It's All About the Hat...

     Hello my lovelies!

     So I've been meaning to write about a certain obsession of mine for awhile now. And from the looks of it... my obsession has also become an obsession of the majority population of women-- floppy hats.
   
     Floppy hats were really popular in the 70's and now they're back! On a hot summer day, a big ol' floppy hat is an obvious choice. Whether you wear it to the beach, or in the middle of New York City, the floppy hat can compliment just about any outfit. And that's not even the best part! While you are looking chic and sophisticated with your fab headwear, you are protecting your skin at the same time. Yeah yeah I know we all want to be tan, but at this point I'd rather embrace my natural white girl skin tone than have a wrinkly face by the age of 30.

     I don't care how old you are, what nationality you are, or what color your hair is... if you do not already have a floppy hat to put on that pretty little head of yours this summer-- BUY ONE. In any color! You can go simple with a plain tan or black floppy hat, or you could go with a belted floppy hat, or a beaded floppy hat, or a floppy hat with a scarf wrapped around it! Large or small! There are so many styles to choose from, and you can buy them pretty cheap just about anywhere.

   


   I bought my black floppy hat at Kohl's and I wear it nonstop. So spend the $15. It'll be worth it.











         Want some more ideas how to create your own floppy hat look? Check out these pics and share your own floppy hat style below!     

 
                               

With love and hats,
   
     
 Fashion Fox

                                                                                            Photo Creds:

Stephanie Jones                                                        Jessica Harper                                                              Krista Lee

Kelly Colclasure                                                       Brittney White                                                      Mena Buscetto

                                                                                         Elena Eberwein

Exposed: A History of Lingerie

       I am quickly learning that going to fashion museums is becoming a bit of a fascination of mine-- a hobby, perhaps! Today I checked out The Museum at FIT and it's most recent exhibit, Exposed: A History of Lingerie. 

     Unfortunately, the people at FIT do not mess around, so I was unable to get many pictures of the pieces in exhibit. But I can at least tell you a little bit about what I learned and saw!

     Now I don't know about you, but when I think about lingerie, I instantly get a vision of a certain little pink striped bag of the largest intimate apparel brands in the U.S. However, Roy Raymond did not create Victoria's Secret until the 1970's....... So the question is: what did women wear before that?

     Again, when I think about lingerie, certain adjectives come to mind. Sexy. Intimate. Erotic. You get the idea. Now this museum exhibit displayed lingerie from as far back as the eighteenth century to present day. When walking through and comparing the old to the new, the difference is laughable! Let's compare.

     Below are two pictures, A and B. Picture A represents what typical lingerie looked like in the eighteenth century, and Picture B is a photo of one of our lovely Victoria's Secret models sporting a lace bra and matching panties that are typical of lingerie today. Now I don't believe the adjectives associated with the word "lingerie" have changed over centuries, but the meanings and the standards of these words certainly have. Tell me boys, could I turn you on wearing a tan corset over a cotton nightgown that goes all the way down to my ankles?

Picture A 

   






                        Picture B

     This is what made the exhibit so interesting! The relationship between dress and the body has been SO redefined over time. During the eighteenth century, decorative corsets and petticoats were worn as an essential part of a woman's dress! Not to mention all of their undergarments were boring neutral colors until people finally discovered some creativity with color in the late 1890's! Nowadays, you can get different styles of lingerie in the brightest of colors-- that is IF you are wearing any lingerie at all. After all, like Betsey Johnson once said, "If girls dressed for boys, they'd just walk around naked at all times."

    Anyway, BACK to the exhibit! Even after the introduction of colored intimate apparel, there were pieces in the exhibit that did not even look like lingerie to me! For example, in the 1900's (and even before then too), women wore full on gowns to bed-- gowns that, to me, looked as if they could be worn during the day (at least during that time period). Suddenly I feel a little less classy in my baggy t-shirt and yoga pants. 

     The museum is located on West 27th Street and 9th Avenue. Admission is free so definitely check it out for yourself! I learned so much about the history of lingerie, and also the construction of it! This specific exhibit will be here until November 15th, so you have plenty of time to see it! Here's there website for more details:

http://fitnyc.edu/22187.asp

     Even though the construction and design of lingerie has changed immensely over the centuries, Vogue DID report something in 1912 that still holds true today:

"No dainty woman wishes to appear untidy or unlovely at any hour of the day."

Until next time,


Fashion Fox




Works Cited:
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/460844974342555210/
www.victoriassecret.com

Bill Cunningham: Facades

   

     If you have a passion for photography, fashion, or BOTH, you MUST check out the Bill Cunningham: Facades exhibit at the New York Historical Society Museum & Library in Central Park.

