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

Who defines success?

     Answer me this: who do you find more successful?-- someone who graduated from college..... or someone who graduated as valedictorian? I don't know about you... but I'm thinking that graduating at the top of your class is a little more impressive. But what does a valedictorian have to sacrifice in order to make such impressive achievements? Maybe instead of going out with their friends, they had dinners with professors. Maybe instead of joining fun, new clubs/ sports, they spent all of their time in the library. Or maybe they did it all because they are a super-human being, and they just didn't sleep. No matter what though, striving towards immense achievements is frustrating and stressful. The pressure and demand it takes to reach high goals really takes a toll on a person-- but is it all necessary?

     It seems today that the general consensus for the definition of "success" involves someone who goes far above and beyond what others do, or have done. Success seems to be a competition where you are not considered successful unless you make more achievements than anyone you know. Because of this view, we are starting to forget about our own values and definition of what it means to be successful.

     I recently read an inspiring article written by actress Zoisa Mamet in Glamour Magazine's June edition where Mamet discussed this issue. She stated:

    As women we have internalized the idea that every morning we wake up, we have to go for the f--king gold. You can't just jog; you have to run a triathlon. Having a cup of coffee, reading the paper, and heading to work isn't enough-- that's settling, that's giving in, that's letting them win. You have to wake up, have a cup of coffee, conquer France, bake a perfect cake, take a boxing class, and figure out how you are going to get that corner office or become district supervisor, while also looking damn sexy-- but not too sexy, because cleave is degrading-- all before lunchtime. Who in her right mind would want to do that? And who would even be able to?

     Who would even be able to, Miss Mamet? I'll tell you who.... ME!

     Don't get me wrong, I agree with a lot that she has said. In the article, she also wrote "I hate that we look at women who choose not to run a country as having given up. I get angry that, when a woman decides to hold off on gunning for a promotion because she wants to have a baby, other women whisper that 'she's throwing away her potential.'" I hate that too. I'm starting to think that we have started to become a little too involved in this whole 'equality of women in the work force' thing. Yeah, it's great that women in power is becoming more of a societal norm as opposed to the idea that only men can "be the boss"......... but that lifestyle isn't necessarily for every woman. Some of us ARE satisfied with a more simple life. And that is fine by me too!

     The fact of the matter is though: there ARE people out there who believe that they will only be successful if they do something amazing that sets them apart, and it's not because our society told us that THAT'S the only way to be successful. It's because we are just ambitious people, and that is our own definition of success. Trust me, I know personally how that perspective feels.

     I'm not saying that everyone has to live this way. Mamet is right. We should only consider our definition of success-- not others. Because really? In the end, our opinion of our lives are going to be the only thing that matters. Whether we get a sense of fulfillment by being a stay at home mom or a CEO of a major corporation, we are only truly successful when we find happiness and meaning in our lives.

     No matter what your ambitions, the important thing is that do something every day that you feel passionate about. Don't let others pressure you into doing what they think you should feel passionate about. Do something every day that you genuinely care about. You've got nothing to prove to anyone but yourself. And those things that you care most about will make your life worth living-- not the approval and praise of others. Like Mamet said, "Success isn't about winning everything; it's about achieving your dream."







    MY dream just happens to be to win everything........... ;) The sky is your limit, right? The way I see it.... you might as well learn to fly.





Xoxo,



Fashion Fox  

How CoverGirl Covers Up Their True Intentions...

         Have you ever thought about HOW companies convince us to buy their products? And no, I'm not just talking about the simple answers like making commercials or advertisements that are thrown into magazines that you won't actually read.... What I mean is, do companies have specific strategies to, perhaps, "trick" us into wanting to buy their products? Think of makeup for example. Today, cosmetic companies are often criticized for preying upon women’s insecurities and self-esteem in order to sell their products. Beautiful spokesmodels like Eva Longoria, who is featured in L’Oréal makeup advertisements, make us feel unnoticeable and inferior in our personal appearance. BLA BLA BLA Fashion Fox... Tell me something I don't know. Well, my loves, the CoverGirl cosmetic company claims that they are doing something different with their campaign. Although CoverGirl commercials still feature beautiful models and celebrities that demonstrate the fresh, natural, and wholesome look that we dream of possessing, the company’s mission is to inspire us with the idea that “every woman is a CoverGirl” (Monae.) In fact, the spokeswomen in CoverGirl advertisements are pointed out to each be unique in their own way. For example, in January 2012, CoverGirl premiered a commercial advertisement for their Tone Rehab Foundation, which featured Ellen Degeneres and Sofia Vergara (Check out the video below!!) This choice in spokeswomen suggests CoverGirl’s openness and acceptance of diverse personalities, sexualities, and ethnic backgrounds. However, what does acceptance of diversities have to do with makeup, or with women? From a marketing standpoint, it makes sense that CoverGirl would want to develop a sense of inclusivity within their brand in order to bring in the largest market possible. Although the campaign may appear to aim towards making women feel positively about their own beauty, we must remember the company’s true intent: to sell their product. By establishing this image of a global unity among diversities, CoverGirl successfully manipulates women into thinking that makeup directly correlates with the value of accepting cultural diversity. Although these values may be viewed as important, we must decide if wearing CoverGirl makeup is the best means of establishing these values in our society.  

