June 11, 2020 at 06:00AM Whether it’s a christening smock or a prom dress, a school pinafore or a wedding gown, dresses have historically been markers for certain rites of passage. Even if you forwent tradition in these instances, you could argue that the presence of the dress was still felt in its absence. It was, and still is, an item of clothing that has had a hard time shaking off its cultural baggage. Thankfully, over the last decade, the fashion industry has started to champion new ways of expressing the dress and in turn opened up conversations around how we present femininity, frumpiness, sexuality and flattery. In more recent years, social media has also offered smaller brands a voice and a chance to disrupt certain design tropes by delivering innovative dresses that are as eclectic as the women who wear them. One thing’s for sure: In 2020, there’s no single way to rock the frock. If the eyes are a window to the soul, then perhaps the dress has become a peephole into our style personalities; be it the extroversion of a bold print or the austere elegance of a minimalist midi, the glamour of a curve-hugging body-con or the laid-back sentiment of a T-shirt dress. Usually, I would place myself in the minimalist camp, with occasional meanderings into the retro category, but lockdown has inspired me to switch up my fashion character on a weekly basis, and dresses are the ideal way to mould my mood. “Dresses are the ultimate in no-brainer dressing,” explains author and former fashion editor Erica Davies.
Author: CityWomen
8 Interior It Pieces the Fashion Crowd Loves
June 11, 2020 at 06:00AM It’s not totally surprising that interiors have become the new “thing” in fashion. There were signs that this was happening, of course. A green sofa here, a popular print there—all signs pointed to fashion’s love of It pieces bleeding into homeware. Then, we were locked down thanks to the pandemic, which propelled our love of interiors into overdrive. Increased time in our homes has meant we’ve all been looking around at what we can do better, what we can improve and which pieces will work in that corner of your sitting room next to your sideboard. And the place that’s highlighted all these It pieces? Instagram, of course. Instead of Daniel Lee’s Bottega handbags, I’m seeing loads of Anissa Kermiche naked women vases bundled full of colourful flowers. Rather than a pair of The Row shoes, fashion girls are showing off their rattan chairs that are ideal for minimalists. However, the fashion crowd hasn’t forgotten completely about their appearance—the selfie mirror is still a major fixture when it comes to important interiors items. Keep scrolling to see the eight It homeware items everyone is loving right now. Next up, the biggest spring/summer 2020 fashion trends to know. Author Elinor Block | Whowhatwear Selected by CWC
How I Finally Embraced My Androgynous Style
June 11, 2020 at 03:25AM Image Source: Elaine Oyzon-Mast First let me preface this story with one cold, hard fact: I’m in my 40s. I am not and never was a supercool, 20-something lesbian with an awesome sense of style and an even more awesome wardrobe (think Ruby Rose – I sure do, A LOT). The truth is, when I was in my 20s, I was far too afraid to be who I wanted to be, to dress how I wanted to dress, and to quit giving a sh*t what other people thought. The older I got and the more confident I became with the person I was, the less I cared about what others thought. I let too many years go by trying to be someone else, being uncomfortable in my skin and in my clothes. But I’m proud to say that I’ve finally developed a sense of style that doesn’t just allow me to hold my head up, it also gives me the confidence that conforming to social norms never did. I’ve never been a girlie girl. My whole life I have been the epitome of a tomboy. For as long as I can remember – long before I knew I was gay at age 18 – I have struggled to find clothes I was comfortable in. At primary school dances, when every other little girl was wearing a dress, I couldn’t think of anything worse. One year, I went in (homemade) MC Hammer pants and a t-shirt
These 9 Fashion Brands Celebrate the LGBTQ+ Community All Year Long
June 11, 2020 at 12:30AM We tend to see an uptick of fashion brands supporting LGBTQ+ individuals in June with collections and products that celebrate Pride. But some companies are rightly choosing to show their support beyond Pride month by raising awareness and funds for the community all year long. Brands like Play Out Apparel have made a year long commitment to highlight LGBTQ+ creators and influencers, while corporations like Gap support their LGBTQ+ employees with inclusive work practices, and department stores like Nordstrom make monetary donations to partners like Utah Pride Center. If you want to make sure you spend your money where it makes an impact, we suggest you take a look at these nine fashion brands that support the LGBTQ+ community 365 days a year. More Celeb News Author Jenna Wirth | Popsugar Selected by CWC
Vancouver Footwear Line Malvados Has Launched E-Commerce
