And now, the winners...
Electric Ave spotted a Ripped Tights trend on Polyvore. Who knew those annoying little runs in your tights would suddenly be fashionable? Put the clear nailpolish away because these days the bigger the rip, the better! Ripped tights have been popular with celebs like Ashley Olsen, Miley Cyrus, Lindsey Lohan and Mischa Barton and have even been spotted on the runways. Whether you're a good girl gone bad or just looking to give your ensemble some added character, ripped tights will carry your wardrobe through the fall.
I've been watching the Showtime series The Tudors on Netflix and am surprised by how easily the distinct clothing can be reinterpreted and still worn today. (Yes, I'm aware the show's costumes are not entirely accurate (neither is the history), but I'm not focusing on specks and details either.) For example, sleeves that looked like cages were quite fashionable. Cages are certainly popular today, though mainly in the form of shoes. Cutouts and slashes were another popular trend in the 1500s, and people would use them as a means to display their fine undergarments. (My roommate studies costume history and informed me that Italy had laws about the amount of fabric that was allowed to be used in the sleeves, but they didn't have rules about undergarments, thus, the slashing of the sleeves and the puffing out of the underwear.) Cutout clothing is one of the biggest trends right now, and you could think of it in these older terms rather than as a means to show as much skin as possible. Many a quilted jerkin bore studs because men throughout history have wanted to get their rockstar on. The final touch was massive jewelry, preferably pinned at the shoulders.'
The annual Comic-Con International convention took place in San Diego last week (July 23-26) and we've since noticed fashion sets bubbling up that have been inspired by the stars that attended! Originally showcasing comic books and related popular arts, the convention has expanded over the years to include a larger range of pop culture elements. Stars from upcoming films like New Moon, Tron Legacy, Iron Man 2 and Avatar movies were among those on the scene -- even our very own Jess was there! Check out these Comic-Con celebrity-inspired sets:
ambar.rivera spotted a Rosary Necklace trend on Polyvore. She's even been wearing a rosary necklace herself, as shown on her personal blog Ambar's Thoughts. While there may be some debate as to whether this trend is fashionable or functional (for the faithful), there's no doubt that it's back on the rise. Back in the 80s it was inspired by Madonna, but now both male and female celebrities alike have been spotted with their rosary necklaces, including Rihanna and Mischa Barton.
There's no doubt Exposed Zippers are a trend on Polyvore. From dresses to handbags and even on shoes, it's easy to get zipped up. Spotted by EtchaSketchinLola, Allie Baby and cloho deux, this trend exudes edge! Stylist Rachel Zoe loves dressing her clients in chic pieces with exposed zippers. "Well," says Zoe, "it alludes to a lot, a zipper." Jessica Alba was seen in a Lanvin dress with an exposed zipper and Sophia Bush was photographed in a Ports 1961 number (below).
Psst...there's a private sale going on at Tory Burch and you're invited! From now until July 28, you can save up to 70% off some of the hottest Tory Burch styles. You've been styling some amazing outfits for the Summer in Venice with Tory Burch contest, and now you can purchase many of those items at hugely discounted prices. We picked out some of our favorites that are currently on sale:
BigTrender spotted a Brogue Shoe trend on Polyvore. Menswear-inspired clothing is going strong this summer and will continue as we head into the fall. Brogue shoes, traditionally for men, are characterized by their top cap pattern and are low-heeled shoes made of leather. Available in virtually every color, you can pair them up with a summer dress or skinny jeans for a very feminine look. Sienna Miller was recently spotted wearing a pair of brogue shoes by Rupert Sanderson.
Image courtesy of RupertSanderson.co.uk
Looks like Beatlemania is sweeping the scene! With a little help from her friends, LADY BEATLES noticed a huge Beatles-inspired trend. From fashion to art, love for The Beatles on Polyvore is undeniable. And just last week, Paul McCartney returned to the Ed Sullivan Theater in New York City to perform 45 years after he and The Beatles first performed there!
As you can see a blouse can makeover your entire look. We even kept the same accessories for each office environment. Keep this in mind when you are shopping. Many offices have different dress codes on different days of the week. If you plan your outfits you can multi-purpose your accessories for each style. Have fun shopping!
Allie Baby spotted a Fingerless Glove trend on Polyvore. This 22-year old fashion design student from Los Angeles knows that rain or shine, gloves can be an integral part of your outfit. You'll have to keep up with your manicures though, because these bad boys are more fashionable than functional. Kim Kardashian fancies a pair of Chanel fingerless gloves (below) and Lady Gaga wears them to embellish her uber-glam rock fashion sense.
We've noticed that many sets on Polyvore are inspired by pop culture -- books, movies, music, TV, you name it! So we're starting a new series on the blog called Pop Culture Watch that's dedicated to highlighting the best pop culture inspired sets. If you come across any interesting pop culture trends on Polyvore, just put them in a collection and email them to popculture@polyvore.com. We'll feature the best ones on the blog.
summeryday spotted a Fringe Necklace trend on Polyvore. She says, "I love how this accessory creates a 'western meets rocker chic' effect. Perfect for the simple tee or a summer dress." Rihanna and Sarah Jessica Parker also dress the fringe necklace up by choosing beaded and metallic pieces.
