Fashion Salad

[Dec 2006]  Fidelity Denim Shares the Key Points When Buying Jeans

As you well know, when buying a good pair of jeans these days you have to take out a small loan.  Actually, think of it as making a small investment.  Shelling out the “dough” on a great pair of jeans is arguably the most important purchase in a woman’s wardrobe:

•    It is the most versatile/ worn piece of clothing a woman has in her wardrobe (2 or 3 times a week for 2 years

•    It is the only item in her closet that gets better with age

•    It is the one item in her wardrobe that can be matched and accessorized more than anything else.  She can go from day to night, from the office to dinner then for drinks, and look fabulous the whole way through.

I often refer to denim jeans as I refer to wine.  There are cheap wines/jeans and there are expensive wines/ jeans. The latter of the two require the finest ingredients, proper processing and refining.  The end result is usually something that goes great with dinner and an evening out (ha)!.  Keep this in mind when reading this list, think of enjoying a pair of jeans as you would a fine glass of wine….the color, the character and all the subtleties that make up something very special.

Ultimately, I like to think of jeans as the “Holy Grail” of a woman’s wardrobe.  Jeans are no longer those things that you used to steal from you boyfriend.  Today’s jeans have been brought to a whole new level.  They have been refinished and refined…they are cut differently, and they fit differently,

It is important for woman to take care and be educated when buying the right pair of jeans; the right pair of jeans will make her look and feel great. They give confidence and comfort and make her look hot all at the same time…what other item in her closet can do all that???

FIT, FABRIC & FINISH: The most important things to look for when buying jeans.

FIT

1. "Check out the Booty": a good pair of jean should always give you great ass!!! This is the top of the list when buying a pair of jeans. There are many different “bottom” types, but it is important that a pair of jeans should hold and cup you derriere…the fabric should not be saggy nor should there be excess fabric at the bottom of your seat.  Fidelity has been quoted as the “Bra for the butt” giving a woman’s ass “uplifting qualities”.  Without revealing company secrets, Jodie Uyede, denim designer at Fidelity calls it “Science meets art,” “ we specially shape the back pattern so it holds the bottom similar to that of a brassiere.”

2. Back Pocket Placement:  Now that we have the bottom in place, lets look at the pockets shall we.   One if the keys to a heavenly tush are pocket placement and size.   Small pockets can make the bottom look bigger; a larger size pocket fills more space so it has more coverage of the area and does not highlight a particular part of the backside.

Pocket placement is crucial; pocket placement should be center on either cheek. Not too close to the center, not too high, not too low etc.  Pocket should almost never sit too low and cut into the seat crease  (where the bum meets the leg) this will make the bum look too long and the legs too short.  Fidelity likes to refer the proper pocket placement as the “sweet spot” of the behind.  The right placed pocket will  “frame” the ass nicely. Like that of Van Gogh “picture perfect ass”!!!.

3.) Who wants slim thighs? I do, I do!!!!
The cut of the jean and the design of the outseam (the seam that sits on your outer thigh)  is also very important. They key here is to gently hug and shape the thigh so as not to have any excess fabric that looks bulky.  Secondly, the outseam should be brought towards to front of the jeans to give the illusion of a slimmer thigh.  Fidelity designers have taken special care and attention to the shape and placement of the outseam so as to give the appearance of a longer and more narrow leg.

4.) Front & Back Rise :
About 5 years ago, the low-rise craze was sweeping the denim nation…although this was a very enjoyable experience for most men (myself included) it was not the most enjoyable for many women.     I would always hear “when are higher rise jeans going to com back in”??   Well I hate to say it but the low rise has changed the denim landscape for good.   Oh sure, they may not be as low as when they first came on the scene, but the rises are indeed lower than they once were.  The key to finding a the right front rise and back rise are…comfort!   Since the “how low can you go” days are behind us, woman now have the freedom to choose their rise without the fear of being cast out among the Geritol generation. Many jeans come in many rises but generally rises in today’s market range from 7-8” in the front and 12.5 – 13.5”in the back. This is where most women feel comfortable.

5.) Sweeps:
The sweep refers to the opening at the bottom of the leg:  rule of thumb has a flare at 20” or wider, a boot cut at 18”, a straight leg at16’ and the new “uber stylish” skinny leg at 14”.   Women generally find a silhouette they like and stay with it for several years. This is not a bad thing but it is important fro women to keep in mind the power that the right denim silhouette can convey. 

Flare leg lends itself to a more dressy feel, it should be worn mostly a dressier shoe like a boot or heel.  Be careful of the flare!!!  Women tend to think that a wider sweep will slim the thighs this is simply not true.  The outseam placement and fabric usage in the thigh are what affects a slimmed thigh with great jeans,  not the sweep.  Flares can frame a woman below the waist and make her appear to have shorter legs so it should always be worn with heels to elongate the leg, unless you of course are wearing Fidelity’s 36” inseams!!
 
Boot Cuts are classic and most versatile of all jean cuts… this is most reflective of the “Levi’s 501”.  Classic can be worn dressy or casual, with runners or boots….anyway you want to wear them is fine.

