The MODODIVA

Our annual Fashion Show

2011-03-02T04:35:00.000-08:00

MODO's annual Fashion Show is this weekend, Friday 4th and Saturday 5th of March, at UCL North Cloisters, Wilkins Building, Gower Street, WC1E 6BT.

The UCLU MODO Fashion Society hosts an annual fashion show in order to showcase the works of various UCL student designers, the theme being 'The Show' in 2011. A vast breadth of diverse, unparalleled attire will be fashioned, ranging from effortlessly chic casual wear to more frivolous, flamboyant apparel.

The UCLU MODO Fashion Show is a full scale fashion show run by UCL students. It is unique in that all members are from a non-art/design background. Our society offers students studying at an academic institution the opportunity to pursue their creative interests.

Apart from the designers' collections we will have a very special selection of performers in the interval.

Doors open at 6.30pm for the exhibition, with the show starting at 7.15pm.
Tickets are £8 and can be purchased from www.uclu.org/shop under the Society Events option.

Hope to see you there!

Have a look at how it worked out in previous years:

2010 The Green Show

preparing the 2009 Elements Show

Modo Fashion Show from Josh Blacker on Vimeo.

More photo galleries on MODO's website.

sustainable can = luxurious

2011-01-16T08:14:00.000-08:00

Trash need not always look trashy; an increasing amount of swish stuff is actually produced from recycled or upcycled materials. Aysia Wright wrote a piece for Planet Green some time ago with 10 examples of things that are 'just as pristine and perform just as well as their non-recycled counterparts,' a proof that sustainability never has to interfere with luxurious aesthetics or first-class quality. Below are some additions to that list (which, by the way, you should definitely check out: I would copy and paste it here in its entirety if it wasn't bad manners: 10 Closet Worthy Picks That Don't Look Recycled But Are. Trashion At Its Best by Aysia Wright).

Elvis & Kresse - reusing fire hoses

Elvis & Kresse make beautiful objects from a variety of waste: scrap sail clothes, used Air Traffic Control flight strips, closed cell foam, or parachute silk, but their most striking, signature material is genuine de-commissioned British fire brigade hose. They collect it across the UK, 'scrub away all the soot, grease, and everything else that builds up after 25 years of active life-saving duty,' and refashion into bags, purses, wallets, ipod holders, etc. Fire hoses are durable, but after service condemned to landfill. To date, Elvis and Kresse have rescued 40 tonnes of hose destined for that fate. And in order to thank Britain’s Brigades, 50% of their profits go back to the Fire Fighters Charity. They've featured in Vogue and stock at Harrods. A glorious mix of sustainable, innovative, pretty, and luxurious.

Goodone - good cuts

Goodone is an award-winning independent label which uses upcycled garments in their very high-end stuff. Using reclaimed fabrics in very creative ways, they do flattering AND interesting panelling. Their commitment to sustainability is strong: they claim that if every Briton purchased one item made from recycled wool each year, it would save 371 million gallons of water, 480 tones of chemical dyes, and 4571 million days of an average family’s electricity days. They 'aim not to stand apart from the mainstream fashion industry, rather to achieve positive change from within.' Founder and creative director Nin Castle is tutoring on the Sustainable Fashion course at St. Martins. Excellent on the sustainability as well as the fashion forward front. And they're launching a collection for Tesco at the end of January!

Retrouve - made from found objects only

Retrouve is an upcycled jewellery line from the excellent second hand shop Bang Bang exchange (which I wrote about some time ago). Designer Jo Whelan creates unique, bold pieces from reject or excess chain store jewellery that would otherwise be thrown away (last year 27 tonnes of costume jewellery went into landfill: unsold stock, breakages, faulty goods). Vintage components are used, but Retrouve's aesthetic is determinedly contemporary rather than retro. Whelan says 'designs are refreshed and infused with value and love ... In our current consumer culture things that are out of fashion or broken are disposed of often in environmentally irresponsible ways, Retrouve with it's make-do-and-mend philosophy is both eco-friendly and stylish, creating pieces that will be loved for longer.' They also offer a service reworking your old jewellery and custom designs. Future plans include workshops on making your own retrouve pieces.

Columbia Road Flower Market

2010-12-07T14:08:00.000-08:00

Despite being just round the corner from Brick Lane, one of my favourite places in London, I hadn’t been to Columbia Road Flower Market until a few weeks ago. On Sundays there is a great flower market and although perhaps December isn’t the best time for buying flowers there seemed to be a lot of choice and it wasn’t too expensive. In the spring I think I’ll be visiting a lot and filling my room with flowers. The flower market is set up right in the middle of the road and down the side of the road are some really adorable independent shops. I think perhaps I preferred these to the flowers, and I really like flowers. The shops were all really unique and original, slightly different from your typical high street offerings. My favourites included ‘Suck and Chew’ an old fashioned sweet shop and ‘Ryantown’ where the artist Rob Ryan sells his wares. I would highly recommend that you try and do some of your Christmas shopping there as you’ll get some individual and unexpected presents. To cater for this they are running ‘Christmas Wednesdays’ where the shops are open from 5-9pm with lots of other festive events too. Check out their website to have a look if any of the shops take your fancy and then pay them a visit tomorrow evening.

STYLE FINDER EN MADRID! MUY BIEN!

2010-12-05T13:43:00.000-08:00

Apologies for the distinct absence of SF on Mododiva! Uni work (and a spot of globe trotting) are to blame, hard life eh? But even on the continent my thoughts are with fashion, and MODODIVA so here are my thoughts on style in Madrid...

Preconceptions of Spanish style include colourful leather boots (i.e. not just black or brown), 'quirky'/verging on gaudy prints, polo necks and tweed dresses.... The latter stemming from a dress I will never forget that my step mum bought from Spain which was a tunic-come-sack made of two equally horrific shades of brown tweed and had two tiny pockets on the chest thus giving it its lasting name of 'the nipple dress.' On the plane I tried desperately to shake this dress from my mind and embark upon Madrid with an open mind, sin pre-conceptions. Alas, as I stepped off the Metro (yes, they have clothing stores underground before you've left platform level) I was greeted with everything I had expected....

Yes - the dreaded prints, the bizzare use of metal and I'm pretty sure there's some inappropriate use of tweed lurking somewhere in the background, it was all there... My travel buddy wanted to go shopping that day but after witnessing this, I feared the venture would be fruitless. However, when we hit the Oxford Street of Madrid we unsurprisingly found Topshop, Zara, Mango, Berksha, Gap and other highstreet staples.Inside was a similar selection to our London counterparts, except a smaller selection and largely items no longer dominating the window displays in London: in the same way films released in the US hit England 3 months later, it seems certain trends take a while to reach Spain, via France, from London.It must be said though, that the ultimate Spanish girl's accessory is her show stopping good looks and the endless gorgeously brown hair which SF saw women sporting at every corner.

Here's a couple of styles SF managed to snap in between tapas and fiesta-ing...

LO ME ENCANTA
- the hat (a staple in our been and gone/still hanging on Autumn wardrobe)
- fur collared leather jacket

A Louis Vuitton rucksack! (note the gorgeously long Spanish mane..)

I had a look at Spanish Vogue and enjoyed their moda en la calle (street style) especially to be proven that tweed in Spain can be good and it can be right - note the example of this cape...

Adios for now. I shall write again SOON with updates on the battle of snow vs. fashion on campus.

A few blog recommendations

2010-11-28T09:18:00.000-08:00

None deal especially with sustainable fashion, but that's only the evidence that the *~trend~* is seeping into the fashion world slowly, surely, and consistently.

1. White Lightning

'The musings, stylings & obsessions of Elizabeth Spiridakis', New York based writer, fashionista, feminist, zine-maker and overall fantastic woman. She regularly posts the results of her crafternoons, in which she produces awesome shit using mostly paper and scissors. Here's a paper PS1 she made for her friend:

construction paper PS1 by Elizabeth Spiridakis

Proenza Schouler original

And a paper Spring 2011 striped canvas Prada weekender:

Materials: drugstore construction paper, scissors, glue stick, Scotch tape, black felt tip pen.
Amount of time spent: 2 episodes of Law & Order: SVU on Hulu (approx 90 mins.)

the inspiration: Prada SS11

'Perhaps this is the best way to deal with my wishlists, rendering my fashion dreams outta scissors and tape. it's cathartic!' Awesome, awesome idea! Comment to suggest new construction paper bags Elizabeth should make; and by all means, follow in her footsteps and DO IT YOURSELF AT HOME.

2. SOS! Save Our Shoes

When you comment, the message you get is: 'Thanks for telling us something. Remember to recycle, switch lights off and the gin is on us. <3'. SOS! Save Our Shoes is ran by two best friends separated by half the world, Fi and Lj. They list very diverse inspirations and likes (petting dogs, cracking joints, bubble baths, chatting to grannies, cranberry juice, free publications, platform heels, pulling hairs and spiced rum, entre autres). They post about young local designers, own interpretations of trends, pop-up or vintage shop recommendations around London, and even organize competitions.

Top from Yes Brian, you look terrific vintage shop that popped up a couple of weeks ago in the basement of Maiden

hat by Anna Jouli, made especially for New Era's 90th birthday, Fiona's recommendation for the royal engagement party

statue of liberty in a pendant by hélène pé. Other members that appear in her jewelry include cats, owls, and angry screaming whales.

enter SOS's competition and win this Maggie Angus necklace

3. Spotted on Campus

This gets political. UCL's own fashion blogger, or rather, fashion assistant & writer/english student/political activist/smiths DJ & superfan/gin dependent/gay bar royalty/trashfash TV addict/walking non-sequitur Jessica Wilde is the woman behind UCL Occupation's fantastically excellent twitter campaign, making huge political and stylish waves from the occupied Jeremy Bentham Room onto the whole virtual and RL world. Jessica usually posts pictures of well-dressed people from around campus to show what UCL students are wearing, but also 'give[s] advice on what the student loan can stretch to and offer[s] procastinatory dwellings on what we'd rather spend our maintenance grants on.'

spotted by Jessica outside the Bloomsbury: Lettie, 2nd year Classics

She recently covered some big names + high street chains collabs that make certain desirable things a lot more affordable:

Henry Holland x Roxy

Lanvin x H&M

Winehouse x Fred Perry

Right now fashion posts have taken a back seat as Wilde is primarily engaged in tweeting the revolution: 'I can tell you that there are a surprising number of beautiful and well-dressed people occupying this room, but unfortunately we are more occupied with other things.' And yet she is doing it in style, having occupied the Jeremy Bentham room in leather trousers for three days straight. She also proposed a solidarity catwalk should take place. If you haven't heard of UCL Occupation yet, I urge you to check their blog, facebook, twitter and follow them and their updates on the fight against cuts and rising tuition fees. It's a massively important movement and everyone should do their bit to contribute! This blog is in full solidarity with the cause. Sign the petition. Get involved. Here's how you can help. Also follow Jessica herself on twitter for political as well as fashion updates: http://twitter.com/littlemisswilde

In solidarity,
Marta

MODO Models 2010

2010-11-24T09:53:00.000-08:00

Hello All!

We finally have details of all of this year's MODO models! If you are a UCL student and you would like to show one or more of your designs on our catwalk now is the time to choose your models and let us know! The model photos can be found here, and are also available by clicking the "MODO Models 2010" link in the Pages and Places section of the right hand side of this blog.

As you may know, your collection can be as small as 1 piece, and there are no restrictions on what you have to make - we'll happily show as much or as little as you have the time and inclination to make.

Please can you let me know your choices at michaelaDOTmooresDOT09ATuclDOTacDOTuk before 5pm on Monday 6th of December. This will allow us to do the model allocations before Christmas, allowing you to collect measurements etc. before the Christmas break. As is detailed in the pack, please can you provide me with;

1. Your name
2. Your email address and phone number
3. The number of models you want (including how many of each gender, if relevant)
4. Your order of preference of models, including at least 2 alternatives (the more the better)
5. A brief summary of your interpretation of the show's theme, "The Show". This will help with organizing the running order of the show.

Please be aware that, while we will try our best to meet your requests, there are limits as to how many designers can have each model, and we want to provide each model with equal opportunity to strut their stuff!

I look forward to hearing from you!

Michaela

Leather Woman.

2010-11-23T08:35:00.000-08:00

On the second day of living with my new flatmates at university, I wore my leather trousers out. Head telling me no, heart telling me yes, I wore them and two months later I am still getting ribbed for them. Any leather items I now wear just add to my reputation as Little Miss Leather (or Leather Woman as I was called at Camden Town tube station on Halloween by a random fella – yes I went as Catwoman in all my leather glory). I’m regularly guided to leather goods in shops by friends with a cheeky smile, told that I must love THAT scene in Pulp Fiction (you know the one I mean) and just generally associated with all connotations of leather.

Don't try this at home.

But still, I wear my studded leather jacket with pride for the rocker chic edge it can give to an outfit and it was only natural that my Halloween costume was going to be Catwoman - hey, at least my outfit was free. No doubt though, there are definate faux pas when it comes to leather. Head to toe just doesn’t work unless you are a real Catwoman, Halle Berry or a biker. I’m even on the fence with coloured leather trousers like the red ones that Victoria Beckham wore recently to Selfridges on Oxford Street. Yeah she looked good, but they were just too in your face for my liking; they could’ve been toned down with some black boots maybe for a more nonchalant feel. To be honest, I’d even go as far as saying that the matchy-matchy shoes make the whole look a bit tacky, but there’s no denying that not everyone could pull this look off; she is one of a kind.

For us students though, there are so many leather-upholstered fashion avenues that we could try; we are young enough! Leather skirts and shorts are all over the high street, and even the faux leather items could be pulled of as the real deal so the look doesn’t even have to create a massive dent in your student loan. The trousers are almost as classic as a biker jacket and can be dressed up or down for day or night. But for those who still think they’re a little raunchy, racy and “what would my mother say”, why not invest in a little leather jacket that’ll see you through season to season, and make you impossibly in style at the moment. Inevitably leather is everywhere and so hot for this season. Its timeless appeal and classic staple status tells me that leather will be around for a while.

