Posts

Overalls on the Senate Floor: A True Crime

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 This past month Missouri senator Mike Moon was punished for wearing overalls on the senate floor. While this might not seem like a true fashion issue, it really is. Before we get into the fashion, Moon is not one to shy away from controversy. In the past he videotaped himself gutting a chicken to prove a political point, and filibustered to stop administrative tasks from moving forward. Mike Moon in his Overall "Suit" So let's look at the fashion. This past month Moon wore overalls while in a heated debate within the Republican caucus over rezoning. While there is no formal rule related to dress code, it is expected that senators dress professionally, and apparently overalls don't fit the bill. As a punishment he was removed from a number of committees, which are used to influence legislation, until he apologizes for what he did. Moon's response was that he did not violate any rule, and that removing him from the committees was more than just limiting one voice,

Haute Couture: Fashion's Exclusive Club

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In the fashion industry today, many terms are overused. One in particular is the word “couture”, or “haute couture”. Translated to English, “haute couture” means high dressmaking, with haute being French for high, and “couture” being French for dressmaking. Worldwide, this style of fashion only has around 4,000 clients, due to its exclusivity, and high prices.  In the industry, this is one of the highest levels of fashion, and is difficult to attain. In order to be considered ““couture”,” companies have to apply to the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode, which is essentially the governing body of “couture”. While this seems simple, applications are invite only, and undergo a strict vetting process. So how can a company be considered “couture”? Well, in order to be awarded the status by the Ministry of Industry, there are strict rules. The first rule of “haute couture” is a company must create made-to-order garments. In each of these collections, a company must present at leas

Fast Fashion: Killing the Environment, One Shirt at a Time

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It is without question that the fashion industry is a major contributor to the world's pollution problem. A major reason for this issue is today's obsession with "fast fashion." "Fast fashion" refers to methods of rapidly producing large quantities of clothing. In recent years, a large uptick in "fast fashion" can be attributed to the rate at which trends change. In the past, trends were dictated by magazines that came out once a month, and even still, trends didn't change at the same rate. In today's world, trends change faster than ever. With the emergence of social media, and "influencers" trends have been changing at an astronomical level. This, coupled with an increase in consumerism, has made "fast fashion" ramp up its production to a level we have never seen before. So, with this major increase in production, there have been many increases in the world's pollution. One of the major issues in production is the

Nigo: Kenzo's New Man

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  With Fall 2022 shows starting up, we are bound to see some incredible clothing. So far, perhaps more incredible was the crowd at the Kenzo show in Paris. In his first show with the brand, Nigo managed to attract some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry. From classics like Kanye and Pharrell, to the new crop, like J Balvin, Gunna, and Tyler the Creator, this was one of the most celebrity studded crowds in recent years.  What some people may not know is that Kenzo’s new artistic director, Nigo, has a foothold in the streetwear, and celebrity fashion scene. The Japanese born designer originally founded BAPE, a street wear company, in 1993. The label had become synonymous with celebrities throughout its time. Some of the more prominent wearers of the brand include Kanye West, Lil Wayne and perhaps one of their biggest supporters, Pharrell. BAPE was a streetwear brand that focused on the community’s love of logo heavy clothing, with bright colors, and the company’s branding

My Fashion Journey: An Introduction to Crime of Fashion

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  Hello Everyone! As long as I can remember I have been drawn to clothing. Growing up, I was one of few people who I knew that cared about what they wore, not in a sense of what brands I had on, but whether or not what I had on matched. At the time, I was concerned about looking put together and presentable, because it made me feel more comfortable. Other boys my age simply wore what I would describe as “whatever was on top”, meaning they simply grabbed the first items they say in their drawer and left for school. Then, and still, I couldn’t understand why people did this, and I always prided myself on looking like I cared.  Now fashion is beginning to consume me. What was once simply about styling myself and others has become an obsessive pursuit of information and exploration of what the fashion industry is, and what it can become. For so long, my free time was spent watching sports and playing video games, however now I find myself watching runway shows, and getting excited about di