Fashion Doll Stylist

Monday, March 16, 2015

Doll's Eye View: Paris Fall '15 Trends Part I

Ahhhhh....PARIS!!!!! This is not the place to seek superficial trends. Paris is the capital of fashion where talent from all over the world come to display their own ideas, their own distinct identity. Though there are lots of "safe" clothes at all price points, Paris is generally known as the place where designers take chances with their creative energy and ideas are born. True to form, this market is a monster to watch, dissect, digest and then interpret!

Long Night's Day

In this the first of two parts, we take a look at the more fashion forward aspect to what happened in Paris last week. In a word, fashion is BIG! There is lots of volume, from looser silhouettes softly draping over the body to much longer hemlines that drop straight down to the ankles. In some ways, this is a look that mimics the Japanese movement of the early 1980's when silhouettes shifted from "girly" to androgynous. This time around, there are more feminine touches thanks to belts and long gloves.

The sweater dress is taken to the extreme as hemlines drop to the ankles. Note the super wide corset belt which helps pull off the look!

The Style That Shagged Me

Frayed edges, fringe..shaggy looks are all over the catwalks from sweater dresses to skirts. For the dolly version of the Damir Doma dress (featured in the first photo up top), I used a small bit of men's thermal underwear and sweat socks to concoct the look.

Downtown Abbey

This is a look reminiscent of Manhattan fashion of the 1970's when free and easy silhouettes had lots of richly toned fabric that swirled around a woman's calves as she made it down the street. One of the most important accessories of this season....the belt! (In fact, I'm working on a post on belts!)

The New Dandy

Pant suits are back. But this time around, the mid-section is pulled tight into the body, releasing lots of volume around the shoulders as well as below the belt. Normally, I don't feature clothes so complicated, but I thought this look was so elegant, it was worth exploring. The key here....fit the jacket or coat to the waist and put lots of flare and material into the skirt. As far as the "complicated structure around the shoulders...take a tip from our dolly version.... attach a matching "scarf" to the neckline of the jacket and drape it around the shoulders!

Make Your Point

We also noticed garments that came to a point! Pointed hemlines, collars with exaggerated edges, asymmetrical jackets. It's a detail that adds a strong element of drama even to the simplest of looks.

Poncho Villa

Adding to the swashbuckling looks of dandies and fluid damsel dresses....look for the poncho to make a grand entrance. Looking for an easy way to make a poncho or shawl...click here.

Urban Warrior

Completely covered, think leather skinny pants, quilted swing jackets or even a simple coat cut from a bright, ethnic patterned fabric.

Mixed Media

The silhouettes here are all pretty simple, but really the news here is the mixture of pattern and print and sometimes texture. There is a underlying color that ties the two different patterns together. The message is....don't think matchy-matchy all the time. Have fun. Cut the coat out of one pattern and the pants in another!

Bad Girls

A flash back to the transition between the sexy 1980s and the grunge that prevailed in the 90's. These are for those of you with rebellious dolls who, well......don't do elegant. Take a closer look at those slashed pants on the Saint Laurent girl. It's the feminine version of those we saw in the menswear collection last month!!!

Pants Story

Speaking of pants......skinny is no longer the only to go. Next fall there is a wide range of trouser widths and looks to chose from. What is really happening here is that the market is transitioning to broader pant silhouettes. You'll still find skinny jeans...at least for the moment. But if you make only one pair of trousers... add more width when drafting your pants pattern.

These weren't the only trends we saw in Paris. There were many more interesting as well as elegant looks which we'll feature in our next (and final) Paris Part II report, coming up shortly.

Stay tuned!

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Monday, March 9, 2015

Doll's Eye View: Viva Italia! Fall '15 Trends

Compared to past seasons, it's pretty calm in Milan. Think of it as cleansing the palette after a great big smorgasbord dinner. It could be the result of Europe's economic crisis. It might also be a backlash after years of indulgent design. Or maybe fashion just needs to take a break and reconnect with real people and their lifestyles. Nonetheless, there are some very wearable and stylish ideas, even within the simplicity of the season.

SLIDE RULE

At first glance, you'll notice a wide variety of hemlines ranging from micro-mini to ankle length. The truth is, longer lengths are now the look of choice. While there still are super short fashions, the look is always completed with thigh high boots, leggings or dark opaque hose. This is the way the market attempts to prepare you for a major shift in hemlines as they move past the knee landing on the lower leg straight down to the ankles! What does this mean to you? Unless your dolls start chanting "mini-skirts forever," be prepared to think of creating slightly longer dresses and skirts for them if they are to stay in the height of fashion.

