Au Revoir, Carine Roitfeld

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Carine Roitfeld, "editrix" of fashion industry bible VOGUE Paris, has announced her resignation from the publication in January 2011. Under Roitfeld's leadership, VOGUE Paris became a) a worldwide phenomenon, and b) like her, in the words of New York Magazine "which is to say svelte, tough, luxurious, and wholeheartedly in love with dangling-cigarette, bare-chested fashion."

 Roitfeld, famed for her long, swingy hair and kohl-rimmed eyes, has indeed been copied relentlessly by fashionistas. Her bad girl, devil-may-care look goes completely with her opposition to France's smoking ban, disregard for alienating mainstream magazine readers, and penchant for fur coats. Roitfeld's personal life, full of social connections with "it-girls" (including Charlotte Gainsbourg and Clémence Poésy) and party-hopping, has also frequently been in the topic of conversation.

Besides working at VOGUE Paris, Roitfeld famously served as a stylist and muse for Tom Ford, when he worked at both Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent.  She is also well-known for her styling work with photographer and close friend Mario Testino.  Roitfeld has in fact declared her intent to work on "personal projects" afer her departure from the magazine...perhaps Testino will offer his assistance.  Regardless, Scarlet Style offers its bittersweet adieu to the style maven.  For more of Roitfeld, you can check out the CNN documentary on her below. 

--ZS

Students Speak: Jenna Stern

Heading home with tons of laundry to do? SAS sophomore Jenna Stern how you can stay cute and stylish as the semester winds down. She also gives Scarlet Style a peek into her closet and reveals her shoe collection.

Students Speak: Stefanie Pires

Check out the short video below to see SAS sophomore Stefanie Pires's awesome jewelry, fashion inspiration, and places she likes to shop.

Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered--CAC Quad

Natallia Khalpukova

Jacket--H & M, Top--Cache, Skirt--Max Studio, Shoes--Jessica Simpson

Fashion and Film: Stylish Ideas for Halloween Costumes

Halloween at college is generally filled with the pressure for young women to dress up as "slutty [insert occupation]."  But who wants to be limited to the usual crew of firefighters and nurses?  Scarlet Style offers some fashionable alternatives from our favorite films for those who dare to stand out in the crowd.

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1.  Rachel, played by Sean Young in Blade Runner

Rachel, a human-type robot known as a replicant, completely owns the retro-futuristic style of Ridley Scott's Blade Runner.  To channel her neo-femme fatale look, don a black dress with heavy shoulder pads and put your hair back in a prim bun.  To finish the look, carry a cigarrette holder and wear heavy red lipstick. 

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2. Marie Antoinette, played by Kirsten Dunst in the film of the same name

Marie Antoinette was the original material girl--her penchant for dresses, shoes, and wigs was extraordinary.  While this costume requires extra effort (a dress and powdered wig), Rutgers is sure to be in awe of you.  Another idea is to gather several friends to also dress in period costume, to serve as the "royal court."

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3. Patricia, as played by Jean Seberg in Breathless

For a more easygoing costume, adopt the joie de vivre of Patricia, the female lead in Jean-Luc Godard's New Wave film Breathless.  Patricia's style is easygoing as she and boyfriend Michel are on the run from the cops.  All you need is a pair of dark skinny pants, flats, and a tee shirt which bears the logo of the New York Herald Tribune (available online).  Easy, non?

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4. Trinity, as played by Carrie-Anne Moss in The Matrix trilogy

For those who want a "tougher" Halloween costume, consider the style of Trinity.  The badass from the future wears black like its going out of style, often in the form of leather and PVC.  To replicate her look, simply don an all-black, leather-heavy ensemble, slick your hair back, and sport a pair of sunglasses. 

--ZS

Modern Gothic--Outside Scott, College Ave

Silvana  Ostafi

Boots--Frye, Dress--Shopbop, Vest--Target 

Designers Discuss: Monica Lee

As part of our organization's mission, Scarlet Style aims to find and interview creative-minded Rutgers students who have an avid interest in fashion. Monica Lee, a senior at Rutgers, spends her spare time designing and creating clothes for herself and her friends. We can't thank her enough for creating time out of her busy schedule to have an email correspondence with us. Check out the interview below!

