10. The End

Post #10, the end of the road for this blog. It was so much fun experiencing what it is like to blog and being able to write about a multitude of topics in such a short amount of time. It was definitely an experience I will never forget.

For my final post, I'll be sharing a lookbook I created. I decided to compile three of my favorite outfits to wear during the spring. It can be hard to dress during this time, as the weather tends to be fickle and is at a weird balance between too cold and too hot.

I really hope you guys enjoyed following my blogging journey, and without further a do -- Printemps, a plus size spring lookbook.

9. Socialize

It's no surprise to anyone that technology has taken over our lives. It has made so many aspects of life easier, from communicating to shopping and everything in between. Wherever you go people are glued to their phones and tablets and laptops. One of the biggest aspects of this new technological world is social media, and it's no longer just for the average, everyday person. More and more frequently, different companies are popping up on social media and even creating ad campaigns based around these different platforms.

One of the most successful platforms to market on is Instagram. The majority of consumers are easily visually stimulated, so posting exciting pictures that feature products entices consumers to make a purchase.

In recent news, I read an article from Women's Wear Daily that detailed Stuart Weitzman's first ever Instagram ad campaign, which will feature Cinemegraphs shot by Jamie Beck and Kevin Burg of Ann Street Studio and include key pieces from Weitzmna's spring collection.

I think it's absolutely necessary to have strong social media platforms as a company nowadays, because it is not only virtually free advertising, but it also allows quick and precise interactions with consumers worldwide.




Here's the link to the article I read: http://libproxy.fitsuny.edu:2362/media-news/advertising/stuart-weitzman-to-roll-out-instagram-ad-10108290/

8. Lookbook

I'm absolutely obsessed with YouTube. It's literally all I watch; like, seriously, I don't even have a TV in my room because I only watch YouTube videos. I watch primarily beauty and fashion videos, and I find them to not only be extremely entertaining, but a fantastic place to get inspiration from. One of my favorite content creators is Jenn Im, a 20-something Communications graduate living in Los Angeles who makes fashion videos. Her style is impeccable and she as amazing taste. Watching her put together an outfit is like watching a magic show, it's incredible! She often makes lookbook videos, in which she features several outfits based around a central theme. These videos are great for drawing inspiration from, and they're just downright fun to watch!

Below I've linked two of her lookbooks: One is her most recent, and it is outfits for a music festival, which features really fun, warm weather-appropriate clothing, mainly from the online retailer Threadsense, and the second is my favorite of her lookbooks which features minimalistic outfits, which is a trend I've been really into lately. I hope you enjoy Jenn as much as I do! She's seriously awesome.

Music Festival Lookbook


Minimalistic Lookbook

7. Trunks (No, Not the Elephant Kind)

I'm gonna be completely honest: I had no idea what a trunk show was. I thought it was like a runway show, except the models just stand around the room whilst those attending mull around drinking champagne and talking about things that are way over my head. To my surprise, however, they're nothing like that (that's a fashion presentation). A trunk show is basically when designers show off samples of their clothing, and the general public is able to go and purchase these pieces.

I had a hard time finding a video of a trunk show, but the one I did find is quite interesting. It's a trunk show for Stella & Dot, but it is not by the company. Apparently, Stella & Dot allows people to set up their own trunk shows and sell for the brand. In this video, a woman is showing how she set up for her particular trunk show that she was hosting.

I think it's very risky for Stella & Dot to have this kind of business model, but it does allow them to reach more consumers and increase sales.

Anyways, without further ado, here's the trunk show video:

6. Catwalk

I'm going to be completely honest: I'm pretty lazy when it comes to watching shows during fashion week. I know I should be huddled around my computer binge-watching the catwalks so that I'm up to date with what's going on, but I'm just too dang lazy. However, there is one brand that I always manage to watch, no matter what, and that's Burberry. I'm absolutely obsessed with everything they do, what they're about... they can do no wrong in my eyes! One of their shows in particular, the Prorsum Womenswear A/W '12 show, affected me like no other fashion show has. Not only are the designs absolutely stunning, but the atmosphere and music tie the whole thing together. My favorite part is the finale, with the artificial rain and flurry of snow, and the models all carrying umbrellas... it lends for a real cinematic quality that I absolutely adore. Ever since seeing that show, I've wanted to work for Burberry (in their cosmetics department, but for them nonetheless). Every single time I watch the show, no matter how many times I watch it, it still gives me the chills.

Without further ado, the Burberry Prorsum Womenswear A/W '12 show. I hope you guys enjoy it as much as I do!

5. Neutrality

Today we're talking about what's hot for this upcoming Spring. The word on everybody's lips, from fast fashion retailers to high-end designers, is neutral. Neutral color palettes are huge right now, from grays to taupes to nudes -- everybody loves neutrals, including me. I love being able to grab a few different neutral pieces from my closet, throw them all on, and instantly look so chic! It's so easy, you could seriously do it with your eyes closed.

I noticed that H&M is very in the swing of things, as all of their window displays featured all neutral pieces.

PS - Do we love the overalls? Because I know I do, and I'll 100% be rocking them this Spring.

Denim is also huge right now! Denim shirts, denim pants, denim shoes (maybe?)... either way, denim is everywhere, and not only in the traditional blue color, as you can see H&M is doing white denim. But Gap decided to stick to that traditional blue denim, and they had a huge window display showcasing how they style their denim pieces. 

