Sleek and Shimmering

The sleek and shimmering selection of garments is what brings together the clothing from the past with a dash of modern style. Modelled by Lady Gaga and Paco Rabanne, this style encompasses metallic shimmers and a variety of colours, including; red, green, bronze, silver, and gold. Not only does it make everybody stand out, but it’s perfect for the hot summer weather we are bound to get this year. It really does evoke memories of the famous Egyptian Queen Cleopatra.

Pastels

Pastel colours have been seen throughout the last few summers, so it’s no surprise that they have appeared again. The difference this year is that it’s the pale colours which are in and rich colours which are out. One of the best ways to take full advantage of this trend is to combine colours of peppermint green and frosty blue with floral prints.

50s Revamped

Most fashion trends from yesteryear seem to make a comeback at some point. And 2012 is the year of the Prep look from 1950s America. High-wasted leather trousers and bare midriffs are all in style this year. Add some cats-eye sunglasses to complete the whole look. Although the trousers may not be much good for those hot summer days, the bare midriffs mean that people can be in style whilst not feeling uncomfortable.

Gatsby Era Fashion

Gatsby era fashion has always been a popular trend for women all around the world. It’s been immortalised by the adaptations and recreations of the famous novel The Great Gatsby, and its back yet again. Maxi dresses are all the rage, but Ralph Lauren is also adding its contribution to this trend with its range of shimmering gowns. Tassels and feathers are also great accessories; the Gucci range of feathers and tassels are highly recommended.

POP! Culture and Fashion 1955-1976 is a look backwards at the range of vibrant youth culture which swept from the US around the world in the mid-1950s.  The rise of pop culture was reflected in abundance in fashion and this retrospective at the Fashion and Textile Museum is sure to prove how well fashion reflects the underlying trends in culture.

The incorporation of pop and rock-n-roll imagery into fashion is a fascinating chronicle of changing attitudes during two of the most culturally turbulent decades in our recent past.  If you were around during that era, you’ll enjoy the nostalgia trip of this exploration of pop culture and fashion.  But if you’re too young to remember any of this, it’s a great chance to get a handle on some of the cultural influences which are continuing to reverberate in fashion today.

The exhibition will offer a detailed exploration of the ways in which the new cultural wave from across the Atlantic had a lasting impact on the fashion world.  You’ll see the origins of the Mod and Punk, the outrageous excesses of the psychedelic movement and the rise of kitsch glamour in the 1970s.

This show will include a number of historical items, including garments from Elton John’s own wardrobe along with Donovan’s iconic purple flares and examples of the early fashion work of such designers as MARY Quant, Vivienne Westwood, including a number of original pieces from Westwood and Malcolm McLaren’s Sex Boutique.

The fashion items will be shown off against a backdrop of furniture, posters and promotional materials from the period with a dramatic “I’m Backing Britain” centrepiece.

So if you think it’s time for a review of the fashions and influences from one of the most frequently retro-visited period of our recent history, get along to the Fashion and Textile Museum between July 6 and October 27 for an eye-popping display.

There’s been a silent revolution in men’s outerwear over the past few years.  The gilets that once lurked at the back of our wardrobes have gradually emerged as a fashion item and men’s gilets are now pretty much obligatory for any serious guy.

Men’s gilets have been around for centuries of course, even since the Turks first made them out of sheepskin to ward off the winter chills of their harsh inland climate.  They’ve gone through a lot of transformations since then.  Although they still feature in folk dress through much of Eastern Europe, they took hold in the West of the continent in the nineteenth century.

Men’s gilets traditionally resembled a waistcoat more than an outer garment.  They were often made of leather and used by hunters to keep warm while out on a long shoot.

Today’s men’s gilets have emerged as a warm, often padded outer garment for extra warmth, either alone or as a second layer under a winter jacket.  They can be any length from waist-length to knee length, although modern urban men favour the waist-length variety.  Standard dress for winter sporting events, often worn over a heavy sweater, they also come into their own in changeable spring and autumn weather.

Mens Gilets

Often known as bodywarmers, mens gilets have now become major fashion item.  They’re available in all kinds of fabrics, all kinds of colours, plain or plaid, and with zips, buttons or studs.  You name it: there are men’s gilets to suit every sense of fashion.

One of the main reasons they’ve become a hot item is that men’s gilets are unrivalled for flexibility.  You can match them with a plaid shirt, or a woolly jumper, or even a t-shirt if you don’t mind your arms getting cold.

This year you’re going to be seeing mens gilets in every fabric imaginable: wool, corduroy and even oilskin.  One of the hot trends is going to be men’s gilets of one fabric for the bottom half and a contrasting panel over the shoulders.  One big look will be a padded bottom half and leather or cord for the top.

1. Cotton Jackets

Cotton jackets are going to be big in 2012. These will be a lightweight variation on that good old winter standby, the checked wool jacket.  They’re smart, they’re practical and fun.  The good news is that they’re going to come in dark colours, perfect for disguising all those bloody mary spills at the first parties of spring.  This one is from Woolrich Woolen Mills.

2. Linen Jackets

Linen jackets will be the utility wear of 2012, right through the spring and summer.  Again in dark colours, piece-dyed, with patch pockets and rough stitching, these tough jackets are going to be everywhere, ready to throw on or throw in a corner and pick up again when you’re ready to go.  This three button linen jacket by Facconable is a real utility garment.

3. Safari Jackets

Safari jackets are going to stage a comeback next year, just to keep you retro types happy.  But these are going to be a new rugged look safari jacket, not the kind you expect to see third world dictators wearing.  They’ll be military in styling and come distressed with a ready-to-wear lived-in look, like this cotton and hemp jacket by Facconable.

4. The Blouson

The blouson never really went away but it’s back in a new incarnation in these casual jackets from Esemplare.  This one’s in three shades of brown with a hood.  You’re going to be seeing these everywhere next spring, so if this kind of causal’s your thing, it’s time to grab one while they’re still around.

5. Hoodie Jacket

Strictly practical this hoodie jacket is set to be a 2012 sensation.  This UK-made foldaway by Christopher Raeburn is a must have for unpredictable spring weather.  It’s practical, smart and packs up into its own zip bag for easy carrying.  Nylon with a front zip and grosgrain piping.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qlCi1gkEz0s