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Do you know what you're going to wear to work tomorrow or to that party this weekend?
Wearing the right outfit is important to almost everybody, unless you're one of those people who think you still look good in Reebok high tops and skintight jeans with holes in the knees.
But for those people who are relatively fashion unconscious (you know, the ones who wear white after Labor Day), it's time to ask the experts what's in style and how the whole fashion craze began.
"I guess you can define fashion as a regular pattern of style change," said Valerie Steele, director of The Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City. "In the past, theorists thought people used fashion for modesty or sexual attraction. Nowadays, people think it has to do with the symbolism of decoration."
It's simply about people who want to show their individuality, she said.
"Accessories are what make your outfit," said Sakina Claytor, owner of Sakina's Inc. on Boonsboro Road. "Two women can have the same outfit ? it's the way you accessorize that shows you're different."
The urge to be unique through fashion has definitely evolved since the days of the Roman Empire, where everyone wore togas and tunics. (Romans, however, showed their individuality through their hairstyles, Steele said.)
In the Middle Ages, fashion
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From discarded drink pouches to candy wrappers and cereal boxes, creative hands across the country are turning trash into trendy fashion accessories, Cox News Service reports.
Savvy entrepreneurs pick up the instructions on the Internet -- a Google search for "Capri Sun purse" and "instructions" reveals more than 1,000 entries. "It's pop culture," said eBay style director Constance White of the handbags that have popped up for sale on eBay.com.
"Their colorful prints have a cartoon-y feeling, which is fun and terrifically whimsical." White also said the bags are right in step with what's happening in fashion. "
Bags of all types are great ways to personalize or update an outfit," she said. "And the cherry on top of the cake for the juice bags? They are inexpensive."
They usually sell for around $10 to $20. That's one of the factors attracting fashion-savvy daughters and mothers alike. Kraft, the maker of Capri Sun and Kool-Aid, does not endorse the use of their juice pouches as handbags.
However, Pat Riso, company spokesperson, did reply, "I guess you can say these brands have become part of the fabric of America."
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Elizabeth Jagger was unveiled as the new face of high street store Mango today.
The 20-year-old daughter of Sir Mick Jagger and Jerry Hall has signed a deal to represent the Spanish fashion chain.
Mango said they chose her because she "embodies the ideal of the urban, independent and cosmopolitan woman that we want to dress".
They added that her "exquisite beauty and stunning personality" made her the ideal face of the brand.
Her image will adorn posters across the country with the slogan "Lizzy Jagger for Mango".
Lizzy, who began her modelling career at 14, launched her new campaign at the company's flagship Oxford Street store in London.
She said: "I was really happy to be asked to do this campaign.
"Mango clothes are really fun, they're always great colours, they are very classic and very beautiful.
"I definitely prefer high street to designer clothes because they're cheaper and you get more choice."
In recent months the model has faced accusations that she is worryingly thin. She has laughed off the idea and insists she has a high metabolism.
At today's launch she looked slender in jeans, cream jacket and camisole top.
In addition to her Mango contract, Lizzy is also the face of cosmetics company Lancome and will soon star in its new perfume ad.
She has just returned from a Christmas brea
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A French publisher on Tuesday rolled out its latest world dictionary of fashion, a glossy and weighty tome that shows just how much the industry has changed since the first edition back in 1994.
The International Dictionary of Fashion provides over 600 pages of dense information running from Aaage Thaarup, a veteran Danish fashion house, through to Zucchi, described as the number-one European group for household linen.
It is the international flavour of the dictionary, published only in French, which distinguishes it from its predecessor, said Lydia Kamitsis, a fashion historian and one of the work's editors.
"Over the past 10 years, we have above all seen just how much the fashion world has internationalised, " she said.
"Back in 1994 the entries for Gucci and Prada were very short; today the two labels have turned into major groups."
Bruno Remaury, who teaches at the French Institute of Fashion and who edited both issues of the dictionary, also found that the industry had become much more volatile.
"The history of fashion houses is no longer stable," he told AFP. "They periodically change their entire culture, either because the art directors change, or because they come into new ownership."
Among the new names to appear in the latest edition were the US designers Rick Owens and Alber Elbaz, Japan's Junya
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The Star Designer Awards 2005 provided the impetus for fashion students to explore new possibilities in designing glamorous evening wear, with one even opting to use coconut fibre.
Student Gan Boon Leong said, "Tom Hanks in Castaway was my inspiration, although he hardly wore anything fashionable, the organic aspect of his costume gave me new ideas to work with."
His entry was one of eight from Carven Academy of Fashion. The competition was themed Fashion Inspired By Movies and Film Stars.
Alexandra Yeo on the other hand chose a completely different setting. Motivated by her love for music she created gowns that were influenced by the 17th century period movie, Amadeus.
"I just love the style of that era, with the beautiful patterns the women used to wear; it was very glamorous." said the Raffles design student who plans to work as an illustrator for designers in the country.
Given only a month to complete their work, Justin Yap Beng Kwan said, "We had to work fast, from coming up with ideas to getting it onto paper.
"Individually, we had to design five pieces and our lecturers really helped in streamlining our initial ideas," he said.
Citing Carven Ong, his principal as an influence, he said that his work was more pragmatic and therefore more saleable.
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