1.  Drape the scarf gracefully around your shoulders, letting it have gentle folds that accentuate its pattern.
2.  Gather one end in each hand, holding loosely.
3.  With your right hand, gently fold the right end crossing over the left end, bringing through and around the back (just as the first part of tying a pair of shoelaces.) Let it drape over the front.
4. (Optional – complete a gentle knot – take the right end and gently cross over the left end again, bringing it up and through the circle between the first part of the tie and the left end, making a simple flat knot.)

Method 2:  Modified Ascot

1. Using both hands, gather softly together the fabric of a long rectangular scarf so that it becomes long and narrow with soft folds along its length.
2. Place the middle of the long scarf at the front of your neck and gently wind each end once around your neck to create a sort of turtleneck collar.
3. Bring the ends to the front, and using your right hand, gently fold the right end crossing over the left end bringing over and up through the back (just as the first part of tying a pair of shoelaces.) Let it drape softly over the front.
(The long ends will gently drape down the front as pictured – a wonderful accent to a tailored outfit or a soft blouse or tunic.)

Method 3:  Double Tie

1. Using both hands, gather softly together the fabric of a long rectangular scarf so that it becomes long and narrow with soft folds along its length.
2. Fold the narrowed scarf in half, and hold the folded end with your right hand.
3. Wrap the folded scarf around the back of your neck so that you are holding the open folded loop in your right hand in front of your right side and the loose ends are draping over your front over your left shoulder.
4. Take one of the loose ends with your left hand and slot it through the open folded loop you are holding with your right hand (inserting from left to right.)
5. Take the other loose end with your left hand and cross over the tie to the right side and then through the same loop as in step 4, but this time slot it through the loop from the opposite side – the right side.
6.  Gently pull both loose ends to even out the tie and place as you wish on your chest.

Method 4:  Hip Tie

This is best with a wider shawl sized scarf – approx 25″ wide. It can also be done, as shown here, with a 18″ wide scarf.  You can tie this either on your left or right hip. A lovely tie over a bathing suit as well as a fun addition to a long skirt, as shown.
1.  Hold the scarf or shawl in both hands and drape around your hips from the back, drawing either the left end or the right end longer than the other so that the two ends are approximately even at either your right hip or your left hip.
2.  Do steps 2 – 4 of the Shawl tie above.

Method 5:  Half – Bow Tie

1.  Do steps 1-3 of the Double tie.
2.  Take both loose ends with your left hand and slot them through the open folded loop and pull to the desired tightness (you can stop here for the look that is popular now – a simple fold and pull-through as I call it.)
3.  Take one of the loose ends approx a third of the way down from the tie in your left hand and gently fold it, creating a half loop. With your left hand gently slot the folded half loop through the tie, pulling gently with your right hand so that it tightens and the remaining part of the loose end drapes down to the left.  (This is creating a half bow-tie – like half of a shoelaces tie in a sense.)

Method 6:  ’Kerchief’ Tie

1.  Fold the square scarf in half across the diagonal – so opposite corners across the diagonal are folded together.
2.  Position the folded scarf so that it gently drapes across your front with the pointed corner down and the straight edge horizantal from shoulder to shoulder.
3.  Holding the two ends of the horizontal fold, one in each hand, bring the two ends around to the back of your neck and tie a simple knot of your choice.
(Optional – if it is a larger scarf, you can wrap the ends once around the neck before tying in the back.  You can tuck the tied end under a shirt collar, or you can leave slightly longer ends draping gracefully down your back, depending on your outfit.)

Written by: Louise Wannier

The first thing I noticed when I met with the other models was how different we all were. Each and every one of us was unique and differently shaped. Some of us were tall and thin, others shorter, curvier, some with delicate shoulders, others with strong shoulders, some with long limbs, others with shorter limbs, some of us high-waisted, others short-waisted.  There were only 7 of us, but we had managed to represent a kaleidoscope of figures. And isn’t that so much better? Isn’t that so much more interesting than if we were all the Heidi Klum type, than if we were all the same? This is what real women look like. We are all so different from each other, each of us with our own beautiful lines and curves and shapes.

But how would we as such a diverse group of women be represented through our clothes? How would we look when put next to each other, wearing clothes from the same collections, when we were all so different from one another? I couldn’t help but look at the other women next to me and ponder these issues. I couldn’t help but wonder how it would make me feel.

