How To Build A Fashion Empire By Gabrielle Teare

With the credit crunch biting more and more of us are looking to the internet as a source of income. In both Europe and the US retail sales have fallen whilst internet sales are still holding. Around 75% of us now have a home computer, and clothing sales account for 17% of US and 37% of UK online sales in 2007. The US market topped $100 billion in 2007 so there is a massive market to go for.

• Fashion Internet sites are still starting all the time. The Bauer Media group who own Grazia magazine have just launched a new fashion site. http://www.cocosa.com/. This is a designer retail internet site similar to net-a-porter. Check it out. It is by invitation only. Type in "HauteMimi". It is by limited invitation which is available until November 2.
  
• Retail shops are finding it very tough with rising rates, and consumer confidence dropping. So the time is right to start a fashion empire. Niche markets do very well, Bravissimo the online bra company for fuller figured women started on a kitchen table. Other ideas may be children’s clothing, plus size women, tall men etc.

• Next, start a blog with a free newsletter and find out as much as you can about your target market and customers prior to launch. The newsletter will give you your mailing list for your launch. This will get you known to your target customers and get some healthy web traffic. It will also give you competitor data for your business plan.
  
• Then source your product and start a website. There are many website software packages now to build your own i.e. Mr Site. Google Adwords provide instant advertising and with a website focused on your most relevant keywords you will soon have sales. Market by email to your customer base and keep marketing to them, on average it takes 7 access points before someone buys.

• Now you have your killer product, a great website, stay focused, network like crazy and don’t give up. Take a long cool look at your business regularly and refine it. Many big businesses start very small so be motivated and get out there to build your very own Fashion Empire.

Ooh La La The Secrets Of French Chic By Gabrielle Teare

With Carla Bruni set to become the new Jackie O, it is time to get some of that seemingly effortless chic, poise and polish into your wardrobe. Not for years has the political landscape had someone as stylish and elegant. How do you achieve this look? One way to do this is visit a Fashion Stylist. The other is to follow my secret tips....

Fashion in Milan, Paris and London remains very different to the US. Europeans love America for casual clothes and will stock up on all the basics, jeans etc. Particularly with the current dollar rate.Visit Paris, and arriving on Eurostar what you notice is Quality. So how do Parisians do it? Here's How:

Invest in good jewellery. From waitresses to shop assistants, French women will wear beautiful pieces clearly saved for. Costume jewellery is often large scale and chosen to match colours. Parisians will buy the dress and at the same time the matching must-have necklace. Galerie Lafayette and other department stores carry vast choice.

Shoes must be leather, high quality, as opposed to high fashion and are chosen every season.

Bags are another investment piece, whatever the budget quality is paramount.

Each season Parisians flock to the stores and buy just one or two key items. This is not random shopping, it is carefully considered choices. Colours and styles are chosen to complement existing items.

Scarves are everywhere, worn in every permutation by young and old alike.

Cosmetics, hair and skin care are highly valued, with regular facials, tints etc. to present a groomed look. Many shops carry large ranges of small diffusion beauty brands at every price level.

High fashion trends are cheaper and mixed in with the investment buys and designed to last one season.

Lingerie is a whole universe. Big department stores will have a whole floor given over to lingerie. French women know they look good from the inside out. This is true grooming.

Perfume. It is the nation of Perfumers -look good smell good.

Knowing what truly suits them and buying it. This is probably the key secret. If you don’t know this, use a Personal Shopper or Image Consultant and learn. What you learn will pay dividends for the rest of your life.

Men's Essentials Series: The Shirt By Dapper Kid

A good selection of shirts are essential to any man's clothing collection. The shirt can be worn both dressed up and dressed down and adds an instant smartest to any outfit. Adding a simple tie can add class, yet an open collar can exude a laid back and effortless style. The key to looking good in a shirt is simply knowing which type of shirt you require for your specific outfit and some basic rules for wearing a shirt.

The most important thing any man should know, is a simple understanding of a shirt and the types available. This may seem pretty straightforward, however armed with this knowledge you will find that you are able to make a more appropriate choice when shopping and when dressing generally. The construction of a shirt is simple enough to work out from visual inspection. The key parts to identify are: the collar, the spread, the placket, the cuffs, the arms, the two front panels, the yoke and the back panel. These are the pieces that make up your shirt, and the individuality of each piece will lend itself to which thickness of tie you can wear it with or whether or not you can wear it open collar, to name two examples.

Collar

The collar and spread of a shirt are undoubtedly the most important parts of a shirt, both visually and style wise. The collar has been a part of men's fashion for hundreds of years and the modern day meaning of the word is thought to have emerged around the year 1300. However even though it has been around for this long, many men still are unsure as to the types and which to wear on a certain outfit.

