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Don't Bolo Your Money

photo: Kimberly Le

I’ve noticed that Western bolo inspired necklaces are becoming a trend. Wanting to buy one for myself, I looked them up, and was flabbergasted by the cost of these simple neck ties. They are basically a long string of leather/suede cording with embellishments at the end. On my student budget, I could not justify spending $40-$50 dollars on this Vanessa Mooney Bolo Necklace.

photo: etsy.com

So, I googled... finding more of these bolo necklaces on etsy.com for about $15-20, but it was still more than I was willing to spend. As I was zooming up on every picture, I thought to myself how easy these would be to make! So, I went to the nearest Michael’s arts and craft store. Low and behold, only $7.99 for their Suede Leather Value Pack of nine yards of suede leather cording in three different colors.

photo: michaels.com

Michael’s always has coupons online, so I was able to pull it up on my phone before checking out and used a 40% off on any one regular-price item coupon. My total was a little over $5 for the cording. Each color cording is long enough for one or two neck ties, depending on how short or long you prefer it. I like mine long and wanted it to wrap around at least 2-3 times. 

photo: Kimberly Le

I felt like the cording alone was a little too plain, so I found an old spiked necklace I didn’t wear anymore, took some of those out, and just tied it to the ends of the neck tie to complete the look. So, all in all,  I spent about $11 and was able to make myself six different colored bolo inspired necklaces. So, don’t bolo all of your money away on one necklace when you can just make your own personal bolo neck tie!

- Kimberly Le

A Wicked Play!

photo: Holly Armour

The broadway show Wicked is in town at the Segerstrom Performing Arts Center, which is located less than ten minutes from Orange Coast College. The play tells the untold story of what happened before the The Wizard of Oz, and why the two witches began their infamous feud. 

As a fashion major, the fascinating part about the show was the costuming. After taking History of Fashion at Orange Coast College, I enjoyed and appreciated the costumes in an entirely new light. I loved the show and suggest that anyone make the effort to go see the costumes yourself.

- Holly Armour

Designing with Paul Frank

The OCC Fashion course Design in Everyday Life, taught by plush toy designer Shane Geil, had the awesome opportunity to meet and start a character development project with the one and only Paul Frank, a former OCC student and great supporter of the OCC Fashion department.  Paul frequently creates his own prototypes of characters by wadding up newspaper into shapes and covering them in masking tape. This quick and inexpensive method brings life to the characters that he sketches.

The assignment was to create an animal head that will eventually be painted and mounted on a wooden board like an old style hunting trophy. Some of the animals chosen included a few elephants, a flamingo, a polar bear and even a koi fish. The class was buzzing with excitement and creativity as Paul walked around and gave advice and ideas.

To learn the creative process used by one of Orange County's most successful designers was an amazing experience.  It was an encouraging reminder that designing what is in your heart can be manifested with such simple tools. As a student in the class I am excited to see how mine turns out! This was just one of the many once in a lifetime opportunities given to the creative students in the fashion program here at Orange Coast College.

- Megan Fisher

Rainbow Brights - new hair color hues

Hair colors are as vast as the rainbow itself. These days, you can dye your hair purple, green and everything in between but, it takes a true trend setter to sport the outlandish hair colors that stand out in mainstream society today. 

Walking around the OCC campus, you could peak your head into any room and see colors you only thought you would see in the art center. Some of our classroom decor may lack luster but our students have color covered. While unnatural hair colors may be taboo for those of us in a corporate work environments, it's a relief to know you can join in the fun with something semi-permanent or even with the new trend of hair chalk. 

Personally last year, I attempted to get my own hair a bright vibrant purple, but with dark brown hair it wasn't happening without major damage to my poor little strands. With spray color and rinse out hair chalk you can achieve any fun new daring hair color you choose without looking like your hair has turned to straw. This emerging trend doesn't only come from the students walking out of the fashion department. I've seen numerous students in various classes rocking this chic look and working hard while doing it. 

So, even if your employer frowns upon unnatural hair color, or your parents would simply freak out, you can always try something new and fun and still go back to the original you. Brighten up your hair, brighten up your day, as long as your hair doesn't turn into hay!!

Images and post by Allison Brown

Baker X Volcom Collab Launch Party "A Match Made in the Gutter" Recap

Costa Mesa, CA. Volcom HQ held a launch party this month to celebrating the Baker/Volcom collab clothing line "A Match Made in the Gutter" that will be hitting stores March 2014. The designers at Volcom and Baker worked with mutual team rider Dustin Dollin to create a one of a kind, eye popping line that represents Volcom & Baker's unique perspective on skateboarding and skate style. 

