by Chloe Xiang
I have always loved drawing and painting and art in general. Being able to combine two of my favorite art forms- fashion and art, is so great- and also known as fashion design. Here are some of my illustrations, from my own designs to outfits straight from my favorite fashion bloggers’ Instagrams. I will be posting more of these in the future after I finish a few pieces at a time, so stay tuned!
Fashion is something so phenomenal, so complicated- no one definition could ever sum it up. Often it is misinterpreted, thought of simply as putting on cute clothes or a shallow and expensive hobby for simple minded girls. The power and capacity of fashion is frequently underestimated. To me, fashion is an art, a philosophy, a story. Just think about what you are wearing now, even if it is simply a plain colored t-shirt. So many ideas and considerations were put into that one item- why is it one color and not another? Why do the sleeves end where they do? Why does it have a loose or tight fit? And those are merely the basics and logistics. Fashion is something created from inspiration. When I look through the latest copy of Nylon, when I watch the Grand Budapest Hotel, or when I take a hike in the forest, I become bursting with inspiration and ideas that become translated into the art form of fashion. Each place, movie, architecture, and editorial possesses its own style, aesthetic, and fee, which goes on to influence me. From there, fashion ideas are born- whether it is an intricate pattern for a material or a piece itself. For some, these inspirations are translated into photography, for others, writing, and others just enjoy it purely. For me, it is incredible how the cloth material purposed to cover your body becomes so much more meaningful and significant. When I look at clothes and read fashion articles, it is this perspective that intrigues me. For example, if I am reading about summer dresses, there is an imagery that is created, from fields of flowers that are golden and sunlit, to salty waves crashing upon sandy beaches. Fashion connects nature, with cities, and even with ordinary everyday things. Fashion is a universal movement that is so, extremely powerful. Ultimately, fashion helps me find myself. From the clothes I wear to the ones I design, I am slowly creating my own individual aesthetic. As I slowly distinguish my personal style, I become more clear of who I am in the real world. Fashion allows me to express, allows me to become who I really am, it’s a way to speak without words. Through fashion, I have become transformed. And I have only just begun.
From reading this, I hope that you are beginning to comprehend fashion for what it truly is- as something more compelling, dynamic, and profound. Like always, I hope you are inspired.
// The Look //
Top // Mercer & Madison
Shorts // Bullhead
Shoes // Gap
Golden hour is the time frame where the sun is setting, so it casts this gorgeous glow onto the ground and it’s also one of my favorite times to shoot. This outfit is so simple and comfortable, featuring silver/grey tones, which really contrasts the oranges and yellows of the background. I love basics, like my grey t-shirt, because basics are so versatile and definitely staples in my wardrobe. I included silver slip-ons and silver jewelry, but added a blue bandana as a necklace for more of a statement and color onto the outfit. I’ve seen many bloggers (such as Vanessa from The Haute Pursuit) and Nasty Gal selling/wearing bandanas as a necklace and I love it!
Photos by Larry Yu.
I am so sorry for my unintentional hiatus, but I am back! And I will be returning to a steadier posting schedule. I was on vacation in Europe- which was an absolutely amazing experience, so let me know if you’d like to see posts on my adventures there!
Chloé is one of my all-time favorite designer houses, and it just so happens that I share the same name! In this post, I took some pieces from their ready-to-wear collections from past seasons and created four separate outfits. Their ready-to-wear is part of why I love Chloé so much, the pieces are so elegant and gorgeous, with a mixture of a boho and city girl style.
The first two outfits followed a city girl style, with black leather, and bolder silver/gold hardware. The first outfit’s suede skirt, cat eye sunnies, chiffon blouse, large shoulder bag and chelsea boots are pieces that are the epitome of class and minimalism. The second outfit features gold hardware, with the embellishments on the boots, the buckle on the bag, and the statement necklace. These two outfits would be especially perfect on the streets of Paris, which is why it is in the background of this mood board.
These two outfits are very bohemian and I can just picture them being worn in a large, open field of flowers at dusk. The first outfit comprises of wide flare pants, a lace blouse, a nude heel, and a brown leather tote bag. It still gives off a breezy look, even without a skirt or dress. The second outfit’s nude dress has subtle flower details on it and is made of a chiffon-like material, giving a looser fit. The handbag has a pink and dark orange color block, which I think nicely contrasts the dress and coordinates with the shoes.
Lace, fringe, bright florals, and athleisure are trends that have been becoming very prevalent recently amongst both designer brands and everyday stores. They are very easy to wear and versatile so that each trend can be found on tops, bottoms, shoes, and bags. If you pay attention to street style in major cities, or even in your local town, you’ll see that many people follow these trends.
Lace– Lace has always been around, but lately it has been rising to its peak, due to its everlasting classy and feminine look. Lace comes in so many different patterns, colors, and articles of clothing. I personally have many lace pieces, because even a small lace detail immediately transforms an outfit, especially gorgeous for summer/spring looks.
Fringe– Fringe has become a very big trend recently. Everywhere I go, I see fringe- on shirts, skirts, shoes, bags, jackets, and so much more. Fringe comes in a variety of material such as leather, suede, and cotton, but I think it works best on black leather and brown suede. In my opinion, fringe is so popular because it is a unique twist on the original item and adds a boho edge onto it. Watch this quick video for more about this trend.
Bold Prints/Florals– These colorful, floral patterns are becoming more rampant in the fashion world. Due to the so many variations and designs under this trend, basically anyone can find a print that falls under their personal style. Similarly to the other trends, many fashion pieces have these patterns- from bags to two piece sets. This trend is perfect for summer and spring as well, and definitely a trend that will stick around.
Athleisure– Athleisure is a very new concept that has been recently introduced to fashion, and resulted with a mixed response. Athletic wear was once strictly reserved for athletes, hence the name, but with the wave of people wearing athletic clothes as their street style, more and more designers have started creating clothes inspired by active wear. It is a very modern trend, being that people are seeking to be comfortable and practical more than anything else. Athleisure pieces include track suits, oversized tees (such as jerseys), leggings, and sweatshirts.
A subcategory of the Athleisure trend is Sneakers. People are wearing these as their everyday shoes now. In the past, who would think to pair Nike Free Runs with black skinnies, a leather jacket, and call that an outfit? Now people are incorporating Adidas Superstars, Nikes, vans, Converse, the Yeezy x Adidas collection, and Jeremy Scotts into their daily looks. Sneakers are even common on the runway and many designers are collaborating with companies like Adidas and Nike to create lines. Check out these two articles on the sneaker trend here and here.
// The Look //
Shirt // Adidas
Shorts // Forever 21
Shoes // Adidas
Bag // Ebay
This is a sportier, edgier look, but still casual and perfect for the summer season. The hoop earrings and gold studs on my bag helped add finishing touches onto the outfit. The white ripped denim cutoffs also really coordinated with the white logo on my shirt, and really suited it better than if I wore any other wash cutoffs. I really like the material of the back of the shirt, because the glossy effect really pulls the style together.
Photos by Larry Yu.