Green Breeze Fashion Show for Land Conservation

It was clear upon entering the venue that sustainability was the buzzword on everyone’s lips, as representatives from Whole Foods and Kashi were on hand to distribute samples of their healthy, natural wares. Glass soda bottle centerpieces filled with flowers stood on patrons’ tables. On the stage itself, a thick carpet of fresh grass covered the catwalk, flanked by a pair of wooden whisky barrels.

This eco-friendly ambience was only marred by the presence of a company called Envo Water, which makes biodegradable-boxed water (picture portable, non-alcoholic versions of Franzia). The “sustainable” aspect of Envo’s sales pitch might have been more believable had they sold re-usable water bottles rather than disposable ones. Unfortunately, creating a product that nobody really needs and marketing it as “environmentally-friendly” to make a quick buck is a popular business tactic these days. This is why I was very skeptical of the concept of a sustainable fashion show, especially one organized by self-proclaimed yuppies (Royal Oak’s The Uptown Group) – but Garner’s work is, surprisingly, honestly devoted to the creation of a more sustainable lifestyle.

In a brief video that played before the show, Garner discussed how he became interested in eco-friendly fashion. He talked about how one of the employees where he apprenticed in Los Angeles grew ill due to inhaling toxic particles from synthetic fibers. This experience made Garner realize that using organic fabrics and dyes would not only benefit the environment, it would also improve the lives of the workers handling those materials. All of the work modeled at the Green Breeze fashion show held true to this idea, as every piece was created with organic fabrics dyed with plants you’d find in your grandmother’s garden.

...and indigo-dye pants.

Hoop skirts...

Garner’s “Southern Shores” line hearkens back to a day when women wore dresses until they became ragged, then tore them apart and re-stitched them to make new gowns. His models (all local, evidenced by nervous looks on some of their faces) sported hoop skirts, riding pants, tattered stockings, woolen arm warmers, and jewel-neck dresses. Some of his gowns featured an exposed zipper at the back; others were done up corset-style or had cross-straps. The men wore waistcoats, long, civil-war style jackets, and riding boots. Bluegrass band Catfish Mafia played as the models strutted down the runway, accentuating the rustic, Southern feel. The colors – mostly shades of gray, brown and blue - were natural without being drab enhanced by the organic imperfections in the dye and fabric.

After the show was over, Garner talked to the crowd about how he enjoyed Detroit, and was impressed its efforts to create a sustainable environment rather than just talking about as other cities do. He even hopes to grow some of the indigo and marigold used to produce his dyes in Detroit’s community gardens. Garner ended his speech by emphasizing the importance of ending our addiction to the cycle of consumerism, saying that de-programming ourselves from this cycle is the only way to truly achieve a sustainable world.

Proceeds from the event went to two local, non-profit organizations, The Greening of Detroit and The Community House in Birmingham.

Jeff Garner takes a bow.

Words: Rhiannon Haller

Photos: Chelsea Brown, SHEI Photography Editor

Barneys New York!

Now, to be honest, there’s no science here. Not even a pseudo-empirical poll. This is straight-up, 100% my opinion.

“Why make such an extreme statement?” you might you ask? Well, let’s examine the backstory and facts:

Like many of you, I like nice things, and I like to spend as little money as possible to obtain them (sales! coupons! etc.). So, like many of you, I joined the email lists for many department stores: Macy’s, Nordstroms, etc…. and Barneys New York.

Mistake.

First, let’s learn a little bit more about Barneys. By checking out their website, we find out that Barneys is:

… a mecca for discerning fashionistas and clothing connoisseurs since 1923.
… a Manhattan institution.
… a blast!
… an emporium of style and gorgeous products.
… a celebrity hangout.

They forgot “a place desperate enough to name-drop Sarah Jessica Parker.” But I digress. (I’ll get hate mail for that, won’t I?)

Now, let’s examine the titles of the emails they bludgeon me to death with:

SHHHH
ZOE – baubles, shiny baubles!
You’re fired!…. LIPSTICK QUEEN!
REVIVE is gonna get you
$ The PURPLE CARD is seriously great!!

All of these are copied EXACTLY as I receive them. I get one of these every day. Perhaps the summer rays are beginning to fry my brain, but in what way are those emails “discerning” or indicative of an institution?