The Skate park was full of kids skating the ramps and rails with crowds of onlookers watching them shred. Everyone was fashionably dressed, in a mix of vintage and contemporary styles. Lots of facial hair and unique accessories were noted and typical of the socal skater style. There was a band set up above the skate park adding a cool vibe and great music to the party.  Industry professionals and smiling skate fans were all over and the party was a huge success. Be on the look out for the Volcom X Baker “A Match Made in the Gutter” collection soon. 

Post by Taylor Peterson

Boots and Jackets Have Arrived For Winter

As our winter temperatures remain a bit confusing, with the sun out as much for decoration as it is for warm weather, combat boots and warm jackets have started to make a huge appearance on the  OCC campus. 

What stands out to me is that many of the ladies on campus are wearing black on black, always with combat or low rise boots. I absolutely love the pairing of maxi skirts with boots, as well as black skinny jeans and military looking boots with an infinity scarf on women. 

The menswear is pretty laid back, with brands like Adidas and Vans  commonly seen on campus. Most guys are wearing  long sleeve shirts with a short sleeve over it, and plaid collared shirts seem to be on the rise. 

One of my favorite looks comes from this awesome blonde in front of the library, wearing a heavy plaid maxi skirt, combat boots, and a vintage “Little Shop of Horrors” graphic tee tucked into her skirt. I love her originality and the fact she is still keeping herself warm while looking stylish. Check out the pictures and go through your closet, you could put together a whole new outfit without spending a dime. 

post & photos by Holley Baisley

The Art of Contrast

Black leather is everywhere, adding edge to our outfits.

The good thing about leather is that it is a classic and it is never truly out of date. When it comes to leather, you can use it as an accessory item or pair it up with much softer fabrics. You can see it on jackets, sweaters, t-shirts and leggings.  Leather is being presented in small details like sleeves, elbow patches, V-necks, cuffs, etc.

Here we have two students from Campus. Vincent and Ciera, both wearing the same leather pants but from different stores. Vincent is wearing a black polo shirt, black leather sweater, leather pants, leather boots and a black trench coat. For Ciera, shes wearing a black leather jacket, a white tee, leather pants, and leather boots.

You can tell that these two really nailed the “Leather” trend.

Post & Photo by Reynaldo Elejorde

beach riot.

           ATTENTION FASHION STUDENTS:  Looking for a local company to connect with?

What: Beach Riot: A local swimwear company that is fresh and unqiue. Nicole Hanriot  the head designer started out as a designer for ,locoal compay, Tavik and has now branched off and created her own line.  Just recently she did collaboration with Stone Cold Fox.  The summer collection is full of neon, color blocking, lace, floral, crosses, and a cactus print.

“Beach Riot is a California beach babe swim brand… a mix between contemporary chic and surfer girl.” –Nicole Hanriot 

 Where:1954 Placenta Ave, Unit 105, Costa Mesa, CA 92627

Where to buy it?: You can find the line locally at Jack’s Surfboards, Diane’s Beachwear, and Huntington Surf and Sport
Check out their new collection at: http://beachriot.com/

volcom invades occ.

a week of occfashion.

OCC's Fashion Department is home to many creative, inspiring, hardworking students and faculty. Last week just proves how incredible our classes are.  In one week our students were exposed to the local industry and more than 10 guest speakers, including...

Careers in Fashion's (FASH115) field trip to Quiksilver.  Evelyn Escobar and J. Acuna shared about their jobs in Production and Design.  The students also had the opportunity to tour the Quiksilver offices.

Design in Everyday Life (FASH135) had an amazing field trip to JMP Creative.  The CEO/President, Jim McCafferty was extremely inspirational.

 

Beginning Clothing Techniques (FASH100) visited Creative Outlet Studios in Costa Mesa for a hand sewing project.

 

And our Trend Forecasting(FASH118) class put together a panel of industry speakers on the topic of trend forecasting as it relates to their jobs in the fashion industry.  Speakers included, Cheryl Lindberg: Designer Harveys Seatbelt Bags, Jenna Dorn: Merchandiser Fox Head Inc., Mia Sterns: Designer Fox Head Inc., Kandice Hansen; Buyer RevolveClothing.com, and Mary Byrd; Designer DC Clothing.

Not to mention the 2 guests in Kyla's Fashion Illustration Tech. 1 (FASH255) that graded the students print projects, the guest artist in Display and Visual Presentation (DVP180), and the guest speaker in Special Events Coordination (FASH225).  Just another week here at OCC, learning from our amazing instructors and the local fashion industry.

