Marissa Elman | Fashion & Photography

Marissa Elman is a lifelong lover of fashion and photography.

Regarding Fashion As Art

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The fashion world carries with it many of the same pretenses of the art world, but for most people, clothing still remains a necessity rather than a true art form. This is, in part, because fashion is an applied art. Art is often seen as extraneous. Music, paintings, and film are consumed or displayed in homes and galleries, but they don’t have a concrete value in our daily living. Clothing, on the other hand, is a necessity to protect us against the environment. But just as practical crafts like pottery started as a way to serve our practical needs and has since become a form of art, so can fashion.

 

This is a notion that’s finding its footing in museums and galleries throughout the world. The Savage Beauty exhibit was introduced at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2011, and it’s become one of the top ten most-visited exhibits at the Met, putting it in the company of Picasso and the Mona Lisa. Featuring clothing by designer Alexander McQueen, this show took works of art typically viewed on the catwalk and brought them to a more traditional museum habitat. The Met now hosts its own Costume Institute, and they’ve since brought on legendary fashion journalist (and Vogue editor-in-chief) Anna Wintour to further blur the line between high fashion and high art.

 

The Met isn’t the only museum treating fashion more seriously. In fact, many are beginning to push the boundaries of what fashion can be and creating highly specialized exhibits. The Museum of Fine Art in Boston has introduced a #techstyle exhibit exploring fashion that’s inspired by modern technology. Many of the products on display at this exhibit have moved well beyond the notion that clothing is meant to be worn, providing pieces that are highly impractical. And this exhibit is delving deep into cutting edge processes for designing art by displaying pieces made from technologies like 3D printing.

 

And while the notion of showing fashion in museums isn’t new (such exhibits go back as far as the mid-1940s), they are seeing a greater role in the spotlight. As with anything, art is a mutable thing, and it won’t be received the same way by everyone. We have yet to reach the point where anyone can objectively say which clothing is “art” and which isn’t, but that’s just the way of things in the art world. Regardless, a move towards the legitimization of fashion as an art form is a promising sign looking forward.

History of the Birkin Bag

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Jennifer Lopez, Eva Longoria, Alessandra Ambrosio, Kim Kardashian West and Sofia Vergara are just a few of the many celebrities who have been photographed carrying beautiful Birkin bags.

The iconic handbag is defined by its glamorous but humble beginnings when model Jane Birkin and Hermès chief executive Jean-Louis Dumas met by chance on an airplane ready for departure. The year was 1981, and Ms. Birkin’s overstuffed straw bag tumbled out of the overhead compartment spilling its contents on top of her.

Mr. Dumas saw it all and became inspired to “build” a better bag for women everywhere. In 1984, the stylish, practical, rectangular Hermès Birkin bag debuted at $2,000, and it was ideal for traveling, chic and came with plenty of room for storage. Word has it that the model drew her idea of the perfect handbag on a disposable airplane sickness bag for the designer.

Today, the Birkin bag is a wise and elegant investment for fashionable women. The handbag is a classic that gains in value each passing year. For example, Christie’s Auction in Hong Kong sold the most pricey handbag ever. The winning bid brought in a colossal $379,261 for the brand’s Himalayan bag.

Over the years, Hermès bags have been associated with the popular girls of society like actress Grace Kelly. That sophisticated handbag from the Hermès collection was nicknamed the Kelly because the former Monaco princess carried it everywhere. It achieved instant status due to Grace Kelly’s celebrity.

The Birkin bag, however, is constructed with a unique anatomy that gives it a spectacular following. The Birkin resembles a tote and comes with classy features like a lock and key to ensure all contents remain inside the bag. The design also enables the handbag to stand up on its own with four feet or clou at the bottom of the bag.

The Birkin bag provides a clouchette or leather cover for keys, and on the inside of the bag is one open pocket and a zipped pocket.

These days, Birkin bags aren’t cheap; they range in retail price from $11,900-$150,000 and come in a choice of gorgeous colors and six types of leather. Resale prices can reach up to $230,000 for one.

The Birkin bag has undeniable sex appeal and never gets old.

10 of the Latest Photography Gadgets

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The latest innovations in photography showcase gadgets that span a wide range of useful applications, which includes both complex and simple functionality.

1. Datacolor SpyderCube

This handy addition to any photographer’s kit works by being the single point of reference for light balance within the frame of any shot, which saves post-processing steps later.

2. Tinxi Hot Shoe Two Axis Bubble Spirit Level

Rather than eye-balling whether or not a picture’s frame aligns with the chosen horizon, photographers can instantly see when their camera’s position is level for the perfect shot the first time.

3. Joby GorillaPod Hybrid Tripod for Compact System Cameras with Integrated Ballhead

Shoots that require creative angles in hard-to-reach places, the bendable and jointed legs on this tripod can give a photographer a lot of flexibility in pursuit of the perfect shot.

