Stylert Blog

Sunglasses trends for the summer 2012 are coming in many different styles, vibrant plastics and a variety of shapes to match your mood. Whether you are looking for, a casual dynamic style, a Hollywood icon look or a timeless geek chic there plenty styles to choose from.

Sunglasses are an essential for both men and women, whether you go for, they can enhance any type of clothing items you wear. Be mindful of the shape of your face and what types of sunglasses are the best for you.

Rectangular Sunglasses

Rectangular sunglasses are the glasses that are of rectangular shape. After many years these glasses are back on the scene. By re-creating the original 1952 classic style details and bright Chanel Classic colors give them these iconic Hollywood chic. Rectangular sunglasses are predicted this trend to be in vogue in the year 2012 and 2013.

Round Sunglasses

Round sunglasses is one of biggest eyewear trend  for 2012. Designers such as Tom Ford, Armani, Gucci, Dior, Boss and others have brought the round shape to their latest collections. What is most interesting is that people seem to finally gotten the trend.

Cat Eye Sunglasses

Cat Eye Sunglasses are inspired by the 1950s and 60s and celebrate a comeback for this season. Audrey Hepburn wore them in the movie, ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Other Hollywood icons we remember wearing these cat eye sunglasses: Marilyn Monroe, Buddy Holly, and Barbara Windsor.

Colourful Plastic Sunglasses

Coloured sunglasses have been on the market for quite some time. Fashion trends do drive this style and the color palette covers an impressive spectrum. If you like colors go for a bold and choose a funky shape, or play it safe and go for simple style like Eva Longoria and Kylie Minogue. Use colour to express your style and personality.

Reflective Sunglasses

Reflective sunglasses are not only for sport fans. Reflective sunglasses add an instant refresh to your look for the season. Initially designed and manufactured for US Air Force Pilots, as well as becoming the go-to shades for police officers. Reflective sunglasses were seen on the catwalk at Anna Sui, Christian Dior, Emporio Armani, Prada, Dolce & Gabbana, Marc Jacobs, and Tory Burch.

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Vintage inspired one-piece swim suits and bikinis are the latest trends in swimwear. One of the hottest trends for the summer 2012 is the 50s-inspired pin up style. It’s little surprise, then, that pin up clothing, too, has become very trendy. Finding retro pin up swimwear is no longer a difficult task recognized designer are offering pin up style swimwear in their latest collections.

Pin up clothing, allows pin up culture fans to dress like their favorite glamour girls from the 1940s,’50s or ’60s. Women can find this season vintage garments like bikinis, evening dresses, swimwear.

The best pin up swimwear is also designed to fit women of any size or shape. You don’t have to be model thin to enjoy pin up swimwear. In fact, retro pin up clothing often looks best on women with real curves. Remember, the Petty Girls and the models of pin up artist Alberto Vargas were breathtaking, perfect and curvy.

Swim suits were originally made from basic wool or flannel until the 1940s and 1950s, when new swimwear materials were tested. Synthetic stretch yarn called Lastex and lined cotton grew popular and was incorporated into the new support designs, which included tummy control panels and bra cup boning for women that had been designed by the dwindling corset industry.

In the 1960s, Lycra and nylon came onto the scene, allowing more fit control and style. Mesh was sometimes incorporated into women’s swimsuit design in the form of cutouts in the side or midriff.

In the 1980s, swimwear fabric was made in spandex blends, metallic colors, animal print and glitter. Today, Lycra, nylon and spandex are still used in swimsuits. Composite fabrics of these types are created to make high technology drag-resistant swimwear for competition swimming.

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Retro hair styles from the 50’s and 60’s are coming back. Retro hairstyles are hot right now, from the 40s finger waves, the glamorous 60s chignons to the sleek and geometric Vidal Sassoon haircuts.