    Trick #1 Each CoverGirl spokesmodel is selected to fulfill a specific purpose. What, you think they pick just ANYONE? Through their commercials, CoverGirl aims to establish the company’s ethic of diverse beauty. Alongside famous celebrities and models such as Tyra Banks, Queen Latifah, and Taylor Swift, Ellen Degeneres and Sofia Vergara join the unique collection of CoverGirl spokesmodels. All of these women are used to capture and continue the tradition of the CoverGirl image: women of diverse backgrounds, race, and size who share one common ground-- inner and outer beauty. CoverGirl makes it clear in all of their commercials that they believe that beauty is not standardized, but instead comes in a variety of colors. For example, in the Tone Rehab Foundation commercial, Ellen constantly makes jokes about Sofia’s accent. “Thats what I was supposed to say now...” Sofia whispered. “Well. No one can understand you.” Ellen responded nonchalantly. This playful banter not only makes us enjoy the commercial more, but it also highlights Sofia’s Colombian heritage (Ethnic.) Although it is no coincidence that these women are both beautiful and famous, by featuring their diversities in the commercial, the company is not simply advertising their line of makeup. CoverGirl is suggesting that even though these women look differently, they  can find powerful unity in CoverGirl makeup. We are then inclined to purchase the makeup because, not only do we want to be as “easy, breezy, and beautiful” as these idolized women, but also because this idea of unity among women encourages us to avoid brands that are designed for more limited selections of women. For example, why buy a makeup brand only for black women if you could be a part of a universal cosmetic brand that unites and empowers women of all races? By convincing us, the consumers, that the CoverGirl brand stands for something greater than just makeup alone, they are able to reel in business and eliminate their competition. 

Trick #2     The CoverGirl company is so fixated on establishing this sense of a greater purpose that they have extended their publicized acceptance of diversity beyond where makeup is even relevant. For example, featuring Ellen Degeneres as a CoverGirl makes another statement for the brand regarding diverse sexual preferences among CoverGirl’s. Advertising CoverGirl products with a well-known homosexual spokesmodel is meant to influence women to participate in a positive stance that the CoverGirl brand is proclaiming to have on homosexuality. Lesbians do not necessarily offer CoverGirl a new category of women who can wear their makeup because, homosexual women do not have different makeup needs than heterosexual women. Yet, the brand’s acceptance makes more of a political statement, and encourages women of all sexual preferences to find self-confidence and power as a member of this mixed group of women. This stance is additionally inspiring to our younger generations who have not already established any brand loyalty to certain cosmetic companies. Young women are constantly keeping up with the most current trends, and are particularly easy to inspire to become a part of a “good cause.” Not only do we all want to be considered beautiful, but we love to be a part of groups or buy things that have positive associations with them. By portraying CoverGirl as more of a “good cause” than a business, the company is able to gain a greater brand loyalty among their customers. 

