The Craze: “Sea­–ing” Scalloped

The Craze is a trend report bringing you the latest (and, duh, the greatest) in beauty and styles.

In my recent travels I purchased a pair a scalloped shorts (that are unfortunately no longer available) from Madewell and am absolutely enamored by this trend. The spring collections of D&G and Bebe had pieces with the scalloped feature. Scalloped shorts offer versatility as they can be dressed up or be worn in a casual setting. Most are designed with comfort in mind, including light fabrics, elastic waistbands and are loosing fitting. While shorts are the most common items that feature the scalloped effect, Forever21 now has a mini with a scalloped hem. The temperatures will rise, eventually, until then, start filling your closets with this trend.

Topshop

J.Crew

Forever 21

D&G

Bebe

Asos.com

–Kate Ahrendtsen

The Craze: Cropping Up in Spring

The Craze is a trend report bringing you the latest (and, duh, the greatest) in beauty and styles.

Crop tops are this spring season must-have trend. Although we’ve seen this trend in the past years, more people are willing to expose their flesh for fashion this season. Fashion lovers will be excited to get their hands on crop tops, when warmer weather approaches.

Vena Cava Spring 2011 RTW

Rachel Comey Spring 2011 RTW

Crop tops made a surprising debut in the spring 2011 collection. Many designers made the tops structured and clean while some kept it light and airy. Lisa Mayock and Sophie Buhai of Vena Cava showed a daring yet sophisticated off-the-shoulder cropped top. Rachel Comey, on the other hand, kept it simple with a white, flowy cropped top.

There are so many ways to wear crop tops, but remember to pick a style you’re comfortable with. From the grungy to the classy, fashionistas will have no trouble choosing a crop top that fits their personal look.

Richard Chai Love Spring 2011 RTW

MINKPINK offers a silk crop top with lace detailing. This is great look for a night out with your best friends.

ASOS has a great sheer crop top that is perfect for those warm Syracuse days!!! (We’re still waiting, mother nature!)

Want to add some print to this budding trend? Well look no further! TOPSHOP has a stripped rust and navy crop top that will go great with high waited shorts!

-Ivie Igbeare

The Craze: A Pop of Bold Color

The Craze is a trend report bringing you the latest (and, duh, the greatest) in beauty and style.

In the spring 2011 collections we saw the rebirth of color. Even though nudes and neutrals still remain to be in the fashion forefront, bold hues are making a bold statement in spring.

You don’t have to wait until weather starts warming up to add them to your fashion wardrobe. Amid the heavy layering and structural cuts, bold colors are popping up for the fall 2011 leading collections.

Get ahead of the game and start mixing colors whether it’s greens, turquoises, fuchsias, oranges or vibrant reds; there is a color for you that will guarantee stares of jealousy.

Here are some style tips for going bold:

- If you’re wary about going too bold with the colors, wear two colors of the same family. For example a light lavender and magenta.

- Use accessories to add bright accents to your wardrobe like a scarf or necklace. Even colored heels are good for making your outfit stand out.

- Don’t forget colored skinnies! They are making their way back into the fashion circuit.

Color is a great mood booster. It’s a sure way to lighten up your spirits and complexion. Make sure you find a color that looks best on you and, most importantly, have fun mixing these vibrant colors!

Gucci Spring 2011

Mulberry Fall 2011

Haider Ackermann Spring 2011

Jill Sander Spring 2011

- ASOS offers a slash neck knitted dress in a vibrant blue. Wear this look to a lunch date or an outing with friends.

- Get these hot orange suede platform heels from TOPSHOP, if you want all eyes on you!

- ZARA has narrow leg trousers that come in a variety of color from a vibrant pink to a royal blue.

– Ivie Igbeare

The Craze: Onesie’s Are Not Just For Babies

The Craze is a trend report bringing you the latest (and, duh, the greatest) in beauty and style.

Remember when those cute playsuits and rompers were the summer style must-have? Remember how fast that trend died? Well, it seems that one-piece anythings are coming back in style. From jumpsuits to playsuits, and even overalls, these one piece options are making a major comeback for the spring 2011 wardrobe.

