Design

Cork ( where I live in Ireland ) is thriving with amazing designers. I have had the pleasure of working with some of them already, I have learnt so much and it has really spurred me on to pursuit my careers in design at the moment I am looking at various different colleges The NCAD, UCA rochester, St.Angelas sligo, but before all that I would really like to do some design work.

I will post some photos of things I've made and if you want explain them too. At the moment I'm working on a 1960s taffeta dress. I'mv going to lower the neck line to a V neck rather then round take up the bottom hem, take off the full length sleeves also I'm adding silver netting 

underneath and around the body and V neck ill have some cream embroidery

back of the dress 

front will be altered to V neck 

 

 silver pleated netting will go under the skirt which is being taken up to knee level  

Wearable Fashion

I am all for expression through what you wear or even what you design and make yourself if you are that crafty, but the crazy things you see on some catwalks most people wouldn't step out of the house in. I always say "fashion should be functional first and visual second " so if your going to paint a house you can put in a €100 t-shirt but the more functional thing is an old t-shirt you never wear. Don't get me wrong I love the creation that goes into a design like this the original inspiration, but you put so much time and effort into something that nobody can wear.

here's just a few examples 

A model displays a creation by a group of Kyrgyz designers 'NAH' during Fashion Week in 
Bishkek, on April 4 2012. 

A creation by Dutch designer Iris Van Herpen Spring/Summer 2012 Haute Couture (Paris)

Twenty-eight-year-old  started her own label in 2007, and her dresses have been seen on


Björk, Lady Gaga, and Daphne Guinness.

Here is very wearable fashions form the Valentino designers Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli who turned out a graceful collection of demure frocks that brought to mind the ladies of "Downton."

Something can be very easy to do for simple things is make your own, DIY Fashion, easy pattern print or copy it out pin or tack to fabric cut and sew up saving you a lot of money and also giving you the satisfaction of a task well done and no one else will have it :P


Here's a pattern i made grease proof paper, its for a bow tie you need so little fabric too so instead of paying €15/20/25 buy some remnant silk or fine cotton, interfacing and a 3 pce bow tie hook set and your done all for about €5 :D I've already made 3 just keep using the same pattern

Over the years I've been to many different catwalk shows, events, festival launches and more, recently I was at Xposé live it was a great show unfortunately all the photos I took were on film so I'll have to wait to get them developed but the main theme for the first part of the show was THE GREAT GATSBY. It's no secret, that The Great Gatsby movie made everyone crazy about 1920's American classic clothing style. Baz Luhrmann’s visuals made me feel the glam of those days. Audiences will love costumes of the movie that were styled and designed by Luhrmann’s wife, Catherine Martin. All costumes feature lots of details, luxe accessories, lavish jewels. Jazz Age might be gone, but the history and style remains in today's fashion world

The 1920s were some of the best years for mens tailoring all right it had  become more liberal the the late 1800's but men's clothes showed where they were going what class they were from if it was black tie or watching cricket. here are some looks from the Brooks Brothers collaboration.

walking and boating brown suit with a straw boater hat 

 The Famed J. Gatsby pink suit 

here the simple white suit brought together by the two tone brogues
which were so big in the 20's  

Gone are the days of the full suits and top hats, together all these make a very formal out fit but singly they can be very modern, firstly choose a shirt that has a white collar but is coloured the rest of the way this matches the original but brings it up to date.



Also gone are the days of the boring plain black,brown white bow ties of the 20's, Bow ties can add a pop of colour to a fully white dress shirt or tie with the colours on your shirt

 this simple bow tie ------> 

Is a plain colour with a small amount of pattern but it really brings it to life. also the ones below are an assortment of colours suitable for all colour schemes and designs 

So as you see from the previous post, I love design and fashion,but I feel clothes aren't just something you put on to cover up ( or show as much as possible ) but every time you open that drawer or wardrobe you choose something specific for that day for a specific occasion be it sitting at home in fat mans or your designer dress for a birthday lunch.

I know what I wear varies enormously depending on where I'm going, so school, work, to see friends, to a launch, all these dictate how I'll dress. As well though you mightn't notice if your friends have an influence not that you want to dress like them but you might be really out spoken in what you wear they might think it weird your not the same so you conform to make life easier.

Guys even more so then girls, girls can get away with what they want but guys if they don't have the tracksuit and the hoddie and the low pants, its noticed more, I usually try to dress midway between casual and dressy, so jeans and runners with a short sleeved shirt so if i bump into any designers I know or work colleagues I look professional.

what I saw from the Wayside

More photos from Chat Noir 2013 

Truly spectacular designs from various designers throughout the day, the next fair will be summer 2013, I cant wait