Fashion Japan

I briefly mentioned in my last post about Japanese street fashion. I thought that I would dive into that topic a little bit more this week because I feel like I might could have an endless conversation about it. 

First off, a little bit about the website Japanese Streets:

"Inspired by the stunningly creative street fashion that exploded on the streets of Tokyo and Osaka in the late 1990’s, photo-journalist Kjeld Duits launched JAPANESE STREETS in 2002. This makes JS one of the first fashion blogs on the net, and the very first to cover Japanese street fashion."

While browsing this site, I came across a current trend that blew me away (I still can't figure out if it was in a good way or not). This Decora trend can be spotted everywhere in Japan! 

This trend focuses on making the wearer look as young and "cute" as possible. I guess they do look like real-life baby dolls..... that have been played with a lot. I really feel like there isn't much I can say about the trend other than it really speaks for itself. 

This also goes to show you that haute couture fashion designers really don't run the show when it comes to fashion trends. A trend can be set in the streets. 

I just thought I'd throw in this last picture so you won't think EVERYONE in Japan dresses crazy! 

NYLON : Japan

One of my favorite *American* magazines, Nylon, now has a a Japanese magazine! 

I'm probably way too excited about this. I wish there was a way I could get my hands on one.

If any of you out there have figured out a way to purchase one of these, PLEASE LET ME KNOW! Leave instructions in the comments, email me, use a carrier pigeon, I don't care! But I am dying to know what lies behind the cover of these magazines. 

 I feel like Japanese fashion has always intrigued me because it's normally so different from American fashion. It's normally filled with all sorts of color combinations and always seems to be inspired from "school girl" uniforms? Just take a look at some of these pictures of Japanese street fashion to see what I'm talking about!

Are they just weirdos or (like technology) are they just years ahead of us? That question makes me what to befriend someone who can read Japanese and dive into these Nylon : Japan pages. *sigh*

Oh la la!

Bonjour, mes amis! 

As a student that is taking French as their language electives, finding The Cherry Blossom Girl blog was pretty amazing. 

What is really unique about this blogger is the fact that most of her blogs are in French! I know that might seem like a set back to most of you, but the great thing about it is that she puts an English translation proceeding her French (like in this post). I feel like this helps push me to understand "casual French" better as well as give me a glimpse at their coveted fashion.

I actually found her blog through spotting the Ladybug top on the internet. (Umm can we pause for a second and talk about how CUTE this top is? Maybe a little childish but who cares?? If it wouldn't break my bank, I would buy that cutie in a heart beat!) 

Anyway, this is just one of the MANY cute looks this Cherry Blossom Girl has to offer! I'll share some more of my favorites later.

Gary Pepper Vintage

While we're on the subject of Australia, how about another Aussie beauty? This lovely lady is the face of Gary Pepper Vintage and has a life that I unashamedly envy.  Her and her guy, Luke Shadbolt,  travel around the world capturing breathe-taking fashion photos that make you fall in love with clothing and your lust for seeing the world and experiencing different cultures and heritages all over again. I'll just leave you some of my favorite pictures and let you see for yourself. 

See what I mean?? So inspiring. If you are interest at all in fashion, travel and learning knew cultures, I would HIGHLY suggest following along on their adventures and live vicariously through them like I do. They even update regularly on instagram with amazing photos so you can follow them there, too (@garypeppervintage). Also, be sure to check out their shoppe where you can find some of the things this lovely lady models!

Hope you've enjoyed meeting a new fashion lover from across the globe!

  

A Styling from Down Under

Fashion inspiration can come from many different places, races and ethnicity. Looking at fashion trends from all over the world can not only broaden ones sense of fashion, but it can also broaden the way you think/feel culturally without having to leave your bedroom. 

One of my favorite Australian fashion bloggers is "Friend in Fashion." 

It's fun keeping up with her blog to see what the Aussies have to say about the upcoming fashion trends considering they're literally seasons ahead of us. 

I've noticed that a lot of Australian trends seem to be the same as American trends. I also see things that I want to turn my nose up at at first glance, but then wonder how I will feel about it if I see fashion icons in America putting "American twist" on it. 

This "photo-real" skirt is a perfect example. At first glance, I think, "Eww. Horrible 90's flashbacks." but maybe our friendly Australian fashionista is on to something that us American's just can't see yet! She is definitely making it more prep-à-porter than I would have ever thought imaginable if I would have just seen it hanging in a store. 

I'd also like to note the fact that she seems to have a high fashion beach bum feel to her. Does anyone else get that? She has that naturally beautiful "fresh from the beach" skin tone that Aussies have. 

Over these next few blog post, I hope to explore what the world outside of the great USofA has to offer and share it with you. It's time for us Mississippians to think outside of what Betty-down-the-street is wearing and even dare to wonder what beautiful things each race and ethnicity has to offer us fashion lovers.  

Django Unchained

Going into Django Unchained, I really didn't know what to expect.  

I knew that it was a Quentin Tarantino movie, so I expected there to be a lot of unnecessary amounts of blood spurts when someone was shot and I had been told that it was a fairly long movie (almost three hours long). Other than that, I really had no expectations. 

To me, Django Unchained was the Inglorious Bastards for slaves, and who wouldn't want to watch that? The movie brought you through so many emotions that you were left feeling tiredly triumphant at the end. I really don't want to give away too many details for those of you who haven't seen it...but I will say that it has a "happy" ending - Quentin Tarantino style. 

Being a white girl from Mississippi, the one thing about the movie that made me feel so ashamed I almost wanted to hide my face in the theater and publicly apologize for something I had no control over, was how the movie highlighted Mississippi in the worst possible way. *Hooray for Mississippi being where the worst slave plantations were* 

Candyland

Biggest/Baddest plantation in Mississippi 

Don't worry though, Candyland gets what it deserves. 

Overall, I feel like Django was an amazing movie. Yes, it did play on some touchy subjects, but I feel like it sent out a solid message with it. You can always change your future; there is always hope. Django was that "hope" to hold on to in this movie. 

Who Am I?

As tempted as I am to let that photo speak for itself, I suppose for my grade sake I'll try to do something that I have never really been that good at: bios.

My name is Kayla Gates and the purpose of this "first" blog entry is to tell you a little bit about myself. I'm sure you'd be able to get a better sense of who I am by reading previous post on this blog, but I'm going to try to sum myself up in this post. I am a full time student at the University of Southern Mississippi majoring in Public Relations and minoring in Fashion Merchandising. I once thought that I wanted to be a Fashion Merchandising major and a Public Relations minor, but the ridiculous math courses and the advisement from elders convinced me to swap the two. I realized that I wanted to be more on the "public" side of fashion than stuck behind a computer screen picking out clothes that would hopefully sell in some store that I never stepped foot in. So, here I am hoping to one day be part of the Ruche or Modcloth Public Relations team.

I would like to think that my major/minor gives you a glimpse as to what my interest and hobbies pertain too. I am a sucker for lusting over clothes that I can't afford, an aesthetically pleasing magazine or blog, and trying to come up with something new to create. In the summer of 2011, I started my own handmade company called The Fancy Fox. I have sold my creations at numerous local craft fairs and The Fancy Fox has been featured in Click Boutique and Dolce La Vita. I have also designed pieces for high-end photoshoots with Daniel & Steph Photography and BlackBird Photography. I am really proud and humbled by my little business and I hope that the skills that I learn while at USM will help me to further my passions.