I know the economy is in the trash and all, but annoying people into buying your products? Now that just reeks of desperate. Perhaps they just have an overzealous intern who recently experienced some blunt head trauma, but I’m going to have to give Barneys a general thumbs down for being abrasive as hell. Plus, they have an awful Men’s collection.

-Sagar Deshpande

Photo: from Second City Style

Rihanna and Leighton Meester looking chic in their heels and socks.

When I think of socks with heels, I instantly think of Dorothy with her ruby red slippers and adorable anklets. I don’t typically think of Paris and Milan runways. However, walking down the streets of Manhattan, I’ve noticed a trend that I felt needed some SHEI discussion: heels with socks.

I’ve seen countless women with fabulous (and I mean fabulous – Dior, Louboutins, Jimmy Choo) heels topped off with ankle socks. The trend, however, is far from new. College Fashion said:

The socks and heels trend is definitely a look that’s been in and out for a while, showing up everywhere from runways to the streets. It was most recently popularized when Burberry Prorsum sent the look down the runway at their 2008 and 2009 shows.

Kelly Osbourne, Alexa Chung, Rihanna, and Leighton Meester [why are you so cute all the time?] have been spotted trotting around Hollywood and NYC in heels and socks. Lucky Magazine’s advice?

When both pieces are black, this combination looks like a chic, streamlined bootie—just be sure the sock is a thin, not bulky weave and that it hits a couple of inches above your ankle.

When asked her opinion on this trend, a friend of mine who works at a couture, clothing company in New York City responded:

I love the style and have been seeing a lot of it at work and that’s typically where I see upcoming trends. I’ve seen bright-colored, floral print socks that come up past the ankle with black, strappy stilettos.

My opinion? I’m always interested in the hot, upcoming trends, but even I don’t think I’m fashion-forward and daring enough to appropriately pull this off. I’d do a bit of research and shopping before walking out of the house wearing this particular look.

Dorothy was so ahead of the times.

Who would have thought that Dorothy would have been ahead of the trend nearly seventy years ago? I always knew that “yellow brick road” was synonymous for “runway.”

[Photos courtesy of InStyle.com & The Guardian (UK)]

SHEI Shots catches up with Fashion Team member, Michael Williams.

What or Who influences your style?
“Urban Prep” style seen on Kanye and Pharrell

Favourite designer/style icon of all time
Ralph Lauren: you can never go wrong with a RL polo or oxford; they’re timeless and really versatile

Favourite store in Ann Arbor
Urban Outfitters

If you could only keep one item of clothing in your closet, what would it be?
The cardigan I’m wearing lol; I love Lacoste and cardigans, plus it’s vintage

What accessory should a guy/girl never be without?
Every guy should have a great tie; they’re essential to formal wear and guys (or girls) shouldn’t be afraid to wear them for their everyday looks as well

What fashion trend do you think is overrated?
I think the notion of guys not being fashionable and getting away with it is overrated; I’m tired of seeing old t-shirts with mix-matched shorts and fitted caps around campus. It’s time to step it up guys.

Here are some photos from our most recent SHEIfest for the launch of our 10th Anniversary Issue. Thanks so much to our sponsors for making this year a success! 

Thanks to:

See more Photos from SHEI X

Our Vice issue was featured prominently

A couple of months ago, University of Michigan B-School student, Christopher Anderson, was kind enough to use SHEI as the subject of a video made for a class project.  More recently, SHEI sat down with the creator to hear his thoughts on getting a behind-the-scenes look at part of our creative process with our (then) Editor-in-Chief, Fashion Editor, and a SHEI model.

SHEI: What inspired you to choose the SHEI Fashion department for the subject of your project?  What had been your experience with the magazine previously?

Our fashion team made an amazing backdrop video which was intended to be projected behind the models during the SHEIfest-X runway show. Tragically, some technological issues (i.e. a computer essentially melting) prevented us from showing it then. However, we’ve posted it on Vimeo so you can check it out it it’s full glory. Check out a smaller preview version below, or head over to Vimeo to see it in its full high-definition glory.

http://vimeo.com/10907133

Concept: Sung Hei Yau, Alyssa Selasky, Matthew Hardison and Angela Haddad
Video: Sung Hei Yau
Stills: Pele Browner
Styled by: Alyssa Selasky, Matthew Hardison, Angela Haddad
Models: Sherry Shen, Bonnie Schmitz, Kyle Goedert

(above image source)

“Does this look okay?” The phrase is common, particularly amongst college females. I can’t even begin to count the number of times I’ve come into my roommate’s room asking her if a certain outfit looks okay. In fact, I ask the question all of the time, whether I’m going out to the bar on a Friday night or going to class on a Wednesday morning. Many of us are fortunate enough to have a trustworthy friend, sibling, or someone in our life to tell us the honest truth on a particular article of clothing. Note: a significant other will never give you their honest opinion.