 

fashion symposium.

checkmate.

post by Shannon Cooper & photos from Style.com

Many people say, “Life is a chess game, not a game of checkers, and your next move is always the best one.” Be one step ahead, when picking your Spring/Summer trends for 2013.

Marc Jacobs took Louis Vuitton with the classic checkered board pattern to a new level in fashion this Spring.  Look for the check in various colors when picking your summer wardrobe: like sunshine yellow, emerald green (The Pantone Color of the year), light peach, tan, and gray.

Watch the review here for your Spring 2013 wardrobe inspiration:

industry trend panel.

tartan check.

 

photo & post by Hiroyuki Ohta

Fashion trends change often and quickly.  When following the industry you will quickly notice, it isn’t easy to stay on top of the latest trends.  What should we do?  Buy new clothes?  Don’t worry about it.  We have an old friend, his name is “Tartan Check.’’  Whether you are a rock star, a surfer, or a performer, tartan check is widely accepted. Don’t hesitate to check out how he’s doing in your closet, he works well with a variety of attire.  He can stylize your worries away.  Plus, if he’s a friend of Vivienne Westwood, then he must be a friend of ours.

tie-dye high.

post by Samantha Escamilla - photos by Style.com

When I think of the idea of tie-dye, high fashion does not readily come to mind.  That is why I was shocked and surprised to see the marriage of these two concepts during New York Fashion Week.  Garments made of fabric with tie-dye-inspired prints walked the runway during Rodarte's Fall/Winter 2013 ready-to-wear presentation.  From a body suit to formal gowns, the concept of tie-dye was a key focal point in this collection.  The thought of tie-dyed garments evokes images of summertime for me, which is one reason why seeing this print incorporated into a fall/winter collection was so unexpected.  Though the tie-dyes on the Rodarte pieces are silk prints, these pieces lend themselves to accessibility in that tie-dye is generally a very "DIY" process.  Anyone in love with these garments can easily take the inspiration of colors and pattern and create their own bright and bold garments. 

a california "winter".

photo and post by Leah Slatic

With the constantly changing California "winter" weather, It's hard to decide what to wear to school day to day. Around campus I've seen a lot of ladies keeping in style while still staying practical. Combining what I've seen around school and my some of my personal favorites, here are a few things I would recommend - A sturdy pair of boots, and some knee high socks to keep your feet warm in between classes. A bright tube-scarf to dress up a tank, or dress down a coat. And a throw over sweater, for any-day any weather comfort and style. By keeping just a few staple items in your closet, you can still keep it stylish, yet be comfortable for any 'big' weather changes.

spring 2013.

 The occfashion Blog is up and running!  This Spring semester two classes will be writing the posts;  Leslie Christen's, FASH225 - Special Events and Michelle Craner's, FASH118 - Trend Forecasting.  Stay tuned for all things fashion related in the lives of our occfashion students on and off campus.

melissa poster.

story & photo by Vy Le

Melissa Poster, a Fashion blogger and former OCC student, visited our Trend Forecasting class to give us her trend predictions for A/W 2013-2014.  From Renaissance to Futurist influences, Melissa provided us with examples and images of clothing, colors, and fabrics that allowed us to visualize upcoming fashion trends.

photo by Courtney Dersam

photo by Courtney Dersam

Along with being an informative resource to the class, Melissa also proved to be a great example of a person who has found success by doing what they love.   After graduating from UCLA, Melissa dabbled in the world of insurance and banking before realizing that she was meant to do something in fashion.  Melissa now maintains her own blog where she showcases her personal style and fashion tips and has even worked as a freelancer for other companies. It just goes to show you that anything is possible if you work hard and love what you do. 

bloggers on campus.

story by Kacie McGeary
photo from MwithJ.com

It seems as though the blogging virus is spreading all over campus.  With encouragement from FASHION 118 blog assignments, guest speakers from Fashion Trend Guide and The Key To Chic, and the continued thrill over street style blogs such as The Sartorialist and The Man Repeller; OCC Fashion Students are not only spending their time scrolling through blogs, they are creating their own.  Jordan, Makala, and Tauna are all students that have chosen to raise their voices and cameras in order to show the world their thoughts on fashion and prove that you don't have to wait until graduation to begin to pursue your goals.  Through their blogs MwithJ and TNT Tauna, we are able to catch a glimpse into the minds and eyes of the future fashion industry and be inspired by their styling and photography.  Whether you're scrolling through Lookbook or reading up on new "it bloggers," make sure to check out mwithj.com and tnt-tauna.com.

photo from TNT-Tauna.com

photo from MwithJ.com