fashion low down » Fashion

Why Are Catcalls That Upsetting?

Jennifer Wright — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 16:07:40 +0000

This morning, some man on the street turned to me and yelled “damn girl, you looking fine!” And I responded pretty much the same way I always respond. I said “thank you!” And then the guy gave me a thumbs up, and I walked on, glad that soup-stained cat-ladies like us still do it for someone, thinking to myself “I am still hot to strangers and I haven’t even brushed my hair. I can eliminate 2 to 3 minutes from my morning routine. Score!“

Now, look, I completely understand why people are offended by strangers telling them that they should perform sexual acts. That’s creepy and gross. This would be a different story if the stranger had said “girl, you should suck my dick.” But the generic “you looking, fine, girl?” cat calls? They’ve never really bothered me. And honestly, I’ve never really understood why so many women are offended by people telling them they look pretty on the street.

Is it because it seems offensive that people want to pass judgement on your appearance without your consent? Eh, they’re allowed to have an opinion. You are too. Want to hang out on a street corner with me yelling at men about their bad haircuts and poor facial hair choices? We’re allowed to do that. It would be weird, but we could. I can bring vodka. It will be a party. An open-air judgement party.

Is it because they’re treating you like a piece of meat and only remarking on your physical appearance? Dude, we’re all made of meat. Would it be better if they shouted “you look like someone who reads a lot of Chaucer, which is to say, my kind of woman!”? Well, maybe, but only insofar as it would be more creative. I think most guys who feel that way aren’t the guys who cat-call women.

Is it because there’s always a sexual implication, and this man would probably like to have sex with you if given the opportunity? Please. If you’re not… actually, just period, most men would probably like to have sex with you if given the opportunity. I’m not trying to demean men here, but yeah, the possibility of having sex with you has probably at least crossed the mind of most single men you interact with. Cat-calling actually seems sort of sad, because the minute men do that, they must know that there’s no chance whatsoever of actually having sex with you. I mean, hey, maybe if you’d been standing next to them waiting for the train and they’d struck up some sort of meaningful conversation about bands you both liked or something maybe it could lead to something. It will never, ever lead to anything with the guy who yells “you’re looking pretty, today!” at you from across the street. It doesn’t work. And men must know it doesn’t work.

I suppose the best reason it’s offensive comes from Jezebel which states:

The worst problems with street harassment often don’t come from the men on the street harassing you – but rather from the prevailing attitudes among society/other men that it’s something you should welcome.

That makes sense, but it still registers lower of my annoyance scale than “damn, the office is out of sweet ‘n’ low packets today.” But obviously it DOES upset a lot of women, and I’m curious about why. Does the type of cat-call make any difference? What about them offends you?

Post from: TheGloss

Nike x Undercover Present: GYAKUSOU INTERNATIONAL RUNNING ASSOCIATION

admin — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 16:00:10 +0000

In October 2010, Nike and Jun Takahashi, founder and head designer of Japan’s coveted clothing label Undercover, will release the first Nike x Undercover Gyakusou performance running collection.

“The design partnership fuses cutting edge Nike running innovations and design with the functionality of Takahashi’s Undercover—whose dedication to a less-but-better design philosophy mirrors Nike founder Bill Bowerman’s passion for the athletic benefits of minimalism. It amplifies levels of technical precision and intuitive function, delivering a unique and modern perspective on running by runners.

Gyakusou takes its name from a small but highly dedicated group of Tokyo-based runners – including Takahashi – who passionately run in their city. The name Gyakusou comes from ‘gyaku’ meaning wrong way or reverse and ‘sou’ meaning ‘run or running’ — a reference to the group running counter-clockwise while the rest of Tokyo’s runners run clockwise in the city’s parks. It draws upon a shared obsession for design innovation and improving the performance of the athlete.

With concealed specially developed pockets added to staple pieces like shirts, pants and shorts, a technical approach is sustained throughout. Total articulation and storage solutions were paramount during the design process. Carrying day-to-day essentials in silence is an integral part of Takahashi’s needs as a runner, ensuring his run remains a mobile personal space where he can concentrate, unwind and continually achieve.

