Bottom Three Is Revealed
9:12 Ryan shows video of Idols meeting the director of “Shrek Forever After”…Ryan is in the movie…They’re doing voices to Ryan’s scene…Then they go to the special screening with Eddie Murphy, Ryan and Antonio Banderas…
9:15 Cameron Diaz and Antonio Banderas join Ryan on the stage…They tell Ryan he is the best host in the world…Antonio tells them to dim the lights…Ryan is doing three groups of two. I LOVE IT!!!...Siobhan stands…She goes to the far end of the stage…
9:17 Aaron…To the center…Big Mike stands…He goes closest to Ryan…Now it gets interesting…
9:19 Lee…Goes with Siobhan. I’m guessing that means Siobhan is safe. BOO HISS…Casey…With Big Mike. Hmmm…Crystal…Ryan asks Ellen if Crystal’s in danger. Ellen says she doesn’t think America is that fickle. I wouldn’t be so sure, Ellen. I think he’s hinting something…She joins Aaron…Mike & Casey, Aaron and Crystal, Lee & Siobhan…Ryan takes Siobhan over to Mike and Casey…It’s the bottom three…WOO-HOO! Could she be going home? Please, please, please!!!...Break…
Okay, let’s take a moment. I predicted Mike would go home so that’s not a surprise. But Casey is a surprise. Apparently last night he expressed to the media that winning wasn’t all that important to him, but the voters didn’t know that so I’m not sure what the deal is there. I’m thinking that SURELY he’s the top of the bottom three right?
And how dirty was that when Ryan told Siobhan he was taking her to the couches, probably making her think she was safe. Nice one…
Top 6 Results Show: Rascal Flatts Kicks Us Off
And I’m not just talking about the combination of Lady Antebellum, Rascal Flatts and Shakira…
Let’s do this…
8:59 Dramatic Intro…That was actually kind of good… But no THIS? I hate that…Credits roll…
9:01 Ryan comes out from the back of the audience…33 million votes last night…Judges intro…
9:02 Ryan introduces Rascal Flatts…Kara is all excited…They’re doing “Unstoppable”…Does this mean no group number, please, please, please…I think there’s something off with the sound mix because something doesn’t sound quite right. They’re better than this…The judges give them a standing ovation—even Simon…Ryan plugs the tour…Ryan tells us that Rascal Flatts and Shakira are going to sing together. Gary tries to show Ryan some of the dance moves. Ryan says he can’t move like that because his “hips will lie.” This should be interesting…After the break…
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Fashion Designers
New York
The first stop we will be making on our journey through modern fashion is in the great city of New York. New York is considered the economic and true current media fashion capital of the world. The city has a longstanding tradition of excellence and creativity in design and is an important historical center of artistic fashion design for many years.
Vera Wang
Vera Wang is a very successful, New York City-native designer. Wang began her design career in 1989 with the opening of the Vera Wang Bridal House, designing a signature collection of streamlined and sophisticated bridal wear. Vera Wang launched a ready-to-wear (RTW) line in 
2004. Decorative, feminine, and artsy-intellectual, Wang favors the long and lean, with a keen interest in silhouette and a passion for the sheer and textural. Wang is perhaps best known for her romanticism. Whimsical and feminine without looking saccharine, luxurious materials get worked and finessed with a singular flourish. Wang’s designs are often adored for the sophistication and elegance that they are created with. This style may root from her many intensive years of training as a professional figure skater. She draws her exquisite perfections from the poise and beauty that an ice skater must posses. With a heavy interest in history, Wang looks to all sorts of outlets as inspiration. She has even admitted to analyzing history from czarist Russia to Ancient Rome as muses for her collections.