The basic type of collar is actually called the 'spread collar', which is seen most often in the shops. It tends to be between 3 and 6 inches between the tips of each respective collar, and this spacing is actually key to your look. With a smaller spread you will want to go for a thinner tie blade and a thinner knot, for example a basic four-in-hand. With a wider spread you will be able to go for a thicker knot, such as a half or full Windsor. These shirts are mostly worn with a tie, however depending on the fabric and cut, you can wear casually, for example with a sweater or cardigan. For the smarter spread collar you will often require 'collar stays', which are placed behind the tips of the collar, usually in a pocket already sewn in by the manufacturer. Many shirts will come from the store with a plastic stay already in them, however good quality silver or metallic stays can be bought for a guaranteed straight collar.

'Slim Fit' shirts mostly require a thin blade tie, however more often that not can be worn open collar. The reason for this is that the spread is smaller and that the fit is more akin to a t-shirt. In contrast, a shirt with a wider spread will almost always require a tie, looking far too wide on the chest when worn open collared. The slim fit shirt, worn either open collar underneath a sweater, or with the collar open, rolled up sleeves and a casually hung tie, will look good. The versatility of a slim fit shirt therefore makes it a worthwhile basic addition to any man's wardrobe.


For a more casual shirt, simply paired with linen or denim trousers and footwear such as deck shoes or loafers, a 'button down' (usually an 'Oxford') shirt is worn. The button down refers to the collar, which is buttoned down at the tips, although the term is often incorrectly used in American English for a general 'dress shirt'. The button down collar is a feature of the sports shirt, and is usually not worn with a tie, although there have been exceptions such as Gianni Agnelli (who also wore his tie outside of his sweater!). The fabric of this type of shirt is usually a washed cotton, or often a linen blend. The shirt will be more fluid and less crisp, meaning it can be a very rugged and practical shirt. For a button down shirt a plain colour is not usually a good choice, opt rather for a micro print, plaid or 'washed' colour, to fit in with your casual look.

These are only two of the main types of collar, however other styles such as a 'tall' or 'eyelet' collar also exist. I chose these two as they are the most commonly worn collar styles, and indeed they are the most essential styles for a wardrobe.

Cuffs

The other main part of the shirt that must be chosen with care are the cuffs. Cuffs are a very important detail in a shirt that many men often overlook. There are various types of cuff, however the main two are the 'barrel' and the 'double' (often called 'French') cuffs. The barrel cuff is the most simple, with a single length cuff closed with a button. This type of cuff is most commonly found on casual shirts. The smarter option is the double cuff, which as the name suggests is double the length of a traditional cuff, and is folded back over on itself. This type of cuff is usually bound with cuff links of a silk tie. The cuff is therefore a detail point where a man can use a suitable decorative cuff to finish his look.

The amount of cuff shown is also a key consideration, as it actually draws attention to the hands and can visually lengthen the arms. One example would be early Hollywood dancers, who would use their white cuffs to draw attention to their hands, where they would twirl batons of sticks. Generally speaking you will want to show around one to two inches of cuff. One important thing to note is that when wearing a double cuff, you will want to avoid a full sleeve sweater or cardigan, as the prominent shape of the cuff will stretch your knitted top.

General Tips

General tips for a shirt are simple enough. Fit is a key consideration, you want something that is fitted at the shoulders and back. This is usually down to the 'yoke' of the shirt, which is the piece of material at the upper back of the shirt, that dictates the fit and shape of the rest of the shirt. You want the shirt to fit well, however not too feel restrictive when leaning forward. Equally your sleeves ought to cover most of your watch when you put your arms out in front of you. Remember that a slightly tapered shirt will usually be your best option, otherwise the fabric will balloon around your lower torso. The length of a shirt is also a key consideration, as it will determine how the shirt can be worn. Generally if the shirt is longer, you will have to tuck it in. If you want to wear the shirt loose, you will want a shorter length, that does not fall too low.

Ties

Ties are a natural accessory for most shirts, however this can also ruin an entire look.

1. Generally speaking you want your tie to be darker than your shirt, as this provides the most definition and gives a focus.
2. Colour wise, go with something that compliments your shirt, for example a dark blue on a light blue shirt.
   
3. When going for clashing colours, make sure than the shades are correct.
4. Patterns on both shirt and tie are most often avoided, however if done right they look wonderful. Usually a micro pattern on a shirt paired with a larger pattern on the tie will look better.
5. The fabric of the tie you want is usually determined by the fabric of your shirt and suit. You will want fabrics such as wool for a washed cotton or linen shirt and wool suit, however for a crisper suit and shirt a silk tie is recommended.
   
6. The width of the tie blade and type of knot are based on the spread of the shirt and the break point of your suit, so pay careful attention to these details.
   

-D.K.