Polka dots is my constant fashion style every New Year’s Eve. It is always the same pattern every year, large white dots over bright red fabric. The design may change, from a jumpsuit to a tube dress to a full skirt but the staple white dots over red fabric is constant.  You see, I believe in the old Chinese tradition of wearing a red dress with white dots every year to invite good financial luck through the incoming year. Because of this tradition, I always love polka dots because it reminds me of the holiday season.

Am I seeing polka dots already?

I was greatly amused when I saw some designers embrace the polka dot pattern and my heart was filled with the warmth of the coming holiday season as the models started strutting down the runway clad in different hues of dots of different sizes and different styles while other designers even went as far as dressing their models with dots from head to toe.

My favorite look was Stella McCartney’s sheer blouse with white disc like dots placed in strategic places and flapping like crazy, paired with a white knee length skirt also covered with white dots.

Another look I love is the red Azzaro polka dot mini dress. It reminds me so much of my annual New Year’s Eve dress that I am hoping a red and white version exists.

Gucci and polka dots?

Gucci’s black and white, sheer, long dress took my breath away with its light and simple elegance. Again, Gucci has proven itself a master of grace and elegance and even left me yearning to wear the dress more than two month before my annual tradition.

So, how about you? What do you think about the polka dots fashion (Share it here)?

In a day and age when watching your money is of the utmost importance, I would like to see a fashion article, more of it actually, that really strive to educate readers towards second hand and consignment fashion.

What’s in a fashion article?

Most articles that I have read or see on the cover of popular women’s magazines, consider an inexpensive article of clothing to be less than $100. Complete outfits are thought to be budget if in the realm of $500. Times are tight and it seems that most of us, especially those living outside of urban environments, rarely have a spare twenty in our pocket to grab a new article of clothing with.

I personally will take a photo from a current catalog or advertisement and use that as a template for a new outfit. I will take it to the thrift store or consignment shop, and try to copy it as closely as possible.  Without having a fashion degree or training, I know that there are other substitutions I could be making if only I had someone or some article to guide me. This is where a comprehensive fashion article on copying high end or designer fashion on a second hand store budget would come in to play.

Beyond just women’s fashion, I think the same needs to apply to men’s fashion as well.  Most guys don’t seem to see the need for anything other than a t-shirt and jeans which pass the sniff test. Making fashion not only affordable but also meaningful to men, would be a boost to all of us who have to look at and work with them.  The average Joe doesn’t seem to see the need for caring much about their appearance, other than being well groomed. That being said, it’s not going to grab advertising dollars to tell people to go shop at their local goodwill or Salvation Army.  So these articles would have to appear in publications not depended on the almighty advertising dollar of most magazines.

The use of a fashion article to me

My second idea for a fashion article, is to help the truly fashion ignorant like myself.  I am a basic t-shirt and jeans type of girl.  I long for the winter months so that I can throw on a hooded sweatshirt, pair of rough, worn in, well loved jeans, and a pair of tennis shoes. This is my look. It’s not out of ignorance, or thinking that this look is fashionable. I just don’t know how to do any better and still be comfortable and practical. Heels are not suited to my lifestyle. I don’t work in an office so slacks and suits are unneeded.  Layers of shirts and fitted jackets just seem binding and uncomfortable. I believe there are a large number of people who truly want to look better, but just don’t have the knowledge of how to look put together and fashionable while still be comfortable enough to do housework, run errands and sit on the couch to catch 20 minutes of television while waiting for the laundry to dry.

Terminology is another issue that could use some explaining. For example, if you go to the store to purchase a pair of jeans, there are probably 15 different ‘styles’ to choose from.  Some of these seem to be cohesive between brands and stores, but others seem to be proprietary and therefore confusing.  I end up getting confused and feeling fat by the end of the day and leave without anything at all, or with something that I don’t really want, but I’m just sick of trying things on and what I have will do well enough.

While I am never one that would be able to take on explaining any of these fashion related issues, I do believe that there are many out there who could.  I know of many people, who are not experts, but who do somehow have a gift or a knack for always looking so well put together.  I am jealous of these people, but that’s for another time.

If there is anyone out there who is able to write a comprehensive fashion article to guide people on how to look their best without breaking the bank, even if the said ‘bank’ is only $20 or $30 then they have my readership.  Anyone who could take this jeans and a t-shirt or sweats and tennis kind of gal and turn her into something that someone else would wonder to themselves ‘how does she look so good?’ deserves some sort of award.  They would have my devoted readership.  And if it happens to be in one of those previously mentioned advertising glutton magazines, then all the better. I think a fashion article is more effective if people are encouraged to spend what they have, not what they wish they had.

