Something for the Neck: Cravats

Well I'm back again with a post that I meant to finish a while ago, but hey, I had that HSC thing. Luckily it's all over, and hopefully I can put some more up here.

For a long time now I've been interested in cravats (and other assorted neckties). I enjoy the look of having something around the neck, but I find scarves are too long, and don't fit under a collar the way a cravat does, and ties sometimes just don't suit an outfit. There are a wide variety, of cravats but I'm really interested in the bohemian kind (well at least I think it's bohemian, I'm terrible with all this cultural stuff) that the Beatles and other rockers wore, the paisley and bright variations they had.

The cravat apparently originated in France during the 1630s, when Croation mercenaries visited the country, with a variety of short scarves tied around their necks, and were adopted by the people. They were of course very popular during the the Victorian era and I love watching any series or movies from the period, to see the amazing outfits.



Then somehow the cravat evolved. Like I said before, during the Beatles period, they were pretty popular, as well as a variety of other rock bands (I saw one (said rock band) on rage the other day, but I couldn't remember it's name). There are a variety of different styles and colours, so the following is collection of images I've found. The cravat is incorporate into a wide variety of outfits, all with a different style, depending on the cravat and it's context.











While most cravats seem to indicate a sense of formality or hark back to older days, this cravat comes from the latest collection of Australian designer Arj Selvam, a rather contemporary label. A modern take on an old style perhaps?



Now at this stage I hear you saying "Well surely this guy has a cravat right? I mean he seems to like them...a lot." Well I do in fact. One is a basic red cravat, modelled on the one shown at the top of the page. The second is a western cravat/bowtie, similar to the black cross ones above. The cravats were handmade for me by a tailor I found through Etsy called A.J. Machete & Sons, who operate out of America. They talked me through the whole process, from cut, to fabric and colour. They do a whole range of custom tailoring, and I highly recommend them, you can find their store here. I included a photo of the red cravat. I would've shown you the Western cravat, except it is rather difficult to tie, and I'm on a roll typing here so I best not stop.




Sources:
Images 11 and 12 are from Street StyleAsthetic
Image 14 is from For Tomorrow
Images 1,5,6,7,8,9,10 and 13 are from Lookbook.nu (If you want to know which looks, just contact me and I'll dig it up.)
Images 4 is from Streaming Goldies
Images 2 and 3 are from somewhere else.

Listening to: Young and Restless

Well that's another post for today. As for what's next, I may post some rather old but still exciting collections from VE and From Britten P/L. For any info drop me a line.

In Minds Eye, S/S 2011

This time round I bring you the designs of Melbourne designer Jock Dredge, with his collection entitled & Then There Was Light. Carl from the Fashionisto says "In Minds Eye serves up a collection that maintains dark aspirations, while remaining refreshingly low-key". Most of the garments are simple pieces, with a few acidic patterns and a screen printed motif. The starkness of the pieces seems to complement well the bleak Australian coast where the shots are taken. Overall the collection seems to present an edgier and darker take on current fashion trends, and does so with success.






These matching Yin-Yang sweater are cool, and give me ideas for my own designs that I'm working on. I also like the use of having a shirt tied around the waist in the second image, a style that was also featured in Fernardo Frisioni's Spring Summer collection at RAFW this year (See below).




These two tops I like particular. The contrast of the denim sleeves with the white is unconventional, yet cool, and the doubled shirt may not be original, but here it's done really well.




Images and info come from:

• Fashion Review.com.au
  
• The Fashionisto

For more info try the In Minds Eye blog.


Listening to: Triosk

Ruby & Prankstar

Recently I stumbled upon a lovely looking new jewellery collection from a Brisbane girl named Kirsty Morgan, with her handmade collection of necklaces entitled the Talisman Collection. Described on her blog as being "Inspired by forms within nature, anatomical structures and cycles of transformation. The Talisman Collection pays reverence to animal spirits and their dismembered bodies that lie in tranquil motionless decay." The collection features a variety of materials, the most prominent being leather, on that Morgan is well acquainted with, as well a variety of (real) feathers and brassy pieces, including spent bullet casings, all hand cut and crafted.











So far the only stockist I'm aware of is Fallow in Brisbane, and the prices range from $240-550 dollars (AUD). And as for my personal favourite, well:



All images come from http://fallowbrisbane.blogspot.com/ , and if you want more information, I suggest the Ruby and Prankstar blog or contacting Fallow via email at their page.

Listening to: Soil & Pimp Seassions, Pimp Master

Saint Augustine Academy at RAFW 2010

So yes, undoubtedly late but finally a post about the SAA Spring/Summer collection for 2010/11, entitled Crystal Ballroom, and it's show at Royal Australian Fashion Week. It pays tribute to a Melbourne music venue of the same name, and to the variety of patrons that attended. The show itself overall had vampire themed tone, as it was sponsored by the show True Blood. You can take the commercial aspect any way you will, but in the end, an amazing show was produced. The clothes seemed to represent a variety of styles, the slim tailored mods to rougher looking punks, all with the modern edge given by SAA. A good variety of cuts for the summer times, jeans, tees, Alvin's sharp suiting, plus some newer style studded denim shirts. All topped off with plenty of Dr Martens and other boots, ties and jewellery for a sweet as show.
















My personal favourites are the the one at the top, and the one just below. For more on the complete coverage of this particular show, and for the rest of the collection (including orders, although pre-orders have finished I believe) head to the For Tomorrow Blog. You'll find a good quality video of the whole show there, as well as a preview of the lookbook for the men's range.




You'll notice I didn't cover the women's clothing if you watch the video. Not my thing sorry, although there is some really cool stuff for the ladies.

Sources:

Images 1, 2, 5, 6, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14 and 15 are from www.f-t.com.au and are Copyright For-Tomorrow Online 2010. Media coverage by For-Tomorrow Productions, Photography by Blake Azar Photography

Images 3, 4, 7, 8 and 11 are from Fashionising.com and are Copyright Fashionising.com 2004-2010

Rosemount Australian Fashion Week 2010 Personal Highlight

Part of my continued exploration into the realm of fashion of late, has involved keeping up with the Rosemount Australian fashion week (online, I wasn't actually there). It seems to mainly focus on quite contemporary kinds of fashion, and was really my first experience with what I saw as a real runway show. I was impressed by the way the shows mix not the clothes, the music, the atmosphere. Although the clothes are the focus, they are supplemented by all the other aspects around them. (Perhaps designers should implement aspects of smell and touch as well, to please all the senses, perhaps.)

Anyway, here are some of my personal highlights. Click images to see larger.

Fernardo Frisoni








Bassike




Friedrich Gray





Lui Hon





Stolen Girlfriends Club







All images are from www.fashionising.com

For further coverage of the event, including runway videos and full collection shots, go to:

• Fashionising
• For Tomorrow blog
  
• And of course youtube.com
  

P.S. Apologies for lack of blogging, school does that.