Netflixing Fashionably

Enter Carine Roitfield. A name many in the fashion industry are familiar with. If it doesn’t ring a bell, checking out “Mademoiselle C” on Netflix might be a great way to spend your evening or take a break from binge watching. The documentary follows Carine through all her struggles and wonderful moments as she sets out to launch her magazine titled CR. 

However she is not a newcomer to the fashion world,  her early careers include; working for Vogue Paris for 10 year and being Mario Testino’s stylist as well as Tom Ford’s muse. Carine has many wise words and lessons for the future aspiring business owners, fashion editors, and simply people with big dreams who are driven and are not afraid to pursue their aspirations. A perfect sentence to describe her is as “A great performer, [who] will always need a stage to perform” said by Stephen Gan, president of fashion media group. This is one of the ultimate reasons why she left Vogue, she wanted to pursue her own business and to create a magazine and find her own so called “stage”. The journey to launch a magazine is not an easy one, it requires a lot of drive, risk, creativity and a very business minded persona. Over the years fashion has become increasingly more of a business and has deviated from its original definition as an art. However as much as the public understands that fashion is a multibillion dollar making industry, we all crave to see art and magical stories and not just advertisements, according to Carine.

The spreads of her magazine tell those mystical and magical tales perfectly, from a guardian angel to a young revolutionary to a mother holding a baby, she is capturing the story that extends beyond the pages of the magazine. The motto that Carine sets is “ fashion can’t matter more than the individual” she is adding life to every one of her spreads, it’s not just about different garments but it is about people as individuals and what we like, love, what is relevant in our life from a very intimate perspective. I personally recommend everyone to see this documentary, because it truly shows the insider point of view of how hard it is to start a business, the mishaps along the way,  and to simply start with nothing and to really connect every small detail together and create a theme that appeals to the masses. This is my favorite documentary hands down. Carine is absolutely beautiful, sarcastic, charming, and incredibly smart, a true “Parisian” not just in style but also class, she can teach everyone a bit something.

Berta Amelinaite

Down on the West Coast..

            Over the summer I spent my days on the beaches of the west coast. I traveled all over from San Diego to San Francisco. Coming from Florida, and living in Alabama I ran into a little culture shock. Everything is different in the west coast. From the food to the attitude to the fashion, everything almost juxtaposes the day-to-day casual wear we see in Tuscaloosa. I compiled a few of my favorite west coast trends and how you can incorporate them into your style as fall approaches. 

1.                 1. Flannels

In California, even in the middle of the summer, the beaches still can get a bit chilly so its convenient to just wrap a flannel around your waist. When it gets cold you just throw it on. Plus you look dope wearing a flannel around your waist. 

--Forever 21--

Me in Malibu

Sweater – Urban Outfitters

Flannel – Saks Fifth Avenue (RED Label)

Jeans – Zara 

2.     Rings!

 Everyone in LA is trying to keep up with the jonses, people don’t go outside unless they are dressed to impress. This includes accessorizing. Load up on rings, make it an arm party. 

All rings - Urban Outfitters 

Affordable ring set from amazon.com

3.     The floppy hat

Wide brim hats were all over northern California paired with cute dresses or rompers. Or just a casual tee. 

Hat - Forever 21

Button Down - Saks Fifth Ave (Blue Label) 

Hat - Amazon.com 

4.     Nifty and Thrifty

California is all about being earth friendly. A lot of California street wear is thrifted or up-cycled. Go rummage through the thrift stores and find some cute pieces to add to your modern wardrobe. Plus, who doesn’t love getting multiple bags of clothes for under $20?!

5.     Be Diverse

California is full of different people. The most exciting thing about fashion trends in California is that it is so diverse. During the day you could be wearing a flannel and some thrifted cut off high-waist jeans and then by night you slip on a little black dress and some heels without anyone thinking twice. You can be whomever you want and wear whatever you want. Experiment with new looks. Try some classic looks, maybe add some radical scrunches or work in some cute jellies or a vintage bomber jacket. There is no limit to what you can do with clothes. Stand out for a chance, embrace the California style.

-- Bradley Parks