1. How did you first become interested in fashion design?

I first became interested in fashion design because my mom sewed a lot, so I started to make purses at a young age. Then, at school, someone stole the first purse that I made. Upset but determined, I wanted to make purses and other things that were different and personalized to my style so that if they ever wore it, I would know I made it. That event evolved into my passion for design, creativity, and a more distinct style.


2. What items or pieces of clothing are your favorite to make?Why?

I think dresses and tops are my favorite to make. Tops are fun because many times, I like to be environmentally friendly, and grab clothes that I already have and make a new top out of it. Dresses are fun to create because they are nice to wear and the fact that dresses can change from casual to sophisticated with a different material.

3. Where do you find the inspiration for your pieces?

I think people and fashion are the usual inspiration for my pieces. I was recently inspired by a friend because he was fascinated that I could create clothing. That motivated me to create a summer dress and a tube top over the summer. In general, my family is inspirational because they always motivate me to be creative, productive, and to have fun. Fashion is also a factor because many times I would find something I like in a store, or online. Because the price is too high or I don't feel like spending the money, I'd take that piece as an inspiration and go out to buy something to similarly replicate it.

4. What do you plan to do in the future with your talent for design?

I'd love to start my own business maybe with accessories in the future, and maybe branch out into clothes. But for right now, I'm using it to give back to the community. I'm going to show my pieces at a charity benefit concert/fashion show this fall semester that is sponsored by my club organization, Unite for Sight.

5. How do you feel about fashion at Rutgers? What would you like to see happen?
 
I feel that fashion at Rutgers is very diverse. I think it's great that there are so many different styles at this school. I would like to see more people who design their clothes make it public to the Rutgers community so that everyone can appreciate it and maybe get inspired.

--MA

Blue Crush-- Outside Scott Hall, College Ave

 

Carlton Harris
Entire Outfit- Goodwill

Retro Stylin'--CAC Quad

Kim Bowers

Headband--Stolen from sister, Ascot--Ann Taylor Loft, Trenchcoat--GAP, Dress--Heritage, Tights--Kohl's, Shoes--Marshall's

Special Announcement!

Scarlet Style has a lot planned for this upcoming fall semester and we are in need of extra help in the fashion fields. This is a great chance to add something creative to your resumes! So if you are interested in any of the positions below, please contact us by email scarletstyle@rocketmail.com or facebook! Thanks, and we hope to get a lot of enthusiastic new additions to our team!

POSITIONS NEEDED:

Models
Writers
Designers
Fashion entrepreneurs
People who can sew/have sewn garments
People who have made jewelry/bags/other accessories

Again, contact us at scarletstyle@rocketmail.com if interested!

Transition your style: Summer to Fall

The transition from summer vacation to fall semester has always been synonymous with the changing of the seasons. With the first day of classes a mere few weeks away, the time for back-to-school shopping has arrived. But with so many new trends and popular items crowding the shelves of stores nationwide, it becomes difficult to stay in your budget especially after splurging on your summer wardrobe. And what are you going to do with all those new summer clothes you just bought two weeks ago? You surely can't afford to just put them away and buy a whole fall wardrobe, especially on a student's allowance. Don't start stressing yet though because Scarlet Style as always is here to provide you with a practical(and chic!) solution.

Here are some pictures and tips on how you can incorporate your summer fashion into your autumn style.

Summer dresses- Light, airy dresses are a must for summer, but they can also be worn in the colder temperatures with cute wintry accessories. In fact, wearing your bright, bold summer dresses in the autumn makes you look fresh in a crowd of neutral, dark colors.

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Shorts- Shorts have been deemed as a must-have item to have in one's summer closet. However, in the past few years, fashionistas worldwide have been experimenting by using them for their fall/winter wardrobe. And the result? A chic and sophisticated look with a hint of sexual appeal.

