Posts with tag StylesThatStick

Styles that Stick: the Canadian Tuxedo

Email thisPosted Oct 4th 2007 at 3:38PM by Anne Metz

Filed under: Clothing, Vintage and Retro, Jeans, Celebrities with Style

Remember 2001?

The world sure was a different place back then, wasn't it? Different problems, different music, different international diplomatic strategies, different minimum wage -- I could go on and on, but I won't.

What I'm here to talk about is what hasn't changed since 2001: the baffling popularity of the Canadian Tuxedo. (See exhibit a)

Also known as the denim suit and the JOJO (Jean-on-Jean-Offense), the Canadian Tuxedo crops up every year, usually in the fall, when the temperatures are ideal for jeans paired with jean jackets.

I once had a former boss-lady editor who rocked the Canadian Tuxedo with some regularity, so I've given some thought to both the pros and the cons of wearing head-to-toe denim. Here's what I've come up with:

Pros: lots of cotton; lots of pockets; moderately wind resistant; denim hides dirt; denim matches everything.

Cons: uh, you look stupid.

I know It sounds reductive, but let's consider the case of Justin Timberlake.

Back in 2001, Justin was B-list celebrity. He was in the boy band NSYNC; he looked like a overgrown eight-year-old with creepy facial hair; he dated Britney Spears. Most importantly, he wore the Canadian Tuxedo to the 2001 American Music Awards. (See exhibit b)

These days JT is one of the best-dressed celebrities. He's also an awarding winning musician and performer. He's dating Jessica Biel. He even has his own clothing company; but most importantly -- he wouldn't be caught dead wearing Canadian Tuxedo. (See exhibit c)

A simple coincidence? I think not.

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Tags: canadian tuxedos, CanadianTuxedos, denim, justin Timberlake, JustinTimberlake, styles that stick, StylesThatStick

Styles that stick: hoodies

Email thisPosted Sep 8th 2007 at 9:02AM by Anne Metz

Filed under: Vintage and Retro

The ever-practical sweatshirt known as the hoody long ago broke with its music-geek origins only to become a fashionable staple that has stood the test of time. (Or at least the test of the last decade...)

Originally made from flocked cotton with a simple drawstring hood, modern designers have taken the basic idea of the zip-up and converted it into a luxury idea that comes in a wide array of fabrics, ranging from cashmere to velour.

And what is it about the hoody that keeps us infatuated? Some would says it's the hood, but I'm inclined to say it's the zipper. As Jonathon recently pointed out in a post, zippers are by far the most compelling of the notions (buttons, clasps, etc).

From greasy-haired Elliott Smith wannabes to Sid Vicious tributants and celebrities emulator star-struck with Paris Hilton, the easy-on, easy-off handling of the hoody makes it a natural choice for an infinite number of occasions.

Are you feeling sporty? Try a Juicy Couture hoody (but not the pants, mind you. What do you think this is -- 2002?).
Are you feeling bohemian? Throw on a cashmere hoody with a cute dress that almost passed its season.
Are you feeling casual? Hoodies and jeans couldn't find better companions.

This fall, as you transition from the long, warm days of summer to the brisk air of autumn, keep yourself feeling rakish and toasty with a hoody in hand.

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Tags: cashmere, fall, hoodies, styles that stick, StylesThatStick, zippers

Styles that Stick: Diamond Stud Earrings

Email thisPosted Aug 30th 2007 at 8:31AM by Sarah J. Gim

Filed under: Accessories, Vintage and Retro

Every time, it's the same routine. Getting ready to go out for lunch with the girls, cocktails, dinner -- whatever requires my getting dressed beyond the standard blogger attire of pajamas --I change my outfit at least three times. And with each change, I do the deed of accessorizing. Though accessorizing is one of my favorite parts of getting dressed, it requires time and energy a focus on detail to perfectly match jewelry to an outfit. Do I go boho with wooden hoops? How about something trendy with dangling semi-precious gems? Or should I rewind to Mod with some giant white plastic loops?

When I can't take it anymore (which isn't all that often - some days/nights, I wouldn't mind just scrapping the whole idea of going out altogether and staying home playing in my closet), I turn to a classic - diamond studs. You can never go wrong by wearing a pair of diamond studs, a timeless look that's simple, classy, and elegant. Sure, each diamond might not be 3 carats, but the little bit of authentic bling that even 1/4 ct on your ears brightens the face physically with sparkle, as well as emotionally. Come one, they're dianonds.

Tags: diamond studs, diamonds, earrings, styles that stick, StylesThatStick

Styles that Stick: Little Black Dress

Email thisPosted Aug 14th 2007 at 8:21PM by Sarah J. Gim

Filed under: Clothing, Vintage and Retro, Dresses

We've been talking about styles that stick here at Styledash, and have covered a range of styles that have endured (sometimes longer than necessary) for whatever reason. However, when I think of classic styles, one thing is so salient that it's hard to believe we haven't mentioned it yet.