And then something extraordinary happened, something that made me wake up and realize – oh, this is it. This is what it’s all about. We all put on the outfits we’d be displaying, and suddenly it all made sense. We all looked so…transformed. Somehow, the new TRUUdesigns Spring Collection had found a way to highlight the best qualities each of us possessed. The way the high waist of the Madison Trousers accentuated the slender length of Lara’s legs, the way the golden hues of Donna’s outfit made her dark skin tone really pop, the way the Susan Jacket showed off Kate’s tiny waist, or the way the drape of the Louise Jacket and Coordinating Shell beautifully balanced out Louise’s broad hips – somehow, there was something for everyone. Somehow, this collection of pieces had room for all figures, all skin tones, and all body types. And boy did we look fabulous.  We were something. Something beautiful, something fierce.

This was something special. This was revolutionary. Why didn’t more people show off their clothes like this? Why didn’t more people realize that this is what women were really looking for, that this is what they really wanted to see, how they really wanted to feel? Why weren’t there more designers who catered to the wonderful, superb uniqueness that is the modern woman? TRUUdesigns is really onto something here.

The most important thing of all, though, was how they made us feel. How they made me feel.  I’d never worn clothes like this before. They felt soft and luxurious and elegant and oh-so-feminine. I think they brought my inner-woman to life. My true woman. They woke her up and brought her out and made her realize how truly valuable and present she really is.

Contributing Writer: Cailin Traum

Why should retailers care about the 78 million Americans born between 1946 and 1964? Well, buying power for one. Boomers have $2 trillion in annual buying power — more than seven times Generation X and Generation Y combined. A large portion of that goes toward apparel and boomer women spend 13 percent more than the national average on clothes. So, who’s designing for us? It seems almost no one is.

Most high-street boutiques are geared toward women in their 20s and 30s, the serious designers are designing with catwalk models in mind, and the “woman” sections are usually oversized, frumpy and dreary.

What is fashion over 50? We knew the answer when we created TRUUdesigns and decided to provide a place that cares about all women having great design. We specifically focused on providing a fashion house/design resource for women to have great clothes, distinctive design and a chance to express their own sense of style.

Fashion over 50 means appreciating beautiful fabrics, the right cut, the designer vision, and more importantly, having the confidence to know what works for us.

We no longer agonize over the fact we can’t wear a short summer dress or tuck a T-shirt into belted jeans. We’ve moved on. It’s no longer about not being able to show what we have. It’s about being able to express who we are.

What is causing us grief, however, is that we are not getting the consideration we deserve from the fashion world.

We asked fashion blogger Jill Andrews to query some of her friends, all in their 50s, about how the fashion industry meets their needs. Most expressed concern that designers aren’t accommodating the average woman.

“Doing so will detract from the exclusivity of their products,” says Emili Vesliind of the Los Angeles Times, who recently wrote that many top designers “worry that sallying into the market will dilute their brand’s mystique and, ultimately, their sales. Miuccia Prada may have had these concerns when she stated she would not sell clothes over size 10.”

Most of us, of course, don’t have Prada in mind when shopping for a few simple outfits.

Mary says she is tired of looking. Carol says “good fashion for curvy women at decent prices isn’t out there.” Amy says, “The fashion industry makes it difficult for women of a certain age. Many of us have money to spend, but there’s so little to choose from.”

And Amelia seems to say it all: “I am often frustrated because many of the styles I want are intended for the young and very thin. I want to incorporate some current fashion trends with a classic look while attaining a spark of something arty and creative.”

It seems that it’s in this “classic” approach that designers are losing us. “Classic” doesn’t mean a black suit or a twin-set with pearls. It means timeless favorites that work because they are valuable basics. We want the linen dress with the wider strap and the slightly dropped waist. We want the little black dress that is perhaps not-so-little. More than that, however, we want to have fun. But no one, it seems, is listening.

Women, of course, have been doing their own thing for years and our blogger friend says many in her survey do find creative, fun looks.

Carly says, “I don’t dress ‘our age.’ I wear a lot of lace in all colors over tank tops. I wear boots with rhinestones. I wear gaudy vintage jewelry. Today I am wearing a black sleeveless blouse with rhinestones all over the front.”

While we say “Go Carly!” the fact remains that if it’s skinny jeans, spaghetti straps and rhinestones you want, you are in luck. If it’s beautiful clothes for beautiful women who want to look good, feel good and have fun… you are going to have a very hard time.

That red jacket looks good on both women and men!

Take James Dean’s red jacket from Rebel Without a Cause (1955). Who can deny that he set the world on fire with his smart-cool, detached look? Film director Nicholas Ray and costumer Moss Mabry apparently decided that a red jacket would help Dean’s character stand out–which ultimately led them to shoot in color versus black and white. And that jacket’s popularity endures. The hit series Madmen has revived new interest in Dean’s look, head to toe: The pompadour hairstyle (you know–with the sides combed up and back); classic, straight-legged, cuffed blue jeans; a white t-shirt (we’ll skip the ciggies rolled up in the sleeve); plain work boots with a good size heel; and of course, the jacket’s popped collar.