This is an article about my top five fashion websites and why they are my favorite websites. These websites range in the style and presentation, as well as how they give out information; however, they are listed in a way in which I understand current fashion trends from around the world.

Top 5 fashion websites on my list

People Style (peoplestylewatch.com)

I love this website because it has such a user-friendly setup. You can go onto the site and see pictures of new fashion and styles. This website is put together by the editors of People Magazine, so it is a familiar setup, especially to a reader of the magazine. People magazine tends to focus on celebrities; therefore, you can read about what your favorite celebrity is wearing at the moment. Another reason that People Style is my number one favorite fashion website is that this website shows everyday use of fashion items. While some sites may show runway fashion and styles which someone wouldn’t wear to walk down the street, People Style shows people (celebrities) wearing clothing, accessories and other things out and about and it is easy to see how they are expected to be worn when out shopping, clubbing or at a party. Even the evening gowns and award show attire shown on this website is seen as very attainable for everyday life, with many fashions which American’s wouldn’t cringe to wear in prints and cuts which are socially acceptable and by designers who are generally household names. People Style Watch is a great fashion website because the structure is set up for anyone to view and understand, and find styles applicable to their own lives.

AOL.com Fashion

AOL fashion is another every-woman’s fashion website. AOL publishes sensationalist stories as well as critically acclaimed fashion. Another advantage that AOL Fashion has is that it commonly posts videos from fashion shows and from the red carpet. Video clips are an advantage for this website because it gives another edge to the style which is being viewed: often, there are interviews with the designer and/or the wearer talking about why they chose that piece and how they feel about it, which can significantly change how the viewer feels about that website. Besides showcasing successful fashion styles, AOL also shows fashion mistakes including strange outfits, styles which were heavily critiqued by the public or fashion editors or both, as well as wardrobe malfunctions. For example, they have run many stories about Lady Gaga’s many strange outfits and why she chose to wear them. Because of the videos presented on this site, I really appreciate looking at it and learning from what is presented there, however, it tends to be a very gossip oriented website and that’s the reason why it is not my first choice for a fashion website.

ModCloth.com

This website is different from the other websites on this list as this particular website sells fashion clothes, rather than just reporting and marketing them. Although it is a sales website, most of their clothes are very fashion forward and therefore, I find it to be a great resource for new fashions and styles. It is also one of my favorite websites because on this site, if I find something that I like, I have the ability to purchase it and wear it myself.

Style.com

Style.com is unique in my list as it is the only list dealing with high fashion and runway fashion. It deals with almost everything that falls into this category, however. It covers models and modeling, fashion week, news about new looks and shows as well as coverage of different designers. Although this website doesn’t showcase the kind of fashion that I personally would wear, it shows a wider view of fashion and a more international view, which helps me to see what is coming for future fashion, and it is quite an educational resource for me when I want to learn about the general trends which are becoming popular and what kind of styles I can look forward to in the near future.

DailyFashion.com

This is a fashion website for girls which I really appreciate. It is much less about fashion of the moment than many of the other sites that I have discussed here; it is a great resource for the budding fashionista. This website is colorful and very child friendly. Instead of pictures of a wardrobe malfunction by a famous celebrity, it will instead discuss ‘The Dos and Don’ts of Being a Diva’. This website is a very positive environment to encourage girls to explore their own sense of style while helping them follow some general ‘rules’ for fashion as they start their journey. This website also includes daily fashion tips, fashion quizzes and horoscopes, making it one of the fashion websites that girls would want to check on a regular basis to help them continue their fashion education. It also has message boards so they can send messages to friends and can develop a sense of style as a group and support each other as they learn about new and exciting fashionable styles.

… and I have learned a lot from these fashion websites.

This is a list of my top five fashion websites. They are extensive and definitely cover a variety of materials and subject matter. They also have a wide range of target audiences, however, I feel like they all individually have many strong merits. Whether they are discussing runway fashion, celebrity fashion or fashion for children, I feel like all of these resources are worthwhile for learning about fashion. I visit all of these websites on a regular basis and have learned a lot, ranging from random facts and fashion rules and guidelines up to seeing new fashions and watching them travel from the runway to celebrities and finally down to department stores for everyone to purchase. I would highly recommend all of these fashion websites.