Enter The inspiration for “Does This Look Okay?” also known as www.dtlok.com– your fashion anxieties have been solved.

Michael and Drew (founders of the site) have known each other since freshman year and, whenever they went out, they talked business at the bar. It was Linda Permenter, a senior at Rice, who came up with the idea for the fashion site. When Drew mentioned it to Michael, he fell in love with it as soon as he heard it. The scattered, big idea needed to become a bit more feasible and that’s what the dynamic duo worked on. Michael knows fashion, Drew- not so much. But, it was clear they were missing a third person in the puzzle. They found a guy (John Gorman) on CraigsList to do the web development. Gorman, a self-taught engineer, brought his own talents to the table. Without him, the website would never have come to be. “John, from the start, has been someone who believed in the idea. I have a lot of respect for him because he believed in it early. For a full time student to be able to do all of this in less than a semester is unbelievable,” explains Tevrizian. “He has the drive to keep going. He doesn’t care about the money. He thinks of it as a project and a challenge.” They had the idea. They had the web developer. The team of three got the idea rolling.

“It’s great,” says Michael, “because we’re all in different networks. I’m from Miami, Drew’s from California, John is from Oregon. The different coasts will let us meet in the middle and spread word about the website to friends all over the country.”

From left: Drew Tevrizian, John Gorman, and Michael Eichberg. The Founders of DTLOK.

The inspiration for “Does This Look Okay?” also known as www.dtlok.com, came from hotornot.com, an old rating site allowing users to rate the attractiveness of photos submitted by users. The difference between dtlok.com and hotornot.com is that it’s geared towards fashion and it’s tasteful.

If someone has a big event coming up and they’re curious if an outfit works for it, they can submit a photo of themselves wearing the attire with a little description of where it is being worn to and what the intention is for wearing it. And, it’s all anonymous. Unlike other rating websites, dtlok.com is all about positivity and inspiration. Negative comments and wording will be flagged. “We want people to feel comfortable and confident. It’s all about individuality, being comfortable in your own skin,” explains Tevrizian. The ratings and comments are all anonymous and only the submitter will be able to see the results. It takes less than a minute to upload everything.

In regards to advertising, they’re hoping to either straight spam the customer (tastefully speaking, of course) or use market research with subliminal advertising. For example, while scrolling through photos of an individual wearing an outfit from Gap, a viewer may see a Gap advertisement. Another big idea? The use of celebrities!  By using fashion designers and celebrities in the industry, they’re hoping that users will be even more confident in their outfits. Hey, if Kim Kardashian gave my outfit a good rating, I’d be more likely to wear it!

The website itself is targeted towards people who don’t necessarily have someone to ask. “You can come downstairs in college and ask your friends what they think of your outfit. After college, not everyone has that luxury. This is their chance to have other people objectively give them a positive opinion on your look,” says Michael Eichberg.

People can present any attire. It could be a suit for work. A casual outfit for daytime. A going out outfit for the weekends. And, they can even post accessories. Users can go as in depth as they’d like. During the interview, Drew admitted that he doesn’t know anything about clothes. “The website will help someone like me who doesn’t understand fashion at all better understand what’s going on. It’s helpful in finding new trends because you could see a shirt from a store like Banana Republic on the website. Then, you could go to Banana Republic’s website and find that exact shirt.

“Does This Look Okay” calls itself “Fashion By Democracy. “It’s a community, in which we’re trying to build responses from others about how you look. It’s like a democracy, a community, to help people feel positive and look good,” says Tevrizian.

Do these jeans make my butt look weird? Does this shirt make me look fat? Do these earrings match? Is the jewelry too much with the neckline? Is this appropriate for an interview? Do I look too dressed up for class? Does This Look Okay?! DTLOK is the new, trendy, fashion-forward website that will help answer that undying question.

It’s simple. Upload a picture, describe your “look” (i.e. top, bottom, shoes, bag, whatever field you’d like). Drop a comment about the outfit. Where are you going? What is your concern with it? Provide your email address (anonymously) so that you can get a private link where you can view what others have to say about your look. Agree that you are over the age of eighteen and to the terms of the site. Wait to see what others have to say about your look!