Retro and Vintage hair styles seem to be making a nice come back for 2012. From barrel curls, finger waves and chignons, these vintage-inspired hairstyles were seen all over runways this season, but with a modern twist. A sleek, feminine chignon was a perfect formal ’60s hairstyle. This new version of the chignon is a more loosely pinned ‘do and is classic and wearable for any occasion.

Vidal Sassoon known for his sleek, mod haircuts revolted the hair trends in the 60s. Vidal Sassoon helped women bid adieu to the curlers, wasting time under hood dryers.  Sassoon modernized the locks of the chicest and most beautiful women in the fashion and Hollywood realms; from creating Mia Farrow’s avant-garde pixie cut to bringing modern coiffure to the likes of Grace Coddington, Mary Quant, and Carol Channing, the “Messiah of Hair” popularized low-maintenance and cutting-edge styles.

Burlesque artist/model and actress Dita Von Teese often wears glamorous 40s finger waves to go with those ultra-feminine gowns. Musician Gwen Stefani has been seen in a number of 1940s hairstyles such as the reverse roll.

Another popular musician, Katy Perry , is wearing her black wavy medium length hair in sexy 1940s waves at the Grammy Awards and the MTV Video Music Awards.

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Jean-Paul Gaultier’s latest couture collection is inspired by the late Amy Winehouse. At the Paris Fashion Week show, Gaultier models walked the runway sporting beehive-style hair, excessive eyeliner and clothing similar to what Winehouse used to wear.

Fashion designers are taking Amy Winehouse’s style as an inspiration. Amy’s beehive and fashion style is one the most recognized of the decade. Her winged eyeliner, the bunch, the retro dress are the characteristics for the Amy Winehouse style.

The high fashion industry has taken such interest in her, entire collections from Jean-Paul Gaultier, Chanel and Vogue covers have been accredited to her as a source of inspiration. Supermodels including Adriana Lima and Isabeli Fontana have dressed and modeled as Amy in photo spreads.

In 2007, Karl Lagerfeld sent his models down the runway in beehive hairstyles, ” She’s a style icon.” said Lagerfeld in 2007. ” She’s not only a muse, she’s a genius and on the greatest voices.

Amy Winehouse collaborated on a 17 piece fashion collection with the Fred Perry label. It was released for sale in October 2010. According to Fred Perry‘s marketing director “We had three major design meetings where she was closely involved in product style selection and the application of fabric, color and styling details,” and gave “crucial input on proportion, color and fit”.

The collection consists of “vintage-inspired looks including Capri pants, a bowling dress, a trench coat, pencil skirts, a longline argyle sweater and a pink-and-black checkerboard-printed collared shirt”.

At the behest her family three forthcoming collections up to and including autumn/winter 2012 that she had designed prior to her death will be released.

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Andrew Yang is a freelance fashion designer, illustrator, a photographer and the creator of the Kouklitas fashion dolls. The Kouklitas dolls are meticulously hand crafted, hand painted, and created using luxurious fabrics and couture sewing methods.

The dolls wearing  recognizable designer outfits from Marc Jacobs, Gareth Pugh, Ann Demeulemeester, Prounza Schouler, Rodarte,Comme des Garcons,Alexander McQueen, Lanvin and Givenchy etc.

Andrew Yang who is a New- York based artist, who spent his childhood in Salt Lake City, Utah, where he grew up around his mother’s collection of Madame Alexander dolls.  He was very involved in theatre, and eventually started making costumes, which fuelled his passion for doll making, leading him to New York to study fashion.

He started to create his own collection of high-end fashion dolls. His hobby was put on hold when he moved to New York to pursue fashion, an industry he worked in as an assistant designer for several years. Longing for another creative outlet, Andrew created his first doll from scraps of muslin in the summer of 2008.

He calls his dolls ‘Kouklitas’ (the name originates for the Greek word ‘Koukla’ which means doll) and has created everything from one eye, Siamese to mermaid dolls. He creates each his dolls from muslin, couture fabrics and a real look like hair material. Each doll measures 27 inches in height, and has a unique, hand-painted face. Each doll tells a different story which is depending on the look of her eyes and her smile.