Love

§

Pre-Show Party!

2010-11-21T14:13:00.000-08:00

More details of recent MODO antics coming soon, but first,

The 2010 MODO Pre-Show Party!

MODO Pre-Show, 25th November 2010, The Collection, Brompton Road, Chelsea, SW3, 7.30pm-late, £5 entry, Tickets from CSC reception. ID required on entry.

Come! Come! Come! Come! Come!

We'll have a mini-fashion show (amongst other excitements), including an exclusive sneak peek at some of this years designs!

See you Thursday!

Michaela xx

MODO Events: October 28th-November 5th 2010

2010-11-05T03:43:00.000-07:00

Hello!

It's been a little bit quieter at MODO this week, but still filled with lots of exciting news!

On Thursday we held the second of our designer's meetings. If you're thinking about designing for MODO now is the time to get in contact with us, and start seriously planning your collection. Over the next couple of meetings we'll be meeting and choosing our models, and beginning to put our moodboards together - start collecting pictures now!

Monday saw the Emergency General Meeting unanimously elect Aminat as our new treasurer. Aminat has been tirelessly doing this job for months now, and it's great to see her finally recognized by the Union and the rest of the society. Congratulations to her!

The lunchtime craft circle continued this week, we had a nice gossip and all got lots of knitting done - Hooray!

Tuesday saw a double booking in terms of MODO events, firstly we held the second of our Give it a Go classes - Beginner's Knitting! This class was a sell out for the second year running, and will almost certainly go in the MODO books now as an annual event. Tube strikes on the day meant that not everyone was able to attend, but those that did had a great time.

I have to say I felt very proud to get all of these people knitting in 2 hours! The class was a resounding success; not only did we make it through all of the skills I'd planned to discuss, we even had time to talk about some more advanced techniques. MODO now have a number of spare knitting needles and balls of yarn, come along to Craft Circle every Monday 1-2pm in Bloomsbury Rehearsal Room and borrow some needles and yarn yourself!

Tuesday evening also saw the first of our Model Workshops. This session aimed to help our newly selected models improve their skills and more specifically improve their walk. As we have so many former models on the MODO committee this year we were able to offer a wide range of advice, and as these pictures show, fun was had by all.

That's all for this week, as it's reading week next week you won't be hearing from me until the week after. Have a lovely mid-semester break, and see you soon!

Michaela

London Favourites

2010-11-03T16:52:00.000-07:00

We all have the good fortune of living and studying in London and so readily available to all of us are some of the best shops, cafés and fashionable establishments in the whole world. As an introduction to some of the MODO recommended places in London I thought I’d start by telling you about some of my favourite places in London.

VV Rouleaux:
“The Chanel of ribbon and trimmings shops” Red Magazine

VV Rouleaux is the place to go for all your ribbon needs. As a ribbon obsessive myself I love this shop. I don’t think you’d be able to find such a wide range of ribbons and trimmings anywhere else. They stock everything from the perfect black velvet ribbon to the most adorable sequin birds. Not quite sure what you’d do with those but they are certainly very cute.

For locations see here

Selfridges:

The department store for anything and everything you could ever want. Despite the high end labels and their extortionate prices you never feel out of place or as if you shouldn’t be there which means that it is a great place for wandering and mooching around. They also stock Topshop and WHSmith so you can do your normal shopping here and still walk out with their eponymous yellow bags.

Topshop:
Needs no introduction, just visit their Oxford Circus shop, you will fall in love several times over!

Urban Outfitters:

Lots and lots of peter pan collars there at the moment so that makes me very happy. A successful mix of men’s and women’s clothes, boutique brands and home ware. Originally from the US they are now spreading throughout the UK and they now have three stores across London.

East End Thrift Store:

Home to the infamous ‘fill a bag jumble sales’ where you buy a bag and fill it with as much as you can. They also stock a huge and varied selection of vintage items at really reasonable prices. It’s quite out of the way and difficult to find but well worth the search. Find it here.

Beyond Retro:

Perhaps the best known vintage shop in London but it has earned its reputation for a reason. Its two stores in London are crammed full of weird and wonderful pieces. They also have great displays; I’ve even seen a cat in their scarf box before.

Hummingbird Bakery:
Hummingbird Bakery brings American cupcakes to London; their three stores stock delightfully sweet and beautifully decorated cakes, cupcakes, brownies and pies. They even have a daily cupcake giving you the perfect excuse to visit again and again. Their cute pink and brown décor is adorable and makes every cupcake a relaxing and enjoyable experience. Although be prepared to queue if you go to their Portobello store on a Saturday.

Comptoir Libanais:
Comptoir Libanais is a stylish and modern Lebanese café, offering delicious Lebanese food at an affordable price, in bright and colourful surroundings. You can choose between meze, wraps, and tagines or perhaps all of them! And make sure you try their halloumi bread; it’s cheesy, salty and absolutely delicious. Also, they have an unusual selection of lemonades, which are all delightfully refreshing; my favourite is the pomegranate and orange blossom.

Let me know your questions and queries about London; where to go and what to do. Or if you know of some great places in London then tell me all about them as there is so much of the city I have yet to explore.

Love Rachel

STLYE FINDER ON LOCATION

2010-11-01T18:11:00.000-07:00

Last week SF helped out on a Pi Fashion section photo shoot of coats in Regent's Park. We were lucky enough to borrow items from several high street stores and even luckier to have such gorgeous models wear them for us. SF helped borrow the clothes for the shoot as well as styling the outfits and shots but enjoyed most persuading the male models to wear a male cape...albeit with little success!

Be sure to grab a copy of Pi magazine's next issue (out 23rd November) to see the photos in their printed glory. Until then, enjoy a sneak peak of the shoot...

(please note SF's photos posted here are poor quality and in no way represent the incredible work you will see in next Pi by their photographer Ray who will no doubt be shooting Vogue covers by December)

STYLE FINDER WISHES YOU A HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

2010-11-01T17:55:00.000-07:00

A mention must go to the most fabulous and inspired Halloween costume SF saw this year..... KARL LAGERFELD

(and where else would one have seen this other than at the Harvey Nichols Fifth Floor Perriet Jouet bar Halloween Party where SF dressed as a nightmare pantomime Sleeping Beauty and drunk Smashing Pumpkin cocktails served out what other than than a hollowed out pumpkin with dry ice seeping through the holes!)

STYLE FINDER

2010-11-01T17:42:00.000-07:00

Greetings again Fashionistas!

Here is a couple more looks I forgot to include in the last post that perpetuate my adoration for all things Wintery gracing the catwalk that is UCL....

WHAT? Nodding to Marta's excellent post Whose coat's that jacket? , check out this fabulous coat - furry on the inside... duffel on the out! AND it is from a charity shop near Regent Street for only £45

WHERE? Outside Bloomsbury Theatre

WHAT ABOUT ME? To get duffed up in Duffle, try this New Look one for girls or for men check out Urban Outfitters; this or this

WHO? Harry, 2nd year Archaeology student

WHAT? These darling little boots

WHERE? Gordon Square, on SF's way back from the gym

WHY? Bringing together harmoniously shearling, hiking and ankle support (no mountains necessary!)

WHAT ABOUT ME? The pictured shoes (worn by Emma, first year History of Art student) are from Office... Here are the closest resemblance we could find on the office website: try these or check the site for similar styles

COMMENT AND SEND US YOUR UCL STYLES!

love SF x

Whose coat's that jacket?

2010-10-31T13:48:00.000-07:00

In the 10 rules of winter dressing, Guardian editor Jess Cartner-Morley tells you to 'wear a proper coat'. Not a parka, apparently. The whole article lists a bunch of lush and dramatically expensive stuff, despite clearly wanting to appear sensible and present some core wardrobe additions in this season. 'Proper coat', according to Cartner-Morley, 'does not have to mean an expensive coat. It means a grown-up coat that doesn't make you look like a slobby fourth former on a field trip. The Jil Sander collection at Uniqlo has some beautiful tailored wool coats for around £100 (...)'. Actually, all the +J coats are about £150 (and some men's coats £200). However, Uniqlo minus Jil Sander has a bunch of nice coats, and I guess for the quality fabrics (it's all wool, tweed, and faux fur) £60-£80 is not awful for a coat which you are likely to wear every day for the next few months. Still, I will never forget once getting two fantastic winter coats on promotion in Beyond Retro for £17 each.

Uniqlo coats

Cheaper and greener ways of getting a buff coat include trawling through second hand and charity shops on the outskirts of town, crossing your fingers that half of London hadn't already trawled through them last week and bought all the good stuff out. But you could also raid your own wardrobe (or that of a friend or relative or anyone else who'd let you) and see what you can find there. Planet Green had this awesome article on updating your winter coat with links to appropriate craftster tutorials:

"There's no need to purchase a new jacket when you can perform a little wardrobe magic on a jacket you already own. With a little cropping, painting, embroidery or sewing, your jacket will look better than new!

1. Crop it!
Make your long dowdy coat short and sassy with a little creative scissor work.

2. Paint it!
A denim jacket is the perfect canvas for a colorful painting. Trim your artwork in coordinating ribbon for a great finished look.

3. Resize it!
Transform your saggy baggy coat into a form fitting jacket. Beautiful!

4. Applique and embroider it!
Here's another great idea for your denim jackets: make an applique from thrifted t's, and embroider a favorite quote.

5. Add details!
This jacket looks completely different with the addition of a zipper, collar, and cuffs."

Possibly a much better example of all of these techniques combined is the work of a young local UCL designer Kate Ross, whose label Trash of Camden is all about upcycled jackets and jumpers:

"Trash of Camden aims to use recycled fabric/found objects/old trash in order to produce customized second-hand jackets, jumpers and other clothing. There's nothing off-the-peg here.The aim is to create fun and wearable hand-made items that are guaranteed one-offs. This is the ultimate in recycled, reinvented and re-worked clothing."

Trash of Camden stuff is the sort of classy DIY aesthetic of contemporary sustainable fashion: none of its style is compromised because of the materials used. Objects that would otherwise be discarded get a new, glamorous life. All pieces evoke a SEX era Vivienne Westwood, though definitely updated with more modern influences, not all harking back to punk. The pervasive leopard print (aka the new denim, in the words of Cartner-Morley) gives a very current trend-conscious impression. All pieces are unisex, which is a rare feature with emerging designers who, however experimental, like to specialize very quickly in set gender conventions.

Aside from jackets and jumpers, Trash of Camden also produces jewellery (subline Crap of Camden), and future plans include customized footwear. A selection of products are stocked in Philip Normal's Happy Shack, shop units 920/921 in Camden Market, an insanely awesome shop packed with labels like Charles of London, Tatty Devine and Red Mutha. Kate is always keen to accept your trash, so if you have stuff you want to donate, email trashofcamden@homail.co.uk. She also takes personal commissions, and all items are unique one-offs.

Lastly, on the topic of upcycling: Upcycle it! blog is looking for your upcycling stories for a publication due out in January: “Upcycle it! – the handbook” with upcycle manuals, workshop reports and articles.

They are looking for submissions about:

Upcycling
How to think through the creative process of upcycling
Opinions and thoughts about trash – how is it to be a trash collector? How can you store it, live with it, and what can you do with it?
Cradle to Cradle and production processes
Energy efficiency – calculating the resources when remaking trash, when is it not sustainable to recycle trash?
Sustainability
Consumerism and anti trash lifestyle

Check out the submission guidelines over at the blog, and if you have any experience with upcycling, let them know!

Comment away on the topic of coats! And maybe even post pictures!
Sustainably yours,
Marta

The Hump with Camel.

2010-10-30T09:12:00.000-07:00

Camel. Really? If there was ever a trend to divide the worlds fashion followers it’s that word. Camel. Its sisters are regulars in our wardrobes; beige, brown, cream and even the more distant khaki. But what is it about camel that puts us on edge and start questioning our position in the fashion scene? There is no disputing its predominance this autumn/winter, but will we be missing out by turning a blind eye? No doubt it will be everywhere. The brave will wear it draped around their magnificent bodies in shocking contortion and eye-widening cuts. The classics will wear it, well classically, in the form of a renowned camel coat - a throwback to mothers and grandmothers. Hell, I’m sure the offspring of fashionistas will don a little camel skirt or shift dress. But is that enough to change the likes of me? I find myself veering away from that iffy shade of brown. Oh yes it has been altered to suit the masses in leather jackets, thigh-high boots, even the camel coat has been given new life in more flattering cuts. But I don’t think I could bear the thought of someone saying, “Oh daaaarling, that’s a lovely camel jacket you have there.” The thought makes me shudder. To be honest, I think it’s the name rather than the colour itself, because really it is just a glorified shade of brown.

Two days later…

This is hard for me to say, but… I’m a camel convert. I found this beautiful camel-coloured (wince) poncho style piece of knitwear in my mom’s wardrobe, wore it out, and have not looked back since this afternoon. There’s no denying it, camel is here to stay, so we may as well just give in to it. Now, I must go and order those taupe… okay fine, camel-coloured ankle boots from the clearance at http://www.asos.com/.

Ps. The camel collection on www.asos.com in definitely worth the use of your 20% NUS student discount!

Love
§

UCL: UNBELIEVABLY COOL LOOKS. UCL STYLE FINDER TELLS YOU WHY....

2010-10-30T05:18:00.000-07:00

Walking through the UCL campus or strutting around LFW AW 10/11 (or in layman's terms London Fashion Week Autumn Winter 2010/2011)? An easy confusion to make. Wandering down the cloisters is much like walking a runway (think Louis Vuitton AW 10/11 show in the courtyard of the Louvre, Paris) and grabbing a bench by the windows like getting front row. Wander down through South Junction to The Print Room cafe for the after party and you won't be disappointed in your fashion expectations. But if you can't make it due to prior comittements in Paris or Milan, fear no more for UCL Style Finder (SF) is here to keep you mododivas more up to date than a tasseled shearling military look jacket by bringing you regular posts of the hot looks SF has managed to snap gracing the UCL runway. Totally subjective, totally fabulous.