Denim is so effortless and chic, and a nice-fitting pair of jeans can take your look over the top!

Finally, Forever 21 seemed to be playing with both denim and neutrals! As you can see in this window, they're dressing up grey denim with an array of neutral shades and lightweight layers, which are absolutely perfect for Spring.

4. Jargon

Today we're talking about the way fashion reporters and writers compose their articles; that is, the language they use and the effect it creates. To me, fashion reporters usually tend to sound somewhat pretentious. We're in the "pretty business," so they are constantly coming up with the most extravagant and unique words to make something sound beautiful when describing something so simple. For example, a red dress would be called "a soft flowing gown of shocking scarlet." That being said, I read an article from the New York Times about the fashion at the recent Grammy awards, and found that the language was surprisingly simple and could be easily understood by the everyday reader. Here's what I found:

Silhouette & Design

• Jumpsuit
• Suit
• Jeans
• Jacket

Details

• Tie
• Long
• Short
• Sparkly

Color

• White
• Cherry red
• Blue plaid
• Sleek black
• Noir

Fabric

• Sheer lace
• Leather
• Sheer ribbon
• Velvet

Creative "Jargon"

• Rock 'n' roll edge
• Wardrobe switcheroos
• Sartorial integrity

I was easily able to understand everything mentioned, except for sartorial integrity, which I had to look up the meaning of. But only one word being really out-there is quite plausible for a fashion publication! 

3. Striped

A huge trend I've been seeing as of recent is horizontal stripes! On everything from t-shirts to shoes, thin or thick -- people are stripe crazy! Many people are scared to try horizontal stripes because they trick the eye into making you appear larger, but I personally adore the way stripes look, and I'm a big girl!

Here are photos of my brother and I both rocking this trend:

Stripes can be worn by both men and women, and as you can see, they're super versatile! They add a really interesting something to a basic outfit.

Celebrities and fashion moguls are also consistently rocking stripes, as displayed by Blair Eadie, Olivia Palermo, and Rosie H-W.

Overall, I think stripes are here to stay! They look amazing on everyone and are so stylish.

2. Texturize

Let's talk about upcoming trends for the S/S '16 season. One of the biggest trends, and one that I personally am extremely excited for, is the use of eye-catching texture in garments. According to WGSN, fur, pompoms, and hair in pastels and brights are predicted to be seen on many a runway. Many forecasters are using the term "immersive tactility" to explain this trend; that is, something that is 3-dimensional and able to be physically touched. Inspiration for this trend is being pulled from pop-culture, blog-culture and cartoons.

This trend was introduced in the A/W '14 season by designers like Vionnet and Olympia Le Tan, both in clothing and accessories. 

And more recently by powerhouse designers like Betsey Johnson, Jeremy Scott, and Kenzo.

I see this trend being absolutely successful and being picked up by numerous other designers, as well as many fast-fashion companies. These pieces add interesting, eye-catching texture to the simplest outfit, and the pastels and brights are a breath of fresh air for the Spring season.

1. Inspired

So today I'm going to be talking about the bloggers who inspire me, not only when it comes to blogging, but when it comes to how I go about my life and carry myself.

I read primarily blogs about plus-size fashion and beauty. That being said, the first lovely lady I will be mentioning is none other than Sarah Conley of styleitonline.com. Not only does Sarah have an amazing sense of style, she also knows her way around a beauty counter. I'm constantly checking on her blog to know the latest trends in plus-size fashion, as well as what I should be putting on my face when I wake up in the morning. Also, on top of her blog being totally awesome, she's a total sweetheart (I've spoken to her via Twitter multiple times).

Next we have Nicolette Mason of nicolettemason.com. Nicolette also blogs about plus-size fashion, but her repertoire of writing extends to lifestyle, political topics, and art. On top of her blog, she is a columnist for Marie Claire magazine and constantly works with retailers to create amazing plus-size collections, i.e. her own collection for modcloth.com or her design guidance for Target's new plus-size line Ava & Viv. Nicolette not only inspires my fashion choices, but inspires me to be a better person and be more active when it comes to social justice.

My last blogspiration (new word?) is Allison Anderson of allisonanderson.com. I first discovered Allison on YouTube, where she creates videos about beauty and lifestyle. Now she focuses more on her blog, so I have made the transition with her and read her blog religiously. Although she does not write about fashion, her tips on makeup are incredible and constantly allow me to perfect my skills. On top of that, she writes about the amazing trips she takes, her daily life, and throws in some awesome DIY projects here and there. She's fantastic!

I hope someday my blog can reach the magnitude that these three women have been capable of. They're all so incredibly inspiring and have made an impact on my personal life in their own individual way.

Enchanté

Bonjour! Je suis Joanna.

No, this blog will not be in all French. My expertise in the language lies somewhere between limited and barely conversational.

A little background about me: My name is Joanna (pronounced jo-ann-uh, not jo-onn-uh), and I am currently a sophomore at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City, working towards my associates degree in Fashion Marketing and my bachelors degree in Cosmetics and Fragrance Marketing. I enjoy brunching, thrifting, and reading. I have a 3 year old Yorkie named Charlee who will probably be making a plethora of guest appearances.

This blog is being created as part of a college course that I am currently taking, but it may transpire into something more. I will be writing about fashion, beauty, lifestyle -- pretty much everything that inspires my day-to-day life.

I hope you guys follow along my journey and enjoy every second of it.

Joanna