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Walter Van Beirendonck is an avant-garde Belgian fashion designer.  His unusual designs and color combinations are characteristic for his collections. His clothes are made of innovative high-tech fabrics combined with bright color combinations and bold graphics.

Walter Van Beirendonck was born in Belgium and he studied at the esteemed Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp.

While still studying, he was designing during the period 1977-1980 for Oke Sportswear. He spent the next few years after graduation doing free-lance sketching for Belgian fashion magazines.

In 1985, in London, a group of 6 fashion designers from Antwerp collectively presented their collections. They were known as The Antwerp Six. They included Anne Demeulemeester, Dries Van Noten, Martin Margiela, Josephus Thimister, Dirk Bikkembergs, and Walter Van Beirendonck. They all are now celebrated fashion designers.

Launching his first collection under his self-titled label in 1983, his big break came in 1987 where at the British Designer Show he presented as one part of the influential ‘Antwerp Six’. He launched his first collection « Sado » in 1983 and secured various collaborations. With his menswear collection of Spring-Summer 2006, Walter Van Beirendonck has made his success in Paris with creativity and modernity known as the Antwerp Six.

While designing for his own label, he also designed sportswear for the Rhinosaurus Rex line for Italian designer Gianfranco Ferre, untill 1992.

Walter Van Beirendonck also has designed for rock groups, including U-2‘s world tour. For 12 years, from 1984 to 1996, Walter was also a teacher at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp.

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The French designer Christian Lacroix, known as the “man with the magic paintbrush”, he has an amazing talent to mix astounding colors together. His bright color palette includes colors like; magenta, bright pinks, orange, yellow, reds, blues and greens, and sometimes all in one outfit. His designs are easily recognizable because of their colorful character.

Christian Marie Marc Lacroix was born in France and the name may also refer to the company he founded.

Christian Lacroix began his design career interning with Hermès. Later, he moved on the fashion house of Jean Patou, where Lacroix remained until 1987, when he opened his own couture house. In 1988, Lacroix began constructing his ready-to-wear collection.

One year later, he expanded the line to include handbags, jewelry, shoes, glasses, scarves and ties.  His business flourished, and he opened boutiques in Paris, Arles, Aix-en-Provence, Toulouse, London, Geneva, and Japan. In 1999, Lacroix launched his premiere floral perfume line, followed by a line of novelty accessories including semi-precious jewelry.

Between 2001 and 2004, he launched a children’s line, a women’s lingerie line, and a menswear collection. He worked as the Creative Director for the Italian fashion house Emilio Pucci from 2002–2005.

Christian Lacroix has designed many dresses for Hollywood stars; among them, he is responsible for designing Christina Aguilera’s wedding dress and in the 1990s was famed as being a favourite designer of Edina Monsoon.

Christian Lacroix has completed interior design work at several landmark hotels, including the Hotel Le Petit Moulin in Spring, 2005; the Hotel Bellechasse, right in the heart of Saint-Germain-des-Prés (Paris), in 2007 (a member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World); and in 2010 Le Notre Dame hotel just a step from the cathedral Notre-Dame-de-Paris.

Christian Lacroix has had a double bite of the fashion cake. The Eighties belonged to him and by 2008, he was back again. Originally he intended to become a museum curator – in fact, he is a fashion impresario, who is widely credited with single-handedly saving couture, wooing the media with his wildly photogenic designs.

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Tartan or plaid is one of the major trends of the season. Back with a new twist, fashion designers have increased their versatility by going bold with colors.

Designers are going wild about tartan and plaid and making a huge statement for the 2012 fashion. Tartan has been coming and going for years and now they’re back but with a little bit of a twist as fashion designers have increased their versatility by going bold with colors.