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Skirts- Because of the popular preppy school girl uniform, skirts have become an all-year round staple. If the Gossip Girl look really isn't your style, you can still wear your skirts with dark hued tights, and incorporate your own style to the outfit.

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Tank tops- Cami's and tank tops are absolutely an essential necessity for the fall. Because fall is all about layering, you can use your printed and solid tanks to act as the first layer, and begin adding wintry touches to it one layer at a time.

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General Rules:

• If the summer piece you are incorporating into your autumn style is full of bright and vivid colors, make sure to balance it out with muted neutrals and dark shades.
• Don't be afraid to be bold and mix and match different textures and patterns!
• Have fun with your clothes!
  

--MA

Mad World: The Return of Mad Men

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Hit AMC drama series Mad Men returned this week to television for its fourth season. The show depicts the often sordid personal and professional lives of members of the fictitious Sterling Cooper ad agency during the 1960s. Critically acclaimed for its plot lines and acting, Mad Men is also notable for its art direction. Costume designer Janie Bryant has made a name for herself recreating classic styles of the era, seen below.

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Roger Sterling and Don Draper, two of the show's main characters, are seen above having yet another infamous "liquid lunch" on the job. Roger and Don still retain a gentlemanly air, however, by wearing sharp, tailored flannel suits: both understand that close-cut menswear can make any man look like Gregory Peck. Male Rutgers students, take note!

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The Mad Women are also noted for their chic garments. Peggy Olson (far left) sports modest shirtdresses and skirt suits with kitten heels--she wants to be taken seriously as an advertising copy writer. Betty Draper (center), Don's wife, is often compared to Grace Kelly by other characters--it's hard to ignore her stunning face, tasteful sleeveless dresses, and perfectly coiffed blonde hair as she deals with housewife ennui. Bombshell secretary Joan Holloway (far right) stands out at the office in jewel-tone dresses, extremely high heels, and her signature pen necklace.

Drooling yet? If you want to see more, you can watch Mad Men episodes here.

--ZS

World Cup Fever

Once every four years, the world comes together to celebrate unity and promote peace. The 2010 Fifa World Cup, being held for the first time in the African continent, is undoubtedly the world's biggest and most important tournament, where people from all over gather to watch football(soccer) and cheer on their favorite national team. Although winning seems to be every participants dream, experiencing everyone from all different backgrounds and countries unite together is equally as, if not more, rewarding.

There is just more than a week left to go until the solid gold trophy is passed down to the new champions. So, if you haven't shown your world cup spirit already, Scarlet Style has provided you with fan outfits for the top 8 teams. These outfits are designed for those who do not have a coveted team jersey, yet still want to show their enthusiasm and support for their country while still looking fashionable and chic. And don't worry, none of the items in these outfits are over $50, so they are very affordable for a college student!

Even if you are not a soccer fan, watching the World Cup can give you knowledge about other cultures (vuvuzelas anyone?) and make you feel more connected to people from all around the world. We hope you feel inspired by these outfits, and become even more excited about the upcoming Quarterfinals-- we certainly are!

All these images are made through polyvore

Ghana

Uruguay

Netherlands

Brazil

Argentina

Germany

Paraguay

Spain

If you want to see where the items are from,
use the carousel below to take you to the polyvore website.

--MA

Designers Discuss: Interview with May Chiu!

May rocks her own Grecian dress, available here.

Being a college student is always challenging...what with a heady mixture of classes, exams, friends, and parties. Now try adding fashion designer on top of all of that! May Chiu, a Rutgers University sophomore, creates adorable and chic clothing, jewelry, and hair accessories in her spare time under the name, The Mayflower Fashions. Scarlet Style engaged in an e-mail correspondence with May, asking for the scoop.