Look familiar? It should. It is a longer version of a Patrick Kelly knit dress we featured after last year's exhibition!!!

CRAYOLA QUEENS

Tired of all the grey and black? There's lots of bright, in-your-face crayon colors in Milan! Though those tent shape dresses and capes are super short, note the matching thigh high boots (which you can substitute by making spats)!

GALERIE D'ART

What I love about European fashion is how the designers incorporate fine art inspiration into their collections. The op-art mini dress and boots, by the way, are completely beaded!! When shopping for fabric, don't be shy about buying bold "art" prints especially for with simple garments.

LA BELLE EPOQUE

The classics are back. More importantly, there are some really pretty patterns and prints used for coats, trousers, jackets and skirts. Here, paisley makes a come back.

ANIMAL TRACKS

Like everywhere else, furs are pretty common place for next Winter season. What's new are furs in novelty colors and patterns. And yes....there is that fur skirt...this one cut from Mongolian lamb worn with short jacket. Our dolls just love the pattern on pattern effect of the Cavalli coat and dress. For the Dolly Designer version (in the opening photo), I used leopard printed vinyl square I bought at a local craft store to make a raincoat. Hint: when mixing prints, make sure there is at least one color in common.

CHOCOLATE BAR

Leather dresses, skirts, coats and suits are a seasonal favorite, particularly in Italy. Instead of resorting to black, think chocolate. This is a leather group with whiffs of everything from light creamy white chocolate to the deep dark 85% cacao variety. What's really new here....the Tod's leather skirt with appliques.

SCHOOL DAZE

Plaid and sweaters.....a classic university look makes a comeback. Skirt are pleated, straight and wrap around the hips like a sarong. Again, notice the length AND notice the over the knee boots! My dolls also have their eyes on those fringed handbags!!!

CAREER GIRLS

A very "grown-up" look with an obvious "girly" charm.

DATE NIGHT

After five never looked so good. These are precious clothes for special occasions. Heavy, chunky lace replaces Chantilly. Garments are fur trimmed and evening trousers make a big splash. But again, the silhouettes remain simple.

SLIP SHOT

The slip dress is ever present in Milan! Here we see it cut from evening fabrics and even leather (Trussardi camesole).

We're arriving at our final destination......Paris. It's a hectic ten days and there's plenty to take in, so our report will be in two parts. Our team will be back shortly with Part I!

Wednesday, March 4, 2015

Doll's Eye View: London Trends Fall 2015

Usually London has a tendency to be all over the place, but for Fall 2015, there were lots of great ideas as well as legitimate clothes that I could actually imagine being worn! It would appear that the raw creativity was, at last, tempered into "real world" looks.

Fur Babies

Okay, so with the Polar Vortex and Artic deep freezes putting the chill on northern hemisphere cities, it's logical that fur continues to be a "major force" in the top fashion capitals, London included. With many styles looking very "summery" it makes sense that you could actually wear them in the dead of winter with a fuzzy coat tossed over the shoulders. But how about a fur dress! Yes, you'd have to be stick thin to pull this off without resembling a bear. But we're not talking about clothes for you. It's all about what your dolls will wear and we know....they have the figure for such a decadent look!

Anna wears a faux fur dress cut from the same material I used for coats. I used the pattern for a strapless sheath dress without the darts. Cut extra wide seam allowance and be sure to fit to the doll.

Coat Check

Let's also not forget that these are trends slated for next Fall Winter and as such, we really need to take a peak at coats. Here there are three trends: great big over coats, fit and flare dress coats and slim silhouettes that stop just above the knee.

Mod Squad

In January, we saw this flash back to 1960's Carnaby Street in menswear. The same trend carries through to womenswear. Think about color-blocked shift dresses, fit and flare coats and dresses and kicky little pant suits with waist length jackets and visor caps!

Leather Weather

Cool weather calls for transition clothes cut from leather. The message here is: Simple silhouettes cut from slabs of black leather. What's new is the mix of leather and woven fabrics.

Fringe Benefits

As we saw in New York, fringed edges will be a hot trend for next fall. We love it because of the added movement it gives, an otherwise static style or silhouette. Note here how popular the poncho is! And also note the color palette. In France we called them "colored blacks".....deep, dark tones. One more thing....fringed looks aren't limited to leathers, suede or vinyl look alikes. Cotton moleskin fabric is a great substitute for suede. In this modern era where frayed edges abound, feel free to experiment with other types of densely woven fabrics as well.