Fabrics remain quiet, while keys and coins are kept from contact — one of the designer’s main concerns, “I was using every pocket my pant had. Now with this pocket system, you can put things in with order without making noise. I think that will help the regular runner.”

For the inaugural Fall/Holiday 10 collection, Nike and Takahashi also focused on colors. Wanting to provide an alternative to traditional running neons and brights, the result sees subtle colors that Takahashi describes “reflect a harmony with nature” fused with reflective safety details and a recurring red trim inspired by the artery vein — part of performance’s physical foundations.”

The Gyakusou performance running collection will be available October 2010 at selected retailers globally.

Check out lots of lookbook images from the collection after the jump.

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Post tags: Fashion, nike, Sneakers, undercover

Fashion 101: 10 Items That Will Make the End of Summer Bearable

Brooke Moreland — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 15:53:11 +0000

Labor Day is officially over and today is the first day of the rest of your life. It also happens to be the first day that you can’t wear white shoes until April 2011. Bummer. But as you dump the sand out of your bag and set the DVR for your fall shows, remember; the end of summer isn’t all bad. It is not all bad … because of the clothes. Fashion Week is just around the corner, back to school clothes are on the shelves, and the economy may be on the mend. Besides, the clothes you wore last fall were probably hideous. So what the hell – get out your credit cards and shop. Pay full price, buy what you want and dream big. Fall only comes once a year.

Post from: TheGloss

EXILE iD x Bape Fall 2010

admin — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 15:40:10 +0000

Once again A Bathing Ape has teamed up with Japanese pop group EXILE iD. For Fall 2010 they present the Skull Sta low top sneaker, as well as a bandana and some sticker sets, all featuring the same all-over design that was also used in their previous collaborations. Look out for a release soon.

More images of the collaboration follow after the jump.

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Post tags: bandana, bape, exile id, Sneakers, stickers

Tom Ford Rumored to Preview His New Women’s Clothes During Fashion Week

Amy Odell — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 15:40:00 +0000

If anything will have editors fainting over their Fiji water this Fashion Week, it might be Tom Ford, who is hosting an elusive cocktail party on September 12. WWD hears that His Forbulessness will show something from his first namesake line of womenswear at this affair. His spokeswoman confirmed the event is "a small cocktail party" but would not reveal if he'll bandy about his new clothes as well. The paper reports Ford will show the full collection, including clothes, shoes, bags, and jewelry — ZOMGWTFBBQ! — in January for June deliveries. So in a year, you and your lover might be sitting in your respective offices wearing his and her Tom Ford! And then you can go home and feed each other spoonfuls of caviar with real ivory utensils.

MAJOR TOM [WWD]

Hello Kitty Dr. Martens Just Destroyed My Childhood

Jennifer Wright — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 15:11:05 +0000

You know what I remember from being young? Watching Daria 700 times and owning a pair of black Dr. Martens that were supposed to make me look like her. You know, like someone who read George Orwell’s lesser works inside a padded room. And wore glasses. And had a style which, while it would forever disqualify me from being a member of the Fashion Club, was actually way cooler than anything worn by members of the Fashion Club. All I wanted was footwear that said “yeah, I am a counter culture rebel, and I have a lot of feelings about Jane Magazine, which I will demonstrate through parody.”

Dr. Martens just released their new Hello Kitty line. They’re cutesy. They’re pink. They have, as you can see, a little bow on them. Okay, they’re cute, I guess, but I’m not sure they’re Orwell in a padded room cute. Daria once said “my boots send a clear message: “I can kick you” – I guess now you can do so with a pretty pink bow.

Post from: TheGloss

Arc’teryx Veilance Fall/Winter 2010 Collection

admin — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 15:07:43 +0000

The much anticipated Arc’teryx Veilance Fall/Winter 2010 Collection has been released today. The high end line from the brand, brings together form, function and design. The Field Jacket and Blazer have landed at the Garbstore in London and the Blazer certainly remains among our favorites, perfectly fusing style and functionality with its fashionable cut and Gore-Tex upper.