WHAT SF SAW THIS WEEK....

Whilst the temperature has been dropping the style has only been hotting up and the opportunities that winter brings in the form of coats, boots and this season's front runner's shearling and fur (faux of course darling) have been seized with vigour all over campus.

WHERE? At the MODO bootsale in South Junction.
WHAT? The bag - vintage
WHY? SF loved the red leather bag for its vibrant yet classic colour, understated glamour and a la mode satchel come envelope vinatge clutch

WHAT ABOUT ME? Find similar styles at Portabello Market and Beyond Retro which has several stores in London Find a Beyond Retro Near You! or Rokit in Covent Garden Rokit bag shop online

WHERE? At the MODO bootsale in South Junction.
WHAT? The coat and the bag... oh the whole look!

WHY? SF can't get enough of FUR this season - warm and oh so glam. And you can't go wrong with an old skool brown satchel

WHAT ABOUT ME? Alas this mododiva told us her jacket was from a market in Jordan and the bag from a flea market in paris (of course) so unless you're chartering a jet, try markets in London (Portabello, various in East London, and SF's favourite: Battersea Bootfair on a Sunday - more on this later...) or as mentioned above Rokit or Beyond Retro

WHERE? Torrington Place
WHAT? The bag -FURRRR
WHY? Fur is in this season and is all over the high street like Willow Smith on the catwalk front rows. Here we see it on a bag, fierce, and finishing off the collar of a jacket gorgeously

WHAT ABOUT ME? Try Topshop
or any other Oxford Street institution!

SF WANTS TO KNOW WHAT YOU THINK! COMMENT! AND IF YOU WERE RUNNING TOO QUICKLY TO BE PAPPED, SEND US YOUR UCL STYLE TO EMAIL STYLE FINDER

MODO Events: October 20th-27th 2010

2010-10-28T08:09:00.000-07:00

This last week has been another busy one for the MODO team, here are some of the highlights!

Wednesday saw the first of this year's Bootsales, organized by our lovely Volunteering Coordinator Tori. I wasn't able to make this event myself so can't claim credit for the photos, these were all taken by our blog team member Saffron.

The sale was a success, and as thus we at MODO have call to say;

BRING US YOUR UNWANTED CLOTHES!!!

If you have anything that no longer fits, or you no longer want, or that belongs to a mean and nastly ex-boyfriend/girlfriend/flatmate*, you are encouraged to place it in the box in the CSC labelled MODO, and we will sell it on in one of our bootsales. Forty percent of our profits go directly to Fairtrade organizations, so come and support a good cause! The next bootsale will be on Tuesday the 16th of November, from 2-6pm in UCL's South Junction.

*Disclaimer: MODO does not encourage the theft of clothes, shoes or books from anybody, however mean and nasty they may be!

Thursday saw callbacks for models following the success of Model Auditions last week. In total 48 people walked for us at callbacks, and our final 34 models have now been chosen. This was a very fun and exciting process (particularly for me as a designer!), and I am now EXTREMELY excited about the show!

In the second picture there, you can see Christine, MODO's Head of Photography, taking headshots of each model. These photos will be put on the website and sent out to all designers in order to help them choose the perfect girls and boys to model their clothes.

Monday this week saw the continuation of craft circle, which will continue to run every week from 1-2pm in the rehearsal room on the first floor of the Bloomsbury Building. Cake was eaten, stitches were made, and gossip was shared. Feel free to join us next week!

Tuesday brought "How to Design with Marta". The Marta in question was of course our very own blog coordinator, teaching the importance of research and concepts in the design process.

Everyone looks very deep in thought!

This was one of the classes this year that I was most looking forward to, and was based around an intensive course taught by Central Saint Martins, compressed down into 2 hours. It really shows the power of a society such as MODO that we are able to offer such classes and share our knowledge around so many interested people!

Next week brings a variety of activities:
Designer's Meeting tonight, the EGM on Monday, where we will be electing our new treasurer, Beginner's Knitting on Tuesday (now sold out) and a Model workshop also on Tuesday.

Speak soon,

Michaela

MODO Events: October 12th-19th 2010

2010-10-20T04:38:00.000-07:00

Hello!

Over the next few weeks I'll be bringing you pictures and highlights from all of the events we have held at MODO! Since the start of term we've held a whole host of meetings, including our massively well attended Introductory Meeting, Model Auditions (where 65 gorgeous people joined us), our first Designer's Meeting and PR Meeting, not to mention the success of our Fresher's Fair where 600 people signed up to our mailing list, thanks guys!

On October 12th we held our very first Give It A Go (GIAG) event of the year, Ninja Crochet! Eighteen people came to learn beginners crochet and by the end of the class almost everyone was able to complete their first crochet project, a ninja!

It was very informal and everyone had a really good time, including Ruth Thompson, who made this amazing ninja!

On Thursday 14th we held our very first blog meeting for the year;

From left: Ikhlas, Aneliese, Saffron, Marta, Serena and Rachel (and I'm the one taking the photo!)

The meeting was great fun and very productive, I think we're all very excited about what this blog has to provide you with over the year.

Monday lunchtime (19th) brought Craft Circle, a new addition to the MODO calendar, a knitting/sewing/whatever circle complete with lunch, tea and cake. All are welcome to come, have a gossip, and get to know other MODO members (for free!!) I took this photo after most people had left (hence everyone having their coats on) so sorry to those who I missed!

On Monday evening we held the second of our series of sewing classes. In this class everyone was invited to learn basic embroidery, machine sewing and hand finishing skills in production of a strawberry shaped pin cushion.

Here's my strawberry, which, considering I haven't sewn in about 5 years, I must say I'm pretty proud of!!

That's all for this week, if you want to learn more about MODO, contact us on Facebook using the link at the top right of this page, or email uclu-modoDOTsocietyATuclDOTacDOTuk. A list of all our meetings for this semester (subject to minor changes), along with a short list of useful places in London to visit for textile and craft supplies, can be found in the MODO Designer's Pack (see link in right hand column of blog).

Speak soon,

Michaela xx

Welcome Back!

2010-10-18T14:15:00.000-07:00

Dear University Fashionistas, Mododivas, and all affiliates,

Welcome back in the new academic year! Mododiva will hope to bring you lots of interesting and inspiring content in the coming months. We've had an editorial meeting recently and established our objectives for this blogging space. We'll be having a few general themes which we'll post about, and you will be able to easily identify them through the tags. What we want to share with you will circle around the following:

- "trends"
Not necessarily a "must wear xyz this season", but more of an observational approach. We'd like to post about things we notice around us, things that seem to click and fit, things that inspire us and point in new directions.

- places
We thought London needs a bit of guidance. Even those of us who have lived here for years discover new places all the time, not to mention newcomers dazed by the vastness of it all. So we'll post things about all sorts of great locations.

- campus fashion
From the streets to the lecture theatres, we present an entirely subjective selection of diverse, stylish outfits spotted around uni.

- magazine review
So much stuff is printed left and right, on paper as well as virtually, and often these things make up whole constellations of beautiful, awesome, inspiring images. With the help of a scanner, we aim to bring them together and share a bit of the gorgeous stuff we find.

- sustainable fashion
Mododiva would like to keep up the green credentials by giving you lots of sustainable ideas about fashion, which doesn't ever have to be wasteful or environmentally unfriendly.

- MODO events
It would be nice to treat this blog as a platform for reviews and photos from the many events we're running this year. This way you'd learn a bit more about what we do, and hopefully get involved!

On that note, if you wanted to participate in the making of this blog, please do let us know: comment under any entry or email us at uclu.modo at gmail.com with the word 'blog' mentioned somewhere. It would be lovely to have as many contributors as possible! Writers, photographers, designers, web editors - whoever you are. Looking forward to this whole next year of exciting blogging!

For a start, a make-up inspiration from a recent issue of Wysokie Obcasy:

I tried this out in slightly less extreme versions a few times, and the effect was stunning. For nails, I bought very small nail polish tester type bottles and painted each nail a different shade of red/pink. You could go for a similar effect by borrowing different colours off friends. Same goes to eyeshadow: the above colour combo is so rich it looks great with all-black or all-white outfits. Mix up different shades (again, borrowing from friends is a way that won't require you to buy a million separate products), and you can go a bit crazy with extending the painting surface.

Be playful and experiment,
Marta

Summer Break by M.O.

2010-06-07T05:54:00.000-07:00

Dear Mododivas,

As exams are over for everyone at this point (I hope!), many of us will be enjoying a holiday, internship, summer job, or other exciting opportunities. This blog will cease operations for the next few months, but only to come back in late September with a redesign, new writers, and more focused content. There will be an information meeting for writers, editors, web designers, researchers and photographers (and anyone else who'd like to contribute) sometime between Freshers Fayre and the end of Joining Fortnight (first days of October), and you should also feel free to email me anytime until then at marta at martalucysummer dot com if you'd like to get involved. I hope you have enjoyed reading what we've come up with in the past 8 months or so! A big thank you to everyone involved and all our readers.

To sum up my yearly column about sustainable fashion, I have two links to share:

Tavi, you're doing it right.

Guardian, you're doing it wrong.

Have a great summer!
xoxo
Marta

Eco Mags by M.O.

2010-05-14T05:02:00.000-07:00

I did a couple of scans of two magazines that recently centered their issue/extra issue on eco/sustainable fashion. One intersected sustainable recommendations for furniture, jewellery and accessories with beautiful works of young photographers, instantly upgrading the feature from a shopping list/link contest to a classy, neat piece of fashion editorial work. The other had established designers create sustainable pieces for well-known models or actors, a feature on emerging upcycling artists, an article on PETA and Stella McCartney, and a few other eco-brands (some that I previously blogged about). On the whole, no potato sacks and a few gems here and there.

Eko Ex spring/summer/eco 2010

http://www.camillahounsellhalvorsen.com

http://www.freitag.ch

http://www.aldonakarczmarczyk.com

http://www.krzysztofopalinski.com

http://www.annaorska.pl

http://www.camillahounsellhalvorsen.com

http://www.andhere1go.blogspot.com

http://www.hafsteinnjuliusson.com

http://ryanfrank.net/blog

http://www.gestablishment.com

Twój Styl 5/2010

http://www.peta.org

http://www.ecoist.com
http://www.melissaplasticdreams.com
http://garyharveycreative.com

Kamila Szczawińska / Dawid Woliński

http://www.stuarthaygarth.com
http://www.droog.com
http://www.remyveenhuizen.nl
http://www.edra.com
http://www.campanas.com.br

http://www.stellamccartney.com

http://maruna.pl
http://agabag.com
http://www.pakamera.pl
http://www.mysikrolik.com
http://www.juliapankow.com
http://joannatalejko.blogspot.com
http://cado.pl
http://lampo.pl
http://www.patkasmirnow.blogspot.com

Spring Shopping Guide by MO

2010-04-25T13:05:00.000-07:00

22 April was Earth Day, and The Guardian's Fashion Statement published an Ethical Shopping Guide. It deviates slightly from the usual treehugging aesthetic, usually associated with sustainability in fashion, but not all that dramatically. A very decent selection of ethical links to clothes (including menswear and kids clothes), shoes, bags, jewellery, etc is punctuated with a pretty predictable set of images ranging from pastoral to plain ugly. There is an angelic white lace A-line tunic, a skirt with an 'ethnic' print that looks only a notch up from a potato sack when you look closely, a simplistic bike pendant, a shapeless jeans skirt.

Ew, Guardian; ew.

It's not all bad - there's also some gorgeous espadrille wedges, vegan brogues, washed-out jeans and a smart dress, but I'd say for the amount of resources cited, the choices were still only half-heartedly led by good taste.

It makes me awfully mad to see fashion editors patronize ethical fashion by tirelessly associating it with an "earthy" aesthetic, where all colours and lines are carefully blunter than they would in any other editorial without sustainable credentials. It's like saying that people who care about the environment are all nice and we should give them a pat on the back, but not expect them to be too cutting-edge, of course. We are all a target audience for ethical fashion, not just the ones that, as the article suggest, vote Green. And even those, I can assure you, represent a variety of styles. So to break this cutesy, soft, flowy associations with sustainable fashion, I present my own guide - what I would have chosen from the same sites that the Guardian mentions.

Step 1: Raid your own wardrobe!

You already own a bunch of the must-have items for this season! If you didn't buy them last spring, then you did two, three, five years ago, or earlier. Reappropriating items bought in the previous seasons (yes, even winter!) will work marvellously in new context. So look at the stuff you already own and think of new configurations. The constant babble about trends may make you feel like every 3 months you need to throw out everything you own and buy new shit, but really, from season to season (especially going from A/W to S/S), there is no radical change in silhouettes or fabrics or colours. Just try and browse last year's must-have spring picks, and you'll be surprised.