Lanvin Spring RTW 2011

Malandrino Spring RTW 2011

Gucci Spring RTW 2011

Zac Posen Spring RTW 2011

Desginers such as Alber Elbaz, Karl Largefeld, and Malandrino, among others feature jumpsuits in their collection. Whether they are printed or are bold color jumpsuits can be worn as eveningwear or as daywear, depending on the cut and shape of the garment.

If you have a curvier shape, try a halter jumpsuit with a belt cinching the waist. This creates amazing curves and silhouette. When you’re out on the town try luxury fabrics like silk or sequins. Every student and faculty will turn their head when they see you walking.

Jumpsuits are versatile and can be worn a number of ways. Fashionistas will not have any trouble matching a jumpsuit to their own style. From evening to tailored, sporty to loose, and just the basic jumpsuit, you will stand out on SU campus. When it comes to jumpsuits any length is acceptable, just find which length works for you.

This trend is sure to excite our fellow fashionistas! The ways you can style a jumpsuit is endless. Now before you head to Crouse mall searching for that perfect jumpsuit, here are some sites that offer jumpsuits.

ASOS Exclusive Cowl Back Jumpsuit $80.69

Topshop Red Frill Edge One Sleeve Poplin Playsuit $55.00

Forever 21 Belted Jumpsuit $22.80

-Ivie Igbeare

Biz Buzz: Kate Moss Tops Off Last Topshop Collection

Biz Buzz keeps its fabulously accessorized ear to the ground to provide breaking fashion news coverage

On Monday, November 1, 2010, Kate Moss’ last collection for Topshop went on sale in Topshops worldwide. This is her 14^th collection for the British-based store.

The collection, which includes 109 different styles, combines classic looks from Moss’ past collections in addition to new looks created especially for her last collection. Also included in this collection are a few limited-edition items, such as a green floor-length dress.

Moss’ first collection for Topshop was released March 1, 2007. Although Moss met some skeptics upon the release of her first collection, (the actress to singer phenomenon – being good at one thing doesn’t necessarily make you good at another) Moss quickly proved her skills as a designer, reflecting her own flawless style in her designs.

Moss’ collections have historically been quite successful, flying off the shelves worldwide. While this is Moss’ last collection for Topshop, Topshop owner Sir Philip Green commented that this is hardly the end of the relationship between the store and Moss. In addition to her final collection, Topshop plans to release a collection called Kate Iconic, a collection of her 10 most popular designs throughout her 14 collections.

While Moss’ designs will be missed, this new collection is sure to be as memorable as her last. And with Moss’ departure from Topshop comes the promise of something new that is sure to follow soon.

Kate Moss’s Topshop collection is currently available online at Topshop.

-Diana Pearl

Fierce+Foreign: Layer like a Brit

Fierce+Foreign draws on the fashion experiences of SU's students in our favorite abroad capitals. 

London: Carine Umunhumuza  

We’ve already established that Brits love their fashion. As with every fashion lover, half the fun is showing it off, whether it’s how you style, accessorize or make it your own.  London’s climate, however, doesn’t allow for showing off the cute new dress you picked up at Topshop or the great blouse you found on sale at Zara.

The solution: layering. 

And Londoners — after much practice and frustration, I presume — have become masters at this.  But don’t be fooled, the art of layering isn't simply done by throwing together random pieces of clothing. Following the lead from the fashionistas across the pond, here are some tips that you too can master to layer like a Brit:

 With a cardie and tights, Brit fashion icon Alexa Chung nails this technique

It’s all about staying warm — so build layers under the pieces that you want to show off. You can layer with tanks, tees or long sleeve shirts, leaving your showcase piece for last. With enough layers you can ditch your coat altogether! 

Push the boundaries by mixing colors too! Photo: Flickr

Layering works on the bottom too — don’t be afraid to double up on leggings or wear socks over tights. The contrast not only creates an interesting texture mix but keeps your toes toasty warm! 

Lastly, I say embrace hats! It’s common knowledge that heat escapes from your head, so find a warm hat and rock your new looks no matter what the weather is.

- by Carine Umunhumuza 

Fierce+Foreign: Finally, men inside the harem

Fierce+Foreign draws on the fashion experiences of SU's students in our favorite abroad capitals.