Take a look at the new Fall/Winter 2010 offering after the jump.

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Read the rest of Arc’teryx Veilance Fall/Winter 2010 Collection

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Post tags: Arc'teryx Veilance, jackets

Kate Lanphear Fed Her Interns Pizza

Charlotte Cowles — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 15:05:00 +0000

Kate Lanphear.

A former intern for Elle's Kate Lanphear told the Post, “All the interns wanted to be her and probably still do.” The editor also treated her underlings like real, sustenance-needing human beings: “She is honestly one of the nicest people that I’ve met in the industry ... She kept us really late one night, so she brought us in pizza and sodas. Most other editors merely just stare at you or don’t acknowledge your existence at all.” [Page Six/NYP]

H&M Magazine Autumn 2010: Arizona Dream ft Anja Rubik

retrogurl — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 15:00:28 +0000

H&M Magazine’s Autumn 2010 issue is out, if you haven’t seen it here’s the cover and editorial shoot of “Arizona Dream” featuring model Anja Rubik, photographed by Camilla Akrans and styling by Jane How. I’ve been obsessed with the leather flight jacket ($299) since I’ve seen it last month, it looks amazing on Anja- it is definitely a must have this fall. And I love love love the printed sweaters, cardigans, pants and scarves, I’ll take one of each please! The ponchos and capes are really nice too, pondering when fall will arrive…

Read the rest of H&M Magazine Autumn 2010: Arizona Dream ft Anja Rubik

AHALife: A Lifestyle Site for Fashion People, Curated by the Likes of DvF and Gilles Bensimon

Lauren Sherman — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 14:59:10 +0000

I love products. Not just shoes and bags and dresses, but products. My significant other and I together own about six Apple computers, an iPad, four iPhones (we’re trying to sell the old ones, if you’re interested!), as well as a million weird little knickknacks, from a carved wooden image we picked up in Japan to several Smorkin’ Labbits. We like stuff.

But I must admit, there aren’t many sites out on the Web that carry such stuff, whether it’s the wood block LED alarm clock we recently put on our registry or a very, very specific lavender oil my future mother-in-law has been bugging us to unearth. In fact, sites that do carry such cool finds aren’t comprehensive, or they’re not well-designed, or worse, they refuse to ship internationally. (Let me put it this way: There’s a reason we’re doing an Amazon universal registry instead of pick stuff out at Bed, Bath, and Beyond.)

Enter AHALife. Founder Shauna Mei wants to create an online space where you can learn about new products–hand-picked by 80-some curators, including Diane von Furstenberg and Tim Gunn–and maybe even buy something. Mei, a former business consultant for fashion labels, came up with the idea while living in Europe. “I noticed that there were very few e-commerce sites targeted towards the aesthetic consumer–the busy, savvy, in-the-know woman or man–who loves fashion but is not a slave to fashion,” she explains. While sites like Net-a-Porter made it easy to shop for clothes and accessories, what about furniture, art, home goods?

The major twist: Unlike most e-commerce sites, the products are made-to-order, limited edition, or otherwise difficult-to-find. And one new product is introduced daily. (Although they live on the site for seven days.)

Mei believes the easiest way to sell something is to tell its story. Which means she’s brought in a crack editorial team, headed up by fashion journalist Lauren David Peden, who serves at the site’s editorial director. Gilles Bensimon is its creative director, while former Style.com-er Nancy McDonnell is a contributor. Featured items will include everything from artisanal foods to scarves to desk lamps. But each is promised to be special.

Another element: Mei and Peden’s workspace, an industrial loft in downtown Manhattan, doubles as a product showroom. A display space for items featured on the site, the showroom also serves as a place for buyers and industry insiders to check out new products, some of which have never before been available in the US.

AHALife officially launches later on this month, but Fashionista readers get early access. Click here to check it out.