If you’d like to post an outfit to see if it “looks okay” or if (like me) you’re looking for an entertaining website to procrastinate studying for finals, check out www.dtlok.com.

Gladiator sandals make a triumphant spring return.

(above image source)

Hello Spring! I love you and all your sunshine, flower-power glory. And of course with spring comes… SPRING SHOES! No more do we need to trudge through a foot of sludge to get to classes, so we can safely retire our soiled Uggs and weather-proof boots. But what should we replace them with? We must hurry to give our toes some wiggling freedom! Thus, this extensively scientifically researched Ultimate Spring Shoe Guide is written to help you and your toes on a quest to find the perfect, trend-appropriate kicks.

1. Wedge Heels

From covered wedges to peep-toe wedges to platform wedges, wedges are huge this spring–both literally and figuratively (check out Givenchy’s towering version for Spring 2010). I mean, what’s not to like? They give you the height of stilettos with the comfort of sandals. I also like the word wedges. It sounds so… wedged.

2. Oxfords and Saddle Shoes

Menswear-inspired looks still ruled the spring runway, and oxfords are no exception. Pair them with flirty dresses to toughen them up or with slouchy jeans and a tee for the I-just-threw-on-something-in-the-morning-and-yet-managed-to-look-amazing look. By the way, saddle shoes are basically oxfords, but with the top being a different color. I’m really loving the lighter, neutral oxfords this spring–which brings me to number three.

3. Neutrals

Thank God neutrals are in this spring. They definitely bring in the most bang for the buck, since they literally go with everything. Someone should create a saying about how neutral heels are a woman’s best friend. They make your legs look miles long as they blend in with your skin tone, and I can guarantee you’ll be able to find every trend on this list in a neutral. Hoorah for flesh tones!

4. Gladiator Sandals

No need to retire your gladiator sandals yet. Though initially predicted to last only one season, gladiator sandals return again for spring. Straps seem to be a little thicker, and ankle-covering, booties-sandals crossbreeds (they should really think of a word for that) are particularly prominent.

5. Peep-toe Booties

If Alexander Wang does it, it has to be cool, right? The peep-toe booties are still gaining popularity this summer despite their mere existence being an oxymoron of sorts. They’re perhaps for people whose ankles get cold and toes get too hot? Peep-toes are also turning more into full out stare-toes with increasing toe-cleavage (Get it? Peep…stare… Nevermind). However, despite all logic, I like the way they look and that’s all that counts anyways.

6. Clogs

Possibly the spring shoe trend that generated the most buzz, the clog has been returning with ferocity ever since Karl Lagerfeld reintroduced it in his Spring 2010 collection. The rustic Dutch shoes have since been made by retailers such as Jeffrey Campbell and Topshop and work on the stylish feet of Alexa Chung and Rachel Bilson. I’m not so sure I’m going to be clacking down the street in these anytime soon (mostly because I think the sound they make is annoying), but the studded, platformed Chanel version looks–dare I say it–pretty chic.

Let’s start on a positive note… (photos from omg.yahoo.com):

Sandra Bullock at the 2010 Academy Awards.

Sandra Bullock looked absolutely stunning on the red carpet in a Marchesa dress that deserved to be on stage accepting the Best Actress award.

Penelope Cruz at the 2010 Academy Awards.

Though Penelope Cruz could have showed up in sweat pants and still looked incredible, this Donna Karan gown further solidified her status as red carpet royalty.

Gabourey Sidibe at the 2010 Academy Awards.

Newcomer Gabourey Sidibe has been the talk of the town since her debut in the movie Precious and she continued to draw the spotlight in this Marchesa dress.

Now onto the less positive…

Mariah Carey at the 2010 Academy Awards.

Between the weird draping, flower broach, thigh-high slit, and awkward one shoulder, Mariah Carey and this dress are pretty much a hot mess (please disregard the rhyme).

Charlize Theron at the 2010 Academy Awards.

Charlize Theron’s dress drew a lot of controversy at this year’s Oscars due to the fact that there were flowers on her breasts. I don’t really know about all that, but I do know that the flowers look stupid and her weird up-do is just a continuation of that theme.

Diane Kruger at the 2010 Academy Awards.

I’m typically of the persuasion that Chanel can do no wrong, but this dress with the bizarre inflated, ruffled midsection is simply not acceptable.