Fashion Week 2010

It's been a while since I've posted anything to my blog, but there is a good reason why. I have moved since my last post, I've been in a relationship that was really tough, my job has been up and down, school has been really busy, and the reason for this post: Columbia Fashion Week 2011.

It is no secret that I am entering a program for the Spring Columbia Fashion Week 2011 but I have yet to release any details concerning my designs, materials, themes, colors, cuts, etc... So without further ado:

Columbia Fashion Week 2011

April 11-15th, 2011

701 Whaley St. Columbia, SC

JMT Designs Presents

"Dreamscape"

Each design in this collection will be representative of different dreams and the stages thereof. Each piece will be constructed from satin and accented with different materials. The piecelist is as follows:

1) The Drift

This piece is a short cocktail/party dress fashioned out of violet satin, black lace, and tulle. The top of the dress will feature a v-neck, double shoulder straps(one in violet satin and one in black lace), and a wide black lace band that covers the bodice. The skirt of the dress will be an a-line design with a peeking black tulle crinoline.

2) Undecided

3) The Freudian Complex

This piece is a silver satin, strapless, fitted tube dress that features a sweetheart top and an asymmetrical deep red fringe that spirals from the top center of the dress to the bottom center of the dress. The inspiration for this dress comes from Amy Winehouse's, "Amy Amy Amy," and "Fuck Me Pumps."

4) Undecided

5) Undecided

6) Undecided

7) The Fantasy

This dress will be constructed from white satin, pearls, and blue glass beads. The top of the dress features a simple sweetheart and shoulder straps. The bodice of the dress will feature pearl and blue glass beadwork that leads into the skirt. The skirt is a full silhouette with tucks and blue glass beadwork to give the skirt a 3-dimentional feel. Paired with this dress will be a hand-constructed, white rabbit fur bolero.

8) Untitled

This dress, made of scarlet satin and gold beadwork, starts out with a simple halter that leads into a plunging v neckline. The v-neck leads down to a flowing skirt that, from the back, starts at the hip, while splitting at the knee in the front and trailing behind the dress. The dress will feature gold beadwork that spans the skirt and the train and a fringe that follows the dress line from the halter, through the bust, down the split, around the train, and back up the dress on the opposite side.

9) The Nightmare

This dress will be made of black satin and white tulle. The top of the dress features a v-neck lined with white, ruffled, tulle. Continuing down the front will be pickups that span the bodice and the upper part of the skirt. The skirt will be a tailored skirt that splits at the knee and trains, on top of white, stacked tulle behind the dress. The back of the dress will feature a deep v-line and victorian button closures.

10) The Flight of Reality

The final dress of the program is my personal favorite. It features a gold satin dress with a deep v-neck and a high collar. The skirt of the dress will split mid-thigh and wrap around to the back where it comes together at a point. The additive feature to this dress is the peacock feather trim work and the elegant peacock feather train. The only way to explain it better, is if I show you.

The gold dress will look similar to this Alexander McQueen jacket.

The train of the dress will be fashioned after the train of this wedding gown.

I hope you all enjoyed the overview to my program. I will update as often as I can with pictures, comments, titles and descriptions, and general information about the show itself. I love you all and I hope to see you all in April!

Fall/Winter 2010 Haute Couture Review

I just finished previewing the Fall/Winter 2010/2011 Chanel, Christian Dior, Armani Prive`, Jean Paul Gaultier, Givenchy, Elie Saab, and Valentino haute couture lines. I am amazed at the brilliant use of color, the fantastic beadwork, and even the touches of fur that are showing up this year. All of these lines are absolutely phenomenal! Here are a few of my favorites:

Chanel by Karl Lagerfeld

Use of themes from a sport. Footwear inspired by equestrian riding boots. Each model trotted around in a pair of, what appears to be, riding boots. Everything from knee-high blonde

leather to ankle-high sequins. Simply beautiful footwear!

Scenery. A regal golden lion, paw perched on a ball, stood at the center of the arena. The display was absolutely jaw-dropping.

