Designing Clothes: culture and organization of the fashion industry #5

Hello Bloggers,

My name is Reddick Harris, and this is my fifth and final blog. In my last blog, I will be talking about “true style”. By “true style”, I mean not having to spend a lot of money to look nice.

The #1 way you can save money on clothes is obvious, it can either be through “hand me downs”, thrifting, or simply shopping at affordable stores. You will be amazed at how good you can look, and how little money you will have to spend. Fashion has usually been a way of showing wealth. “The emergence of a town bourgeoisie in Burgundy, at the crossroads of trade route with the east, created status competition with the nobility. One “almost literally “wore one’s wealth on one’s back” (Veronica Manlow 8.). Let us break out of that. Stay within your budget and learn to make it work for you.

Here is some examples:

The first outfit is an example for men. A simple button up shirt, and white jeans. Inexpensive, but also very nice. This is a way you can look nice on a budget.  

The second outfit is an example for women. A simple T-shirt with blue shorts and accessories. This outfit is nice but also inexpensive. Both of these outfits prove that you do not need to spend a bunch of money to look nice.  
What have you learned about " True Style"?

Thank you for viewing my blogs!

Designing Clothes: culture and organization of the fashion industry #4

Hello Bloggers, my name is Reddick Harris and this is my fourth blog post. In this blog, I will be discussing bringing back old pieces. In this blog, you will learn how to take things that may not appeal to the younger generation and turn it into a statement.

Another Christian Dior idea is the “New Look”. The "New Look" represented a return to femininity that had been repressed during the war years. “The “New Look” could be described as a look back toward a time, place and class when the ideal woman was living a domestic life of leisure” (Veronica Manlow 47.).  So everyone please feel free to reach back into those closets and create a new look.

Here is some examples:

The first example we have is a vintage, oversized jacket and vintage bell-bottoms. This outfit would look nice even in 2017. The jacket and bell-bottoms paired together plus the accessories make for a great look.  This is a great example of a casual “new look”.

The second outfit is a vintage mini dress (1970s). On its own, it may not make a big impression but once paired with the heels and the other accessories this outfit becomes an outfit relevant for 2017. This outfit is an example of a dressy/ casual “new look”.
What old pieces are you going to bring back?

Designing Clothes: culture and organization of the fashion industry #3

Hello Bloggers, My name is Reddick Harris and this is my third blog post. In this post, I will be discussing trendsetting. We will also be discussing how something so simple can become the new trend.

An example of a trendsetter is Christian Dior. “Dior’s ideas about style and self-presentation were drawn from his interpretation of the culture, and they reflect an ability to connect these ideas of styles of clothing that women could relate to and would wear” (Veronica Manlow 93.). Now that we know a little about trendsetting and one of the most beloved trendsetters to ever live, let us get some practice.

The first outfit is an example for women of a trend that could be set. The overall casual outfit with the heels is something truly different. This outfit could easily set a trends


The second outfit is an example for men of a trend that could be set. The half-dressy, half-casual look. The black dress shirt with the white jeans and the casual shoes is a perfect example for men of trendsetting.
What trends are you planning to set in 2017?

Designing Clothes: Culture and Organization of the Fashion Industry #2

Hello Bloggers,
My name is Reddick Harris and this is my second blog post. In this blog I'll be discussing being yourself when it comes to fashion. A lot of people seem to lose their individuality when it comes to fashion. Trends and new norms play a major role in this. "Normal" ways of dress, wearing your hair etc. are fine, but always add your own swag. "When considering fashion for men and for women it is important to take into account not only the historical moment, but the ways in which masculinity and femininity are culturally defined" (Veronica Manlow 40.). Because of this some people may be intimidated when it comes to individual style, but today we're going to fix that.

The first outfit is a women's outfit. This outfit is very different but still trendy, modern, and presentable. This outfit is a perfect example of individuality.

The second outfit is a men's outfit. This outfit is also different than the "norm" and definitely makes a statement. This is a perfect example of being yourself, especially because of the pink within the shirt.

These two outfits are perfect examples of individuality and being yourself when it comes to fashion.
What have you learned about individuality in fashion?