Michael Kors
Located at 11 W 42nd St in New York City resides the humble fashion headquarters of Long Island-born designer, Michael Kors. Kors received an education from the Fashion Institute of Technology and first set out to design clothes at the age of 19. He launched his first line of womenswear at high-end department stores in 1981. The vibe for his Fall 2010 collection portrays him as a minimalist. He uses a general palette of charcoal, camel, olive, and black. With such an easy-going palette, Kors strategically lets his creativity shine in the meticulous accents to the details in his pieces. For example, he would be known to pair a distressed jacket with a big, fur, collar. He is known for creating American sportswear with a chic and luxurious, but sensible aesthetic. In an attempt to translate fashion into “living the dream”, the company’s mission is to encompass every aspect of a luxurious and polished lifestyle. From a sporty day of tennis, to cocktails at the club, Kors designs for the ultimate sporty-chic pair. After years of designing, and many awards on his shelves, Kors remains a powerful brand in the American fashion landscape. Simply put in a 1996 review, The New 
York Times fashion critic Amy Spindler said of Kors: "Michael Kors is a designer with so much integrity in his work that it is wonderful when fashion comes back to the sort of simple, beautiful clothes he does so well."
Next on our American runway stop, let’s review the latest looks of Critic’s favorite, the established designer, Marc Jacobs. With an education from Parsons The New School for Design, Jacobs delved into his interest in fashion at a young age. Before opening his own brand in 2008, Jacobs had first begun designing at Perry Ellis after its founder had died. In 1997, he was appointed Creative Director at Louis Vuitton, where he created the company’s first ready-to-wear line. Marc Jacobs’s creativity and originality with runway looks has been said to “stun/delight/scare the fashion world, twice a year”. He draws references from unlikely sources, and always incorporates fluxus into his work. (Fluxus is an artistic movement, literally meaning, “to flow” in Latin. It capitalizes on experimental art, by blending different artistic medias and disciplines.) A look into Jacobs mind to find inspiration: “I like romantic allusions to the past: what the babysitter wore, what the art teacher wore, what I wore during my experimental days in fashion when I was going to the Mudd Club and wanted to be a New Wave kid or a punk kid but was really a poseur. It's the awkwardness of posing and feeling like I was in, but I never was in. Awkwardness gives me great comfort.” Jacob reflects his own life from his unique collections. He capitalizes on the awkwardness he felt growing up, and that awkwardness has now made him the coolest of kids.
Betsey Johnson
Quirky, whimsical, and full of life, the designs of Betsey Johnson always stand out in a crowd. Often times her designs are considered “over the top”. She graduated from Syracuse University and got her first push into the fashion world as an intern at Mademoiselle fashion magazine. Johnson is grouped with the 1970’s youth quake fashion movement and Andy Warhol’s underground scene. She began her own fashion line in 1978, her first collection was a great success and her second was not as fortunate. Her designs reflect inspiration tapping into a punk-Warholian aesthetic. These designs strongly portray both the “flirty” and “sassy” looks. Her 
eccentric nature, and outrageous designs truly contribute to the culture of American style, and set her apart from other designers, not to mention, they also make for great and exciting fashion shows.
Paris
The next stop on our tour to the fashion capitals of the world will be in the prestigious city, home to the Champs Elysees, Paris, France. Paris and London are considered the symbolic fashion centers of Europe and the world, due to their long standing histories as centers of art and fashion, and being home to several renowned fashion houses.
Christian Dior
When a fashionista hears the name, Christian Dior, they automatically are aware that high fashion, and high prices will be involved. However, another immediate assumption, or thought is that whatever the product is, it must be very elegant, well designed and luxurious. The influential French fashion designer began what would be an incredibly successful life in Granville, France in 1905. At the beginning of his fashion career, he made money by selling his sketches outside for about 10 cents each. After his schooling, he opened a small art gallery where he sold art by the likes of Pablo Picasso. In 1939, he was recruited into the military, and after leaving the army, Dior founded his own fashion house on October 8, 1946. His first clothing line was titled Corolle (meaning circlet of flower petals).