Finale. The show closed with a model wearing a magni

ficently gold beaded, white, knee-length dress and a near 10-foot train, and her male escort, wearing a traditional tailed tuxedo and a lion's head. Following the initial walk, Karl Lagerfeld took the stage for his bows. After making a full run, Lagerfeld has every model take the stage together, entering right and exiting left after Lagerfeld. Magnificent chaos.

Christian Dior by John Galliano

Use of natural themes. The show was a literal walking garden. Each piece was inspired by a different flower that can be found in nature. The colors and patters were so eye-catching and the cuts just created a new dimension. Absolutely outstanding. Favorite line out of all of the ones discussed here.

Armani Prive` by Giorgio Armani

Use of neutrals. No color here; this line featured everything from egg shell to chocolate brown. The neutrals became the colors. A section of the brown family that passes through the upper-middle tones of brown became

almost pink. The highlighting was en pointe.

Use of layers. Some pieces had upwards of six and seven feature and accent colors. In everyday life, this would be impossible, but this show proved the impossible to be quite possible.

Jean Paul Gaultier by Jean Paul Gaultier

Throwback. One piece that caught my eye featured a cone-shaped brazier similar to the one that Madonna once wore. Such a classic!

Animal features. The line had leather overcoats and bags that were very tasteful. Clean lines, muted colors, and matte finishes. The pieces consisting of fur were very tasteful as well. Coats trimmed in coffee brown. Heather grey shrugs. Fur on the arms. The only piece that had a lowered taste was a coat that had several bands of black fur that wrapped all the way around. Aside from that, fabulous line.

Givenchy by Riccardo Tisci

Beading. The pieces in the collection featured a high concentration of marvelous beadwork. It added a whole new level to the already complex lines of the collection. If Tisci keeps this kind of forward momentum, he is sure to bring the Givenchy label back to the forefront of fashion from its fall during the years 0f 2001-2005.

Elie Saab by Elie Saab

Use of accent color. A majority of Saab's line used muted golds, tans, greens, and mauves, but he used the most blazing Crayola Red Crayon red for a few pieces. He placed these pieces throughout the show instead of overloading the color in a single segment. Much like Haydn's "Surprise Symphony," the red accent really woke up the show and added a nice flair.

Valentino by Maria Grazia Chiuri and

Pier Paolo Piccioli

Use of classic design. Though Valentino Garavani has moved on, his timeless bow design still remains as an integral part of the namesake's line. The classic bow was featured on almost every piece and was featured on every shoe. The original position of the bow has now changed from the top center of the shoe to the left or right side of the shoe. A modern take on a timeless classic.

Neckline. Each piece featured in the line had a beautiful top. Some were chokers, some were V's, some were scoops, some were squares. The one thing that remained the same, Valentino Garavani's beautiful visual ideas live on.


And there you have it-a review of seven fantastic fashion lines that will be hitting the award show scene this fall and winter, Though I've only featured seven labels, there are hundreds in the industry. These are only a handful of my favorite labels. I promise to highlight other labels in the future.

Lip Balms that are PERFECT for Summer!

We all know that summer is synonymous with being poolside with your pals, seaside with your sweety, or on the lake with your lover. But what many people forget when headed out for fun in the sun, lip protection. In the age of skincare, I feel that the lips are the least-noticed of all of the areas we try to protect. We have our protective lotions and our umbrellas and our hydrating oils but one thing that most of us go without is a good SPF lip balm. These are some of my favorite summer lip balms that keep my lips hydrated and sun protected.

The first lip balm is the lip sphere from evolutionofsmooth.

This pucker cover comes in four flavors including Lemon Drop with SPF 15, Honeysuckle Honeydew, Summer Fruit, and Sweet Mint. I've not used the Honeysuckle Honeydew and Sweet Mint yet, but I can't wait to swing by my local drugstore and pick up Sweet Mint for holiday stocking stuffers. The product goes on smoothly, stays on for hours, smells great, leaves my lips feeling fantastic, only costs $3.50, and comes in such a cute little hands-free applicator. The only complaint that I have is that the product doesn't soak in like a lip butter and it also picks up dead lip skin very easily. The pros of this product FAR outweigh the cons. Go pick yours up today at a local ULTA, Walgreens, Rite Aid, Target, or Vitamin Shoppe.