The little black dress.

There's a whole history surrounding the little black dress, with differing opinions about when and where it began its status as a style icon. In my mind, however, the little black dress, or LBD, started with Holly Golightly in 'Breakfast at Tiffany's.' The simple sleeveless black shift is the one that started a timeless trend of dresses that eventually enveloped a whole wardrobe of different styles and shapes, but in the end, are all little, and all black.

Clearly, the reason that the little black dress is a classic piece in any woman's wardrobe is two-fold. On the one hand, the LBD is the ultimate in versatility. A woman can get pretty far with a fairly basic LBD. My favorite is a black tank minidress that can take on all sort of accessories to go from work to cocktails to dinner to the club.

On the other hand, you can never have too many LBDs!

Can I get an "Amen!"

Tags: dress, dresses, lbd, little black dress, styles that stick, StylesThatStick

Styles that Stick: Lovely long locks

Email thisPosted Aug 13th 2007 at 5:58PM by Jonathon Morgan

Filed under: Vintage and Retro, Hair Care

We've come a long way from the boring days of yore, when women had universally long hair, and men kept their coiffures short and neat -- no exceptions. However, even though it's occasionally trendy for women to go short and spiky -- or even bald -- nothing says elegance like a long, shiny locks.

The reasons behind our long-hair lust may go beyond the resurgence of vintage chic or our infatuation with Herbal Essence advertisements. Some anthropologists think that it's based on an innate human desire to select healthy sexual partners -- meaning that, because long hair is an indicator of good health, we find it attractive.

Maybe this is why men are so quick to adopt the fashion whenever it becomes popular -- from the hippies of the 1960s, to grunge fans of the 90s, to today's 90s-inspired hipster types, whose shaggy styles will only get longer as they become more infatuated with Kurt Cobain and Eddie Vedder.

That said -- it's possible that the woman pictured above is taking the idea just a little too far. Her hair measures 2 meters and 42 centimeters (almost 8 feet), and she hasn't had it cut in over 15 years. If you think you're up for the challenge, keep in mind that it's a serious investment -- to grow your hair down to your waist will take about 7 years.

On the other hand, there's always extensions.

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Tags: 90s, coiffure, grunge, kurt cobain, KurtCobain, long hair, LongHair, styles that stick, StylesThatStick

Styles that Stick: A sparkling white smile

Email thisPosted Aug 10th 2007 at 7:01AM by Sarah J. Gim

Filed under: Vintage and Retro, Cosmetics

Styledashers, when we talk about styles that stick, right away we think about clothes or accessories, but let's not forget that there are a lot of elements of style that aren't necessarily wearable things we put on and take off. A deep dark tan was one of them -- although I do realize that if you tan the way I do, spray on, you actually can put it on and take it off pretty easily.

Another style that sticks is the Colgate smile, i.e. a bright, white smile with almost perfectly aligned teeth. I say "almost perfectly aligned" because if your teeth are perfect perfect, we know that isn't natural. Granted, a bright white smile isn't always natural either (and honey, have I seen some nuclear powered, unnatural smiles), but without asking the person, we'll just have to assume that the person brushes and flosses in the morning, after every meal, and before bed.

A beautiful smile is the best accessory a man or woman (or even kid) could have. Even if you're wearing the grungiest clothes, have on no makeup, and still haven't brushed your hair, a sparkling smile is just as good as a string of pearls.

So consider this a reminder to take good care of your teeth. Brush. Floss. If you have to (and unfortunately, I have to because of years of very bad, stain-causing things), use a simple whitener like Crest Whitestrips (which would make it a Crest Smile, not a Colgate Smile).

Tags: classis style, colgate, crest, dental hygiene, oral hygiene, slassic styles, styles that stick, StylesThatStick, teeth whitening, tooth whitenening, toothcare

Styles that Stick: Levi's 501s

Email thisPosted Jul 29th 2007 at 3:02PM by Anne Metz

Filed under: Style in the News, Clothing, Vintage and Retro, Jeans

Last week, Deidre told us about a brewing lawsuit between designer Ralph Lauren and the Levi's Strauss corporation over Lauren's illegal use of the Levi's trademarked "arcuate" pocket stitching.

Well, Levi's and Lauren can duke it out over "arcuates" all they want because the rest of us know that the real brand power of Levi's jeans is in its number: 501.

Believe it or not, the 501 style goes all the way back to 1873 in the earliest days of the Levi's Strauss company when they served as the unofficial uniform of prospectors headed out to California with Gold Rush fever.

