Clothes

With its power bouffants, sweetie-wrapper party dresses and alarming shoulder pads, some call the 1980s the time that fashion forgot. But in the fourth season of The Crown, which starts on TV tomorrow night, the era’s extraordinary clothing plays a pivotal role in bringing the decade’s stories back to vivid life. Some looks were faithfully recreated, while others were more loosely inspired by the actual wardrobes of the royal family, as the show’s costume designer, Amy Roberts, explains below. Diana , Princess of Wales, Wentworth hotel ball, Australian tour Prince Charles and Diana’s 1983 Australian tour took on existential significance for the royal family, coming at a time of burgeoning republican sentiment. Diana was strategically deployed in the charm offensive, photographed as a doting mother, with baby William on her hip, wearing a seemingly never-ending supply of photogenic outfits. This Bruce Oldfield gown, in a shade of blue recalling Walt Disney’s 1950 Cinderella, represen...

Silky, shin-length tunics in pale green, velvet mini-dresses as soft as a baby’s bottom, wonderfully impractical heels festooned with bows, and heavily embellished skirts. Party dressing is all about extravagance, sexiness and wearing something mood-lifting - but it is also a self-contained sector, with the clothes we buy for Christmas drinks or New Year’s Eve dinner rarely used outside of the festive season. With glamorous eveningwear brands like Rixo and Worme pivoting to selling glossy pyjamas and silk face masks, retailers are doing everything they can to diversify, but what happens to all the unsold pieces now the closest we will get to an actual party is watching other people throw one on television? Back in the spring and summer when brands were designing and commissioning winter collections, there were suggestions that the pandemic might be over by Christmas. Yes, that seems naive in retrospect, but it also means that while stores may well have fewer party-ce...

Speaking via Zoom from his London apartment, Self-Portrait’s Han Chong said he’d just closed his Mayfair shop for the second time in light of the city’s new lockdown. A few thousand miles away, it’s another story entirely: Chong is in the process of opening not one, but four new stores in China. Asia remains one of his biggest markets, and his customers in China, Japan, Taiwan, and other countries that have eradicated COVID-19 are eager to buy his party dresses and going-out jumpsuits again. They’re items Westerners have little use for these days; with resort 2021, which is available now, Chong had the unique challenge of trying to cater to women on opposite sides of the planet living completely different experiences. For those with IRL events to attend this holiday season, Chong wanted to create a sense of lightness, figuratively (it’s been a heavy year) and literally. Rose lace dresses came without linings, and sheer mesh tops and minis looked almost weightless. Several featured e...

"Due to the unprecedented effects that COVID-19 has had on our economy, as well as some unsustainable bricks and mortar rental obligations, I have had to make a necessary decision to edit down my business, with the objective of building a more sustainable business model for the future," she said. McCall thanked her staff and customers for their support. "There is nothing that fuels me more than a customer sharing their experience of a meaningful memory that they have lived whilst wearing an 'Alice' garment. This truly is what motivates me to do what I do." SVPartners' Ian Purchas said McCall had acted as a "responsible director with a view to continuing the business, albeit restructured to allow its stronger sales channels to continue". "Unfortunately that will require the closure of a number of its stores, and the redundancy of some employees," he said. McCall launched the brand at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia in 200...

Protestors last night used fashion and glamour to their advantage on marches across New York, Philadelphia and Washington as election drama wore on for yet another day. Tensions simmered in many of the states yet to be called, which included Arizona, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Georgia, as well in major cities along the East Coast. In addition to calling for the votes to be properly counted, the demonstrators highlighted racial inequality, the subject of a flood of protests throughout the United States this year.  But despite plunging temperatures across swathes of the country, this was not a night for dark coats and thick jumpers - instead pro-Biden supporters and members of the LGBT community came out in force wearing rainbow-coloured wigs, short hemlines, capes, glitter tights and attention-grabbing prints - oh, and matching masks. Protestors in New York clash with police Credit : AP Within an hour of Donald Trump’s controversial speech being broadca...