The next three lip balms come from The Body Shop.

The first lip balm is the Tantalizing Lip Butter. I can't say enough about this lip butter. I've been shopping at The Body Shop for years and when I finally started my lip treatment search this past spring, I was directed straight to this lip balm without any hesitation. Its thick, creamy formula is fantastic for dry lips. And its such an incredibly yummy scent of strawberries and cream. The butter soaks straight into your lips and turns your frown upside down. The product is sold for $8.00 at The Body Shop and The Body Shop Online. The only downside to the product is that it is a pot that you have to dip your finger into. Not that getting a little messy isn't fun-I LOVE finger application, just make sure your fingers are clean.

The next lip balm from The Body Shop is the Guarana Lip Butter.

Now, I have the limited edition MTV Guarana Lip Butter but its not the wrapping that makes the gift. This lip butter is a bit thicker than the Tantalizing Lip Butter but still does its work. The scent reminds me of my trip to the Caribbean islands. Fresh fruit salad by the beach every morning. What else can I say about this lip butter-its divine. Sometimes, I like to put a bit of Guarana on my lower lip and Tantalizing on the upper lip. The scents compliment each other nicely and the ingredients give you the best of the best. Smooth, supple, summer kissin' lips comes with great care. At $7.20 a pot, or 2 for $10 currently, this lip butter is a fantastic summer must have!

The third lip butter from The Body Shop is the Pink Grapefruit Lip Butter.

To be honest, this lip butter was not on my need list nor was it on my want list. I purchased this lip butter because I needed one more product to give me my Eight Point Love Your Body reward. Can I tell you how wrong I was? This butter has become my nightly lip renewal salvation. It goes on thick and creamy and soaks in as you heat it up by rubbing your lips together. Its a fantastic lip emollient! If you're questioning the use of citrus oils, this is a must have in your "Citrus for Skeptics" kit. Its a brilliant product with a creamy, silky base, a fantastic scent, and a lasting effect. The scent is a little strong, grapefruit being the main additive, but just take in the citrus and spice scents and you'll fall head over heels. At $8.00 or 2 for $10.00, why would you not own this tiny miracle?!

The final product is the Fresh Lips SPF 15 from Ole Henriksen.

I could stop here and I would've already said more than enough about this product. This 3 in 1 lip treatment has been the best $15.00 ever spent. Yes, its expensive for .5 liquid ounces, but the benefits outweigh the cost tenfold. The SPF may not be seen, but after applying and spending some time in the sun, your lips will thank you. The lip plumper is not the strongest but it has enough effect for me. It's a grease-based balm that mixes wonderfully with your favorite lipstick, gloss, or lip balm. I like to put a thin layer of any of the above-listed balms then layer this on top. It adds a nice spin on all of your fruity lip balms by infusing them with zesty mint and vanilla scents. Turn any fruit balm into a holiday favorite by adding a little of Henriksen's Fresh Lips.

These are my five favorite lip treatments for this year. They've treated me well and I will continue to go back to them while adding new favorites. These are great under your favorite glosses and lipsticks or over your favorite lip stains. Day or night, poolside, shopping, dates, these 5 fantastic products will not let you down!

XOXO

James

*None of the above-listed products were endorsed by the production company. Nor were the products endorsed by the retailers. Every review is a self-analysis from my personal point of view.

** The above-posted images do not belong to me. The images are from eos, The Body Shop, and Ole Henriksen.

New job; New major; New blog

So, if you guys follow me on tumblr or Twitter, you've seen me rant and rave about fashion and products that I've seen and tried thus far this year. You might also notice that I've not been posting blogs as often as one should. This is all about to change though! I've recreated my blog and now I'm reopening it as a 100% fashion and products review blog. Stick close and I'll have you using the right products in no time!

Look for my post within a few days-bye guys!

XOXO

James

Demi Moore on Bazaar!