1. How'd you get interested in fashion design?

When I entered middle school, I learned about the social hierarchy of cliques and how discriminating they could be. You were not considered "cool" unless you dressed a certain way and wore a certain brand. Of course, this infuriated me. I could not be accepted unless I conformed! So, I enrolled in weekend class at the Fashion Institute of Technology, determined to learn how to sew. After the first class, I fell in love with sewing and started designing in a sketchbook.

2. What are your favorite things to create? What sort of challenges do you face as a college student/fashion designer?

Dresses and skirts! For some reason, I feel that those are the two clothing items that reveal most about someone's personality. One challenge is time management! I'm taking a huge course load next year and I have extracurriculars as well! I also plan on opening another Etsy shop in August that sells graphic tees for everyone. And because there's so much going on, I have to learn to be neat and organized, two things I'm usually not. And finally, as a student, I face a lot of repetition. There's a schedule that keeps repeating itself for a period of time, and I follow it because, well, I have to! But at times, doing the same thing every day or every week can actually dull my creativity and prevent me from designing more. I normally get inspiration from the things I see, and if I see the same thing over and over again, it won't help me find new ideas!

May's bow necklace can be purchased here.

3. Who are your favorite designers?

Hmmm, let's see. First off, Leanne Marshall. She has topped my list when I saw her final collection on Project Runway. Her looks seem really simple and effortless until you look closer and notice how much detail she puts into them. I also like how she can create textures. She said her inspiration was waves for her collection, and you can easily see the connection. My second favorite is Halston. My tagline is "Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication" and Halston fits it perfectly. I admire them for making simple dresses that can still make a statement! My other favorite designs are Elie Saab, Marchesa, Lorick, Luella Bartley, Tara Jarmon and Lela Rose.

4. What has provided a recent source of inspiration for you?

Most of my summer collection on Etsy is based on what I see in the spring/summer. Gardens filled with flowers inspired this, my garden full of roots and vines inspired this, and the way the wind blows through dresses inspired this:

May's cream tiered ruffle mini skirt can be purchased here.

5. How do you hope your collections will change in the future?

As I keep designing and creating, I hope my view of fashion becomes clearer and more pronounced. When I first started, it was a bit of a disjunct. I had a general idea, but it wasn't fully developed and seen by others. Hopefully, for my future collections, a viewer can look at my work and know exactly what my inspiration was and what I'm trying to say.

6. How do you feel about fashion at Rutgers? Is there a community? What would you like to see happen?

Rutgers is a HUGE school. I haven't seen everyone, so I can't say for sure if there is a community or not, but I have seen a few people who are very stylish and fashionable. And Scarlet Style has helped me meet a few more! From what I see, I like the fashion at Rutgers. Mostly everyone dresses very casual, in a t shirt and jeans or sweats. I'm a big fan of that since college started actually. There's nothing better than rolling out of bed and going to class!

I have no idea what I want to see happen. I definitely think that more participation from other fashionistas out there is needed though.

We can't thank May enough for willing to participate in this interview! For more of her designs, check out her etsy.

--ZS

American Woman: Fashioning a National Identity

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Out of school and nothing to do? Check out the Metropolitan Museum of Art's new Costume Institute exhibition, "American Woman: Fashioning a National Identity." The exhibit, sponsored by Conde Nast and GAP, Inc., shows cultural and social archetypes of American women from 1890 until 1940. These include "Heiress," "Gibson Girl," "Bohemian," "Patriot," "Flapper," and "Screen Siren."

Below is a video of the exhibit, created the by the Costume Institute itself. At the end, there is a video montage set to Lenny Kravitz's cover of "American Woman. How many American women in the video can you name? Which are your favorites?

--ZS

Summer Soundtrack: Don't Sweat It!

School is out at Rutgers...meaning it's time for fun! To get things going, check out the music video playlist below. Each of the videos feature awesome music and daring clothing. Some songs you might already know, while others could be unexpected gems.

1. Julian Casablancas, "11th Dimension"

Casablancas, front man of NYC-based band The Strokes, released his solo album Phrazes for the Young in late 2009. "11th Dimension," the album's lead single, features a video with Blade Runner-cum-Purple Rain clothing.