To reutilize from last year's purchases:

- florals - best on shorts or jumpsuit, but a dress is also great.

http://www.fashion-conscience.com/clothing/dresses/gold-and-burgundy-floral-maria-tulip-dress.html

- pencil skirt

http://www.fashion-conscience.com/clothing/skirts/beige-pencil-peplum-recycled-skirt-traid-remade-boutique.html

http://www.ascensiononline.com/Catalogue/60280044/Women/People_Tree-Gathered_Belted_Skirt.aspx

- black dress

http://www.fashion-conscience.com/clothing/dresses/organic-asymmetrical-slouch-dress.html

- large t-shirt/boyish shirt/tunic-dress

http://www.ascensiononline.com/Catalogue/61070008/Women/Annie_Greenabelle-Button_Back_Vest_Top.aspx

http://www.fashion-conscience.com/silk-bow-front-dress-camilla-norrback-slate-small-1.html

- nautical stuff (navy shorts, stripy top, etc)

http://www.fashion-conscience.com/clothing/tops/eunike-stripe-navy-knit-breton-top.html

http://www.ascensiononline.com/Catalogue/61070009/Women/Annie_Greenabelle-Scoop_Front_Salior_Top.aspx

http://www.ascensiononline.com/Catalogue/20420019/Jewellery/La_Jewellery-Anchor_Pendant_Necklace.aspx

- wide and long linen blazer

http://www.ascensiononline.com/Catalogue/61720007/Women/Julia_Smith_MIA-Miami_Jacket.aspx

http://www.fashion-conscience.com/clothing/jackets/black-hemp-tuxedo-jacket.html

- grey and nude (or even champagne)

http://www.fashion-conscience.com/grey-scoop-neck-dress.html

- bright colours (yellow/blue/green)

http://www.fashion-conscience.com/clothing/dresses/green-vintage-linen-brass-buttoned-dress-doucette-duvall-green-one.html

- brogues

http://www.fashion-conscience.com/shoes/new-arrivals/fair-trade-platform-brogue.html

- slip-on sporty pumps

http://www.ascensiononline.com/Catalogue/60460004/Women/Terra_Plana-Isis_Vivo_Ballet_Pump.aspx

- gold/wings jewellery

http://www.ascensiononline.com/Catalogue/30470005/Jewellery/Fifi_Bijoux-Caravan_Pendant.aspx

http://www.ascensiononline.com/Catalogue/30470004/Jewellery/Fifi_Bijoux-Floral_Garden_Drop_Earrings.aspx

http://www.ascensiononline.com/Catalogue/51610003/Jewellery/Daisy_Knights-Lulu_Wing_Bangle.aspx

- lightly studded belt

http://www.ascensiononline.com/Catalogue/60080004/Women/Ascension-Studded_Belt.aspx

Step 2: Add a few new items to facilitate the context change.

If you already have some florals, buy colours, and if you have nude, buy print. People tend to gravitate towards stuff they are already familiar with, always like similar cuts, or usually buy one type of clothes (for instance t-shirts). The result often is you buy your 400th navy dress or 50th pair of jean shorts. Or even worse, that you spontaneously decided one trend will be your big bang this season, and bought 25 items in deep bright blue (or red for men) and 15 tops+dresses with accentuated shoulders/empire waistline/buttons on sides. Always consider your purchase against what you already have, and also what you have to compliment it. Nothing worse than buying a cropped green leather jacket only to realize you've got absolutely nothing to wear it with.

Some potentially new stuff -- but even for that, best to first check the back of the wardrobe, or that of your mum's/big sister's/boyfriend's/grandma's; or a charity shop -- again, chosen on whim from only two online stores, there's loads more cool stuff out there.

- black+white

http://www.ascensiononline.com/Catalogue/61070002/Women/Annie_Greenabelle-Tea_Dress.aspx

- new prints

http://www.fashion-conscience.com/clothing/dresses/luna-splash-print-dress.html

http://www.fashion-conscience.com/clothing/dresses/navy-and-green-abstract-print-dress.html

- cool print trench (for more polka dot, revisit your early 2000s wardrobe)

http://www.fashion-conscience.com/clothing/jackets/lyna-navy-spotted-rain-mac-trench.html

http://www.fashion-conscience.com/clothing/jackets/lyna-floral-trench-coat.html

- big round hat

http://www.ascensiononline.com/Catalogue/60340008/Women/La_Vie_Devant_Soie-Capeline_Cotton_Hat.aspx

- floral flats

http://www.fashion-conscience.com/home-page/ethic-fairtrade/tulsi-vegan-floral-print-flat-sandal.html

- misc jewellery

http://www.fashion-conscience.com/home-page/ethic-recycled/blue-gem-stranded-necklace.html

http://www.ascensiononline.com/Catalogue/50190012/Jewellery/Silver_Chilli-Eterno_Earrings.aspx

- HEADBANDS (cue the 60s post). Not pictured, but I bet you have some at home.

And keep it MODO, people ;)

Sustainable definitions + fakes, by M.O.

2010-03-14T18:06:00.000-07:00

A very interesting post/mini-discussion was started at the Uniform Project (which I already wrote about) about 'different ways that the term “sustainable” can be applied and mis-applied to fashion.' Three very general definitions are proposed:

- "heirloom sustainability": 'the luxury and couture designers claim it’s timeless design and quality that allow their designs to be handed down from generation to generation.' This is the stuff produced (we assume) from the best materials, that's why it costs a fortune, but it's so good and durable, you can buy one great expensive coat and wear it for years, instead of buying 30 shitty ones every half-season. However, 'luxury and couture designers' are just as much part of the trend machine, or as one commenter put it, 'the mass production – and mass advertising – of cheap fashion, along with an increasingly celebrity-focused culture, perpetuat[ing] the idea that you must have the latest look in order to be stylish'. It is also questionable whether the materials and manufacture of the timeless designs are, in fact, environmentally friendly. Stella McCartney is famous for never using fur or leather, but that's really only the very tip of the iceberg.

- “handmade/local production”: the idea that sustainability means 'low quantity production eschewing large machinery emissions', and the 'employment of skilled artisans'/crafters. But even Etsy and similar services are vaguely problematic according to this definition, because unless you only buy goods made in your area, the fact of their shipping, sometimes from the other side of the globe, defeats the whole local-hence-reduced-carbon-footprint argument. The Uniform Project recognizes a 'related approach' which ignores the literal geo factor, but instead focuses more on the ethical economic development argument: “sustainable communities”, ie. 'when humanitarian entrepreneurs team up with local craftspeople in war-torn or impoverished regions to form collectives to produce and sell regional crafts [presumably sell elsewhere in the world]. The profits, in turn, are used to build schools, teach skills, and acquire much needed resources.' This this last bit is what the Uniform Project are kinda doing themselves, as their primary objective is raising money for the education of kids in India, and only secondarily giving a chance to crafters and not big-deal designers [from all regions, presumably most not war-torn or impoverished] to promote their stuff to wider audiences.

- finally, the third category presented is obviously a joke: 'from a completely different perspective, the fast-fashion market has been known to play loose with semantics and claim that it’s an affordable price-point for customers that makes a brand “sustainable.” Guess we could call that “sustain-a-wallet.”' Lol.

I guess from a customer side, it's a little hard to accept you're doing something wrong when you consume what's shoved in your face, especially if it's shoved in very attractive packaging and at a superlow price. Not everyone will have the time and patience to make their own dress, while even the busiest person will have the time to pop in to a high street chain and '“consume” the latest look'. For most of us, it will also make a lot of sense to buy something that's cheaper and acceptable quality than splash out on stuff every time you need a new tshirt or pair of underwear (more on underwear: in a bit). The challenge we are all facing with making fashion sustainable in a bottom-up, grassroots way is to resist a fuckload of temptations, fuelled by press, advertising, friends, etc. The discussion generated by the Uniform Project post circles around this issue above any others: dealing with wanting to wear fantastic, beautiful outfits, and simultaneously a feeling that you have absolutely nothing in your wardrobe to achieve that effect. One of the commenters confesses to being 'a shopaholic and sucker for buying stuff ‘in vogue’', but like in a cheesy TV show, claims that UP has changed her outlook: 'I realised how l hated fitting in (read: blending) and being part of the ‘cookie-cutter’ culture'. Another commenter says: 'I've gotten back to my DIY roots, to spending money only for used items, and to shopping in my own closet and finding creative new ways to put things together. I approached fashion this way when I was younger out of financial necessity. Doing so now for environmental reasons has reminded me how much more fun it is to create something truly original.' Yet another points out that 'hello, this is how punk (in terms of fashion) came about.' It may all feel a bit banal, but it looks like real people's actual stories of how they changed their lifestyle and shopping patterns.

Eliza Starbuck, author of the post and the designer of the Uniform Project dress, also has a blog which 'reconciles ... two seemingly contradictory ways of life', ie. fashion and social awareness, conscience and glamour. On the particular topic of a wardrobe re-haul every few months, she gives sharp advice: 'When I worked in the industry, and needed to show “trend currency” (which in the fashion industry gets you more respect) I would check out all the runway shows, note my favorite looks and then head out to The Salvation Army and spend $100 on an entire wardrobe for the season. I can promise you that was a whole lot more full filling then spending the same $100 at Forever 21 or H&M. Not to mention the fact that vintage and second hand lasts a lot longer than the ill-fitted, synthetic junk you pick up on high street.' This is the bluntest way of putting it - buying cheap, disposable clothes sucks on all levels. Alluring and easy is the path of the Dark Side, but being unable to control production level sustainability, this is the least we can do - not support things that are outrageously non-sustainable, and only buying first hand when it makes sense (tying this back to the underwear issue in a minute.)

Jean Paul Gaultier, Fall 2010 RTW, aka wear a skirt over your head and many other layered items

Re: lost creativity as a remedy to overconsumption, Eliza recommends 'going through your closet start to finish, trying on your wardrobe to see what you can do to work with what you have: raising hemlines, styling, layering & wrapping in ways you hadn’t considered before.' You don't have to have magic sewing skills for that. Essentially, weird layering combos are what most fashion bloggers are doing, even if they're doing it with the free designer samples they got in the mail (count how many garments Susie Bubble uses in a 'week' of outfits). And even idiotic spring shopping spree columnists will tell you layering is the way to go, particularly in-between seasons.

A Matt Irving Delphi design 'fucked over' by H&M

A loosely connected aspect of sustainability/fashion ethics which I believe needs more discussion is the question of plagiarism. We all know buying fakes of the big brands is by many considered a total no-no, and by some the only affordable way of flashing logos, and both have their arguments to justify their positions. I don't mean to discuss whether it's ethical or sustainable to buy fake big brand designer goods. All massive companies have to deal with counterfeiters, plus a lot of the time buying real or buying fake probably sustains a sweatshop. Alright, I'm being a bit harsh. Of course you should never buy fakes. But it doesn't seem SUCH a big deal for LVMH to lose out on a couple of thousands/millions (?), because they'll earn their share anyway. Of course, they have all the right to get angry and worked up about it. And if you can't afford the real thing, buying into the brand and logo obsession with a fake is slightly humiliating - but that's my personal point of view. What is beyond personal opinions is legislation, and big brands have the means to make all sorts of efforts to protect their intellectual property. But what happens with cases of copying images/ideas of small, independent artists? Think about it: you are that small, independent artist, so you put your stuff up on the internet, because you don't have a gallery or an affair with a gallery owner, and you also want many people to see your work, not just the same hipsters hanging out in the mentioned non-existent gallery every day because they live upstairs. Then suddenly an image strikingly similar to your own pops up at a big store, and to you, there is no way it could be a case of great minds thinking alike. Problem is, who will believe you? So while you struggle to pay rent, a mass-producing chain happily earns more money on something that could have sold just as well from your online shop.

This is what happened to Hidden Eloise and Paperchase, but with a happy ending. Paperchase initially denied the copying allegations, but after a Twitter backlash and numerous emails, agreed to investigate further and finally owned up and pulled the entire stock from stores. That's probably one in a million stories which favour the underdog. Most independent artists don't get Neil Gaiman twittering to 1.4 million people about how their artwork, pattern, or whatever else was stolen by a big company who thinks they can do anything. There's two blogs (both American, but I'm sure there's British equivalents out there) that deal with this sort of crap: you thought we wouldn't notice, and Urban Counterfeiters (yup, UO are not so cool like that). Have a look.

The promised ethical underwear bit that I left for dessert: today's Observer column It's not easy being green says 'pants to the pesticides used in manufacturing cotton!'. Apparently not all cotton is good, as it 'soaks up 25% of all pesticides and herbicides', and so 'a single pair of cotton pants uses 10ml of pesticides.' Sounds bad. The harmful pesticide endosulfan is now banned in many countries, and its producer, the pharmaceutical giant Bayer, has pledged to phase it out completely by the end of 2010 after a hilarious campaign by PantsToPoverty.com, 'a leader in fairtrade cotton underwear, ... whereby protestors sent their worst pair of pants to Bayer'. Other recs are Greenknickers.org (zero-carbon pants from recycled sources) and Whomadeyourpants.co.uk (a workers' co-operative in Southampton employing women who have been granted asylum but find it difficult to get work). Also have a look at page 50 of the new N.E.E.T. magazine for some handmade underwear tips. That's sustainability at its best - combining work ethic, good material sourcing, and an occasional bit of humour (not to mention a great end product).

So... keep it MODO, people ;)

The 60's are back by K.R.

2010-02-25T08:05:00.000-08:00

For Spring/Summer it seems that we should embrace our inner sixties child and give in to pretty pastels.

PPQ started the sixties revival in their SS09 show with this dress (above), paired with a top knot and some hefty wedges.

Seen on Lily Allen and Peaches Geldolf, the dress, a simple shift with a luscious pattern, holds its appeal in its short hem length and over-sized collar and bow. The almost clown-like bow, evoking a playful masculinity, looks chic paired with bare legs and a powerful strutt.

More recently, A Single Man has wowed audiences in its pristine and powerful portrayal of a gay teacher in the 60's, suffering over the sudden loss of his lover.

While some criticise Tom Ford's overly stylised aesthetic, others relish in his considerate recreation of this era in all its glory. Careful notice has been taken of everything from the kitchen appliances to the perfume bottles on Charly's (Julianne Moore) dressing table.

All the more the characters themselves are neat and carefully put together: Charly takes the entirety of George's (Colin Firth) working day to get her eyelashes in place for her evening in with him.

On the SS2010 catwalks Luella and PPQ mastered the coquettish 60's look.

Luella sent her models out in perfectly placed dresses in an array of pastel and vivid colours. Hair piled high in top knots was highlighted with a colourful bow.

The shapes of the dresses evoked a time when women were expected to look a certain way, a hair never out of place. While this attitude may be out of place nowadays itself, the elaborately girly dress, pastiched with a slick of neon eye shadow, is a welcome look that will blow any remnants of recession blues out of the water.

PPQ also styled the models with slick top knots and presented a inspiringly bold collection.

Stripes and clean lines gave the collection a firm structure, while the injection of shorts made these looks beach-friendly.

These bold monochrome outfits, with fierce collars, as with the SS09 dress, gives the collection an unmistakably fresh panache.

Elsewhere, Rachel Weisz was shot for the January issue of Vogue in a lazy hazy 60's story.

