Posts with tag wool

Winter's coming, and you need to make sure you have the right tools to cope with the drop in temperature. We tend to lean toward items that, for one thing, can be worn with multiple things, and for another, can be adjusted according to temperature. These Marc by Marc Jacobs Painted Intarsia Gloves, $88 at Shopbop, do just that.

If you're trying to incorporate some vintage appeal into your daily style, you might luck out and have pieces that were handed down to you from grandmothers or aunts. Or, perhaps you have a talent for shopping in thrift stores and have found a few authentic items that you just love. But some of us aren't so lucky or talented.

Those of us who live in warm regions face the same challenge every fall -- so many hot new trends come out, but for the most part, it's just too hot to wear them! Sure, there might be a day or two in December or January during which we can wear a wool coat without sweating to death, but most of us aren't going to blow our budget buying items we'll only wear once or twice a season. But still, we want to step into fall fashion -- what to do, what to do?

We have several suggestions that will keep you looking hot but feeling comfortably cool. Those of you who live in colder climates might be able to use these suggestions early in the season, but for some of you, these will be ways to look seasonal until spring!

All summer long we've been touting the goodness of wearing a summer hat -- you protect your scalp from sunburn, you keep your hair color safe, and, best of all, you can get away with not putting much effort into your hair, which keeps it healthier. With fall approaching, you might not be wearing the oversized straw hat, but there are plenty of fall-friendly caps to keep you covered.

I have two dogs and I love them like they're my kids (other than the whole sticking them in a crate thing -- I hear you're not supposed to do that with human children). However, when I saw the following headline, I thought that maybe, just maybe, this couple had taken things a little too far:

Hair of the dog: The animal lovers who turned their dead pets' coats into woolly jumpers.

Thanks for that, Daily Mail.

But, actually, it's not as creepy as it sounds. Beth and Brian Willis learned from their breeder that their white Samoyed's fur makes great clothing, so while the dog was still alive, they had a sweater knitted from the fur she had shed. It's apparently extremely warm and durable and softer than alpaca. They went on to have clothing knitted from their other dog's fur, too -- I'm sure she was feeling left out.

According to the article, making clothing from the fur of long-haired dogs is fairly common (Did you know that? I didn't!). I guess it makes sense -- instead of clogging up your vacuum with dog hair, create some furry fashion. I'm just not sure I'm ready to wear my pooches in any form, no matter how cozy it might be. How about you?

Here's the truth: Men look sexy in knitwear. Whether it's a paper-thin cashmere sweater or a textured wool pullover, there is something about seeing the masculine form swathed in cozy yarn that is irresistible. I even like the male turtleneck, although my husband insists there is nothing worse. It comes as no surprise, then, that I was thrilled to see scarves playing a central role in couture menswear collections for winter 2008.

The new way to wear your scarf (men, listen up -- you'll be ahead of the game!) is to "fling" it around your neck and shoulders haphazardly, rather than knotting or tying the scarf, as has been popular in the past. Knowing men, I would venture a guess that the fling has been popularized more out of function than fashion, but you never know. At any rate, scarves are being shown with everything, from the classic blazer/trousers combo to full three-piece suits. Always dangling loosely around the shoulders, the scarf looks like it will be making a play as the men's accessory for 2008.

So what do you think, men? Will you be stocking up on scarves for next winter, or is Belichick outerwear more your style?

Two fuzzy alpacas strutted their stuff down the catwalk during a Shanghai Fashion Week show. Quangquang and Lili traveled 20 hours from a province in southern China to make their grand appearance during a presentation of Australian fashion. The alpacas were led by two models in a parade of luxury items from the Australian Alpaca Connections label. Apparently, there is an incredible demand for Alpaca products in China.

That must be good news for the Australian alpaca farmers. Unfortunately, the same thing can't be said for the Australian sheep wool farmers. Australian wool has recently come under fire after Australian Prime Minister John Howard received a letter from American designer Marc Bouwer announcing his ban on the exported material.

Geeze, alpacas in fashion shows and high-profile wool bans? Who would have thought that the Australian wool industry would be generating so much buzz?

Just ask Anna Wintour -- putting a mink coat on the pages of your magazine can get you into some hot water with animal rights activists. But until recently, the terms of the animal rights/fashion debate focused primarily on the killing of animals for skin and fur. Now the anti-fur block has extended its efforts to oppose another animal product: wool.

Designer Marc Bouwer, who dresses some of Hollywood's A-list celebrities, has decided to stop using Australian wool in his collections. Bouwer recently sent a letter to the Australian Prime Minister John Howard explaining in detail why he would no longer use the exported wool. After speaking with PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), Bouwer determined that the practices of Australian wool farmers were so excessively cruel that he could not in good conscience continue to use their products. In particular, Bouwer opposes "mulesing", a technique in which farmers cut chunks of skin off of the lambs' backsides without using painkillers (UGH!). Mulesing apparently protects the sheep from flystrike -- an ailment that occurs when flies lay eggs on another animal. (DOUBLE UGH!)

So what do you think? Is the use of wool the same thing as the use of fur?