June 10, 2020 at 10:38PM Born from its founder’s innate wanderlust, Malvados — the Vancouver-based brand that recently launched an e-commerce platform — is poised to make a lasting impression on the footwear industry thanks to its offering of stylish sandals and flipflops. Owner Jen Rainnie was a competitive windsurfer in her youth, traveling and living out of a retrofitted van while competing in an Ontario sport event circuit. That sense of adventure remains with Rainnie, who has managed to merge her passion for the outdoors, athletics and travel with her acumen in the fashion industry. She worked as a sales rep for brands like Roxy and Quicksilver before forging her own path as a distributor for surf-focused lines. “My passion was really in swimwear and sandals,” she says. “My background has always been water and beach and tropics related.” Photography courtesy of Malvados. Through running her own company for six years, Rainnie discovered the opportunity within the footwear market for a product like her current wares at Malvados; its range of sandals include styles with plush velvet or metallic straps. “I realized that there wasn’t anything out there in that category that was different,” she says of sandal brands that cater to the athletic crowd, noting at the time that their marketing was heavily geared towards surfers. She saw the potential in fusing fashion-forward inspired pieces with her penchant for sport, and launched her brand four years ago. “We had an immediate buy-in from Canadian outlets,” she says of
Sephora is the First Major Retailer to Take Canadian Designer Aurora James’ 15 Per Cent Pledge
June 10, 2020 at 10:01PM Last week, Canadian designer Aurora James – founder of footwear brand Brother Vellies – launched the 15 Per Cent Pledge, a movement urging major retailers to dedicate 15 per cent of their buying budget to Black-owned businesses. “So many of your businesses are built on Black spending power. So many of your stores are set up in Black communities. So many of your sponsored posts are seen on Black feeds. This is the least you can do for us. We represent 15% of the population and we need to represent 15% of your shelf space,” James wrote in an Instagram post announcing the initiative. View this post on Instagram @wholefoods @target @shopmedmen @walmart @saks @sephora @netaporter @barnesandnoble @homedepot I am asking you to commit to buying 15% of your products from Black owned businesses. . So many of your businesses are built on Black spending power. So many of your stores are set up in Black communities. So many of your sponsored posts are seen on Black feeds. This is the least you can do for us. We represent 15% of the population and we need to represent 15% of your shelf space. . Whole Foods if you were to sign on to this pledge, it could immediately drive much needed support to Black farmers. Banks will be forced to take them seriously because they will be walking in with major purchase orders from Whole Foods. Investors for the very first time will start actively
All About Valery Kaufman, The Model Jared Leto Has Been Quietly Dating for Years
June 10, 2020 at 09:49PM Continue Reading… Author | Elle Selected by CWC
How To Be a Better Ally to Black People
June 10, 2020 at 09:45PM Three simple steps to keep in mind when joining the fight against racism. Continue Reading… Author | Elle Selected by CWC
What It’s Like to Work a Free Arrest Hotline During the Black Lives Matter Protests
June 10, 2020 at 09:43PM Continue Reading… Author | Elle Selected by CWC
Black Activists and Influencers Are Taking Over White Celebs’ Instagram Accounts Today
June 10, 2020 at 09:04PM Today, 50 Black female activists, scholars, artists and entrepreneurs are taking over the Instagram handles of white celebrities, designers, athletes and others as part of a new social media campaign, #ShareTheMicNow. According to a press release, the campaign’s intention is to “magnify Black women and the important work that they’re doing in order to catalyze the change that will only come when we truly hear each other’s voices. The #ShareTheMicNow campaign was born from relationships and is aimed at encouraging Black and white women in relationship to recreate this action in their own spaces.” Conceived by Endeavor chief marketing officer Bozoma Saint John, author/podcast host Luvvie Ajayi Jones, author Glennon Doyle, and alice + olivia founder Stacey Bendet, the social media movement aims to reach a total audience of 300 million people, introducing Instagram users to accounts and people who may not be on their radar. According to the organizers, the four goals of this movement are: “To form a social media campaign that magnifies Black women’s lives and stories; to form relationships among Black women and white women – so that our future activism is born from relationships; to create a network of disruptors who know and trust each other; and to create action that could make change.” View this post on Instagram When the world listens to women, it listens to white women. For far too long, Black women’s voices have gone unheard, even though they’ve been using their voices loudly for centuries