Dior's designs were more voluptuous than the boxy, fabric-conserving shapes of the recent 
World War II styles, influenced by the rations on fabric. Dior is remembered as a master of creating shapes and silhouettes. His designs employed bustier-style bodices, hip padding, and petticoats that made his dresses flare out from the waist giving his models a very curvaceous form. Some controversy arose when women protested the designs because the dresses covered up their legs. Due to the previous limitations on fabric from the wartime shortages, women were used to conserving fabric. Dior created designs with the hem of a skirt ending at the ankles, ignoring the fabric limitations, but the opposition ceased as the war ended. Dior’s designs and unique, inventive sense of style revolutionized women’s dress and reestablished Paris as the center of the fashion world after World War II. His designs will always remain greatly inspirational and appreciated amongst fashion designers.
Chanel
Another one of the finest and most legendary fashion designers that Paris is home to is Gabrielle Bonheur “Coco” Chanel. Chanel’s pursuit of expensive simplicity made her an important figure in 20th-century fashion. Her extraordinary influence on fashion led her to be the only person in the field to be names on Time 100: The Most Important People of the Century. When Coco opened her first small millinery shop in Paris in 1913, little did she know that she was laying the foundation for what would become the world’s most acclaimed fashion houses. With the outbreak of World War I the popularity of Chanel’s new kind of chic only grew. Women sought more comfortable garments to replace constrictive corsets. One of Chanel’s most iconic creations was the Chanel suit for women. She was revolutionizing the way women dressed, and as a reaction, women now had the opportunity to have a comfortable suit to work in, as simple as a man’s business suit. Chanel’s life began with humble beginnings in an orphanage. She faced much struggle, but that is possibly what makes her pieces so beautiful. The passion that she gained from the hard times that she faced only made her stronger, and her work more elegant and admired. As a fashion designer, Coco Chanel made great strides for
the progression of women in the 20th century, and for style. It is clear that she was one of the most important designers, because her influence is still relevant in fashion today.
London
Moving onto the final fashion capital we will discuss, for the purpose of one great fashion designer, London, and the work of Alexander McQueen. London, along with France and Milan is one of the powerhouses of fashion in Europe. It is home to many top designers and modeling agencies, and much business generated is influenced through media and fashion. It is the vibrant capital of the United Kingdom and is renowned for its unique art and antiques that are displayed in museums. Fashion statements and trends that are established in London eventually become followed all over the world.
Alexander McQueen
Alexander McQueen dropped out of school at age 16 to pursue a career in fashion design, 
learning tailoring on Savile Row and pattern making from costumiers Angels and Bermans. He showed his degree collection fresh out of the Central Saint Martins Masters program in 1994, which was bought in its entirety by style icon and fashion editor Isabella Blow . The label is known for its dramatic, gorgeously constructed pieces, combining elements of British tailoring with French couture. Signature looks included billowy dresses cut in hourglass silhouettes, frock coats paired with skinny pants, sharp, angular suiting, and darkly romantic gothic gowns covered in intricate embroidery and lace. In 2004, McQueen designed his first menswear collection and was named British Menswear Designer of the Year by the British Fashion Council. In January 2006, the brand launched McQ, a more affordable, denim-based ready-to-wear line including menswear, womenswear, and accessories. McQueen was always known for provoking his audience’s extreme emotional reactions. One season, his audience shed tears over his inhospitable venue, and then tears of joy from the beauty of his clothes. Tragically, McQueen continued this play with emotions until his very recent last day when was found dead in his London apartment in February 2010. The cause of death was suicide. His powerful work showed what great thoughts he must have had; unfortunately, these thoughts led him too far. There is much grievance in the fashion community over this event, but at least he left us with his groundbreaking collections and visions to look back on and remember him with.
Alexander McQueen's Spring 2010 Runway Show
One thing that all of these designers have in common is their great contributions to the development of fashion throughout the decades. All are inspirational, and all have influenced the casual trends that we purchase and claim as our own personal styles. Not only do they create apparel for us be clothed with, but they create statements with their series of collections. They’re powerful voice is heard when their designs are brought to life, walking down the runway. Each of these designers is unique in their own way, and they all differ from each other through elements such as purpose, concept, style, and even through the materials that they use.