Ultimately the pastels in these shots sum up the 60's trend. Playful pretty colours paired with strong yet subtle shapes make up a gorgeous Spring wardrobe, that, especially on rainy days like these, is easy to fall in love with.

Keep it Modo people ;)

Alice In Wonderland's Fashion Legacy by V.B.

2010-02-16T00:22:00.000-08:00

With the new Tim Burton film Alice in Wonderland gracing our cinemas this year it seems like an opportune moment to explore the influence of Lewis Carroll’s fantasy world on fashion’s imagination. This look’s eclectic mix of the girly and the surreal means there is great flexibility in the style, offering flights of fashion fantasy if you dare plunge into Wonderland.

Let’s have a peek down the rabbit hole....

The full dress or skirt is key to the Alice look, however if you do not want to look too 1950s housewife use soft fabrics to keep the fullness of the skirt without the rigidity. This soft skirt and white tights combination embodies the gentle girlishness of Alice, whilst the lace echoes Victorian styles evoking Alice’s underskirts or smock.

Whist this look is feminine and playful it does not have to be limited to pastel colours or flowing fabrics. Stripes echo Carroll’s eccentric word, whilst you do not need reminding who in Wonderland this quirky hat look emulates. A pinafore and blouse is a less girly alternative to the full skirt as it still brings to mind Alice the Victorian school girl.

Play with colours and fabrics to achieve the eccentricity key to Wonderland. Coloured or patterned tights or socks are mischievous and can be used with a more sombre outfit to still give it a sense of fun. Checked patterns tend to stir up images of Scotland or Texas ranches, however when worn as a tea-dress with a soft cardigan they channel the style of Alice through the fabric choice of the Mad Hatter.

The peculiar reigns supreme in Wonderland, so express your inner oddball within the safe constraints of Victorian tailoring. This wet weather look is a perfect example as the raincoat dress is surreal yet stylish and unapologetically feminine.

For the Alice in Wonderland look to take you through the last few months of winter and into spring team your quirky dress with thick tights, long cardigan and lace petticoat to ensure your look is eccentric yet warm.

As to that final touch of Wonderland, wear a pocket watch or teapot necklace to take the curiousness of the Mad Hatter’s tea party with you and never be late for a very important date.

Keep it Modo people ;)

TRASH by M.O.

2010-02-14T15:15:00.000-08:00

Exactly two weeks left until the UCLU Modo Green Fashion Show! 28th February 2010, 6:30pm - 9:30pm, The Hotel Russell, 1 - 8 Russell Square, Bloomsbury, London, UK. Buy your tickets!

Trash is always an issue in Greenery - two of the three Rs: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle imply dealing with trash one way or another. Fashion is no exception, whether you consider regular trash as potential material, manipulate old clothes, or recycle trends and silhouettes.

BOTTLES
A few extraordinary ideas on how to use the surplus plastic bottles. Normally, it's good to buy one and re-fill it with drinking water.

Evian Bottle Dress by Kristen Fahrig

Bottle Dress in Museum of Contemporary Art, Nice, France (photo via John Elmslie)

Down sweater from Patagonia made of recycled bottles

Bottle Dress (glass, cork, water, plastic, leather), 1999, by Cat Chow

flattened bottle cap dress by Danica Olders (Rustik)

BAGS

Fabric or re-usable bags for shopping; if impossible: paper rather than plastic.. Turns out that so far the plain black trash bag has been the most inspiring as a piece of clothing.

Vivienne Westwood

DIANA BOBAR DESIGN

Dolce & Gabbana

Whitehouse Fashion and Design students:

Mariam Seddiq, Luke Ross, Briellen Smith, Amy Yong and Lyna Ty

Marc Jacobs for Louis Vuitton bin liner bag (worth about $2,000)

+ not quite a trash bag:

IKEA bag dress by Adriana Valdez Young

GREEN MCQUEEN

The Art of Recycling and The Throw-Away Habits of The Fashion Industry (A/W 2009) - a show taking place in an arranged junkyard, with broken glass floor and old props piled up in the middle. Hats of stacked umbrellas, plastic wrap, garbage bags, lamps and car parts, and clothes mimicking classic designs (like Dior's New Look) and their reinventions made in the last years, also by McQueen - all to expose the bizarre mechanism of hailing novelty which in fact is just a piece of same old. So subtle, so bold. “This whole situation is such a cliché. The turnover of fashion is just so quick and so throwaway [...] There is no longevity” said McQueen. A ten minute silence.

Hendrik Kerstens Bag, 2007

Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize 2008 (2nd Prize)

giant bubblewrap cape/coat

Keeping warm by M.O.

2010-01-31T16:18:00.000-08:00

This week is Green Week at UCLU, and MODO is hosting a free workshop on recycling scrap fabric and old clothes - major excitement! I wish I could come. That's tomorrow, Monday 1st February, Bloomsbury Conference Room, 7-9pm, and anyone interested in sustainable fashion should definitely attend! Check out other events taking place during Green Week on the facebook event, and read more about the Union's sustainable credentials on UCLU and the Environment. Aside from detailed info on forums, audits, and policies, you'll find the freshly added UCLU Green Guide, 'which is full of tips on how to live more sustainably, get involved in campaigning at UCL, and get in touch with great ethical & environmental organisations in London.'

So much for sustainability, but what of fashion? The Union's guide doesn't quite give you tips on how to keep warm but dress in style. The only piece of guidance we receive that refers to clothes is to consume less, shop in charity shops, give away unwanted clothing, and use Freecycle. You know that much from the first sustainable fashion post!

Perhaps more interestingly, one of the top ten tips to reduce carbon emissions is to turn your thermostat down by a few degrees (which, we are told, will also save us money) : so not only we have to freeze in the street, but even at home! Keeping warm seems to be the trend of the season, and the previous post, Fashion in the Freeze by V.B., gives you some excellent advice on how to do it in style. I'll try to add a bit more on this topic from my own Eastern European experience on dealing with the cold, and tell you about the greatest weapon you have against global warming (and it's a piece of clothing!)

1) Protect your head

Allegedly 80% of body warm escapes through the head. I already blogged about the knitted headbands that keep your hairstyle happy by Pretty Green (but you can check out Clare's new layout), and I believe earwarmers were mentioned in some posts as well. But no note of the big furry hat! It may mean that it's already so-last-season, but I'd say it's still very nicely warm. Obviously it needs to be faux fur to really be sustainable.. but if it can be fluorescent, who'd mind?

at Michael Kors

at Dolce & Gabbana

at Dynasty

by Emilie Zanon, young French artist/designer

Or you could, of course, get an Endless Warm solar-powered hat designed by Yiran Qian from Germany: but that still sounds very futuristic.

2) Wrap something around your neck

A scarf never hurts, for warmth or for style. For something totally new (at least I think so), consider a faux Foks: a knitted alternative to the rather unpleasant real fox scarves Eastern European grandmothers still wear. The woolen ones are beautifully hand made, come in a range of colours, and Celapiu also make pretty gloves to match.

3) Keep your legs and feet warm

Those are super important body parts for heat management! Wear wool tights, or layer a few pairs - thinner over thicker for interesting texture and colour effect (see how Susie Bubble does it). Wear tights or long johns under trousers. The extra layer of air in between will serve as even more insulation. That applies to all layers, so wear tight clothes under looser ones to add that layer of air. It's also a nice idea to wear spats over your boots - they certainly add something interesting to a plain black or brown straight shoe.

All of this works outdoors as much as indoors (OK, maybe not the boots). Wearing warmer clothes at home will make it easier for you to turn down the temperature. The idea is not to be as warm as humanly possible, but to be comfortable - so try and feel the right temperature balance. For ways of coping with turning down the heating, the sustainable experts Do The Green Thing advise to 'leave the radiators off and wrap up in a jumper - or better still, with another person.'

'Your body is equivalent to a 100 Watt heater', say Do The Green Thing

Wearing a hat indoors is surely an innovation in style, and the use of blankets as dresses and coats has entered the catwalks alright:

Comme des Garçons, Kenzo, and Chloé

Comme des Garçons

Junya Watanabe

Romance Was Born

Lastly, the awesome book Teach Your Granny to Text & Other Ways to Change the World (a great read, even for grown-ups) states clearly: 'What is our greatest weapon against global warming? Science? Biofuel? Solar power? Nope. It's the sweater. The next time it gets chilly, put a sweater on. Not the heating.' So yay to sweaters, natural sustainable fabrics, and human heat. And keep it MODO, people ;)

Fashion in the freeze by V. B.

2010-01-09T13:55:00.000-08:00

Over the last few weeks us Brits have been treated to sub thermal temperatures with no sign of a warm up anytime soon. Whilst fashion can often overtake the practical (high heels anyone?) when you are being subjected to temperatures well below freezing even the most stylish among us will reach for the chunky knit and slippers. I myself have been digging out most items in my wardrobe and wearing them simultaneously, taking the layered look to extremes that only a bag lady could appreciate. However as the following examples of winter chic will prove the big freeze can be met with style, keeping you warm, attractive and most importantly well-dressed.

Good tailoring is a must for winter as it prevents you looking shapeless and shabby when wearing several layers. The quality jacket, trousers and shoes help to keep this look sharp whilst the chunky scarf and cardigan create texture as well as warmth. The oversized hat helps add statement to the look, which is particularly important in winter when our fashion identity can be lost under a sea of black and grey coats.

Although it has been around for a few seasons there is still a calling for the jumper/dress look. The knitted detail of this jumper prevents it from appearing as a block of colour, whilst the red shoes give the look more distinction and a quirky twist. Thick jumper dresses are great in these freezing temperatures, however to make sure you maintain a flattering silhouette they should be worn with thick tights or skinny jeans and not anything which could add extra bulk.

The faux fur coat was a strong look in 2009 and whilst we are moving to pastures new in 2010 if you still want to get some use from your fur coat in the cold weather team it with a belt to pull in the waist and add structure to the coat. Faux fur can be brilliantly glamorous but can also add volume so this belted look keeps the coat nipped in and under control.

Layering is a very effective way to keep warm, however it can easily veer towards the hefty with clothing piled on rather than coordinated. For this look texture is key as too many chunky layers will lose shape and add bulk, whilst too many thin layers mean more and more items are required before any warming benefit. This is a good example of layering as a thin under-top is layered with a thicker medium layer, which adds interest with button detail, and then finished with a stripy woollen cardigan. A complementary pallet is adhered to so that no one layer is vying for attention whilst the all important belt is used to pull all the different layers together. The oversized scarf helps keep the look on trend and ties the colours of the three layers together.

Winter accessories can add interest and personality to dark and dull winter coats whilst simultaneously providing much needed warmth. For scarves this winter the longer the better providing the opportunity to twist and layer them in varied and individual ways. An exaggerated knit like this pink scarf is warm and distinctive, brightening up an otherwise dull black cardigan.

This winter keep warm and keep it modo people ;)

30 Top Models of the Noughties by K.R.

2009-12-21T15:55:00.000-08:00

I was going to make this top ten but the good'uns just kept coming.

There's no way I could possibly pick just one favourite.

How about you?

Gemma Ward

Jourdan Dunn

Chanel Iman

Raquel Zimmermann

Eniko Mihalik

Freja Beha Erichsen

Natasha Poly

Carmen Kass

Coco Rocha

Vlada Roslyakova

Natalia Vodianova

Eliza Cummings

Wanessa Milhomem

Sigrid Agren

Alice Dellal

Sasha Pivovarova

Jessica Stam

Lily Donaldson

Karlie Kloss

Anna Selezneva

Anja Rubik

Julia Stegner

Caroline Trentini

Abbey Lee Kershaw

Daisy Lowe

Pixie Geldof

Lara Stone

Toni Garrn

Ymre Stiekema

All images courtesy of Google.

Countryside Chic by V.B.

2009-12-21T02:30:00.000-08:00

As luscious girls about town it is unlikely we give the countryside a second thought; far too busy looking splendid on the tube. However as this A/W has prooved a look inspired by the farmer's wife can be sophisticated and quirky and work as well in the city as in the country.

Blake Lively is continuing to emerge as a key figure in fashion, experimenting with lots of different styles and looking stunning in whatever she wears. Her branch out to countryside chic demonstrates that you do not need to go top-to-toe tweed to work the look, with a key item such as her waistcoat paying homage to the Shires.

The countryside look can be overdone (see below!) however certain pieces and looks do have an eccentric charm. The opportunity for your gent to sport some striking knee high socks or dashing riding boots is not to be sniffed at. This style also offers the chance to bring in some fur accents, such as collers, which add a touch of glamour and class whilst maintaining an overall smart and subtle look.

The trouser suit was given a countryside twist on the catwalk and whilst this may be too farmer Giles for you there are still fashion moments to be had. Remove the tweed jacket and the waistcoat and trousers would look brilliant with a feminine blouse or camisolle. Or conversly keep the jacket and try it with skinny jeans and T-shirt for a Hackney twist on the farmer look.

Go on, give tweed a chance!

Keep it Modo people ;)

Denim; a fashion staple? By R.O.

2009-12-12T05:52:00.000-08:00

SO here we are in winter 2009, on the cusp of the second decade of the new millennium. I'm sure we could all think of a few adjectives to describe fashion in our time; 'fickle', 'fast', perhaps 'ever-changing'? I'm sure that one of the last ways you would think of describing fashion would surely be with words like 'stable' and 'constant'? Yet these are words that could be used to describe the continuing presence of denim in our wardrobes.

I have always been interested in denim; from purchasing far too many denim items as a misguided teen, to insisting on studying the infrastructure of its industry for my IBSc dissertation. I find it fascinating; I can’t think of any item other than the humble pair of denim jeans which could be considered a necessary item of clothing in almost every decade since it was invented. But why is this? In this post I am going to concentrate on standard denim jeans.

History

To understand the history of denim is perhaps the key to its appeal. Denim cloth originated from a location in France, therefore 'de' Nîmes became 'denim'. It is important to distinguish between denim, a material which can be made into any colour, and blue jeans. Although both have been enduring, blue denim jeans are the more popular of the two.