à la mode spotted an Origami Detail trend on Polyvore. Crisp origami folds have found their way onto clothing and into designer collections like Oscar de la Renta and Vivienne Westwood. Amber Valetta and Marion Cotillard have also been spotted showing off the nips and tucks of this paper art.
Are you an aspiring stylist? Here's your chance to prove that you have what it takes!
Celebrity stylist Christine Matsunaga of tristinstyling.com and social media guru Laura Roeder of LauraRoeder.com are asking the Polyvore community, "How would you dress Brea Grant for the Red Carpet?"
Brea Grant, who plays speedster Daphne on NBC's hit show "Heroes", is going to be attending a whirlwind of premiere parties and red carpet events for her upcoming film Halloween 2, which hits theatres on August 28.
If you want to test your celebrity styling skills, then enter your best red carpet look into Dress Brea Grant for the Red Carpet contest. Christine will pick her favorite set and use it as inspiration for one of Brea's outfits at an upcoming Halloween 2 red carpet event.
Make sure to incorporate at least 1 piece of jewelry or clothing from one of Brea's favorite indie designers -- Jody McGill, Nina Nguyen, Mimi Kim, or The Serpico Collection.
For full details, check out the contest page.
MyChanel spotted a Denim Shirt trend on Polyvore. She says, "The denim trend is definitely channeling the late 80s. From the destroyed denim to the denim shirt. I had a shirt exactly like the Current/Elliott one, wore it to death with my ripped jeans and wayfarers. I never thought I would see the style back, if I knew I would have kept it. Now you can see it with sexy leather look leggings to boyfriend trousers. "
Being beach chic is all about embracing the sunshine. So it's timely that Harpweaver has spotted a Wide Brim Hat trend on Polyvore. She adds, "They're a personal favorite of mine, so I'm thrilled to see them used so often."
♥laina♥ has spotted a Butterfly trend on Polyvore. But even more specifically, she's noticed the trend is being styled with D&G's Pre-Fall 2009 Butterfly collection.
You can easily create sophisticated and professional looks with fun printed dresses by simply adding the right jacket. We know boyfriend jackets popped back up in the market, but keep those to wear with your denim. The cut is key over a dress. You can see that all our examples utilize shorter styles and can be worn open so that you don’t loose the details of the dress. Have fun shopping and recreating your own Workchic looks.
fashunfwd has spotted a trend of Harem Pants paired with Heels on Polyvore. She says, "Harem pants have been around for the last few of seasons, but they've generally been worn with flats and gladiator-style sandals. How about trying harem pants with heels? Celebs like Ciara, Rihanna, and the Olsen twins have been seen rocking out harem pants with high heels, transforming looks from casual to fabulous!"
Image courtesy of Trendcocktail.com
I use it as a creative outlet, as well as a substitute for fashion magazines. I was always mainly interested in the “outfits for less” or “how to create 5 looks with 5 items” sections in magazines where they put outfits together, much like what I do on Polyvore. That’s why I mostly limit myself to outfits only, because that’s my thing.
I mostly search or find one piece I really like. In my latest set that was the Rag & Bone Smith Silk Tee, I love its color. I don’t really do themes (unless it’s for a contest/competition), but even then a theme is often given to me. I usually go to my favorite stores I like to clip from, or simply search on Polyvore what I’m looking for. I also love lingerie, that’s really something I made my own. There are sets that have been created around lingerie.
What are your favorite online stores and brands you like to clip products from?
I love generalpants.com.au which is more street wear style. I also like to clip from Browns Fashion, La Garçonne and Pret A Portobello. My latest addiction is Balmain jeans/pants and I love lingerie from journelle.com.
What are your 3 favorite sets of the ones you've made?
It’s not my normal style for a set, so I was really surprised that I made it work. That’s why I like this one a lot.
I like the layout a lot and this shows what I was talking about before: simple outfit, statement bag and shoes. I love the pop of color in this set.
It’s so difficult to choose three…I don’t really have particular favorites. However, I’m very proud of my “fabulous duo.” So the third set I chose is:
Got any feature requests for the Polyvore team?
I still want a color search option in “my items,” to be honest. A rotating tool would be cool also, especially since I can no longer clip items I rotated on my laptop and uploaded to Photobucket. But that’s really just stuff I can also live without.
dontcopymystyle spotted a Studded Gladiator Sandal trend on Polyvore. She says, "These wild-looking sandals are now a part of our daily style. You can pair them with denim pants and leather jacket to get a hard look, or you can wear them with a floral top, it doesn't matter. Studded gladiators take the previous summer's gladiator sandals trend one step further and create fresh look for us."
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