Fashion houses, like Burberry , who is known for its adaptation of the beige, red and black tartan check pattern as a brand identity, took a retro sixties approach to the trend, having designs in coats accessorized with flat caps on the catwalk. Other designers who also celebrate the tartan are Vivienne Westwood , Paul Smith, Carven,Sonia Rykiel and Isabel Marant.

The tartan trend is known to be  a symbol of Scotland’s rich heritage and is popularly referred to as “plaid” in North America. The English word tartan is derived from the French tiretain. This French word is probably derived from the verb tirer in reference to woven cloth (as opposed to knitted cloth).

Today tartan usually refers to coloured patterns, though originally a tartan did not have to be made up of any pattern at all. As late as the 1830s tartan was sometimes described as “plain coloured,without pattern”.

For the adventurous fashionistas! The tartan trend is available in pieces such as jackets, skirts,pants, bags and shoes.

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Retro style decorating brings us back Beatles, Bee Gees and rock ‘n’ roll. From the bright pinks and polka dots of the 1950s through the tie-dyed flower-powered 1960s and glitzy disco 1970s, retro decor can be eclectic and gaudy in color.

Just think back to the fabrics and textures during the 60′s and you’ll immediately get a sense of where your decor needs to go to truly capture the essence of retro style.

Retro style decorating is about combining a variety of shapes, textures and colors to create a look that’s as unique as the era that influenced it. Retro furniture is robust, durable and completely usable.

Everything is useful and functional. Furniture and accents have a purpose, such as black and white checkered curtains, a lime green or orange moon chair in the corner.

Retro color palettes can make a room feel outdated when paired with vintage furniture. Put your favorite retro color with your favorite modern color. Instead of using avocado green and orange try orange and bright white or avocado and brown. Paint will freshen up a vintage look and add a personal touch to the room.

Hang black-and-white images of classic entertainment icons on your walls for instant glamour. Frame vintage movie posters for a playful look. Choose fabrics and textures that reflect specific decades and reupholster antique furniture to make it ready for everyday use. Replace kitchen appliances with retro-inspired versions for a classic look.

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Vintage fashion have always has been one of the richest sources of inspiration for many designers. For fall and winter 2011-12 vintage fashion is celebrating a huge comeback, in the most stylish manner as there are a variety of fashionable outfits to choose from.

Generally speaking of Vintage clothing, which was produced before the 1920s is referred to as antique clothing and clothing from the 1920s to 1980s is considered vintage.

Retro, short for retrospective, or vintage style usually refers to clothing that imitates the style of a previous era. Reproduction, or repro, clothing is a newly-made but faithful copy of an older garment. Clothing produced more recently is usually called modern or contemporary fashion. Opinions vary on these definitions.

In most cases, vintage clothing is not less expensive to own than contemporary fashions. A pair of hip-hugging jeans from the early 1970s in good condition may cost twice as much as a brand-new pair of Levi’s.

Vintage clothing stores should not be confused with thrift stores. Selections at discriminating vintage stores are generally in excellent condition and carefully restored.

Authentic vintage clothing does have some value in the collectibles market, so buying a vintage blouse from the 1940s or a pair of bell-bottom jeans from the 1970s should be considered an investment as well as a fashion statement.

Due to increased demand, pre-1950s garments in good condition are becoming more difficult to find, and more expensive to procure. Clothing from more recent decades is easier to locate, identify, restore, conserve and (with the exception of popular designers) more affordable – subject to market forces and the cycle of fashion.

Vintage garments designed by the following designers are particularly sought after – especially when they are representative of the designer or the era: Coco Chanel, Elsa Schiaparelli,Vionnet, Lanvin, Christian Dior,Givenchy, Balenciaga, Emilio Pucci, Yves Saint-Laurent, Biba, Mary Quant, Valentino, Halston, Giorgio Armani, Vivienne Westwood, Thierry Mugler, Gianni Versace, Alexander Mc Queen, and Jean Paul Gaultier.

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