Kate Hepburn long defied mid-century women's fashions.

Equally iconic Kate Hepburn continued to wow her fans in 1952‘s Pat and Mike, a comedy about a feisty, independent athlete and her domineering manager (played by Spencer Tracy). In both her personal and professional life, Hepburn repeatedly defied convention by dressing like a man, with her high-waisted trousers, pantsuits, men’s shirts and loafers. The look revolutionized  fashion by freeing women for more active lives with a greater range of choices (thank you, Kate).

And how can we forget Grace Kelly’s look in the 1954 Hitchcock thriller Rear Window? Legendary designer Edith Head created Kelly’s look, which endures today–the understated elegance of her haute couture designs taught ’50s working women how to be chic. And did you know that Kelly’s little square overnight bag prefigured the “Kelly Bag” that Hermès named for her?

Enter the leather jacket! Marlon Brando was ultra cool and even a bit dangerous looking in his biker gang  motorcycle jacket in The Wild One (1954 was a good year).  So dangerous looking, in fact, that the British board of censors banned the film for 14 years! Who among us–male or female–doesn’t want to own one (or ten)?

No caption necessary. Just enjoy the shot.

Then along came the mid-fifties’ series of blonde bombshell goddesses. We loved Marilyn Monroe in 1955 with her seductive white halter neck dress in The Seven Year Itch. Ooolala!! Some think that look still ranks number one as the most iconic fashion moment of all time, as well as a turning point for women’s fashion. In 1956, Baby Doll’s star Carroll Baker popularized the look of a child-turned-woman, and it wasn’t long before baby doll dresses went mainstream for both day and evening wear. Bridget Bardot turned our heads in 1957‘s And God Created Woman, which introduced American film-goers to the bikini (as well as the girdle-free, slim skirt Bardot wore). Riding the wave from this popular movie, swimwear manufacturers began selling bikinis to American women–although just six years earlier, two-piece swimsuits ad been banned from the Miss World contest.

Rosalind Russell as Auntie Mame: Bohemian chic and way ahead of her time!

Orry-Kelly’s innovative wardrobe for Rosalind Russell’s outrageous, bohemian character Mame Dennis in Auntie Mame (1958) didn’t attract an Oscar at the time. But the film’s wardrobe for Russell clearly influenced and inspired future designers who succesfully combine wacky colors, exaggerated silhouettes and exposed undergarments (John Galliano’s new line for 2009 has been cited as a more recent example). Some say Russell gave the performance of her life in this film about a woman who was truly ahead of her time. I remember seeing this film as a young girl, and reveling in her portrayal of the gloriously chic and slightly naughty Mame.

Are there some fifties films I left out? Let’s hear about them–join the conversation!

A version of the Empress Eugenie hat.

This post begins a side journey to those way-back times, when most of us depended on two specific industries to dictate clothing trends. The obvious first? The fashion industry itself, of course. But a powerful second often influenced the first: Flickering images cast through flexible celluloid strips coated with a photosensitive gelatin emulsion.

…Huh? That’s right: The film industry. Because our real lives (well, in those days) seemed never as exciting–or glamorous–as those on the silver screen, we gladly mimicked our favorite movie idols’ on-screen characters by reproducing their hairstyles, makeup, and of course–those amazing costumes.

So let’s take a peek into how fashion followed film. Join me for the next couple of blog posts, and we’ll pick some classic movies that rocked the fashion world from the Golden Age of Hollywood cinema. And if you’ve got films of your own to add, by all means–join the conversation!

First up! The pre-1950s. Films became wildly popular  shortly after the first “talkies” were introduced, and that’s when film star fashion mania really took off. Since I wasn’t yet (quite) alive in this era, I have to rely on what film buffs and fashion experts say, although many of these styles are staples of my own wardrobe.

In 1930, Greta Garbo wowed theatergoers in her role in Romance with designer Adrian’s little velvet hat worn tipped over one eye (above). The “Empress Eugenie hat” was universally copied, and for the rest of the decade, women wore every permutation of the low-crowned, point-brimmed head piece. I love this hat!

Adrian's puff-sleeved look, still popular today.

Then in 1932, Adrian’s puff-sleeved gown for Joan Crawford’s role in Letty Lynton was copied by Macy’s in 1932 and sold tens of thousands of copies nationwide. Crawford personified the American working girl of the era, and her style was widely imitated. The puff-sleeved look? Still a killer today.

1937 brought us Lana Turner in They Won’t Forget.  And we still haven’t forgotten her for her sweater girl image, with that amazing bullet bra (known also as a torpedo or cone bra) that forever transformed the sweater as we knew it. The look was strongly influential into the 1950s, and some maintain it was the first major style of youth fashion.