“Fashion is a form of imitation and so of social equalization, but, paradoxically, in changing incessantly, it differentiates one time from another and one social stratum from another.” This quote is interprets role of fashion in society. It is inevitable for art to be some form of imitation, but that combined with originality creates the styles produced by such iconic designers. In the future, fashion trends will continue to change, but the present collections of our designers differentiate our generation now from all others in the past and future.
Trends In Accessories
Every designer interprets the new trends in their own way and incorporates that trend into their accessories using their unique style. Each designer has designed accessories that will be popular for the spring 2010 and has showed these new looks on the runway during Fashion Week.
Starting with the trends in shoes for the Spring 2010, designers have shown that several zippers and buckles, army style boots, studs, animal prints, and leather are all in for the spring season. The army style boots are being introduced early and are intended to be more of a trend for the summer, but designers have already shown their interest in putting out their shoes for this trend. The animal print trend includes prints such as tiger, zebra, leopard, and snakeskin. This trend is a very popular one that has been seen in not just shoes and has had a great impact on the spring 2010 designs.
Another very popular trend that is huge for the spring 2010 is the use of several zippers, buckles and straps for shoes. There are several designers such as Steve Madden, who have designed boots that go up to the knee and have one long colored zipper along the back. Jimmy Choo has taken this trend and made shoes that are very strappy and very high as well. Other designers have decided to just have one zipper or buckle, and have chosen from a variety of heel size. The style of the heel has also been part of a trend that is a really high heel or a very low, almost flat heel.
Color-block, has been a pattern that has been used by several designers in their shoes for the current season. The color-block pattern includes several different colors that are put together to present not only an attractive but fun type of shoe. The shoes shown below are examples of how this fad has been interpreted by designers to create a unique shoe of their own.
Jewelry follows, for the most part, similar trends as the other accessories but also creates its own for the spring of 2010. Flower prints are in right now for the spring as well as for the summer. The possibilities for creating clothing, shoes, etc. are endless when it comes to floral prints and it gives designers the opportunity to express themselves in a way that distinguishes them from others. With jewelry it is easy to get creative and the simplest idea can transform into one that stands out over others. Flower rings have become a well-liked piece of jewelry that can be found in small or really large flowers. The larger flower rings are a very bold look and can we worn on an everyday basis or for a night out with the girls. The flowers don’t stop with rings, and have made its way to earrings, necklaces and bracelets. Designers have created beautiful art through their jewelry and have constructed one of a kind pieces.
One of the other trends seen in jewelry are the two finger rings that range from simple architecture to much more complex designs. These rings go across two fingers and can simply be explained as two rings connected as one. The designs of these rings can be a word, a flower, a simple band etc. they are unique and as the months have passed by they have become more and more fashionable. After celebrity Lauren Conrad was seen wearing one on an episode of “The Hills” girls watching the show wanted one of their own and the trend of the two-finger ring has become a popular one.
There are several other pieces of jewelry and each one has its own trend that has been seen for the spring. For bracelets, thick bangles have become the new fad and these bangles follow the trends of accessories. The tribal print has been used for bangles and because they are thick it is easy to incorporate this pattern then it would be for a ring. Bracelets have also followed the trend of shoes using studs and have also been using silver for several pieces. These new bracelets have also come out where they are thick like bangles but tighter on the wrist and flat. They have different shapes, some being in the shape of flowers and others being flat with designs engraved in them. Plastic bangles have also become big and can be found in all different colors, plain or with a funky design
Bags are a huge and important part of the accessory department because they are necessary daily to pretty much carry our lives in a small compartment. The new styles for bags that are in for the spring are fringes, tribal print, animal prints, and leather. Messenger bags are also coming back and have become a wanted style in bags, as well as the straps of the bags being chains. The bags that have been developed incorporate the main trends in accessories as well as trends that can be found for clothing of the spring. The tribal pattern for example isn’t seen much throughout jewelry besides on bangles but in the bags department it is seen frequently this spring. Several designers have taken this print and created gorgeous unique looking bags that are a big hit. Just like the tribal pattern that is a fashion trend for not only accessories but for clothing as well, the animal print has become one that can be used through all of fashion. With the bags department more snakeskin has been seen than other animal prints. The snakeskin has been combined with leather by some designers to create a different looking bags than just one simple pattern, in a sense these designers use the color-block trend but with snakeskin and leather.