Trick #3      Furthermore, pairing Ellen with Sofia in the commercial, rather than just featuring Ellen by herself, physically stresses this concept of the acceptance of differences as well. It is unusual for the CoverGirl company to feature two CoverGirl’s in one advertisement. In addition, their choice of women to feature in this particular case is even more uncommon. We all can recognize that Ellen is a white homosexual comedian while Sofia is a Columbian bombshell and television actress. As if their differences in personality, race, and sexual orientation aren’t obvious enough, even their clothes suggest that they are polar opposites. Ellen is featured wearing a tailored, white-out suit, while Sofia shows off her hourglass figure in a tight, one-shoulder, black minidress. Side-by-side these women physically represent yin and yang; however, despite their obvious differences, they are able to laugh and have fun while in each other’s company. In this commercial, CoverGirl is able to directly compare two of their most diverse spokeswomen, and “prove” to us that the company can unite and transform just about anyone, even us. On the outside, the company may seem to represent a cause that is completely aimed towards making us feel that we can accept our uniqueness. However, is CoverGirl really any different than any other makeup company? In order for us to buy into the CoverGirl “cause” and actually feel better ourselves, we must first buy the CoverGirl product. In a sense, the product is advertised in a way that diminishes our self-esteem before boosting it. We watch these beautiful spokeswomen relish in their differences, and we idolize their values of distinction. However, this causes us to immediately get a sense that their beauty and acceptance of themselves makes them superior to us. Therefore, in order to be more like them, we are inclined to buy the products that they use. CoverGirl makeup may be able to cover up our blemishes, but the makeup itself has nothing to do with our self-acceptance. Yet, we do not consider this fact because CoverGirl has created an image for itself that counters the idea of makeup being superficial. Are you feeling a little bit cheated at this point? It's okay. Me too. 

  There is no doubt that CoverGirl is changing the way women view makeup. The brand pushes for an image that embodies the general ethics of acceptance of one’s differences and beauty. However, do we really buy into the idea that all of the celebrity spokeswomen are really just average women like us?
Certainly.  CoverGirl advertisements
have captivated young audiences for years, and have transformed the company into one of the top-selling makeup lines in the country. Over time, the company will most likely continue to try and over-accept itself by diversifying their spokeswomen even more. For example, the future CoverGirl commercials may feature other types of diversities such as women with disabilities or illnesses. They may also feature women of different age groups, or even non-celebrities that will literally give audiences the feeling that a CoverGirl is really just a “girl-next-door.” They will try just about anything to make us feel that we can relate to brand’s spokesmodels. 

     CoverGirl has been very clever in using society’s values on social messages to reel in business, eliminate competition, and gain customer loyalty. Although CoverGirl advertisements make it easy for us to buy into the idea that the company aims toward representing a greater cause, we must remember that this image was specifically designed to cover up CoverGirl’s true intentions. CoverGirl revenue does not actually go towards any woman’s movement. CoverGirl is a business, not a forum for women’s activism. Like any business, the company will do whatever it takes to sell their product, including manipulating women into believing that they can only accept who they are if they use CoverGirl cosmetics. While we may share the values that the CoverGirl company claims to support, should we be disturbed by their tactics to establish these values? Is buying CoverGirl makeup the right means for us to send messages about these values? We all want to adopt this image of beauty in acceptance; however, participating in the CoverGirl “campaign” may not the way to do it. It’s up to you to decide. 

Stop and think about the commercials you watch... they may not be what you think ;)

That's all for now!


Xoxo,

Fashion Fox



Resources:

     Monae, Janelle. "JANELLE." Janelle Monae, COVERGIRL Model. Get Her Latest Looks Here. CoverGirl Cosmetics, 2012. Web. 05 Feb. 2014.

     Ellen DeGeneres and Sofia Vergara New CoverGirl Commercial. Dir. CoverGirl. Perf. Ellen DeGeneres and Sofia Vergara. YouTube. YouTube, 17 Jan. 2012. Web. 05 Feb. 2014. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ra7iX-hWbw>.

     Ethnic. "Sofia Vergara." EthniCelebs Celebrity Ethnicity What Nationality Background Ancestry Race RSS. WordPress Admin, n.d. Web. 05 Feb. 2014. <http://ethnicelebs.com/sofia-vergara>.

It's all about the IMAGE

What exactly is fashion to you? 

   The way I've always looked at it... fashion is whatever makes you feel good about yourself, and who you are as a person. Fashion is self- expression. Fashion is the IMAGE that you are trying to portray regarding who you are, or maybe who you WANT to be.

   Nowadays people are constantly concerned with the idea of self promotion-- especially women. Throughout high school, and at the start of college I've found that the very first impressions that you make on others are often based upon what you wear. Are you classy or trashy? Girly or sporty? Rich or poor? Your clothes will speak VOLUMES, and give people the answers to these questions before you even get the chance to open your mouth. That is why self- image through clothing is so important to society today.

    Now I have heard many negative comments in regards to the current messages that the media is trying to portray when considering self image. Weight specifically tends to be a very touchy topic. The celebs and models on magazine covers, and in movies and TV shows are size 00, while most of us have a hard enough time maintaining a size 6. Yes. Society today encourages people to be skinny. Yes. Many people don't agree with that image because they consider it to be "unhealthy". Some may even get offended at the thought of pursuing that image. But what people have to understand is... the media is portraying that specific image because, right now, that is the current image that society finds attractive! That is the image that gets attention. That is the image that sells.