Piccadilly Circus

Busy black and white patterns make for interesting urban wear. The key to mixing patterns and prints is to stay in the same color palette. And just for diversity, consider adding a knit (cut & sew if you can't hand knit, like me) to give your look an added 3-D edge. When working with such busy patterns, be sure to keep choose simple patterns!

Linear Equation

The look is long and slim with interesting details, be it a drape, the addition of leather or hardware. Particularly interesting here are the straight legged trousers. Though we're still seeing skinny jeans on the catwalks, silhouettes are loosening up and as a result, look for more ease and a variety of different shapes and volumes. Here, all of our monochromatic looks are in black, a major color for Fall.
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Arsenic & New Lace

Surprisingly, lace is another hot item for Fall wardrobes. Instead of the thin, spider web variety, look for thick, crocheted laces for winter eveningwear.

Boudoir Babes

Sexy, sensual and straight out of your lingerie drawer, the slip dress, satin robe, or little tops with swirls of sheer fabric is what some dolls are wearing under those great big furry coats! (Note: after Fashion Month is all over, I'll do a tutorial on how to create a slip dress for dolly!)

Coming up next: The Best of Italy. The girls strut their stuff down the catwalks of Milan.

Sunday, March 1, 2015

Doll's Eye View: NY Fall 2015 Trends Pt. 2

Seventh Avenue (NY) has always had the reputation of "What you see, is what you get." There is nothing to interpret. Nothing to second guess how the garment will ACTUALLY be worn. Take it or leave it. In this, the second part of NY fashion week (if you missed part I, click here), everything is so simply defined. It is a matter of black and white.

Winter Whites

Be it dresses, coats, jackets, winter whites (both in warm and cool tones) offer a look that is soft and comforting. And, there is lots of swing whether we're looking at classic Diane Von Furstenberg or that nice. big, swing jacket served up by Josie Natori. What is interesting here is how it is often worn with black accessories including hosiery. (Stockings for dolly???!!!)

Dark Days in Manhattan

Black seems to be the go-to color for Fall Winter.. What's interesting here? Volumes...note how "big" everything has become. Layers....we can adjust layers to suit dolly's proportions to get the look without overpowering her.

Little Black Dress 3.0

Did it ever go out of style?!!! There is a wide variety of ways you can go with this. We love the little bejeweled cap leaves on a basic black dress a la Oscar de la Renta. Cushnie & Ochs shows both an elegant and very sophisticated way for dolly to wear basic black. For my mini-version, I used a stretch satin and a very basic funnel neck knit pattern. (No center seams for this beauty. The opening is on the shoulder) Then I tied a length of black satin ribbon into a bow over the neckline. Also notice the Kim Novak, below-the-knee length hemline! Otherwise, opt for fabrics and surface treatments with lots of texture and movement!

Black Tie

Okay, so most of us don't go to black tie affairs. But our doll's just love to get all dressed up. Here again, what looks so good for formal wear is basic black. Whether you lean towards sexy or artsy styles, for me, these four looks sum up a great "Midnight in Manhattan" look.

Clear as Black & White

Have you noticed....many of the television anchorwomen wear sleeveless dresses all year long. Are sleeves too expensive? Are designers lacking in ideas? Or have we gotten past "spring looks" versus "winter looks?" The boldness of black and white stripes has an eternal appear. It's a look that pops up at you, begging to be noticed. In fact, I was going to do Lisa Perry look, but at the last minute, stop myself. It looks awfully like spring time! Then again, these fashion reports serve as banks of information. And with dolls, anything works anytime, anywhere!!!!

Fruit Cocktail

There's not a lot of color options for Fall/Winter 2015. However, during those long dull dreary winter days and nights, give dolly a shot of vibrant, fruit color. It can be a as simple as dressing her in a simmering satin dress that peaks out from underneath a black faux fur coat. Or you can turn to the deeper tones, like cranberry or raspberry.

Casually Elegant

One final note before leaving New York. The stand out new look for us was the combination of sweaters worn over fancy skirts. My Dolly Ralph Lauren was made from a tube of stretch lace and small lengths of marabou feathers sewn down from hips to hem. The stretch lace allows the doll to get in and out of the skirt easily without snaps or Velcro. But the trick is to attach the feathers starting at the hips so that they don't add bulk under the sweater. Another favorite is our Dolly Victoria Beckham...the little white sweater top over the shabby chic satin skirt. Again, I started with a stretch satin tube skirt, over which a "rag" (a piece of devore satin that was falling apart) is hand stitched on top.

Next stop: London!