#SelfieSchool and InstaGold (The Final Blog Post)

#SelfieSchool and InstaGold (The Finale)

My last flat-lay photo got recognized with 550 likes! I still have a lot to learn about flat-lay's and i'll always be looking to improve my skills.

It's finally the last blog post and I'm really proud of the effort and dedication I've placed into these blog posts. It was an enjoyable experience to learn and imitate things I learned from my book, Capture Your Style by Aimee Song, and take photos that I feel complimented me as a unique individual. In this last blog post I'll be covering the process behind advertising your social media platform for income and the language that doesn't require words, selfies (A good one)!

Making money off of something like Instagram seems absurd but in this day and age, it's more accessible than most people would argue it to be. Aimee says that "No matter how big or small your work goals (or your number of followers), Insta is an amazing place for marketing and launching products, connecting with customers, showing off a visual portfolio, and even directly making money off of outfit posts" (Song Aimee, 186). If you have work ethic, a lot of motivation, and you're willing to put yourself out there for companies to see it isn't so far out. According to a report from firm and think tank, Instagram boasts the most engagement and highest conversion from browser to shopper out of any social media platforms (Aimee, 184) and is still a viable way to show off while making cash.

The first step for InstaGold is to devise a strategy! What are you trying to do with your account, are you selling products? Are you going to increase brand awareness (That's what I do)? Are you going to drive traffic to a different blog or website? Have a solid plan that you'll follow and stick to it. The next important thing is to maintain an authentic and aesthetic feed. Stay true to your business and post things that your followers can connect with! If you're trying to sell products, hosting contests and giveaways are a great way to drive a lot of attention to your account and gives people an incentive to follow and pay attention to your brand.

The next step is to join an affiliates program! Aimee defines it as "A marketing strategy that allows a company to sell its products by signing individuals or companies who market the company's products for commission" (Aimee, 192). This can come in the form of branded posts and or a percentage of the pay when you sell a product successfully.  An important thing to note is that you want to find a program that offers a commission rate that best fits your needs while offering rates that are competitive (8 - 20% is the usual for a sale). Putting myself out there I was able to land myself a program with a company called AIWO and now I earn 8% of every sale I make and get sent free products to take photos and promote with!

The final step is to simply put yourself out there! Reach out to like-minded individuals who share the same style and goal as you to collaborate. You can also talk to brand owners themselves and work out different deals; keep in mind most brands look for people with 5k followers or more but I got lucky. Even recently I dmed a small store called @shop.inusagi and was able to land myself another promoter spot by telling them how much I appreciate their brand! Be kind, be respectful, and grow your account so you are more visible in the community (Look back on my last blog post to learn about growing your audience).

Practically everyone in the world takes selfies and it's not hard to do. But it's taking good selfies that I'll be covering in this blog post. I'm personally not the biggest fan of them because I feel that other kinds of photos better tell a story but the occasional one when I'm feeling attractive can always be nice to post. Just like any other topic I've covered, there's always technicalities behind the simple concepts I cover and selfies aren't an exception. The vibe I'm trying to produce with this selfie is a cool, bad-boy look and here's how I did it!

Really good lighting is the most important part for a selfie! As a rule of thumb, Aimee's most important tip is that "Natural light makes for the best photo of your face, so try to get yourself outside or by a window where sunbeams flood in" (Aimee, 107). Don't worry if it's too dark, editing can make it brighter but always remember that if it's too bright it's probably best to delete as it's difficult to darken a bright photo. The next important step is the background. Take those extra sen seconds to consider what is inhabiting the part of the photo that isn't your face! Generally clean, open spaces tend to perform better for selfies and if you're taking mirror selfies, avoid having smudges and remove any eyesore lurking in the photo (Aimee 109). I chose to use the outer exterior of my house because it isn't complicated, it's clean, and the lighting outside enhanced my features.