2. Róisín Murphy, "You Know Me Better"

Murphy’s penchant for crazy accessories—big hats, loud jewelry—is on full display in this video. Though she is not well-known in the US, Murphy has achieved immense success in the UK. Her cover of “Slave to Love” was recently featured in the Gucci ad campaign with James Franco.



3. Yelle, "Ce Jeu"

French group Yelle, including its namesake (born Julie Budet), GrandMarnier, and Tepr, shows its love for the color wheel and spunkiness in this video. Despite never recording songs in languages other than French, Yelle has developed a cult following.



4. Hell featuring Bryan Ferry, "U Can Dance"

Hell (born Helmut Geier) and "electric lounge lizard" Bryan Ferry team up for a black-and-white video that unabashedly glamorizes and captures fashion models. The women's haughty poses and outfits complement the song's VIP-booth feel.



5. Ladytron, "Runaway"

British group Ladytron (Helen Marnie, Daniel Hunt, Mira Aroyo, and Reuben Wu) don the zaniest black-and-white suits in this clip. Heavy makeup worn by Marnie and Aroyo add visual interest, too.



What do you think of this playlist? What other fashion-related songs do you like? Let us know!

--ZS

Students Speak: Video Interview With Veronica Cohen

SAS student Veronica Cohen discusses fashion, Chloe Sevigny, mascara, and more in the video interview below. Let us know what you think!



--ZS

Stylish Stripes--Outside Campbell, College Ave

Stephanie Mendoza

Hat, Tank, and Sandals--Finale, Accessories--NJ Folk Festival, Capris--American Eagle, Tote--H&M

Rockin' Plaid-- College Ave

Steve Dolnack
Shirt--H&M, Pants--Topman, Shoes--Sneaky Steve

Students Speak: Video Interview With Tiffany Morris

Tiffany Morris, an SAS freshman, talks about her love for Cleopatra Jones and belts in the video interview below. Let us know what you think!



--ZS

Effortlessly Cool-- College Ave

Austin Hennelly
Scarf--Emily Bunin, Jacket--Goodwill, Jeans--Udelco, Shoes--Udelco

Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man--Downtown NB

Christopher Guerra

Jacket--Black Rivet, Tank Top--Hanes, Jeans--Levi's, Shoes--Vans, Glasses--Armani

Students Speak: Video Interview With Liat Kisos

As part of our new multi-media campaign, Scarlet Style is introducing a series of video interviews. These will feature well-dressed students around the Rutgers campus, talking about their clothing, inspiration, and anything else they'd like! Our first interview, seen below, features Liat Kisos, an SAS freshman. Let us know what you think!



--ZS

Clothes in Cinema: Comrade Couture

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1980s East Germany is generally not remembered for its haute couture. But model-cum-director Marco Wilms remembers differently. His documentary Comrade Couture (A Dream in Strawberry Foil), reflects on the outrageous and avant-garde fashion scene that he and his friends participated in during their 20s.

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In East Germany, there were two main groups--Allerleirauh (All Kinds of Fur) and Chic, Charmant und Dauerhaft (Stylish, Charming, and Enduring). Both groups would put on elaborate underground fashion performances, featuring outfits made of strawberry foil (as seen above), shower curtains, leather, and burlap. Members of this community often faced trouble from the Stasi, for being perceived as threatening and anti-Communist.

The film offers an fascinating glance into an outrageous, hilarious, and altogether stylish subculture. It also serves as a commentary on aging and remaining interested in the fashion industry as a generation of models, designers, and artists enters its 40s. Comrade Couture is being screened at MOMA this month, as part of the museum's "Kino 2010!: New Films from Germany" festival. For a trailer, see below.



--ZS

Clean-Cut Chic--Outside Scott Hall, College Ave

Hanna Sparks
Shirt--Sears, Skirt--Korea, Tights--H&M, Shoes-Consignment Shop(Cole Haan), Belt--Forever 21