   

     For those of you who don't know, Bill Cunningham is a retired, famous fashion photographer for The New York Times. Cunningham has rode his bike around New York City ever since the 60's in effort to capture the latest fashions right as you see them on the street! He never shot pictures of well-known celebrities, but instead focused on your average person in Manhattan! After doing this all of his life, Cunningham has truly captured the complete evolution of fashion throughout the last 40 to 50 years. Now how many people can say they did THAT?

     Cunningham's Facades project is even MORE special. Throughout the 1960's and 70's, Cunningham and his partner in crime, Editta Sherman, photographed all of the oldest builds in Manhattan. Some of the buildings that are still standing today have been here since the 1700's (so cool)! But here's the best part-- for every building they photographed, Editta dressed in clothing that was popular during the time period the building was built. So even though the pictures were taken in the 60's, if the building was built in 1766, Editta posed in front of the building in 1766 style clothing. 

     The point of the project was to emphasize New York history and remind us of our great city's origins. In many areas of New York, historic buildings were starting to become covered with graffiti. Cunningham and Sherman's efforts were meant to discourage this kind of destruction of property in order to maintain the beauty of New York City. Personally, I couldn't think of a more unique and better way of sending this message. 

Here are some more pictures of the exhibit:

                          

       

                                  

     If you want to see more photos of this amazing project, check out the exhibit for yourself at The New York Historical Society Museum & Library at 170 Central Park West and 77th Street! The museum is open from 10 am - 6 pm, and students can get in for just $12! But you better go soon because the exhibit is only there until June 15th! Here's the museum's website for more details:

https://www.nyhistory.org/exhibitions/bill-cunningham-facades

     Don't have time to see the exhibit for yourself? Don't worry! You can still learn all about Bill Cunningham in the documentary Bill Cunningham New York, which can be found on Netflix . It is a very fun and interesting documentary (and also where I got all my information from)! And I swear you are going to just fall in love with this sweet old man! Check it out!

Until the next adventure,

Fashion Fox

PONO Jewelry Sample Sale 6/9 - 6/13

     CALLING ALL FASHIONISTA'S AND ACCESSORIZING AFICIONADOS!!!

Want to have the most unique look out of your group of friends?     

     Everyone in NYC that loves jewelry MUST check out PONO's Sample Sale next week (June 9th - June 13th) for the amazing opportunity of getting 50 - 80% off beautiful designer jewelry! 

Steph and I are spreading the word and leaving a trail of flyers! Hope to see you there!

Xoxo, 

Fashion Fox

First Week in NYC 2014

    Well it's official ladies and gents! I've survived my first week of living in the Big Apple! And I've only got one thing to say..................... I LOVE IT HERE!!!!!

     The search for a summer job has been tough (just ask my feet), but my internship with PONO jewelry has been absolutely fabulous so far! Although, would you like to know the first lesson I learned in New York? FORGET THE HEELS. Yesterday I wore a dress to work and I ever so foolishly thought I could handle walking the streets of New York in (very pretty) brown wedged heels. Needless to say, it didn't take me more than 4 blocks before I tripped on a pothole and completely wiped out in the middle of a street intersection. Fortunately for me, a very nice Swedish man was there to help me up before any crazed taxi drivers could run me over.

     Full disclosure: I was really nervous about coming here in the beginning. Not only did every single one of my family member's scare the s%#@ out of me with stories of murderers and rapists that lurk the streets of New York at night... but I was also worried that I may not have chosen the best way to spend my summer break (for ME at least). I mean... my ideal summer has always consisted of banana tanning lotion and my very own seat by the pool... NOT overcrowded concrete streets and potential pick pockets every where I turn. I was starting to wonder whether or not I made a mistake accepting an internship opportunity as a Freshman.
   
     But as the days went on... I found more and more things that made me feel at home. First of all, my roommate Lauren is an absolute joy. And then I found a beautiful bike path about 4 blocks down from me that goes along the beautiful Hudson river. I always run there on a sunny day. And Lauren and I are going rollerblading there next week.   ;)

     Summer has definitely NOT been lost. I can still work out every day, and as I write this post, I am basking in the sun in Central Park, surrounded by hundreds of people tanning, flying kites, playing frisbee and volleyball, and even rolling around a giant human-size inflatable soccer ball..... that seems.. to be... COMING MY WAY!!!!!!!!!!

     Ope! False alarm!! Some shirtless man just kicked it away from me. We're good.

     *sigh* Oh yes. I really think I'm going to like it here.

Xoxo,

Fashion Fox... in her Natural Habitat