1938 brought us Katharine Hepburn’s highly individual style and her almost scandalous affinity for menswear. In her film Bringing Up Baby, Hepburn exerted her personal distaste for skirts and stockings (which she called the “invention of the devil”).

Nothing better than a woman in a man's suit.

She almost single-handedly inspired modern women to don pants, and along the way won the hearts of fashion designers who learned to focus on capturing her indomitable  vitality and spirit.

Some say the most influential film on fashion was 1939′s Gone with the Wind,  in which Vivien Leigh’s sassy character Scarlett O’Hara wore designer Walter Plunkett’s barbecue dress, the most widely copied dress after the Duchess of Windsor’s wedding costume. The Scarlett O’Hara look brought full skirts worn over crinolines back into wedding fashion after a decade of sleek, figure-hugging styles.

Next up? The nifty fifties. Stay tuned!

Afghan Women's Writing Project: A Worthy Cause

These women want to be heard! Their riveting stories, read aloud, brought both chills and choked emotions for many of us sitting in the comfortable, safe space of the Design Studio. As we shared, expressed opinions, and also gnoshed on delicious Afghan food, we all found something in common with our troubled, burqad Afghan sisters. We are thankful for the words of these courageous women and for the opportunity to gather as part of a worldwide collective to help, celebrate and support their lives.

A heartfelt thank you to all who participated! Please click on this link to donate toward support of these brave women!

Attend one or more of our next StlyeBars on Wednesday, March 2 or Sunday, March 6.

Wednesday, March 2, 11am – 2pm & 5 – 8pm
Sunday, March 6, 2 – 5pm

Space is limited! Please RSVP by emailing stylebar@TRUUdesigns.com

Come to the March TRUUdesigns StyleBars!

TRUUdesigns is a new Pasadena-based, women owned business that creates clothing collections in a different way–we collaborate with you to customize our collections and inspire you to express your own style. The StyleBar is a fun way to begin a conversation with women interested in giving new life to their personal fashion dreams.  Sip a little wine, sample a little cheese, meet some new friends, and learn to fall in love with fashion by personalizing your style and fit.

TRUUdesigns: modern, classic clothing with distinctive style and personalized fit. We invite your comments and ideas!

So this morning I jumped online and took the first of my 3 steps. Right away I found wedding guide Nina Callaway, who says I should be paying attention to at least 13 to-do’s, and near the top of that list is choosing my dress.  An hour into it, my eyes were crossed, my head was spinning, and my brain was suffering from MOB to-do-list-overload. But I found some great tips, and I’ll share a few here.

First, Nina says the MOB dress should help me “stand out and feel special” without upstaging our daughter. (Actually that won’t be too hard to do–our daughter is THE most beautiful person in the world, even when she’s wearing a ripped t-shirt and jeans.) Nina suggests wearing something that flatters my shape, but is also comfortable, since I’ll be in the dress for most of the day. Our daughter’s is a July wedding, to be held outdoors, so Nina’s suggestions to wear a fashionable hat or to carry a parasol (for the sun) and to choose wedge-heeled shoes (for the uneven ground) make good sense. The accessories will also add a certain European flair to my ensemble!

I like this wedding hat. Find more at http://www.nyfashionhats.com/

There are some other basic guidelines having to do with color and style that I  need to keep in mind. Some of the obvious “don’ts” include wearing white, which could upstage the bride; wearing black to a daytime wedding is considered poor taste; wearing jeans is out [doh!], as well as too-sexy or revealing cuts; and ill-fitting clothing (too big, too small) shouts “I don’t care!”

I found other helpful suggestions on a site called Mother of the Bride, which points out the importance of consulting with the bride and groom as to how formal or informal they want the event to be, and to ensure that the wedding guests know what to expect. There’s additional good advice: It’s traditional for the mother of the bride to wear a stunning outfit with matching or coordinating hat (there’s the hat again!).  The site suggests that a fascinator hat is also considered appropriate. And apparently the color red should be avoided, as it could be seen as drawing attention to myself.

The site also has suggestions for dress styles. I particularly liked the advice in the petite (5’4” and under) section, which suggests wrap, A-line and empire dresses will flatter one’s figure. If I wear a hat, it says I should choose a small one that won’t overwhelm the rest of my outfit, or cause others to have to shift around me in order to see the bride.

And on and on it goes!!

You should know that TRUUDesigns features timeless, classic styles that are perfect for the MOB dress. I’m shopping there for my next blog post–join the conversation with your own ideas!

Resources:
What to wear to a wedding
Mother of the Bride
The Knot
NY Fashion Hats
TRUUdesigns