4. Rogue FlashBender 2 Portable Lighting Kit

With so many modification options for flashgun attachments in this kit, photographers can experiment and play with lighting effects in countless new and interesting ways.

5. Hahnel UniPal Extra

Camera accessories that serve dual-purposes like this are a photographer’s best friend, especially when it charges a battery and operates as a power bank, too.

6. Lastolite by Manfrotto Joe Mcnally Ezybox Speed-lite 2 Plus

The portable versatility of this miniature softbox, which can be used as an attachment or as a standalone, opens up the possibilities for portrait photographers who work outside of a studio.

7. Lensbaby Spark

The build on this lens lets the photographer quickly and easily choose the angle of their soft-focus shot without having to adjust minute details each time they shift the perspective.

8. Rode VideoMic Pro R

While a built-in microphone comes standard with many DSLR cameras, serious professionals know that a mounted and shockproof mic like this is the only way to get the best quality audio possible.

9. NG Mediterranean Camera Tote Bag

A tote that doesn’t advertise it carries a bunch of expensive camera equipment is the photographer’s best friend while they’re on location for shoots in busy areas or traveling with a compact kit.

10. Transcend 2TB USB 3.0 Portable Hard Drive

Modern storage options need to maximize their internal space and minimize their external vulnerability, which makes this a great choice for photographers who need a durable and expansive hard drive.

Why you Need to Reorganize Your Closet

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The closet is one of the most common places in homes that can quickly become unorganized and cluttered. Plenty of clothes, accessories, and miscellaneous items can accumulate throughout the year, which can make it challenging to find certain products. Although you may need to set aside time to reorganize the space, there are a few reasons it’ll make for a great project that has lasting benefits.

 

Avoid Stress

Waking up and trying to put together an outfit in a messy closet can make it easy to feel stressed, which can be a negative way of starting your day each morning. Getting organized can allow you to have a mental calm and avoid feeling overwhelmed when going through your wardrobe.

 

Save Time

By removing junk and reorganizing your closet, it’ll be easier to find items that you need. You won’t have to spend as much time searching for a certain pair of heels or a shirt when putting outfits together, which can allow you to get out of the house on time and avoid being late.

 

Save Money

Many people don’t realize that organizing their closet can allow them to save more money throughout the year. By going through each clothing item that you own, you’ll become more aware of the number of clothes that you have and will be less inclined to buy duplicates. You’ll also become more aware of any items that are needed, which can allow you to invest in products that you need.

 

The Seasons Change

The seasons are continually changing, making it necessary to adjust the clothes that are on display in your closet to ensure you can have easy access to what you need. You won’t have to spend time digging through winter coats in the summer or tank tops in the winter by staying updated on the organization of the space throughout the year.

 

Better Aesthetics

An organized closet looks better and is more attractive compared to a cluttered space. You won’t have to feel embarrassed if your family members or friends happen to get a look at your closet if everything is neatly organized. A tidy closet can also motivate you to keep other areas of your home clean, which can make the property more functional and habitable.

Fashion Trends Making a Comeback in Summer 2018

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This summer many cutting-edge fashion trends are emerging, many of which are making a comeback from their original eras.

 

Pastels

 

Pastel hues in the sundae style are making a comeback this summer. This carries over to dresses, accessories, purses, pantsuits, belts, and any garment you can think of. In addition to this, you can find exciting ways to pair different pastels with each other to make an entire pastel outfit.

 

Pastels—whether it be green, blue, or a more exciting pink—will really make your features pop and compliment any complexion and hair color.

 

Feathers

 

Miuccia Prada spurred the revival of feathers last season, followed by Kaia Gerber and Gigi Hadid, who wore dresses adorned by swan-like feathers. This followed Zara’s debut of feathered swan sandals, proving that there are feathers are not only a high-class embellishment, but simultaneously a versatile one.

 

Additionally, feathers do a great job of framing and contouring the original garment. They are often used to help outline the body in a way that emphasizes and shapes features attractively.

 

Floral Prints

 

Botanical prints are undoubtedly making a comeback this upcoming summer. There are so many print combinations and patterns under this genre, and due to the numerous options, it won’t be difficult to find one that is particularly flattering to you and your body type.

 

Slogan Prints

 

Shirts that make a statement have been booming in popularity over the course of the last couple years. This market is continuing to expand to include not just shirts, but also hats, jackets, and a plethora of other accessories fit with snappy slogans.

 

There are so many types of slogans being printed on garments, from spunky to sassy, inspirational to hysterical. With a little searching, you’ll undoubtedly be able to find one that fits your style and expresses your personality.