   From a marketing standpoint, it makes sense. Fashion is constantly changing, but with that, the female standard of beauty and self image changes along with it! For example, did you know that during the Renaissance Era (1400's - early 16th century) only the most voluptuous women were found attractive? During this time weight symbolized wealth. So, the more overweight you were, the more $$$ you had. And who doesn't love money? It wasn't until 1837, at the start of the Victorian Era, when itty bitty waists started to come into acceptance.

   No matter what is considered the "accepted" image, however; people are always going to obsess over looking a certain way. During the 1600's, in the era of Louis XIV, fashion and dressing aesthetically was specifically vital among the elites. Fashion was a symbol of wealth, luxury, and power. I like to think that King Louis XIV was the ULTIMATE diva of the 16th century. He demanded fashion and good company. Whether pregnant, ill, less than 6 weeks after a delivery, and whatever the ferocity of the weather, women HAD to be dressed and laced into their corsets, dance, stay up, attend festivities, eat, and be in good company. Sounds like a drag, right? But the royal court followed every fashion the King set-- no matter how inconvenient, and how ugly. If he encouraged men to shave off their beards, they did so without question. In the 1690's, as the king got older, he began to lose his hair. Afraid that his baldness would diminish his image of authority, he began wearing white haired wigs. Soon after, other court members followed, and white haired wigs emerged as a way to honor the King.

   If the nobility did not embrace their wealth and luxurious lifestyle, King Louis XIV believed their political standpoint would be diminished. Therefore, he was very careful when it came to crafting his image. He was very successful in staging his character, and portraying that image to the public so that his authority would not weaken. To get to the bottom line here, the king was all about the IMAGE, which, I believe, is why he was considered the ultimate leader of fashion and taste in 16th century France.

   If you really think about it, we are extremely lucky to have the freedom to embrace self- expression in today's society-- particularly with fashion. During the reign of Louis XIV, sumptuary laws were implemented with the intention of limiting peoples' private expenditures. The French had laws about how many dresses one could own, the value of materials people could use for clothes, how much cloth one could use, and even who could wear what style! Fabric types were assigned by class. For example, silk cloth, and any kind of red or purple garments were strictly reserved for nobility figures, and anyone dressing out of class would be penalized. This ensured that the most fashionable items could only come from the wealthy, and as long as the wealthy were more fashionable, they were viewed as more powerful.
 
   I don't know about you... but I love my silk. I love my reds. And I love my purples. And I sure as HELL don't like it when people tell me what to wear. So I really appreciate the fact that we don't have to put up with this garbage.

   But it is examples in history like these that proves that fashion is SO much more than aesthetic pleasure! It has purpose, and it has meaning. And most of all, it has power.

   Image can be used to reinforce existing positive images, change unfavorable ones, or create completely new images where one does not already exist. Image is everything. So ask yourself--

Who do you want to be?

Xoxo,


Fashion Fox




Notes: The historical information written in this blog was taken out of Yuniya Kawamura's book, The Japanese Revolution in Paris Fashion

Dressing in hoodies and sweatshirts for college classes? Not at Marist!

     HELLOOOO my fellow bloggers! Fashion Fox has just arrived here in the beautiful New York, and man am I getting a taste of college life! Yeah, yeah the parties are great- WHATEVER. But the STYLE is even better!
     Who says you need to go to FIT if you want to meet some serious fashion students? Pshhh! Don't make me laugh. I am attending the beautiful Marist College in Poughkeepsie, New York-- a college that is well known for its elite fashion program, might I add. Yes, the only difference between here and FIT is that Marist is full of hot straight men too. ;) I'm telling you, Marist is where its at!

