| Tip
from fashion.about.com |
| Ralph
sold ties, Marc stocked shelves - Don't worry if your fashion
career hasn't taken off yet, because some of the biggest names in
fashion design got off to a modest start early in their careers.
Most of fashion's biggest names weren't born to design royalty:
they weren't raised in fashion capitals like New York or Paris (Todd
Oldham and Tom Ford hail from Texas) and some didn't even start
out in fashion (Christian Dior was an art dealer) or go to school
for it (Miuccia Prada has a PhD in Political Science). |
| Tip
from fashion.about.com |
| If
you are a fashion victim - Never wear more than two trends
together if possible. Stop referring to your clothing by designer
(the Gucci jacket, the Dior bag) and just call them by the item
name. Before buying your next designer item, ask yourself if you'd
like the item if it didn't have the chi chi logo: if yes, then buy
it. Never, ever wear your sunglasses indoors. Remember that celebrities
often overdo trends for maximum photo impact; they may not translate
well for you on a day-to-day basis. Lots of fashion victims try
to adopt the It Girl "bored look" as an accessory (as
perfected by Gwyneth Paltrow, Kate Moss and Chloe Sevigny). A cheerful
disposition will separate you from the dour pack. There's nothing
wrong with designer labels. Just make sure you aren't hiding behind
expensive clothes to mask other insecurities. |
| Tip
from www.stitchingpost.com |
| Use
a seam gauge - A tape measure suffices for most measuring
jobs, but for measuring small and narrow things, such as hems and
buttonholes, use a seam gauge. This 6-inch, stiff ruler has an adjustable
slide. When you measure a hem, you use the slide to see how deep
the hem s as you move the seam gauge all the way around the hemline.
When measuring buttonholes, simply set the slide to correct length
and mark away. |
| Tip
from www.paragonpatterns.com |
| Chain
your seams together - For example, start at the hem and
sew up to the armhole, then butt the shoulder seam up next to the
armhole and continue sewing without clipping the threads. Continue
sewing the the shoulder seam and side seam butting the seams right
next to each other. After you get to the bottom of the opposite
side seam clip all of the threads at once. |
| Tip
from www.petitepluspatterns.com |
| Is
it natural or synthetic? - To check if your fabric is made
of natural or synthetic fibre; Cut a sliver (1" by 3")
of the fabric and using a set of tongs hold it to a candle flame.
Do this in a disposable pie plate or in your sink so that running
water is available if needed. If the remains are nothing but ash,
the fibre is "natural", i.e. wool, plant-based, rayon
or silk. Small, hard balls indicate the fabric has some artificial
component; polyester or nylon, for example. If the fabric curls
tightly and becomes hard, it's likely 100% manmade fibre. To take
the test further, wool smells like burning hair; cotton, linen and
rayon have a "woody" smell and silk has a unique, almost
"burned bugs" scent all its own. |
| Tip
from ianrpubs.unl.edu/textiles/ |
| Preparing
fabric for use - Smart
styling and a professional look in clothing construction require
correct use of the grain of the fabric. No formula or method can
conceal a poorly cut garment.Garment pieces cut or pulled off grain
will not fit correctly and will hang poorly when worn. Whether simple
or elaborate in design, the fabric shows whether or not it has been
cut on the exact grain. |
| Tip
from sewing.lifetips.com |
| Stabilize
Knits - Seams and edges of knit fabrics often need to be
stabilized to prevent stretching and distortion. To stabilize these
areas without losing the stretch characteristic of the knit, use
clear elastic. Clear elastic can be sewn onto the edge of the fabric
for a narrow hem or sewn into shoulder seams to add stabilization. |
| Tip
from vintagesewing.info |
| Clothing
specialization and classification - Newspapers, fashion
magazines and other periodicals print reams about the importance
of the proper selection of clothing. Not only must the garment be
selected for its becomingness to the wearer, but it should be appropriate
for its specific use. The fabric must be appropriate and the cut
of the garment must be correct as well. Stores divide their departments
to make shopping easier for the customers. Buyers in each department
select the clothes to meet the needs of customers who come to their
special departments. Salespeople are trained to sell certain types
of clothing which have been designed to meet certain needs. Likewise,
the designer becomes specialized. Manufacturing plants specialize.
This makes it easier for them to make a profit in that one certain
type of apparel. In a general sense, clothing falls into three basic
classifications, namely: Active Sports, Spectator Sports or business
casuals and Social Clothes. These three classifications are subdivided
according to sizes, such as Juniors, Misses and Women's clothing.
They are each again subdivided into specific price ranges. Children's
clothing manufacturers are specialists in a more general sense and
may design all types of children's apparel for all occasions and
at varying price ranges. In recent years, however, the children's
clothing reflects these three major classifications under the names
of Play clothes, School clothes and Party clothes. |
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