ZuZu Kim Bow Tie Gift Bag at Oscars

New York-based, music-driven fashion brand ZuZu Kim helped ease the disappointment of not winning the Oscar by including glamorous designer Bow Ties from its recently launched collection for men and women last night at the 87^th Academy Awards Nominee Gift Bag.

ZuZu Kim was invited to participate in the 2015 Gift Bag – this year individually valued at over $125,000 worth of new, innovative and intriguing high-end products – by Distinctive Assets. The Los Angeles marketing company has been giving out the officially titled, “Everyone Wins at the Oscars Nominee Gift Bag” for the past 13 years.

“The bow ties are a perfect match with the Oscars,” said Christina Kim, designer and founder of ZuZu Kim. “We’re excited to be a part of the famously covetable gift bag.”

The bags were to be given to all the nominees’ (non-winning) in the following categories; Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Director, along with the Presenter, Neil Patrick Harris.

The bow ties, predominantly handcrafted in New York City, create a fresh new spin to the common and predictable bow tie by merging unexpected textures and luxury fabrics with versatility and artistic vision. The materials are mostly of European origin, mixed with boundless elements, and are of the highest quality with meticulous craftsmanship. They are adorned with crystals, rhinestones, leathers, metal spikes, and striking trims, with some designs taking up to two hours to create.

As stunning, bejeweled, and classic statement pieces that go from day to evening, these bow ties have an element of being worn in different ways. For women, they come with their individually matched necklaces that are adjustable in length as well as detachable; without the necklace, the clips at the back can be clipped on anything such as a shirt, jacket, or a hat. For men, they come with metal bow tie clips, as well as adjustable and detachable straps.

For ZuZu Kim, music is the driving force behind the brand, and the bow tie is a natural addition to the collections. Christina Kim comes from a classical piano trained background. She created dresses for her performances, which evolved to the ZuZu Kim brand. For her, the bow tie is a universal symbol of classic elegance, music, with a rich history. As menswear trends continue to influence womenswear, the bow ties are highly in demand by women, and this collection is unisex. The mood of these bow ties is “exciting, luxurious, unexpected, and chic… with an element of rock n’ roll edge that appeals to consumers of all ages from uptown to downtown.”

Kim is passionate about breaking the traditional mold in approach to design, creating the bow ties in a fresh and unconventional way. Conversely, and on the old-fashioned side of industry standards, the couture techniques she uses are self-innovated, and require a significant amount of handwork. The bow ties are complex in both inner and outer structures, and extremely difficult for others to duplicate. The proportion and detail of each bow tie are experimented to great lengths to achieve perfect construction, making each piece truly one of a kind. Despite the bow tie aficionado’s desire to tie their own bow tie, ZuZu Kim’s combination of exquisite fabrics, various adornments, and the emphasis on symmetry of textile motifs, make self-tying impossible. ZuZu Kim’s bow ties are tied perfectly, and have various ways to wear so you look perfect every time.

More information on ZuZu Kim at www.zuzukim.com.

Learn more about the fashion at the Academy Awards.

Read more bow tie blog posts here on the Fashion Blog.

Baby Bow Tie

Baby Bow Tie brings kids fashion to a new level of cuteness with their stylish prints and high quality fabrics. These adorable and fun accoutrements are the newest must-haves in microfashion. The entire line features a comfortable magnetic closure and adjustable neck strap to ensure the perfect fit for the dapper little man in your life. Baby Bow Tie is suited for stylish newborns all the way up to 8 years old!

Inspired by her own little gentleman, founder Kat Armstrong says, "I set out to create affordable, high quality accessories for littles without compromising on style." Keep it classic with a gingham or seersucker printed bow tie, add a little edge with a cool camouflage print, or even sport your favorite team colors with a style from the Baby Bow Tie Game Day Collection! Baby Bow Tie is available at Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Kitson Kids and other retailers nationwide ($25; www.babybowtie.com). 

Read more bow tie blog posts here on the Fashion Blog.

Ella Bing Bow Ties

Brent Kraus and Ella Bing Bow Ties of Tampa Bay announces the expansion of the Ella Bing line to feature leather belts.

They will be releasing hand tailored leather belts with the Spring 2014 Line, debuting March 2014.

Made with the same care and love of their awesome bow ties, the leather comes from the United States, ensuring quality. The line will feature brightly colored leathers, such as blues, aquas, reds, yellows, greens, browns, and blacks.

Ella Bing owner, Brent Kraus is excited about the newest item in Ella Bing’s expanding Spring 2014 line.