     Although Marist has a phenomenal fashion program, I didn't know what to expect when it came to what students were wearing on campus! While I packed my 3 suitcases to prepare for the next year I'd be spending in college, my mom explained to me that college attire is all about comfort. "Everybody wears sweats; no one ever wears heels on campus; and nobody cares what they look like." Although I told her that her wisdom was duly noted, I did not hesitate to pack all of my most fashionable outfits. All I can say is, thank god I did because I was in for a pleasant surprise when I stepped onto the Marist grounds.
     Every day as I walk to class, I am surrounded by girls my age who seem to care about their appearance as much as I do! No Toto, we are definitely not in Kansas anymore. Now you can always tell who is on the sports teams by the sport specific t-shirt and shorts that athletes wear day in and day out. Don't get me wrong-- I love the athletic look! However, if I tried to pull off the look myself, I'd probably offend someone.
     But other than these spirited athletic teams, people are dressing up for class! I am happier than a slinky on an escalator to look around and see boys in unwrinkled collared shirts, and girls in elegant maxi skirts, and even heels! Here at Marist, we care.
     Today I was walking back from class when I ran into a good friend of mine that lives on my floor. Although, instead of hearing the normal "Hey! How are you?" that we always exchange, we both looked at each other and stopped as we realized we were wearing the same exact thing. Immediately we burst into laughter. I don't even care that we were caught together in the same outfit! This girls got style! #twinning

    So as you can see, we both went for the high-waisted shorts/ tank top look on this hot August day. I love this look because its casual enough to wear to class, but it still gives off the impression that you care about your appearance! And as if this look wasn't great enough on its own, there are SO many things that you can add as a nice personal touch. If you notice on the left, she went with the statement necklace, and slicked her hair back into an elegant sock bun. Then on the right, you can see that I complimented my outfit with a cheetah print scarf; leaving my hair down, and kept out of my face with a glitzy gold headband. 

    I definitely recommend this look whether you're going to class or just to the mall! Do what we did and add some of your own style choices to make this classic look more unique! The possibilities are endless!

Want this look? Heres where you can get it!

     - Black high-waisted shorts: Charlotte Russe - $24.99

     - Cheetah Print Scarf: Charlotte Russe - $9.99

     - White tank top: Old Navy - $5.97

     - Ivory statement necklace: Francesca's - $28.00

Stay foxy ladies! It's 2013! Wearing sweatsuits to class just isn't acceptable anymore. 

Xoxo,

Fashion Fox

Career Aspirations-- What exactly am I doing?

"Tell us your career aspirations in 100 words or less."

Does anyone else reach a standstill when faced with this question, or is it just me? In high school, teachers and guidance counselors alike never pressured you to have a specific career goal in mind when selecting a college. They even encouraged students to go in as "undeclared" and figure it out from there. It's no wonder why high school graduates studder when asked what they hope to do with the rest of their lives. WE DON'T KNOW.

"Tell us your career aspirations in 100 words or less."
"Umm.... I'd like to be involved in the fashion industry somehow."
"What specific career path are you most interested in?"

.....Career path?! WHAT are you talking about?! My senior year I decided to pursue a career in fashion after having a heart to heart with my mom. We talked about life. Her life. My future. She told me that she loves the life she lives now, but if she could go back and do it all over again, she'd study fashion. I thought, boy would she be good at it! I've always admired my mom for her incredible sense of style. She has always been, and always will be the perfect partner in crime when I hit up my favorite stores at the mall. Before that talk, I had never considered a fashion career. Yet when she brought it up, it seemed like the obvious path to take! I am obsessed with clothing and shoes (but honestly, what girl ISN'T?) Still. It seemed appropriate.

But do I really know anything about the fashion industry? I can tell you what looks good and what doesn't but that's about it! I don't know big designer names! I don't have a fashion role model or a favorite trendsetter! I don't read blogs or fashion magazines to find inspiration! And I certainly can't tell you what specific career paths exist in the fashion industry. It's astounding to me how little I know. Needless to say, I need to do some extensive research if I want to be taken seriously by all the other fashion majors and professors in college. I will NOT be the weakest link.

So that's what I did. I bought books. I read vogue. Blogs. Google. I'm learning, but I've got a long way to go. When I go to school in the fall, I am sure I will be surrounded by girls who know 100,000 more things about fashion than I. But at least now I have a better idea of the path I want to take.

Career paths in fashion:
    1. Design
    2. Buying
    3. Marketing
    4. Styling
    5. Public Relations
    6. Editorial
    7. Other


Right now, Public Relations sounds the best to me. I love the idea of being an event planner for a big named company. Ie. Victoria's Secret (my favorite <3) I want to be the girl that makes the Victoria's Secret fashion show happen. SO much fun, I can't even handle it!

While attending Marist College in Poughkeepsie, NY, I will explore all the career paths of the fashion industry.

"Tell us your career aspirations in 100 words or less."

I will attend school to learn the ins and outs of the fashion industry. I will explore each and every career path in the field, and I will know everything there is to know about fashion. I will make connections with people currently in the industry. I will be a powerhouse. I will be unstoppable. 

Xoxo,
Fashion Fox