Denim was most famously incorporated into dungarees as a uniform for American factory workers and railroad workers in the 1800s, as in the picture below.

Interestingly enough, the name for dungarees comes from Dongari Killa, India, where this type of clothing was originally fashioned in the 1600s. From here to usage in America’s working population, denim was then incorporated into popular culture and eventually into mainstream clothing. Its popularity was spearheaded by the winning combination of jeans with leather as a rebel statement, characterised in the 1950s by film stars such as Marlon Brando and James Dean. From rebel to a symbol of casualness; in the G20 protests, bankers in London’s ‘City mile’ were advised not to wear their usual uniform of suits. They subsequently wore denim jeans in order to look ‘casual’. This is what I think makes denim jeans so interesting; they have symbolised the working force, the rebel youth, and now are a symbol of the conventional norm for all ages.

The appeal in celebrity

Of course, as with all fashion, the popularity is both precipitated and continued by its popularity in the celebrity sector. Every high street trend is usually preceded by a celebrity showcasing a new style of clothing. Unfortunately for the true fashionista, since Kate Moss was pictured in her skinnies and Uggs, little else has prevailed on the high street. Even with small waves of popularity for other styles (flares have been trying to make a comeback for many seasons now), it is due to the power of celebrity that skinny jeans are still the flavour of the moment in 2009.

Denim Jeans Styles

Of course, with an item which has lasted through so many decades, many different styles of denim jeans have existed. From flares to skinnies; straight leg to bootcut; jeggings to capris, there is a style for everyone. I personally am an advocate for different styles; I think that the saddest renaissance of the denim jeans has been in the late Noughties. Beware of the skinny, it does not suit everyone, and contrary to popular belief, it does not automatically suit those who are extremely slender either (I have noticed that my legs closely resemble Twiglets when cast in a pair of skinnies).

And apart from the styles themselves there are the colours! For a smart look, deep indigo is choice of preference, contrasting nicely with the stonewash favoured by American cowboys. Or how about the distressed and bleached fashions in favour in the early Noughties? It’s all there for you to peruse. The brilliance of denim jeans is that they are appropriate for almost any situation...And this is what I believe makes denim jeans my favourite pair of clothing; it is definitely the most VERSATILE piece of clothing you can buy!

Keep it MODO people!

This Saturday - The Affordable Vintage Fair comes to London

2009-12-07T15:35:00.000-08:00

Sustainable Studios 65 - 71 Scrutton Street, EC2A 4PJ

CHECK IT OUT:

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=174263176450&index=1

Leggings: A Cultural Phenomenon? by K.R.

2009-12-07T15:24:00.000-08:00

I've never really understood the whole leggings craze.

I can see that they represent a subtle but steadfast return to 80's fashion and certainly there are aspects of that look that appeals to me. On some people they look really chic yet laidback. However the majority of the time - mostly I suppose at the beginning of this decade - leggings were ubiquitously worn by Essex girls, half way up the calf and paired with a denim mini skirt, which quite frankly, makes me shudder in disgust.

But most recently leggings have become a wardrobe basic of most women across Britain, and indeed, the world. Our obsession with The Skinny (skinny jeans, skinny legs, skinny body) has grown exponentially into a shrunken, shrink-wrapped trouser. Maybe the noughties has, in fact, been the decade of the legs.

Furthermore, the 'fashionable' masses have clung to leggings, diversifying them to justify these glorified pair of tights as something worth investing in: shiny, sequined, ripped (in-keeping with another trend-hate of mine: Balmainia a la Alice Dellal) and most recently, faux denim.

But what I really don't understand is the WAY people wear them. Originally worn under skirts and dresses, leggings had all the appeal of ultra-thick tights (so cosy in winter), but nowadays leggings are worn more often as trousers. Indeed, they are the new trousers.

This is the most puzzling. In a world so obsessed with body shape, in which every fashion spread and advertisement plugs us with body insecurities and tells us we can never be too thin, how is it that leggings have become such a huge, not trend, but staple? Is this not a paradox?

Perhaps leggings in fact thus represent a shift towards a merging of comfort with style; women now pair snug leggings with oversized tees and tunic tops, covering all manner of sins, yet inject a sense of haute couture with towering heels. (Check look of the day 68 for the Ultimate Heels to pair with leggings: http://amlul.com/).

So perhaps fashion has conceded to let us have a bit of comfort and conveys a sense of realism about women's body shapes and how women want to look - whether you're an Olsen twin or not, there is a way for you to work leggings and look damn hot doing it.

But essentially fashion will never be fashion unless it's paired with skyscraper heels...

Keep it Modo people ;)

All images courtesy of Google images.

Vintage Knits and Coats the Outerwear Style-choice of the Season? - S.V.

2009-12-06T13:23:00.000-08:00

Winter has struck and we have already covered a massive range of heat saving items that are great for our wardrobes like earmuffs, tights and snoods! Inspired by the sustainable fashion theme we have got going this month, I have been on the lookout for how people can employ this eco-friendly take on the the streets - and have not been disappointed.

This week I wanted to write about something I found quite interesting, noticing a massive return of those old knits that people used to push at the back of the closet, in a new trend about keeping warm, old-school style.

Maybe, it's just me, but for the past couple of years I have slowly been losing faith in the high street to deliver quality, affordable knits in materials that for once, are not acrylic and will actually keep me warm. Being a mere 4'11", one of the only things I learnt from Biology class was that I was small, had a bigger surface area to volume ratio and that meant that I was in for many cold winters! Of course, layering is a great way to save heat but it can often be tedious when all you really want to do is chuck on a huge snuggly sweater and leave the house.

We want to feel like this:

But lately, all of the knitwear I have bought has still made me feel more like this:

Which brings me back to my point - Vintage knitwear. It is of increasing frequency, especially this year, that I step outside of my flat in East London and see most of the student-chic fashionistas rocking their dad's old jumpers....or, well, someone's old jumpers at least. Obviously the large number of thrift shops (a few of which have still managed to stay reasonably priced despite the ridiculous tourist-trap most of the East has become) in the area seem to contribute to this recycling but the look is definitely spreading and it is certainly not an isolated trend.

Personally, I think it is great. I love the look and feel of an oversized jumper, and I think the days are gone when people dread that one terrible Christmas present they are bound to recieve, in the form of a woolen mistake. Now I think that old jumper is to be cherished, and have without a doubt found that the older ones tend to be much more wool-heavy than the newer ones. I suppose I could be seen as generalising, but talking from my experiences, I really can't help but find that the only recent high street knits I have faith in to keep me warm have not been the most cost effective on an impoverished student budget :-)

So, basically, what I am trying to say is that I think recycled jumpers are the unsung heroes of the season. Much of the vintage stuff is great quality and truly warm, and would make a great addition to any winter wardrobe! There are very few which are truly unnacceptable, but those ghosts of the past are never really seen haunting the streets, its a really easy thing to pull off! I always think an oversized old jumper is a great look with leggings or drainpipes and adds a dose of 80s nostalgia into the winter season.

A bit of...80's nostalgia...;-)

...and....even the most dubious looking knit can be tranformed!

They can be found anywhere from your own house, in the form of the unwanted property of a relative, to maybe a knit you have seen in a new light and of course, the local charity shops. So give it a go, and pick up your own. It is bound to keep you warm this holiday!

Keep it MODO people ;-)

A Sustainable Xmas Gift Guide, by M.O.

2009-11-29T13:31:00.000-08:00

Handmade gifts are Works of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction. They have a unique and personal feel to them, and time and care invested in them rather than just money. Especially in the festive season, which at least in theory is about sharing joy with your loved ones, that counts so much. Making a gift for someone accounts for a lot more than just tradition. I think that even if it's not perfect "quality" or not as super spectacular as you could wish, it's still awesome like no purchased good can be. It comes with a strong message of love/care/affection. And anti-consumerism! Did you know yesterday was Buy Nothing Day? Did you know the book Handmade Nation is now also a movie? Did you know you could avoid massive terrible crowds in the streets and make all or most* of your gifts for friends and family? And that it would be awesome?

*I feel like books are exempted from this rule of make rather than buy. I firmly believe it's ok to buy books, and really great to read them. Though of course if you made books too, I'm sure it would be the ultimate awesome gift for anyone.

Note: for your supplies, try Freecycle for maximum non-buying effect.

EMBELLISHMENTS
See the post below for a bunch of ideas on embellishments. The embellish-your-tights tutorial is sheer brilliance!

But you can find a garment, any garment, and make it beautiful. Use old clothes, charity shop clothes, street-found clothes, whatever. A top trendy suggestion would be to add studs.

LACE

Lace is another top hot tip. Used as an embellishment is one, but you could really go to town and make a lace collar/necklace. You only need: a long piece of lace, or a few shorter ones to combine, a fastening of some sort, and needle + thread. You could sew the collar onto a shirt or dress, but having it as a self-standing item allows you to wear it with many things - all you need to figure out is the fastening. It could be all fancy and jewellery-like (and haberdasheries will have the equipment you need for making it work), or simple button-casual, or even long enough to not need a proper fastening - just make sure your head fits through. For inspiration, have a look at this etsy shop.

lace necklace by MillicentRussell

FABRIC JEWELLERY

collars by Mertxe Hernández

You can also branch out into fabric collars/necklaces that are not necessarily lace. It's a really good accessory, and you could make it just by putting bits of fabric together on one longer piece of fabric that would hang from your neck. Catalan designer Mertxe Hernández makes ones like that - basically a bunch of vertical fabric strips sewn to a straight collar. There's also these two stunning collars/necklaces on etsy:

Did you get my mail Spam Neck Piece by squillinan

The Windsor - ruffle necklace with rope by louloudo

SNOODS

Snoods are all the rage this season! Even if you are not an experienced knitter, making a simple one should be super easy. Just knit a plain piece that's long enough to go around your neck and sew the ends together to form a tube. The lucky attendees of last week's knitting and crochet workshop should have no trouble with that. But if in doubt, ask Sophie or Katie! (Also look at this etsy shop).

BOOK COVERS

Make a paper or fabric book cover. Here's a tutorial how to make one from a t-shirt, but you can use any fabric, and even print on it. Obviously same goes to paper.

a nice set from Book City Jackets

PRINT ON FABRIC

On the topic of printing: IRON TRANSFERS. There's lots around (like the gorgeous Sukie set), but you can also make your own. Here's a video. You just need access to an inkjet printer and some transfer paper. Then you can put it on any cotton-based fabric: t-shirt, top, hoodie, dress, cotton bag, pillowcase, curtain, fabric book cover, fabric necklace/collar, the list goes on.

CROSS STITCH

Or "xstitch". It's very easy, and very cool. If in doubt, consult online videos. Make up your own patterns (pixelate pictures), or use ready ones - my heartfelt recommendation is Radical Cross Stitch (Radical Rags on etsy).

Anti-Patriarchy E-Pattern from Radical Cross Stitch

Question Authority E-Pattern from Radical Cross Stitch

Alternatively, if you don't have time to make your own gifts, buy stuff other people made. It won't be extremely anti-consumerist and a bit less I-love-you-look-I-made-you-this, but is still pretty awesome. The item will still have tme and care invested in it, and you support crafters who made it. Some ideas:

tattoons by Lizz Lizz

Lizz Lunney draws a lot of amazing stuff and puts it in comic books and onto postcards, pocket mirrors, bookmarks, badges, and even tattoons. See her website shop and etsy shop for more.

things by Hannah Makes Things

Hannah makes things with love in Manchester. She is like Tatty Devine, minus the super overpricage. I bought her purple button earrings on Sunday Upmarket over two years ago, and they are still my most favourite earrings ever. I like the look of this robot necklace. The measuring tape also comes in shape of a brooch. The lips are very Mae West by Dalí.

upcycled knickers and headband drawing by Pretty Green

I already blogged about Clare of Pretty Green. She has an amazing custom lingerie upcycling service. Tell her a bit about the person for whom the gift is, and she will make you a beautiful pair of knickers or a bra. Tested personally both for myself and as gifts for other people, and it worked brilliantly every time. She also makes knitted headbands to keep your hair in shape for winter, and you can choose colours! Stuff always comes beautifully packed and with a personal note. Clare is a UCL student, has an etsy shop, and also runs a blog.

Not technically handmade, but spot-on for sustainable credentials. Do The Green Thing launched an amazing project Glove Love, the objective of which is to re-use single gloves, matching them up into new pairs. You can order a pair online for a fiver, specifying gender and size, but what actual gloves you'll get will be a surprise. You can also donate gloves, and tell The Green Thing their story. Each glove comes with a tag with a name and where it was rescued from. This could be a gift for ANYONE, including distant family members, coworkers, or other people you don't know well enough to make a real cool personalized gift for. And it's universally useful - come winter, anyone would wear gloves. Win on all fronts, for £5.

Happy Crafting
and keep it Modo people ;)

Why my love affair with Embellishments continues - S.V.

2009-11-22T12:37:00.000-08:00

So: many people have this thing where they claim very adamantly to dislike ‘fuss’. As if there is something wrong in having a penchant to sparkly, spangly luxury. From personal experience however, I find that what people say and what people are actually attracted to are two different things! I for instance succumb fully to it, the more sparkle, the better (okay, within reason) and naturally as a self-confessed magpie my joy was great in realising embellishments were still in style this winter.

My question is why do people love sparkle? Why is there a need to jazz up otherwise ‘simple’ outfits? First of all, I think the idea of fantasy is a key player. We have grown up in a culture that is constantly alluding to the land of make believe and fairytales. The idea of princesses and faeries is one that is still prevalent in our culture, and it is these associations we make when we think of jewels, sequins, beads etc.

In short, embellishment means wealth, it means opulence and mysticism. There is something exotic about rich fabrics studded with beads and jewels and things that draw attention to the outfit and its wearer. There are connotations of luxury when we think of this, which is something that is a constant throughout history also. Whether it be a Russian Tsarina, a Tudor queen or an Indian Maharani, the portraits are all the same; these people in positions of power covered from head to toe in the most expensive and eye-catching minerals of the earth:

Designers for centuries have been fascinated by the creation of these beautiful things, from Charles Fabergé’s extraordinary eggs and the fabulous Cartier necklace commissioned for the Indian Patiala family in the 19th century to modern day detailing from all the huge names.Obviously then, there would be a natural transition of jewels on clothes....