Look for the ravishing leather belts and more coming this March!

About Ella Bing 

Ella Bing is based in Tampa Bay, Florida. They are family owned business specializing in both cloth and wood bow ties, while paying attention to seasonal fabrics. Ella Bing was founded after the loss of a brother and son, Matthew Kraus. The Kraus family honors Matthew's spirit, infectious personality and love of fashion with handmade custom bow ties, much like Matthew himself would have worn. Matthew lives on in timeless style via Ella Bing and his family. The work is centered around quality, presentation, attention to detail and customer service.

Thank you for taking the time to read our fashion accessory blog post. We hope that you have found the information about this bow tie resource to be informative. 

Read more bow tie blog posts here on the Fashion Blog. 

If you have comments or questions, please add your thoughts in the discussion area below.

Bow Ties for Pets

Baby Bow Tie is now available for pets!

That’s right your precious fur babies can rock a dapper new style.  These adorable accessories are available in tons of different colors and prints, and all feature a magnetic closure for easy on and off. 

Learn more about Baby Bow Ties for your animals at https://www.babybowtie.com/

Read more bow tie blog posts here on the Fashion Blog.

Latest Trends in Men's Formal Wear 2015

The short, tailless smoking jacket, introduced in 1860 by Henry Poole & Co. changed the world’s approach to men’s formal wear. This evening coat was designed for the Prince of Wales as an alternative to traditional tailcoats for informal dinners at Sandringham. Stories go that the style was brought to the American society by James Brown Potter when he met the Prince of Wales in 1886. This evening jacket was the blueprint for what is now known as tuxedos, one of the most important aspects of the black tie ensemble.

Though black tie dress code, in essence, is semi-formal attire, it is the most formal dress code you have to maintain when it comes to events like weddings and galas. But men’s formal wear has come a long way; it is now an amalgamation where style meets comfort.

So the question is: What are the stylish guys wearing for a Black Tie invitation?

If you take a closer look into the world of men’s fashion you’ll see the most common trend doing the rounds this year is relaxed formal. Designers and fashion behemoths are trying to bridge the gap between the worlds of formal and casual wear.

It will be wrong to say that formal wear takes a back seat when it comes to men’s fashion this year, but the trend is to inject a little freedom into strict dress codes. Relaxed formal, as it is called, is as simple and comfortable as pairing your suit with a slouchy t-shirt, adding a nonchalant approach to your look.

In this post, we take a look at the latest trends in men’s formal wear.

Blue is the New Black for Tux

Navy has been a trendy color in 2014 and according to a New York Times article “blue is the new black” for tuxedos. It is an accent color and a neutral alternative to a more formal black or charcoal. And a navy blue tux is not necessarily reserved for black tie events. Go bold in blue or navy tuxedos and dress it down to more casual attire by wearing a chambray shirt instead of a traditional white, turndown collar shirt for a date night. For a look this casual, skip the tie. The color rule also applies for people who want to opt for a suit instead of a tuxedo.

(Image source: http://www.uniformofman.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/22TUXSPAN-articleLarge.jpg)

Satin is usually reserved for the peaked lapel or the shawl collar in your tux, but the recent trends made the likes of satin piping on the tux with a framed lapel more popular. To make a statement you can even opt for extra wide peak lapel. In fact, a tux with contrasting lapel details is a great option to show off your unique style choices.

Leave the Waist Uncovered

The traditional black tie waist requires you to wear a low-cut evening waistcoat or a black cummerbund. But the popular trend is to leave it uncovered as it gives a sleeker and more streamlined look. Many men are now opting for this style by wearing trousers that have a satin finished waistband. An exposed waistband is hardly regarded as formal faux pas anymore, provided you have a stomach as flat as Daniel Craig’s in James Bond.

To pull off the uncovered waist your jacket closure should be around the same area as your trouser waistband. Avoid low rise trousers or cover it with a waistcoat instead of a cummerbund. This will make you look slimmer and taller. In fact, a waistcoat is a good alternative to a cummerbund. They are also available in different shapes.

If you’re opting to swank a stylish cummerbund or waistcoat, use same quality silk as your lapels and bow tie.

A Perfect Fit for Your Body

One of the most important factors that remain true for all kinds of fashion trends is that you need to buy clothes that fit your body properly. It is important to know your body size and shape and wear an outfit that is neither too tight nor loose.