YouTuber Tana Mongeau and singer Noah Cyrus dressed up as two OG pop culture namesakes over Halloweekend. They shone in scoop neck party dresses inspired by none other than Paris Hilton and Kim Kardashian West . Not only did they take some glam photos from Instagram, but also caught the attention of both socialite-turned-mogul besties. Kim's Halloween Reaction Cyrus sported gold and Mongeau wore an identical outfit in silver; chokers, fake paparazzi poses, and all. Hilton commented her signature phrase on Cyrus' post, "That’s Hot 😍👸🏼👸🏻🔥🔥🔥"." She's one of the best public figures at responding to positive feedback on the Internet, and Kardashian West followed suit. The KKW owner said, " 🔥🔥🔥 You guys killed this!!!! 🔥🔥🔥" Any trolls ready to flood in and ruin the vibe were quickly silenced. advertising Related: Noah Cyrus Leaves Fans Confused By Who 'Her Boyfriend' Is In Recent IG Post Mongeau was dressed by Los Angeles-ba...

MC Championship 12 is just around the corner. A total of 10 teams composed of content creators, streamers, and a select few viewers are set to compete in various Minecraft mini-game competitions on Nov. 14 in front of hundreds of thousands of viewers.  After a spooky October event, Noxcrew has reverted the event back to normal after the Fuchsia Frankensteins under Dream and GeorgeNotFound took home the title.  While there won’t be any seasonal themes for the November tournament, the MC Championship crew is celebrating a year of running the series. Noxcrew is asking fans to wear their favorite party dresses and come out to celebrate a year of chaotic mini-game madness.  👑 Announcing MCC 12: Birthday Edition 👑 Grab your favourite party dress – we're celebrating a year of mini-game chaos on November 14th 🥳 pic.twitter.com/ITP68m7f0H — MC Championship (@MCChampionship_) October 29, 2020 MCC 12 will kick off at 2pm CT on Nov. 14. Here are all of the teams compe...

Since its founding in 2001, Ashish Gupta's namesake label has become synonymous with dazzling, brightly colored sequins — which in many ways provide a sort of respite from the doom and gloom of world news. So when the unprecedented events of this year started to unfold, Gupta's optimistic designs took on an entirely new meaning. His recently unveiled Spring 2021 collection is a direct reflection of the uncertainty that loomed over 2020. For the first time since Ashish launched, Gupta was unable to be in India with his team of embroiderers and artisans due to travel restrictions caused by the pandemic. As a result, he was forced to work with them digitally from his West London home. With his traditional hands-on design methods no longer an option, Gupta channeled a slightly more erratic approach to Spring 2021 due to the global circumstances that were constantly changing in each day. This meant the team had to work in phases which led to groups of different themes clashing ...

If you're looking for a President Donald Trump mask for Halloween there's a variety at Spirit, the Halloween store in Jackson Township. There's one with a Pinocchio-style nose, a baby Trump and a few others. "The ones with real textured hair sold out first," assistant manager Shyla Wiggins said.,  As for Trump's campaign rival, there's just one style of Joe Biden mask at Spirit, a caricature with a prominent overbite. In the Halloween-costume department at Party Place, also in Jackson, there were masks of Trump, Barack Obama, Bernie Sanders and Mitt Romney -- possibly carryovers from the 2016 election -- but no Biden at all. Party Place has a Trump-style wig called Mr. Billionaire. While COVID-19 certainly will cause Halloween festivities to be scaled-down this year, Wiggins said, costume sales have been solid. "People are tired of being holed up at home and not doing anything," Wiggins said. Spirit was so busy last weekend, she said, that ...

Despite being just two-years-old, New York-based brand Retrofête has become the first word in party dressing, thanks to its omnipresent Gabrielle sequin wrap dress. The brand revealed its Spring Summer 2021 collection via a video presentation this week—their first time presenting a collection formally—and it seems that the co-founders have a lot more up their sleeves than just dancefloor-ready sparkles. Ohad Seroya, co-founder and creative director, said he was thinking a lot about the freedom of being at a music festival, dancing from dusk to dawn. In a bid to translate that energy, he leaned into pieces that embodied euphoria, self-expression, a positive attitude, and a healthy dose of hedonism. It makes sense that a butterfly motif (it being a symbol of freedom) is seen throughout the offering, in a smashing gown with a swirling pink design. There’s also ’90s-style tops, trippy kaleidoscopic hues, graffiti prints, mystical crystal elements, and experimental bleach-dyed denim. Sero...