London: Elton Wong 

Being in Europe, I realized that men’s fashion is a lot more prominent than in the States. There are more clothing options for men in London than New York City or Los Angeles. Not only are there more options, but these options costs less and can be afforded by fashionistas like moi. 

 

A trend that's slowly been in the works...Dior Homme fall 2007

There's been a slow trend of harem pants for men for the past year or so. These are basically “baggy in the crotch but skinny on the leg” kind of pants, ala MC Hammer but with a chic twist. Now, baggy pants throw off people who are purely in to skinny jeans or pants. However, with the recent trend in parachute pants in women, it was only a matter of time before men start reverting back to baggier pants.

The question that runs through my mind is, “Why haven’t harem pants caught the American male fashion attention as quick as the European?” I believe that it lies within the construction of what the harem pant means today. In the ways that the harem pants are styled on the runway shows and on the streets on Europe, they are styled in a rebellious, almost punk way. Punk culture thrived in London, and Punk fashion was what set the city’s designers apart from of Europe. Vivienne Westwood, anyone?

 

Guys, take a note from Vivienne Westwood spring 2010

For now, while I’m still in Europe, I’ll get myself a pair of harem pants from Zara or Topman and strut the streets of London town. By this summer, I’ll hope to strut with them in New York City. Join me?

- by Elton Wong

Fierce+Foreign: Ahoy, sailors!

Fierce+Foreign draws on the fashion experiences of SU students studying abroad.

When Coco Chanel went on vacation to the choppy coast of Brittany (Bretagne in French) with her lover Arthur "Boy" Capel, she was struck by the seafarers' navy and white nautical stripes. 

As depicted in the film Coco Before Chanel (2009), Coco starts wearing the stripes too and the Breton shirt is now famously French worldwide. It's the default garment when conjuring up an image of a stereotypically French person, and it has joined the ranks of other French stereotypes like the beret, croissant and baguette.

Audrey Tautou as Coco Chanel in the famous sailor's stripes.

Coco shrugged off any snarky comments of her looking like a boy. She, in fact, looked quite spiffy in a mens' shirt, and it's thanks to her that women today can wear T-shirts and pants as casually men.

Coco famously said: "Fashion changes, but style remains the same." 

Learn that by heart, because French style is not defined by buying the latest brand-name knockoff from Forever 21, but by several classic pieces that you can renew with different clothes and accessories. 

Yours truly visited Brittany this October and investigated the fabric of actual Breton shirts used for sailors, and the material is quite coarse and rough. For those of us who don't work on the seas, here's a rendition of this classic item:

French actress Virginie Ledoyen with a boyfriend blazer and a statement necklace

A good bargain I found online is a B&W Breton shirt with snazzy gold buttons at the shoulder from Topshop for $36. But the best bargain I've found by far is at Old Navy for $19.99 available in all the colors of the rainbow. 

It's a tangent from the classic navy and white, don't feel like you must wear the nautical colors. Learn from Coco, but don't follow blindly: take your style and run with it!

- by Jenny Cheng

The Craze: Bye bye, boring blazers

The Craze is a trend report bringing you the latest (and, duh, the greatest) in beauty and style.

The blazer has been a fashion essential for years. In an instant, it can turn a regular outfit into a chic look. This fall, blazers are back in new ways for anyone bored with the regular look.

 

Steal from your boyfriend: The boyfriend blazer is an over-sized, slouchy jacket that looks best with rolled sleeves. It can be worn with anything from jeans to dresses, but it looks best when matched with something more feminine, such as a skirt and tights.

The boyfriend blazer. Photo: glamour.com

Because these blazers are intentionally over sized, many will fall just below your bottom, creating a flirty appeal.  

The Reinvented Throw-back: Big shoulders are in. This is a trend that’s taken the runway by storm.
 

This fall is all about the shoulders, dahhhhling. Photo: teenvogue.com

The eighties throw-back can be a great way to make your legs and neck look longer or to add some funk to a plain outfit. Off the runway, wear it with a pair of skinny jeans, flats, and tee for an easy and sharp outfit.

Where can you get them? Try any second-hand clothing store to find some great blazers for sometimes only a few dollars. If thrift isn’t your style, try topshop.com or H&M.

The Topshop blazer we're sending your way. Photo: topshop.com

- by Kelly Dishner