Straights and Skinnys: A relatively new silhouette on today’s women… the skinnys were first introduced when blue jeans were first in popular culture with the rockabillys and later to be adopted in the seventies by rock and roll underground.   In today’s fashion denim, skinnys are fresh and stylish; they go great with heels or rolled up with Flip-flops.

FABRIC

6. The Right Stuff: One of the reasons for the higher priced jeans is due to the quality of denim. An expensive jean should be made of quality denim made using high quality ring spun denims, pure indigo dyes and quality lycra/ spandex for superior hold and shaping.  Unfortunately, some if the higher end denim lines do not use higher quality fabric and obviously give other high-end denims a bad name.  A good quality denim should last a very long time, have great visual character, color and should hold its shape, even after several washings. 

 Currently, the best denims in the world come from boutique mills in Italy and Japan.  The Italians always do everything from an artisan perspective and the Japanese are fanatics for quality and American culture (denim is the great American contribution to the clothing world.)

Fidelity uses only the finest denims from Italy and Japan.   We have the privilege to offer denims that are exclusive to Fidelity and have been chosen based on their superior quality, durability, color, character and weight and are quickly becoming our trademark.

7. Denim Weight:
When shopping for jeans and the right fabric, women should go with trusted brands for good quality; Fidelity, Seven, Citizens for Humanity and Rock & Republic are brands that use superior denims and the proper weight.   The when shopping for jeans it is important for women to think about the time of the season and where they will mostly be wearing their new jeans. 

Fidelity denims range between 11.5 and 12 oz.  11.5 oz denim is ideal for most women’s daily routine.  Light and comfortable, not too heavy and restricting (as a 12 oz. ) with the excellent quality and construction is the perfect combo for the right pair of jeans.

FINISH

8. A Classic Beauty:
A pair of jeans that has all the right hugs and curves and is made from the finest crafted denims in the world deserves and smooth and excellent finish.  Not having the right wash and finishing is a great pair of jeans is like having only a primer coat on a Porsche or the coveted LV symbols on a Louis Vuitton handbag. 

Fidelity has expert craftsmen meticulously hand sand and abrade each jean to make each pair have that perfectly aged look that you’ve been looking for since you can’t remember.

www.fidelitydenim.com

[Nov 2006] Here Comes the Modern Bride  

In an era where celebrity fashion lines are a dime a dozen it’s nice to still see guest designers being called upon. November 2006 marks an exciting partnership between  H&M and Viktor & Rolf . The cult Paris-based label is the latest top fashion industry name to collaborate with the high-street giant.

The duo of Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren, have designed a wedding collection. Viktor & Rolf have designed everything a couple would need for a wedding and honeymoon: pink silk bras, skinny jeans, suede platform shoes, black tuxedos with heart-shaped cut-outs and even a silk wedding dress.

They are renowned for the modern twist they give to classically tailored clothes, have combined lush satin fabrics with sharp silhouettes in the new line. "We are die-hard romantics, but at the same time we are also conceptualists," explained Rolf. "So we wanted to do something light and entertaining.” [via Hello Mag].

The nuptial-themed launch began with a stag party featuring burlesque dancers, the Amsterdam-based designers invited 600 guests including Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, Owen Wilson and Kanye West to dance to a 10-piece orchestra playing Madonna’s Like A Virgin beneath crystal chandeliers and a disco ball. The 70-piece collection was then presented in front of a 12-foot high wedding cake.

  

The duo designers are trying to bring an air of exclusivity to their collection at the giant chain: a  mass-clusive collection. Despite the unbelievable low price tag of $350USD for a wedding dress, it will still only be produced in a limited quantity and sizes. H&M can already be such a frantic price grabbing frenzy, so it’s plain scary to imagine adding a few bridezillas into the mosh.

View a preview of the collection online.

[Oct 2006] Benetton Turns 40!

40 years ago Luciano Benetton realized that people wanted colors in their lives and especially in their clothes. He sold a family bicycle to buy a second-hand knitting machine, and then marketed a small collection of sweaters to local stores. It soon became a family run business – and the rest is history for this knitwear giant: 40 Year Benetton Timeline .

Benetton’s ads have always sparked controversy because of their underlying political and social messages. Sometimes too controversial (sometimes even offensive), which caused many media critics to accuse the company of deliberately creating controversy just to sell products. In the history of attention grabbing advertising – Benetton holds a solid place as one of the most effective companies ever to splash its commodifying message across a billboard or magazine page. However, in 2000 they finally crossed the line with the Sentenced to Death campaign highlighting killers on death row. Having abandoned their controversial youth in favor of safer ground Benetton has been very low key the last few years. To rekindle some of their old spirit they’ve launched this retrospective video of 40 Years in 40 Seconds. Watch Benetton - Mac Watch Benetton - PC Download Benetton - iPod

Maybe in an effort to also regain some stature they recently celebrated this monumental anniversary at Paris’s Centre Pompidou. The actual clothes featured modern tribes inspirations - Amsterdam ravers, Covent Garden punks and Copenhagen Christiania hippies. Nothing revolutionary, but the bright-hued knits still present new takes on argyle sweaters, bulky cable knits, chunky platforms, luxe grunge leggings, and Matrix jackets. It’s just nice to see that after 40 years, Benetton can still draw up something to be talked about.