Already Edited

The next step ranks second next to lighting, angles! Angles are all experimental so you really have to find out what your good side is. I've found that showing a majority of only the left or right side of my face looks the best to me but it's all in preference. Just keep in mind that you never want to take photos too far underneath your face or the photo will turn out with a few extra chins. One tip to really bring out your jawline is to clench down with your teeth (Aimee, 112). This makes it sharper and more defined, a look that I specifically wanted to achieve in my selfie. The final step in taking a good selfie is the distance away from your face that your phone is.  I didn't hold the phone in my hand but the best advice Aimee gives is "Hold your phone far enough away from you face so that it frames your face, hair, and part of your torso" (Aimee, 113). When I take selfies, I personally like to use the 3-10 second timer so I don't have to hold the photo myself but if you're familiar with an app called Snapchat, dog filter is a savior (Although it may be cliched).

I'm satisfied with the end product and hope to be able to improve my selfies in the future. I'm especially a fan of the white, smooth, aesthetic selfies that many people take on Instagram and will try and look into incorporating that trend into my own feed.

I've grown a lot since the first post I created about OOTD's and you can see a significant improvement in quality and style in my recent posts. Whether it's just a hobby or you take it seriously like I do, make your Instagram your own. It's about being unique and showing your creative acquisitions while interacting with amazing people around the world. Stay true to quality and share how you see the world through your lenses. Now let me ask you, how have you used Instagram to capture your style?

Works Cited

Song, Aimee, and Erin Weinger. Capture Your Style: Transform Your Instagram Images, Showcase Your Life, and Build the Ultimate Platform. New York: Abrams Image, 2016. Print.

Chic Easy Hairstyles Part 2

Welcome back to my blog! In my previous post I asked how you would personalize the Full Fishtail Pony, because in this post I will continue off of that braid. In the introduction of the book 5-Minute Hairstyles by Jenny Strebe, she talks about how the braids in the book look great but it’s even better if you add your own special touch (Strebe 6). Meaning to be creative and add your own twist! 

                 After reading Strebe’s introduction, I began to look at the hairstyles and thought of ways to make them unique to me. On page 66 I had found the Braided Bun, looking at the picture steps I found them to be similar as the Full Fishtail Pony. I added my own unique touch to the Braided Bun by combing the hairstyle with the Full Fishtail Pony. Taking off where the Full Fishtail Pony ends, all I did was wrap the fishtail around in a bun and there I had a Braided Bun. The only difference between the two hairstyles was that the Braided Bun was a regular braid and you just wrapped the braid around into a bun. 

Images 1-3 Braided Bun modeled by Angela

                By making a little change in the hairstyle, I had made it personalized. The hairstyle was still quick and easy but it looks totally different. As Strede says on page 6 “Weather its adjusting the style of braid you use, or adding a special accessory, you can make each of these styles your own.” So get creative and have fun with your hair, it’s all whatever you think looks good on you.  

                How do you like your hair? Add a little twist and see what happens. Read my next blog to find out what hairstyle is next!

Chic Easy Hairstyles Part 1

Waking up in the morning is trouble enough, but what’s even more stressful is taming that hair! We tend to stick to morning routines and the basic boring looks because we just don’t have enough time in the morning. A book called 5-Minute Hairstyles by Jenny Strebe, including 50 hairstyles for the typical girl on the go, inspired me to experiment with some of the hairstyles to see if they are quick and easy while still looking good.

5-Minute Hairstyles by Jenny Strebe

This first look I tried was called a “Full Fishtail Pony”. I tried this look because "it looks great lived-in, so you don't have to worry about getting a little messy throughout the day" (Strebe 18), which means if throughout the day your hair gets messy, your hair will still be looking good. My friend Angela had volunteered to be my hair model, so getting started I gathered her hair in a high pony tail securing her hair with an elastic. Secondly I started fish tail braiding the pony tail by dividing it into two pieces and taking one small piece of hair from each side and bringing it over to the other side repeatedly. I fish tail braided until I got to the end of her hair and secured the end of the braid with another elastic. Lastly I went back to the top of the braid and slightly pulled the sides of the fishtail to make her hair look more voluminous, a tip from Strebe on page 18.

"Full Fishtail Pony" modeled by Angela

In all I recommend this look because it was very easy and quick to do. The Full Fishtail Pony is an effortless yet a very pretty braid. You can wear this braid neat or messy, which ever suits you. 

Would you wear a Full Fishtail Pony? And how would you personalize this braid? Read my next blog to learn what my following easy chic hairstyle will be!