A few months back, I covered the phenomenon that is late great Alexander McQueen's outrageous heels. Back by popular demand, the "Lady GaGa" heel. Demi Moore, who has graced many magazines in her day, is returning for the April 2010 issue of Harper's BAZAAR. Mrs. Moore has been quoted, saying,

"McQueen was a genius. I was always thrilled to wear his clothes because they were more than fashion; they were truly works of art."

McQueen, who has, is, and will continue to be a feature in Harper's BAZAAR, committed suicide just over a month ago. His sense of style and use of material will never be forgotten. I know that he is now reconnected with his late mother and his career starter Isabella Blow.

Its been TOO long!

So I know I’ve been away for QUITE sometime, but there’s a good reason. School. I’ve had so many things going on that I’ve had to place some of my personal things on the back burner. No one likes to do this but when you’re a Music Ed. major... Anywho, I’m back with loads to recap! The order of this post is going to follow the following outline: books, life, education, projects. Get ready for me to fly!

I’ve recently found a love for fashion books and how-to style guides! Now, being one that LOVES fashion and every aspect of it, I really shouldn’t need these books, right? Wrong! I’ve learned so much from style icons such as Clinton Kelly, Stacey London, Tim Gunn, Bobbi Brown, and countless others. Its very easy for me to wake up, run some water and leave-in conditioner in my hair, straighten it, brush my teeth, and slip into something that’s day-ready and evening transformable. But when it comes to styling other people, I still need work. I can pick out the basics but its the detail that I’m still working on. These books are very helpful to me. I loved the book, “How to tie a tie.” It, not only reviews tying technique, it also reviews ties in general and what each pattern is called and what it is best paired with. I am almost through with Clinton Kelly’s, “Freakin’ Fabulous” and I am just heart over heels! His writing style is very avant-garde, cat-and-mouse, playful, whimsical, and en pointe with a lace lined doily! You can quote me on that, too. Though his book is full of sarcasm and point, he actually makes LOADS of sense! The way he puts things into perspective may seem quite harsh, but if you can look past a stylist’s criticism you’ll eventually arrive at the same conclusions and thoughts as he.

Life’s been TOO busy these past few months. Since I’m in music, there’s a lot of practicing, rehearsing, and performing that is to be done. And right now it’s just absorbing everything that I am. I really hope to have a life again though because...

After studying music for 13+ years, I’ve finally decided to take up a passion that I’ve hidden until recently. If you follow me on Twitter, Tumblr, or if you’re reading my blog you know that I can talk for years about fashion. That’s why I filed my papers to change my major to Fashion Merchandising! It was a long and hard decision but I feel that it is a decision that will pay off in the end. Though its not my ultimate goal to manage retail, this will catapult me to my eventual dream of being a designer. This is going to be a HUGE change for me but I’m ready to try my hand at a passion that I’ve left in the dark for long enough. Which leads me to the next topic!

I’m designing a line for Charleston Fashion Week 2011! I recently found out that they have a competition for designers where they enter a 10-piece line for judging, then the top 8 go to CFW and walk their line in a runway show. The competition also includes a design-on-a-dime type portion where the top 8 are given materials, the model, and they have to create a piece on site. I’ve decided that after my beach trip, where I plan to pick up some tan and tone, I’m going to lock myself in my room with a sewing machine and miles of fabric and thread. I know that its going to be a HUGE push with school an moving but I feel that I can do it.

Now that I’ve caught you all up on what’s going on...what’s going on?!

Where my inspiration comes from...

Every time I look at these dresses, I feel my stomach getting all butterfly-ish. I'm not sure what the feeling means exactly, but I really like it. Its like a mix of excitement, nervousness, and love. Maybe this is what marriage feels like?

School is back in session!

Ok-so school starts tomorrow and I am SOOO excited! I'm spending this next semester doing one or two fashion courses and several music courses. Next fall will be primarily fashion classes and I can NOT wait! And I know that its a while away, but I have this summer rough drafted! Louisiana, LOADS of shopping at HUGE A malls, summer classes, and a few things that I'm not releasing yet! You all will just have to stay close and read fine lines!

xoxo
matthew!