This rule is especially applicable if you’re on the larger side. Wear clothes that skim over your body and smooth out your frame. For a flattering fit, opt for shirts, tuxedos and suits that have slightly structured shoulders. The arm length should not be bunched up and the cut is also important. Pay attention to the hemlines of your trousers. Avoid borderline skinny legwear; instead, buy relaxed fits or pants that fall close to your heel as they give the illusion of leaner, longer legs.

(Image source: http://www.ownonly.com/data/2014/09/15/5416a86facaf0.jpg)

Unfortunately, most of the fashion behemoths and retail shops offer cookie-cutter styles and not all men are lucky enough to fit exactly into a particular clothing size. Here comes tailor-made clothing. A number of online measure-to-fit retailers are now offering custom-fit clothing for men. You can buy bespoke tuxedos, suits, and shirts that flatter your body shape and size without breaking your bank.

Ownonly is one such online measure-to-fit retailer that offers tailor-made suits based on your specifications. Reasonably priced, the men’s formal clothing offered by this company is made of fine fabrics imported from Italy. Apart from their lines of business and casual suits, Ownonly also offers tailor-made shirts, blazers and accessories for men. Just send in your measurements to the company for outfits tailored to you for a flattering fit.

Accessories are Key

One of the strict rules of black tie is ‘no watch’. Here again the trend is changing. A lot of men are donning subtle time-pieces with tuxedos, but keep the watch formal and sleek. A bare face watch is an even better option. Cufflinks are a must, but again keep it simple. Harmonizing black, onyx, gold or mother-of-pearl cufflinks can add a traditional, yet stylish touch.

When it comes to footwear, highly polished leather pumps with silk or satin bow on top are traditional favorites. More popular options include highly polished, patent leather oxfords. Wear silk or cashmere socks and match the color with the trousers.

Use a fine quality silk cloth for a pocket square, which should coordinate with the rest of your outfit. Those who are more adventurous can even wear a silk scarf, but the rule is to keep it simple.

The Final Word

Going back to the question we asked in the beginning of this post: “What are the stylish guys wearing for a Black Tie invitation?”

Well, it is more important to understand how they’re wearing it. No matter how fashionable or expensive your clothing, an unkempt look will take you nowhere. You also need to focus on fashion accessories such as shoes, belts, bags, scarves and so on. Ensure they’re well-maintained too and that your hair, face, nails and body are well-groomed. Remember, the most important style tip is to remain neat, clean and fragrant.

Article provided for Apparel Search by Nicola Reynor.

Thank you for taking the time to read this men's tailored fashion blog post. We hope that you have found this news to be informative. If you have comments or questions, please add your thoughts in the discussion area below.

Brooks Brothers at the 87th Academy Awards

At last night's 87^th Annual Academy Awards® in Los Angeles, Brooks Brothers, the iconic American brand was seen on the red carpet at the entertainment industry’s biggest and most eagerly anticipated event.

Matt McGorry, star of ABC’s How To Get Away With Murder and this year’s host of The Oscars Backstage will wear a Black Fleece by Brooks Brothers Jacquard Tuxedo, a bib front formal dress shirt and matching jacquard bow tie.

Marc Malkin, Senior Editor & Writer for E! Online, selected a custom Black Fleece by Brooks Brothers Tuxedo with tipped grosgrain lapel, a slim pique bib front tuxedo shirt and grosgrain formal tie.

Graham Moore, nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay for The Imitation Game, will wear a Brooks Brothers Fitzgerald Tuxedo in navy with grosgrain lapel, a bib front formal dress shirt and bow tie.

Brooks Brothers, America’s oldest retailer, has a tradition of dressing some of the country’s greatest cultural icons such as F. Scott Fitzgerald, Clark Gable, Andy Warhol and Katherine Hepburn. The company continues to dress many of today’s leading celebrities and frequently collaborates with costume designers from many notable film and TV productions such as the multiple award winning drama Mad Men and Baz Lurhmann’s The Great Gatsby- last year's Oscar winner for Best Costumes.

Brooks Brothers tailored clothing, shirts, and ties are proudly made in America.   

KorBáta Ties and Bowties

Born and bred in Guatemala, KorBáta ties and bowties are handwoven by Mayan women and handcrafted from 100% cotton, resulting in no two ties being exactly alike.

For your next occasion, wear something that makes a statement.  Wear KorBáta.  KorBáta Guatemalan ties and bow ties are for gentlemen with classic style who possess the confidence to break away from the mundane.  They see a tie as not merely an accent piece but a signature statement.  KorBáta is changing the way men wear traditional ties.  The 21st century gentleman has arrived.