Hats and headbands have become a growing trend that started to become trendier recently with the fedora and flower headbands. Since last summer the fedora was in and was seen all over the fashion magazines. With the summer approaching soon the new styles of fedoras have been coming out with different styles than last years and have also seen other styles of hats being created. Another kind of hat that is now the new hot thing for the spring and summer 2010 is the Panama hat. It is similar to the fedora but has a flatter but longer rim around the hat. With these two hats out, the designers have taken it into their hands to create on of their own.
Headbands have been out for the past years but recently there has been a higher demand for them. The flower trend fits perfect into the headband category because they have become so popular and look great on a headband. Flower sizes range from small to large as with the rings and in all different colors. These headbands are fun to wear and can turn a simple outfit into one that stands out. Feathers on headbands are also a trend that is being seen more now as well and have been arranged differently to create several styles.
Sunglasses have now become an accessory that is necessary especially in the spring and summer with the sun being out more often. The print of sunglasses has followed the spring trends of animal prints. Leopard and tiger print can be found on sunglasses as well as the color-block trend. Neon colors has become a big trend as well and is seen so much through sunglasses. The style of the frame is also another trend that can be found for this accessory and of course has its own separate ones from that of the accessories department as a whole. Aviators, wayfarer, and big-framed glasses are what are in for the upcoming seasons of 2010. All these frames have been out before this year but it is the new patterns with these frames that make them the new trend for this year. Ray-ban has become one of the leading sellers of the wayfarers and after coming out with simple color ones last year; they have decided to take it to another level now and add bright colors to their glasses. One the recent demanded wayfarer’s are those with the bright bold color inside the frame and either black or another color on the outside. They have also taken the floral pattern trend into their hands and created sunglasses with these prints that are also in demand.
Aviators seem to never get old and instead of just that gold metal frame there have been all different kinds of colors along with plastic frames. These sunglasses are not seen with the floral print or color block but instead do have different color frames and lens. The combination of colors is what makes each pair unique and trendy. The plastic aviators have also become in several different colors and also fit into the big-framed trend because they are coming out bigger than the normal size aviator.
The newest trend to the sunglasses section is squared frames. These have been growing and were seen on the runway. They haven’t been seen as much but it is a trend that has potential to become popular this summer.
There are several different sections to accessories due to variety of items that it covers. Overall there are trends that can be found for the section as a whole and then those trends that fit only for a specific section. Each accessory has its unique style and thanks to the designer’s creative style, there are endless items that are created taken from one overall theme. The spring trends don’t end with the season and will be seen during the summer but of course those trends intended for the next season will be seen more. Designers will continue to develop new styles with these trends and will evolve the world of fashion as they have been for all these years.
So Who's Going Home?
I don’t know what Ryan will do, but my guess is there will be a bottom two. And I think that Crystal could be in it for the very first time. But will she go home? Man, do I hope not.
If I had my choice in who went home, I would go with Siobhan Magnus without a doubt. But if the audience listen to the judges instead of their own ears—or decide to team up with VotefortheWorst.com—Siobhan will stay. But as to who I think will go home? I’m going with Big Mike. But I really think Crystal could be in real trouble…
What do you guys think? Do you agree that Mama Sox may be in danger? And do you agree that the show should consider bringing Shania Twain back next year in some capacity?
Post a comment and let’s get this discussion started…