Beauty and it's beholder.

An excerpt from Marianne Williamson's book, entitled, "A Return To Love: Reflections on the Principles of A Course in Miracles" states,

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be?

I ran across this quote on a Facebook page and it struck me fervently. The quote goes on to state that every being is a manifest of God and how showcasing ourselves in a proud and upright manner will catapult others to do the same. For some time now, I've been getting heat from friends and fellow Twitter users on my feelings of botox treatments. Not that I can change your minds and make you see my reasoning, but I think you need to know my side.


As most wish, I, too, wish that I could forget my middle school years. Endless taunting and mistreatment have created the scars that I am, now, at the age of nineteen, dealing with. Battle wounds of the words "fag" and "queer". Bloodstains of the words "fat" and "ugly". And the thoughts of suicide. Just words and thoughts, but these are the words and thoughts that I remember. I don't remember many friendships. I don't remember many places. All that I'm left with, is the rubble that was created of my self-esteem by my peers. Now that I've grown from the tender age of twelve, thirteen, and fourteen, I look forward instead of backward...but I still carry the scars.


The reason I want botox is not to cover up the wrinkles and imperfections, but more of a symbol that I've endured enough and now is my time to shine and lead the way. After a very difficult junior year of high school, I was left with shattered friendships and over 200 scars from cutting myself. These are things that I will NEVER be able to 100% hide or fix. But the line in my forehead, the one thing that 500$ can fix, I will get fixed. The results may not last a lifetime, but for the short time that they do last, I can feel beautiful to me. Readers, you can say that you like me the way I am, but no matter how much you love the way I look, I'm the one who has to live with the emotional and physical scars of my youth. Put me down if you want, but my self-worth is more important than your approval. I ask that, even if you don't understand or agree 100% with me, please stand behind me. If this is the only or last time yo do, I ask that you support me.

My body, My journey.

Amidst my fashion blogs, I'll still be posting blogs about my life including the following:

In the fashion world, image is everything. The clothes you wear, the hairstyle you choose, the accessories you adorn, and yes, even your naked body. That's why this year is my year to change. I know we all say it every year, don't EVEN lie, "oh, you know, I really am going to lose weight this year," "I'm making a change and melting off the fat this year," "this year's my year to drop the weight!" Well, I've used ALL of the excuses and made all of the mistakes. I feel that it's time to actually do something about my weight. I feel like I've written this blog before but I don't care! This year, I'm going to Memphis in March, Louisiana for a week or two during the summer, the beach for at least a week in the summer, and to some of the southeast's hottest and largest malls. Its just now dawning on me that I am, in fact, going to want to look good for these things. I want to be the guy who lays on the beach while everyone stares at me. I want to be the guy who takes his shirt off at the club and I get to dance with a few good looking guys. I want to be the guy, at the mall, that all the girls pine over and all the guys sneer at. So-in lieu of all my wants, I'm giving that to myself. I know some people may say that happiness comes from what's on the inside but not for me. I still care about people and the environment, but I'm unapologetically materialistic. I love to see plants grow, and puppies play, and kids playing. But I like to live by what I own. I know it may seem selfish and shallow but its just me. And it doesn't stop there; my mom and I are both thinking of getting some work done. I have this line on my forehead that I want reduced and I would also like a little botox in the corners of my eyes and a little in between my eyebrows along with some laser hair removal. And I'm not going to turn into a Joan/Melissa Rivers. I just want these things to make myself feel better. But the only way I'll let myself have these things is if I lose the weight, keep it off, and get a job that pays. I'm just glad that I do have some friends that support me. I don't think that wanting to drop 3-4 jean sizes in a few months is outrageous, nor do I think that treating myself to botox and laser hair removal is over the line. Its a goal that I'm comfortable with and I stand by it no matter how some of my friends feel. I'm tired of feeling fat and outwardly ugly. If I'm strong enough to state how I currently feel about myself, I'm strong enough to change it.

xoxo
matthew!