Perhaps it is the versatility of embellishment – its ability to completely transform an outfit’s mood and style that this interest is rooted in. This can clearly be seen in this picture from Italian vogue where the mirrors and studs add a really edgy and rock-chick angle to the look. Whereas in the picture next to it, the same mirrors give off an exotic far-eastern radiance:

Perhaps it is the break away from the historical sensibilities of austere, strict and simple dressing, often associated with certain 17th and 18th century groups, or Arthur Miller’s The Crucible (we all know what happened there) - the escapism embellishment provides externalises its appeal. Whatever the reason, it is one trend that I don’t think will go anywhere, or if it does, will come back very soon. There is only so much interest that lies in clean lines!

One of the hardest things to do is to recreate the look of opulence and find cheap embellished garments. Often the high street and designers think the more shit you stick on an outfit the more you can charge for it. However it is so easy to embellish your own clothes with a bit of well-placed sequin trim or appliqué. This is a great tutorial that shows how to embellish your own tights: [Click!]

There are also a few books on it like [Fine Embellishment Techniques: Classic Details for Today’s Clothing] by Jane Conlon. One of my favourite places to go is East Ham market (left from the tube station, main entrance next to the Sainsbury's) to find bits of trim and beading. There is a great stall left of the fishmongers where everything is really reasonably priced. Alternatively any good fabric shop has a great section for ribbons and beads etc. With the right level of sparkle, any outfit can be totally transformed and the best and most rewarding thing is that you have done it yourself, and the possibilities are endless!

Keep it MODO people ;-)

Fresh for fridays: Faustus make-up fashion by J.T.

2009-11-20T16:46:00.000-08:00

This week, I did make-up for Dr. Faustus which was shown in the Bloomsbury Theatre. There are some interesting characters that I got to experiment with make-up wise. However, I'd just like to post my 2 favorite characters that I did in terms of make-up.

Bad Angel

For the bad angel, I just put really dark eyes and blended them to look as naturally evil as possible. What I love about what I was able to make-up wise was the freedom to do the spirals in any way that I wanted.

Here is another variation of the dark angel. Instead of spirals, I just put in some simpler curvy lines to make her look cold and evil.

Good Angel

I put small golden dots underneath her eyes and just brightened up her eyelids with shiny silver eyeshadow (which unfortunately cannot be seen in the picture). Instead of putting blush, I drew some lines coming in with silver, aqua, pink and yellow eyeshadow.

Hope this inspires you to be more adventurous in your make-up endeavors.

Keep it modo people!

<3>

Tights: The Underestimated Accessory by V B

2009-11-19T10:28:00.000-08:00

We're all aware that the right shoes or handbag, or a well placed necklace or scarf can completely transform an outfit, however have we considered the stylising properties of tights? These everyday clothing items can completely change the look and feel of your outfit and can be worn in so many ways.

Bright tights add distinction and dare I say it pazzazz to all sorts of outfit. This burst of colour is particulalrly welcome during these dull winter months and whilst are gorgeous clothes are covered up by winter coats we can still show off those pins!

The ever fashion forward cast of Gossip Girl demonstrate the tights under jeans look which is genius as it allows you to wear those cute little shorts even in the British winter. It also adds a more lady like element by drawing attention away from scandalously short shorts to the whole of the leg.

White tights make a brilliant alternative to black as like black they go with everything but give the outfit and innocent playful edge. They also push those vintage buttons as they are reminiscint of the white stockings of a Georgian lady (uber vintage I know!) or even Twiggy if worn with 60s chic.

Tights can also be as sexy as stockings as demonstrated by the seamed tight, so popular during ww2 when they couldn't get hold of a pair they dyed their legs with tea bags and used eyeliner to draw on the seam! Just goes to proove how essential and brilliant tights are.

Keep it modo people ;)

Sustainable Fashion - hippy/hip? by M.O.

2009-11-15T14:00:00.000-08:00

cover of October's Eco World Fashion Magazine - the DIY issue

Green is trendy and all that, but a lot of the time 'ethical', 'eco', or 'organic' bring to mind images of off-white canvas, long shapeless skirts, and other aesthetically dubious tree-hugging connotations. Similarly to feminism, the term is used vaguely, too much, and often condescendingly. It kinda makes me feel a bit sick. Sustainable fashion is serious business, but just as much glamour and style as anything else (on that note: did anyone get anything from the Jimmy Choo for H&M scramble? I always underestimate people's fierceness and motivation to queue). The fact that there's a slight moral premise to it doesn't mean that everyone wearing organic cotton will look at everyone else not wearing it like they are criminal idiots. Another parallel comes to mind - that of vegetarianism or veganism. It's true that some people think that shit like that makes them superior, and will as a consequence look down on everyone else, but it's not a movement relying on the existence of assholes in the world. Neither is sustainability, so it doesn't deserve the automatic reactionary treatment. Whether recycled, vintage, or diy, style is still style, and hence controversial, unforgiving, and a lot of work.

good

bad

It is true that some very noble initiatives are more on the funny, or cutesy, or downright pastoral side. The popular thing of making bags out of billboards is pretty cool, but no matter how fancy the designs, it will always work best on messenger-type sporty/urban pieces, channeling foreign typography and skateboarding/surfing style at best. I'm not saying it's ugly - it's just a very specific style - very low-brow&pop culture. In that context, I think it really works, but I find the transgressive attempts quite tiring. Rather than trying to outdo themselves to make loudly printed vinyl look business-like or feminine, recycled banner designers could branch out into other products, for example furniture (excellent examples by the Barcelona-based company Vaho: chairs, and even flower pots)

Stuff like Ecoist candy wrapper bags is exactly the kind of thing that in my opinion firmly ties sustainability to a bit of a crap/pop fest. The design may be durable or inventive, but it's hard to get genuinely excited about the aesthetics. It's more like something you buy if you're a teenager on a schooltrip, or as a ~funny~ gift for someone you don't know very well.

Making graduation gowns out of plastic bottles is so genius, so hilarious, so sweet and so tacky at the same time. Possibly the epitome of sustainable non-style (but for other reasons, very compelling!)

Moving onto stylish stuff: things made by TRAID (Textile Designing for Aid and International Development) are awesome. Their label TRAIDremade "design and produce gorgeous clothing for women and men using second hand textiles that would otherwise be thrown away". They really say it all themselves: "Each piece is a complete one off and sustainably remade by hand in our workshop beside the seaside in Brighton". Please admire, pictured above, one of the super limited edition of gorgeous eco bags designed exclusively for Timberland and in stock now at Timberland Regent Street and Fournier Street. TRAID Flagship shops in Brighton and Camden, more on this list.

Junky Styling is the home of "timeless, deconstructed, re-cut and completely transformed clothing." Take a moment to look through their massive galleries of proper catwalk shows, with mens- and womenswear. The label was set up by two best friends, Annika Sanders and Kerry Seage, who were club scene stars in the early 90s, and decided to transfer their talent into business "after extensive travels as skint teenagers" and "countless compliments on their clothing". They have a shop in East London, a custom order service, a walk-in wardrobe surgery and a book about it.

Fashion Conscience's slogan is "Seriously stylish, seriously ethical". "Eco fashion never looked so good": my point exactly. They have gorgeous pieces sorted into organic, vegan, sustainable, fairtrade, recycled. And everything looks brilliantly chic.

In two week's time I'll post about Christmas gift ideas; until then, keep it Modo people ;)

Cheryl Cole: Lazy Styled Barbie or Clever Style Icon? by K.R.

2009-11-15T13:00:00.001-08:00

As much as we may be divided about Cheryl Cole, invariably torn between an attitude of love, adulation and imitation, and one of indifference, jealously or abhorrence, one thing is certain: she has become a firm power in the fashion industry, backing up-and-coming designers and haute couture labels alike to the point that the dress, the earrings, or whatever it may be, flies off the shelves the next day.

But is Cheryl Cole clever in her choice of outfits?

Does she calculate these style decisions to up her profile, or indeed, that of the designer?

Or, is she simply playing a game of fashion by numbers, selecting The Dress, that is, the focal point of a runway collection?

Cheryl doesn't seem to know how to dress for her shape. The unusually similar dress styles donned by Cheryl and Dannii on finale night of the 2008 X Factor gives this away, while also drawing attention to just how much weight she had lost. While Dannii looks curvaceous, healthy and happy in her vibrant cut-away dress, Cheryl's Julien Macdonald dress seems to hang off her frame. As seen on the runway, a stronger, fuller body makes the clean-cut lines pop and really take shape. Regardless of any weight issues Cheryl may have had at this time, she is a petite girl, and therefore should bear this in mind and dress for her shape.

Meanwhile this year Cheryl chooses a dress, which nods to two trends in one outfit: that of Balmain shoulders, and the slightly less commercial look of an alien-esque, futuristic aesthetic. In this way, she proves, that she can take a risk and embrace new fashions. Nonetheless, is this dress merely an arbitrary pick from a successful runway show? After all, Cheryl is not renowned for her avant-garde style choices (for instance, like Lady Gaga, whose confidence and out-there-ness would undoubtedly lend itself well to this bold look)...

Similarly, the David Koma dress, an incredibly hard piece to actually pull off, did provide both Cheryl and Koma with some (well-deserved) press. Such a move on Cheryl's part may prove her to be on the ball when it comes to who to watch, however, this artistic dress seems to have been randomly chosen from the runway show with little consideration.

Arguably, the dress which Cheryl wore could be said to be one of the least commercially appropriate of the collection, an aspect which should be, or at least is normally considered on a show as far-reaching as X Factor. What's more, the dress with the tassels on the far right (below) with its narrow vest-like fit on the upper body would make a petite frame look fuller and enhance the broadness of shoulders, while showing off killer legs (or, indeed, thigh-high boots - another nod to one of winter's hottest trends).

In X Factor 2008, Cheryl wore a pair of earrings by Lucy Hutchings, (very hot jewellery designer, whose carefully crafted statement pieces have been making waves with stylists throughout the UK for a few seasons now - check her out at http://www.lucyhutchings.com). As such, Cheryl again proves her fashion know-how, but with finesse and sophistication, choosing a simple piece from a complicated beautiful collection, that, most importantly suits her. (Unfortunately, though, the poorly scrapped-back hair and gold hairband does nothing to support this sophistication).

These dresses by Atelier Versace are straightforward in their message of glamour and ornate prettiness, which Cheryl is indeed known for. Thus, while in endorsing such a well-known and already lucrative brand she may not be doing a 'good fashion deed' of getting a little-known designer into the limelight, but she certainly suits this aesthetic, and therefore in fact does herself a good fashion deed, by dressing for herself.

Atelier Versace 2009

Furthermore, this dress by 3.1 Phillip Lim is ideal for Cheryl's shape. The playful colours keep the aesthetic youthful, plus the shiny red belt adds a kitsch undertone.

Ultimately, though, we cannot actually take Cheryl's style choices on face value:

"Over the past 12 months Cheryl has become leader of the fashion pack thanks to a seriously clever makeover. Much of her amazing new style is down to her personal stylist, Victoria Adcock. If it wasn't for Adcock - who has also worked with Victoria Beckham and Christina Aguilera - Cheryl might still be looking a little more WAG than wonderful."

http://www.rte.ie/fashion/2009/1014/xfactorfashion.html

As such, we have to ask ourselves, to what extent do we see the real Cheryl in her clothes, indeed, to what extent do we really see any celebrity? With immense money, why not hire a stylist if you are unsure yourself? This, then, means that certainly in this case, individual style is superseded by a styled, contrived aesthetic. And with her conventionally beautiful face, luscious L'oreal locks and petite Barbie-esque frame, it could be easy to discount Cheryl Cole as anything more than a cleverly marketed brand. Perhaps this is unfair.

Whether you love her or hate her, one thing is sure. Cheryl has become a money-making machine, a constant inspiration and force within the fashion industry, and she's here to stay.

Keep it Modo people ;)

More Sustainable Fashion, by M.O.

2009-11-08T17:21:00.000-08:00

Hello,

First things first - congratulations Clare for winning some Covert Candy credits! There were two comments to the post, and random.org generated the winning numer 2:

Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:

Timestamp: 2009-11-08 15:37:19 UTC

Any occasion is good to plug Clare's fantastic blog and shop, Pretty Green (though I will blog more about the stuff she makes in a few weeks, talking about Christmas gifts).

I already wrote about charity shops, freecycle, and other ways of swapping or buying second hand clothes in the last post. One place I forgot to mention is Bang Bang Exchange: two way cool shops that buy and sell "secondhand vintage, designer and high street clothing that is in good condition and seasonally appropriate". They say they are "choosy and prefer the quirky over the conservative or basic", which I'll confirm - that's a place where your old clothes may get rejected (some of mine did). If you bring some real good stuff, they offer you cash (30% of selling price), or exchange (50% of selling price), but either way what you get in return is an amazing, and let me stress this - AMAZING stock of second hand, ranging from very affordable high street/miscellaneous items all the way to strange and great and wonderful designer or ancient pieces. It's well worth a-visit-and-a-browse every so often. One branch is right by UCL at Goodge Street, the other in Soho.

Sustainable Fashion Part 2 - Street Markets
Brilliant places for finding second hand gold. You just gotta know where you're going and get there early. Avoid the stands that look too clean and organized: don't be afraid to plow through the piles and piles of stuff often lying right on the ground. Talk to the sellers, they're usually interesting people. You can try your luck in bargaining. Exciting, right? All you need is a little patience, and a little luck.

In London, there are some obvious street market destinations, but actual second hand stuff is either hard to find in places like Brick Lane or Portobello (if only because of active customer crowds), or it's way expensive (and only sometimes worth the exorbitant price). In any place, well-known or underground, my advice is to divert from the main street(s) and look around. There's always some activity, clandestine or not, on the outskirts.