For the next 50 years -- after the gold had disappeared -- 501s were worn by the proverbial salt of the year -- cowboys, farmhands, ranchers and lawmen. Function was the name of the game back then, and it was the durable fabric and the hearty construction that made 501s so popular.

Continue reading Styles that Stick: Levi's 501s

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Tags: 501s, Levi's, styles that stick, StylesThatStick

Styles that Stick: Pencil skirts

Email thisPosted Jul 29th 2007 at 12:02PM by Annie Wu

Filed under: Clothing, Vintage and Retro, Dresses

Despite being notoriously tough to walk in, the pencil skirt has been a wardrobe staple to many ladies since the 1950s. The skirt instantly creates a classically shapely silhouette, but, unfortunately, it seems to only flatter people who already have a small waist, curvy hips, and long legs, and it doesn't do much for the rest of us. In fact, everyone else is most likely better off in an A-line skirt.

There are few looks that can exist in the fetish world and be work-appropriate at the same time, but, for some reason, the pencil skirt manages to function either way. Online pin-up girls and Pulp songs glorify the restricting skirt, but Plain Jane from Accounting also likes to wear it with her cardigans. So, girls who invest in a pencil skirt have something suitable for the daytime and the nighttime with a quick swap of the top.

And as if that isn't enough to envy the lucky ladies who look good in the ultra-flattering pencil skirts, the piece is ridiculously easy to find. The tough part is getting one that feels good and fits your stride. Really, they're a pain to walk in if you buy anything even remotely too tight, so be sure to strut around about in the dressing room before making a purchase, all right? However, Victoria's Secret sells stretchy pencil skirts and, from the looks of the picture on their website, Giselle is able to move her legs quite comfortably. Hmm.

Tags: dresses, office, pencil skirt, PencilSkirt, retro, skirts, styles that stick, StylesThatStick, victoria's secret, Victoria'sSecret

Styles that stick: white blouses

Email thisPosted Jul 24th 2007 at 12:13PM by Anne Metz

Filed under: Clothing, Vintage and Retro

It's only natural to think that style consists of what is new each year. The fashion industry is financed and fueled by the perception that the next big thing is what matters.

Nonetheless, when I think of all the truly stylish women I've known over the years, the one article of clothing that unites them whether they are 16 or 86 is a crisp white dress shirt. So simple it borders on boring, the white shirt complements everything from jeans to ball gowns. Unlike other fashion staples, the white blouse is one of the few separates that manages to be both seasonless and occasion appropriate. A cloth chameleon, the white shirt works moves effortlessly from the board room to the backyard to the red carpet.

Anna Wintour might want you to believe that 2007 is the year of the white blouse, but we here at Styledash say that every year is the year of the white blouse.

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Tags: styles that stick, StylesThatStick, white shirts, WhiteShirts

How You Voted

Threesome or topless?
More than 3/4 of you think the CK campaign 'Threesome' campaign was more risque than Wrangler's topless models. Get the full story here.

Inzemove and Fred & Farid

Do these ads belong in the U.S.?
StyleList readers were nearly evenly divided on this, with 52% thinking that they should run in the States, and 48% finding them inappropriate. Get the full story here.

Inzemove and Fred & Farid

Curly or Straight?
While 30% of you think she's so beautiful that her hair doesn't even matter, 49% of you prefer her curls. Get the full story here.

Kevin Winter, Getty Images | Jon Furniss, WireImage

Offensive or artistic?
Just over 50% of StyleList readers said they weren't offended by this shirt, but didn't know if it was totally appropriate to wear in public. Unfortunately, that wasn't the opinion in Dubai. Get the full story here.

Photo: eBay

ebay

Strapless dresses on 13-year-olds
StyleList readers think strapless dresses should be saved for older girls -- 41% of you think the look is too mature. Get the full story here.

Getty Images

Is Megan the new Angelina?
Half of you think Megan needs to get her own identity and quit copying Angie, but more than a quarter said Jolie doesn't stand a chance against this Fox. Get the full story here.

Getty Images

Did Calvin Klein respond to public's outcry?
The controversial "threesome" billboard in Soho has been replaced with this one, but 51% of you believe it was just to keep people talking about the brand, not because CK caved. Get the full story here.

Rachel Been, AOL

Calvin Klein's Racy Ad
Is it art or practically pornography? About 40% of StyleList readers found this billboard obscene. Get the full story.

Maggie Coughlan, AOL

Palin's Pedi
Do you think Sarah Palin's funky pedicure was appropriate? If so, you're in good company -- 68% of you said it was fun and fabulous. Get the full story.

Getty Images

Bright, Light, or Dark as Night?
How do you like your toenails painted? Over half of StyleList readers prefer their piggies with bright, perky polish. Get the full story.

Getty Images

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