For each thread that is woven into a KorBáta tie, the rich history and heritage of the Mayan people are woven along with it.  That is because each thread has been put in place by the hands of a Mayan woman whose efforts preserve Guatemala’s textile traditions.  Crafted from 100% cotton, KorBáta designs their collections to reflect the beautiful landscape of Guatemala.  Every hand woven pattern is unique, never to be duplicated. Ties retail for $45.00.  Bow ties retail for $45.00.

KorBáta’s story begins by the serendipitous meeting of two entrepreneurs.   Both of Guatemalan descent, they found a shared love for their country, the beauty of its land, the Mayan culture and Guatemalan art.  Combining their talents and efforts, they started a small artisan project and named the company KorBáta.  Their work has been most gratifying because they have not only brought their dream to fruition but are helping to sustain Guatemala’s rich weaving history and providing work for those in rural areas of Guatemala.  For more information, visit www.korbata.com.

Wear KorBáta and Break Away from the Mundane

Read more bow tie blog posts here on the Fashion Blog.

Trendy Fashion Brands for Your Review

Are you curious to find an interesting new fashion brand?  Below are a few that we think that you may want to learn more about.  Actually, some are not entirely “new”, but they are worth a second glance if you have visited their sites in the past. 

If you work in the apparel industry and would actually like to meet with the company behind these brands, you may be able to find them at the next MAGIC Trade Show events.  For your convenience, we have listed some of the trade shows next to the brands.  However, you should check with the brand or the trade show organizer to double check if you are making a special trip to meet one of the companies.

Photos: Haute Rouge

Women’s Fashion Brands:

Honey Punch

Kozakh

On the Road

Haute Rouge

Erimish

Molly Bracken

Little J Headbands

   Learn more about women’s fashion brands.

Men’s Fashion Brands of interest:

OppoSuit

Two Guys Bow Tie

OppoSuit

Two Guys Bow Tie

MNKR1

WoodRoze

NO&YO

Sorel

Bellfield Clothing

Superdry

   Learn more about men’s fashion brands.

Children’s fashion brand are also a hot topic for the industry.  You can find the majority of these brands at trade shows as well.

Baby Beast may be able to find them at the playground trade show.

Hello Apparel at playground

Lanoosh at playground

Chelsea and Chester at playground

Polo Kids at FN PLATFORM

   Learn more about children’s fashion brands.

If you prefer to evaluate shoe brands, you may have interest in the following group of exciting footwear companies.

Claetyn Wood at FN PLATFORM

Papucei at FN PLATFORM

Raphaella Booz at FN PLATFORM

Conhpol at FN PLATFORM

Old Soles at FN PLATFORM
Sorel

Musse & Cloud

Maruti 

You may want to also visit the popular brands page to learn about additional resources of interest.

Thank you for taking the time to read our fashion blog post. We hope that you have found this news to be informative. If you have comments or questions, please add your thoughts in the discussion area below.

Neckwear Promo Code June 2015

High School graduation parties are pretty much over for this year.  Maybe you should think about getting married now.  For those of you that have just now graduated, I am only kidding.  It is probably a good idea to wait until you finish college before tying the knot.

If you are planning on getting married or simply want to tie the knot (bow tie knot or regular tie knot), you may want to visit Ties.com between now and July 4th, 2015 because they are having a sale.

4th of July 20% Off Sale at Ties.com. Use Promo Code USA25 Good June 22nd - July 4th, 2015

Ladies, don't be too jealous.  You can also take advantage of discounted purchases if you use the same promo code at Scarves.com

Note: regarding the sale, check with those sites about the specifics.

Must Know Facts About Women's Thongs

Thongs are the piece of clothes that makes any woman look delightful along with easily defining her surpassing femininity. These thongs began to gain wider acceptance as well as popularity all around the world and so are preferred by majority of the women. Many of the women and girls of all age groups are wearing thongs purposely as they are exposed them over the top of their trousers.

Overview: Generally the women’s thongs resemble as a bikini bottom from the front, but the back part is being reduced to a minimum. It is being designed in such a way that it covers majority of the genitals part of the body while leaving most of the buttocks part uncovered. The back of thong is typically consists a thin waistband and a thin strip of material and greatly differs from other types of garments like the women panties, girls lingerie as well as ladies briefs. There are number of reasons of wearing thongs. Some of them may include the prevention of visible panty line or even the fashion consciousness. This may also include the feeling of being more adult as well as the minimization of tan lines.