My absolute six-star favourite in London is Deptford Market. The Wikipedia page doesn't even say it sells clothes. The market is filled with people's real actual junk, so it may not be everyone's cup of tea, but to the persistent and the determined - I implore you to go. It's far as hell and it doesn't make much sense to go after 1pm, but it's well worth an early morning on a weekend. Take a fast train from London Bridge and explore - I can't remember the exact location of the best part, but it's not big, so just look carefully. It's great for all manners of things, not just clothes: I bought my (fully functional and unused) Polaroid camera there for £5, a big bunch of records including Beach Boys and Simon and Garfunkel for £10, and some very over the top ridiculous earrings there. Just don't be discouraged by the lack of order and glamour, search through the piles, and you should be rewarded.

Talking to the sellers is also a great thing to do. It's one thing if they're just nice people, but another if they can also recommend you stuff (of their own or someone else's), tell you stories about the things they sell, maybe when they're getting more items, maybe even where they get them from. Obviously not every seller will be keen to do that, but usually if you're nice and inquisitive, they will be nice and informative in return. With bargaining: I always give it a try, but at the same time try and be as polite as possible. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. In some places figures go down closer to closing time. It's crucial to assess whether a particular item is really worth its price - try to weigh it against the period it's from and the condition it's in. If it's dirty, I'd say it doesn't matter that much - you'll wash it anyway, but if it has holes that will be trouble and not trashbin chic, either try to pay less for it or leave it. The fantastic thing about street markets is that they are fluid - nothing stays the same, so every time you come back, there'll be different stuff around. So if something catches your eye but you're not sure - leave it. You might find ten things with a better proportion of cool and cheap round the corner, or next time.

Price of course is completely relative, as 50 quid might be a bargain for an original piece from a couple of decades ago. Though personally, I like to challenge myself to find cheaper rather than more expensive things. It's not difficult to pay a lot of money for cool shit. It's a real hunt to go after hidden gems that cost you next to nothing. The pride! The raised eyebrows! The spent-yet-saved cash! That's why I dig the junk and pile appeal more than the tidy racks.

If the weather sucks or getting up early is too much process, the closest there is to a wonderful and exciting street market online is Etsy. In short, Etsy is AWESOME. That's not a very journalistic expression, but in all honesty, it's true. It hosts zillions and zillions of shops selling handmade goods, vintage items at least 20 years old, and supplies. What more can you want? And like on a street market, it all comes from real people, and in most cases it also goes by an important sustainable principle: it's been handmade by them, too. You could argue that's hardly second hand, but loads and loads of Etsy sellers upcycle (or reuse) stuff. Like on any market, there's a lot of shit to look through, but it's a nice place to spend your time. There is not enough space in one blogpost to praise it; I will definitely blog more about the handmade aspect of it soon. Meanwhile check out what Etsy say about themselves in a video.

Diverting slightly from the topic of markets: there's a more radical way of finding clothes: exactly that - finding them. This obviously involves a lot of luck, but miracles do happen. Clothes often lie around near trashbins or straight in the street. Most will probably not be that great, but take my word that impossibly, unbelievably good stuff can also be simply found. One person's trash is another's treasure, and some people prefer to chuck out their shit rather than take it to the recycling centre, which creates these magical instances when you can just find clothes for free. Have a look at FoundClothing, a website documenting these fantastic occurrences (sadly based across the ocean, but useful if you ever go on holidays to Chicago and want to know which intersections to take into account when planning itineraries for walks). From my very limited experience, the rich and poor of Paris often use the street for their unwanted stuff, and you really get the full spectrum. Earlier this autumn I rescued a handsome cropped sweater from a pile near Belleville station that was clearly very, very dirty, and possibly had also been pissed on (that's a disgusting reality of street finds, that's why they should go into separate plastic bags and then straight into the washing machine), and two days later, late at night in Montmartre, my friend and I found a neat, freshly washed and pressed stack of Diesel jeans, topped with a black 100% cashmere sweater dress. A cashmere sweater dress! I'm not trying to inspire jealousy, rather faith - this shit is real and possible. It's just not easy, and can be unrewarding despite efforts. Luck, knowledge, and community information exchange should be starting points. If you thought this was interesting, read more about freeganism or dumpster diving.

Lastly, and not much in connection to any of the above, I found a super interesting and awesome project: The Uniform Project. It's Sheena Matheiken pledging to wear one dress every day for a year, and still making the outfit exciting with accessories and things. She calls it "an exercise in sustainable fashion", and likens the variations of the same outfit base to wearing a school uniform and still striving to express some individuality. I think it can be very inspirational in more than one way to look at the impressive archives of outfits she's already worn. You can also donate accessories for her to wear, or donate money: The Uniform Project is also "a year-long fundraiser for the Akanksha Foundation, a grassroots movement that is revolutionizing education in India". I'm thinking impressive, creative, charitable, sustainable.

I've no prizes this time, but post your favourite street markets or directions to clothes piles in the comments! And invariably, keep it Modo people ;)

[I took most photos at my local Mercat Del Encants. The rest are from The Uniform Project, or Google Images. The found clothing image is from Perfectly Good via FoundClothing.]

Give Earmuffs a Chance by V.B.

2009-11-05T12:51:00.000-08:00

I am definately a winter girl. I love wrapping up warm in scarf and gloves to brave the cold then coming home to a pure liquid cosy thick knit. However there is one winter item I have never sported and that's the earmuff. Whether its the image of little girls in bright pink fluffy ones or novelty burger versions the earmuff has never been the first point of call when the temperature drops. Now its November and it is definately getting cold (lets take a moment to say goodbye to those autumn blazers) I propose we think again about the earmuff as a quirky solution to that British winter problem; painfully cold ears.

Let's consider the alternatives. When I was on my gap year in Canada the ear protection of choice was not far off a sweat band that wrapped round your head like a wollen Alice band, never a good look. Then there's the oversized wolly hat pulled down over your ears which alas can only truly be carried off by trainspotters and patio gnomes. Now the dearstalker is ear covering head wear I would advocate anyday, its a classic look but hard to find south of Baker Street, so it seems the earmuff really is the solution. At New Look you can find these heart shaped ones which do edge on the cute side, however with their twist on the usual round version they're just kitsch enough to be cool.

If you want to get away from the fluffy Debenhams do these great Alpine versions.

So the next time the wind is blowing and it is bitterly cold outside you'll see me snug and warm rocking some earmuffs, and whilst I may get a few odd looks I know they'll be jealous as my ears will be warm and more importantly will look fabulous.
Keep it Modo people ;)

Back To School by K.R.

2009-11-02T10:48:00.000-08:00

This autumn I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about my style. The Elle

Talent Competition question “What is Style to You?” left me reeling. After much deliberation (though, unfortunately, no entry into the competition – what’s a girl to do what with so much final year degree work?) I decided that I definitely could not pin my style down to one distinct category and worried that my attempt to put the idea of a fluid style into words would come out like the kind of badly-articulated, badly-styled nonsense Amber from Clueless might come up with.

Nonetheless, it’s not just me. For some people age, mood and trends can have a lot more to do with what they wear than any consistent contrived style per se. I reckon (for the time being anyway) I’m one of those people.

As such, this autumn I’m taking inspiration from some of the best-dressed school kids I’ve seen on the box recently. Ironic perhaps, that this being my last year of education, I choose now to experiment with (and cling onto?) a uniform aesthetic, but it certainly doesn’t hurt that kilts look great against a backdrop of crisp golden leaves.

Style icons for this look include Twin Peaks' raunchy Audrey Horne, whose style straddles the line between audacious schoolgirl and astute businesswoman, and Donna Hayward, whose edgy button-up shirts, slouchy jumpers and suede tassel jackets give schoolgirl a rock 'n' roll undertone. Meanwhile the plaid skirt suits as seen on Cher and Dionne in Clueless epitomise a quirky take on school uniform, and the cast of Dawson’s Creek give the look a 90's minimalistic cool.

How I yearn for high-school lockers. UCL should really get in on the act.

Dungarees on Andie and just rolled out of bed and into lectures hair on Jen - oh yes.

Layering jumpers or 'sweater-vests' over crisp shirts look chic. If you're brave attempt a more 70's-esque shirt style - bold collar and cuff shapes say 'I mean business' Give me that First!'.

Albeit they don’t always nail their look (- Dawson’s Creek is filled with 90’s errors of judgement) but they certainly have some spiffing jumpers. The pairing of slouchy 80's jumpers and kilts in David Lynch's Twin Peaks is a genius coupling of effortless comfort and rockabilly style.

What's more, the current popularity of blazers and brogues can only help you nail this look.

Keep it Modo people ;)

Sustainable Fashion, by M.O.

2009-11-01T22:47:00.000-08:00

After Wikipedia: According to the May 2007 Vogue, [sustainable fashion] appears not to be a short-term trend but one could last multiple seasons! That's good news, because I'd risk a statement that it's a bit more important than the pendulum of shoulder shapes, dress lengths and the-new-blacks. It would be nice to conceive that one day the fashion industry would not contribute extensively to the world's carbon emissions and would promote ethical and responsible lifestyles, on levels of production and consumption alike.. Meanwhile, who doesn't love shopping? Faced with the exciting prospect of new clothes all arguments about growing landfills, child labour, fair trade, sweat shops, pesticides, water waste, carbon footprint, etc kinda move slightly to the side, right?

The challenge to blog about sustainable fashion will hopefully not be restricted to praising vintage clothing. It's been said a gazillion times that wearing vintage means uniqueness, character, and all those things that fade away as soon as enough magazines write about it. Vintage will always hold some validity as a trend, because recycling silhouettes or cuts is what fashion relies on, but it's good to conceive of sustainability as more than just a way of impressing the people you bump into in the library. In response to the 10:10 project to reduce carbon emissions by 10% in 2010, The Guardian proposes the following under the 'clothes' section:

Annual savings in tonnes of CO₂
Buy 50% secondhand clothes 0.3
Reduce purchases by a more than a quarter compared to last year (eg buy four new T-shirts not the UK average of seven) 0.2
Buy only manmade fibres 0.2
Focus on new fabrics made from bamboo, hemp or other cotton substitutes 0.1

(full article: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/sep/01/how-to-reduce-emissions-10-10)

I'd say that's a very tall order for anyone remotely interested in style! I myself am definitely very guilty of excessive wardrobe contents and a constant influx of novelty finds, yet still on many occasions I gape wordlessly at the heaps of clothing, thinking 'I have ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to wear..'. So what do you do? Can you be stylish and sustainable? It's not like I have the answer, or that there is one at all, but I'll do my clumsy best to research the options.

Part 1 - Swapping
Exchange old for new! This requires two steps - identifying the old, locating the new. So first, have a critical look at your wardrobe(s) and determine which things you never wear, grew out of, got tired of, or never liked in the first place. These can them magically turn into new and exciting shit. Here are some ideas, in the order of ascending magic-ness.

offer your clothes to the local charity shop or recycling centre, and choose something from what they offer in return. In case of the charity shop, this might involve money, so it's not orthodox swapping.

offer your clothes online: both craigslist and gumtree have 'free' sections, and gumtree even a proper swap shop. Though by far the best free goods exchange is the fantastic network of freecycle. There is a group for just about every London neighbourhood, and people are super nice and generous. Speaking from experience - it's definitely well worth giving a try.

organize a clothes exchange with your friends. invite yourselves to someone's house for brunch/dinner/tea and bring all your unwanted clothes for an afternoon/evening of mass trying-on bliss. Extend the invite to all these people whose clothes you'd want to lay your hands on!

MODO Boot Sale - do I have to say more? Two more this term: 17th November and 8th December, South Cloisters

Go to Swap-a-rama. It's a clubnight where you're supposed to swap an article of clothing with the person next to you every time a klaxon sounds. Genius, unpredictable, amazing, true.

Create an account on Covert Candy, a new service where you can give away your clothes in exchange for credits, which you can then use to buy clothes from other users. Or buy nice and cheap vintage clothes in their vintage shop. Covert Candy is only starting out, so it would be super cool if many people joined in on the idea - then there would be more clothes to choose from! It seems to me like a very good call, as selling your used clothing for money kinda gives me the creeps, and giving it away for absolute free is not everyone's cup of tea. Here you get some sort of promise that in exchange for what you pass on to someone else, you'll be able to choose something for yourself. And it's all the rewarding, cheap, and magical stuff of sustainable fashion.

Yeah, did I mention sustainable fashion can be CHEAP? Insert a comment about the recession and studentness here.

Lastly, this post includes a treat! I have £25 worth of Covert Candy credits to give away! A nice start up gift that may encourage people to use the service. I received it myself and happily spent it on two t-shirts, a top, and a pair of shoes. Gods willing I'll start uploading my own stuff soon (please feel free to add me as a friend if you get an account). All you have to do is comment on this post, and leave some sort of contact info, so if you are picked (random.org will be involved) I know how to contact you. All comments posted up until midnight on Saturday, November 7th will count. Winner announced in the next week's post. So have a look at Covert Candy and comment away! Free shit is good shit!

All images courtesy of Google Images.

And yeah, keep it Modo people ;)

Fresh for Fridays: Faking your Fringe by J.T.

2009-10-31T12:49:00.000-07:00

A fringe always makes a bold statement and adds structure to your hairstyle. However, we all know that there are disadvantages to having them permanently. They take forever to grow out and the growing out process is just painful. Especially when you hate dealing with bobby pins and hairspray everyday.

If you have chin length hair, or even shoulder length hair, here's an easy way to 'fake' your fringe for the night to jazz up your look. It's also a creative way of concealing your forehead temporarily for whatever reason.

Step 1: Figure out where your hair parts.

Step 2: Part it two inches to the left or right depending on where you want your fringe to start from.

Step 3: Sweep it to the other side while twisting it so that you can easily tuck it into the ear.

Step 4: Tuck it into the ear if it's long enough or just secure with some bobby pins and tuck it under a bunch of hair.

In 4 easy steps, you can subtly alter your hairstyle and conceal any imperfections on the forehead. Feel free to comment!

Keep it MODO, people!

<3>