Pregnancy looks good on Brittany Cartwright. The Vanderpump Rules  beauty is expecting her first child with husband Jax Taylor and she's already proving to be well-versed in the art of maternity style.  Brittany has brought her signature flirty, traditional style with a Southern twist to her mama-to-be wardrobe and we are loving each and every ensemble along the way. From sweet, dainty florals to polka dotted party dresses, Brittany's arsenal of playful looks are must-have pre- and postpartum.  But on October 14, Brittany shared an update on her adorable baby bump while wearing a chic, sleek closet essential that is a fabulous addition to her maternity capsule wardrobe: the little black dress. In her Instagram Story, Brittany posed as she cradled her baby bump in a form-fitted, black, sleeveless midi jersey dress with a draped neckline. The simple but classic dress hit just below the knee for an overall elegant feel while still being comfortable enough t...

Its virtual RevolveU conference is the latest example of the company's marketing pivot, due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. Revolve's influencer-filled, made-for-Instagram events, which span from tropical vacations to full-blown music festivals, are not only central to its business — it's one of the things the retailer, known for glitzy party dresses, colorful swimwear and other #OOTD-friendly wares, has become synonymous with.  The company had big plans for 2020, before the Covid-19 pandemic led to global lockdowns and stay-at-home orders. "We actually felt like this year, of all the years, was the most organized we've ever been," Raissa Gerona, Revolve's Chief Brand Officer, says, on a Zoom call in September, thinking back to the beginning of the year. On the docket was Revolve Festival during Coachella, a Revolve Around the World trip to Cannes for the French Grand Prix in June, Revolve Summer in July, the inaugural Revolve U in September and Revol...

The latest lifestyle, fashion and travel trends It’s a bold time to launch a collection of disco-destined dresses and serious suiting, but then Balmain’s super talented 35-year-old creative director Olivier Rousteing is nothing if not daring. Inspired by Pierre Balmain’s earliest postwar designs, Rousteing’s SS21 collection celebrated the house’s 75th anniversary with a feisty, optimistic collection of fierce suiting, vivid fluorescent tones and crystalline dresses unveiled in a mega show at the Jardin des Plantes in Paris last night. Two million Swarovski crystals had been hand sewn onto stellar, slinky party dresses that models wore barefoot, suggesting a sparkle-at-home ease. The founder’s original PB pattern-first introduced 50 years ago-was updated as a strong black and white graphic print, splashed across six mid-century tailoring designs Rousteing had pulled from the brand archives. Balmain SS21 (Giovanni Giannoni/BFA.COM) A new suiting silhouette - worn by Roustein...

Online fashion market place ASOS is set to offer super savings off the majority of fashion items this Black Friday. The annual mega sale at ASOS usually features discounts on womenswear, menswear and everything in-between - we’re talking beauty too. All deals will be available to browse and shop on the official ASOS Black Friday page. This year the Black Friday sale will officially take place on 27 November, 2020, followed by Cyber Monday on 30 November - so mark the date in your calendar. For those of us who are starting our Christmas shopping early, the ASOS Black Friday sale will be a great place to start because there really is something for everyone. A jumper for your dad? Jewellery for your mum? Cool gadgets and gifts for your siblings? Or maybe just a new pair of shoes for yourself? What to expect from the ASOS Black Friday 2020 sale? Often labelled as the ‘biggest sale deals ever’, the ASOS Black Friday sale is one shoppers won’t want to miss out on - especially to avoid...

© Reuters. By Geoffrey Smith  Investing.com -- Boohoo .com (LON:) is investable again. The U.K. fashion chain’s stock rose 8.8% on Friday after an independent review of its supply chain practices by leading lawyer Alison Levitt concluded that it hadn’t committed any criminal offenses in turning a blind eye to low pay and unhygienic and exploitative conditions at its suppliers’ factories in Leicester in England’s East Midlands. As a result, the company looks likely to avoid expensive remedial action or the resignation of key management figures, the threat of which has weighed on the stock since the summer, when the Sunday Times revealed how Boohoo’s suppliers treat their workforce, which consists largely of immigrants from the Indian sub-continent. Ms Levitt’s review, published on the company’s website, has some strong criticisms of how management ignored the plight of those who stitch together its five pound party dresses, but it also found that the company had already ...