Different Variations and Patterns: The thongs generally comes in multifaceted patterns, which includes the lacy pattern, ribbon pattern, side tie pattern, bow style pattern, embroidered pattern, patch work pattern and many more. These varied designs are being available as printed or plain patterns too at many on the women’s undergarment shop. Some of the thongs even come with the tie up waist strap patterns that allows one to arrange it according to the waist size and the comfort. This is designed in such a way that the inner parts of the body can be kept hidden.

The G-String, T-String, V-String-back, Cheeky and C-string are different types or variations of thongs that include the bikini briefs too. Along with that, there are wide numbers of intermediate kinds of thongs between full rear coverage and a string rear. Majority of the thongs are available in nylon, net, polyamide, hosiery, microfiber, satins, cotton, lycra/spandex, as well as many more types of materials. These type of materials are often used in designing as well as manufacturing most of the inner wear dresses as they are always soft to touch and does not cause any irritation.

Some important facts: According to some of the feminist thinkers, the women's clothing has become increasingly segregated. These thongs, which come in a variety of styles depending on several factors like the material, thickness or the type of the rear portion of fabric, are being available for both women as well as men throughout most of the world. Moreover, the thong is a form of women intimate apparel that arose from the need of an artistic yet easy to wear party attire. This attire is usually available as easy to wear option of the underwear and so it greatly attracts the girls as well as ladies to try for it.

Some of the reasons as why women prefer to wear includes that these thongs helps them to pose as a sexy alternative instead of the sheer night dress. If they are being paired with some of the decorative bras, then they can greatly complement as the most attractive innerwear for the night. Thongs also give a bold fashion statement while worn under low waist jeans particularly for young and adults. Thus, these were some of the most important facts of the thongs that are especially designed to reveal out sexiest look of the women.

Article written for Apparel Search by Guest Author Daniel Clark.

Thank you for taking the time to read this women's fashion blog post. We hope that you have found this research report to be informative.   If you have comments or questions, please add your thoughts in the discussion area below.

Happy New Year Style History

Mode Studios, the original video programming and branded entertainment division of Mode Media, today released their latest episodes of their viral sensation original series, "100 Years of Fashion," which has surpassed 276 million views for the first 7 episodes, making it the most watched fashion video series ever.

100 YEARS OF NEW YEAR’S STYLE

Today, Mode Studios released the eighth episode, 100 Years of New Year’s Style, which takes viewers on a journey through men's festive fashion for the last evening celebration of the year, starting off with a beautiful tux with tails, and a top hat in 1915. Matt Watts, the model featured in 100 Years of Men's Fashion in 3 Minutes, and 100 Years of Men’s Swimwear, also stars in 100 Years of New Year’s Style. Watch the episode on Mode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Lvh2TeAErs.

The eighth episode is presented by Ryan Seacrest Distinction (RSD), available exclusively at Macy’s. RSD, a smart, stylish and timeless collection of men’s tailored clothing and accessories, is featured throughout this 100 Years New Year’s Eve episode, but most notably, in the 2015 look. The 2015 look features a blue velvet tuxedo, black tuxedo pants with a satin waist. Mr. Seacrest’s signature New Year’s Eve countdown also serves as a venerable ending for the segment.

Ryan Seacrest Distinction was founded in 2014 and has since become the most successful menswear launch at Macy’s in more than a decade. RSD tuxedos and smoking jackets are tailored, slim-cut and have a subtle throwback vibe to old Hollywood, along with a full range of accessories (shirts, bow ties, cufflinks and tie bars to have a many dapper and dazzling for New Year's Eve or any formal evening affair). 

About Mode Media

Mode.com is an owned & operated social networking platform where creators can upload videos and build content stories. Content on Mode is curated by professional editors and distributed in user feeds—personalized by the Mode content algorithm technology. Since its launch in April, Mode has grown from zero to 38 million unique monthly users, and crossed over 1 billion streamed video views.

Mode Media, a top 10 U.S. media property with 136 million unique users a month, was founded in Silicon Valley in 2004 with a simple, yet powerful idea—to help people discover relevant content by combining the power of human curation of premium content with technology that distributes the right content to the right people at the right time. Today, Mode Media is building the largest independent premium video and content platform for creators powered by distribution and streaming technology that delivers targeted native videos, content and branded entertainment at scale in real-time.

If addition to history of fashion videos, you may want to do some reading.  If that is the case, you may want to visit the holiday fashion book list we posted recently.

You may also want to view the 100 Years of Wedding Fashion video.  Better yet, you would probably enjoy the 100 Years of Lingerie video as well.