 

Fringing

 

Fringing is part of the maximalist movement, a statement which is coming back in high fashion. It involves fringing and swishing along the edges of features, adorning where the fabric meets fabric or fabric ends. Fringing can be done with a variety of patterns and material, making it extremely personable and easy to pair with clothing.
It also allows you to modify simple outfits, and fringing is relatively easy and cheap to do yourself. If you have an old shirt or skirt that you would like to turn into a brand new garment and be in stride for summer style, it is extremely simple to accent it where you see fit.

What NOT to Wear to the Office This Summer

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What not to wear to the office this summer - Marissa Elman

Whether you’re absolutely tired of the heat or not, you can’t exactly throw on your jean shorts and hit the office. One thing is for sure, whoever invented air conditioning is both a genius and a hero. Hopefully, your office has it, but, you still have to wade through the inaugural heat wave to get there. With all the how to’s out there we thought this subject deserved the reverse with what NOT to do. So, here is what NOT to wear to the office during the summer.

 

  1. Do NOT wear shorts

Shorts don’t even fit the bill for business casual, let alone full business attire. Maybe you work for an office that has casual Friday’s and you can ask your boss about wearing shorts then? But for the most part, it’s just inappropriate. We know, it’s hot, you’ve probably got a nice summer glow going on those lovely legs of yours, but you still can’t wear shorts to the office!

 

  1. Do NOT wear sunglasses indoors

It isn’t cool and is it absolutely NOT ok in the office. Keep your shades outdoors for when you actually need shade, not indoors. We all know there is no reason for you to use them inside. You’ve got about a 2- minute window to get them off and into your bag before the people will notice. Get to it!

 

  1. DON’T be a shoobie

If you are unfamiliar with what a shoobie is, it is a person who wears socks with sandals, kind of pulling off the combined style of a tourist/surfer- aka NOT ok for the office. Stick to your regular close-toed shoes or, if you’re a woman, you might get lucky with some open-toed heels.

 

  1. Do NOT wear ripped clothing

Ripped jeans, ripped t-shirts, ripped jackets, anything ripped- don’t do it! It is unprofessional and should be saved for out-of-office activities.

 

  1. Do NOT wear yoga pants, crop tops, or tank tops

We know, we know, yoga pants are so comfortable! You still can’t wear them to the office. Same goes for trendy tank tops and crop tops. If you can wear it to the gym, you shouldn’t be wearing it to the office, plain and simple.

 

Whatever you do, use this list as a guide when planning your outfit for the office during the summer months!

Fashion Icons in History

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Fashion Icons in History

There has always been an interest in what everyone around you is wearing, especially the elite – the celebrities, the movie stars, royalty. We look to them for inspiration and can still spot their influence, decades later.

 

Here are a few big names that just might sound familiar, and the fashion influence they brought to the table:

 

Grace Kelly

To say Grace Kelly influenced fashion is equivalent to saying Leonardo da Vinci painted a few pictures. This actress-turned-princess was one of the first in Hollywood to really  develop her own “signature style” and became well-known for her uncluttered, clean-cut look. She appreciated simplicity and elegance and was a firm believer in wearing pieces you love more than once, which is why she has been photographed wearing the same dress at multiple events. Almost unheard of in the entertainment industry!

 

Grace Kelly is also one of the first to inspire fashion houses – does the Hermes Kelly bag sound familiar? That’s because it was designed for Grace herself. When she married into Monaco’s royal family, she continued to play by her own rules and set trends each and every day.

 

Audrey Hepburn

Audrey Hepburn is another style icon known for her clean lines and crisp look, and if you’re still not entirely sure why, maybe the words “Little Black Dress” will jog your memory. That’s right – we have Audrey Hepburn to thank for making the idea of a versatile little black dress fashionable again, even decades later after Coco Chanel initially introduced the idea. Audrey made the look fresh again, and as evident in Breakfast At Tiffany’s, the public really took to it. That, and her infamous black capris.

 

While many of her outfits had the look of men’s fashion, there was no doubt of her femininity even during a period where bold patterns and wide skirts were the norms. Audrey kept her look clean and simple, and many still emulate her today.

 

Madonna

Everyone knows Madonna, and unlike Grace or Audrey, it’s not because she kept her outfits simple. She changed the pop music game starting in the 1980s, and it’s never been the same since, and neither has fashion. Her outfits have spanned styles from punk, western, androgynous, military, even geisha and a touch of S&M, and no one really knows what she’s going to wear next, even now. Her outfits often reflected the tone of her music – for “Material Girls,” Madonna channeled her inner Marilyn Monroe. For “Vogue,” she drew from Horst P. Horst’s famous 1939 photograph. Her influence is alive and well today, too. If it weren’t for Madonna, who knows if crop tops would have taken off nearly to the extent that they have?

 

Whatever Madonna was wearing, people were taking note. Whether that meant a cone-shaped bra and pink corset, or simply befriending and wearing a new designer, all eyes were on Madonna for the next trend.

Subscription Boxes: Getting Fashion in the Mail

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subscription boxes - marissa elman

 

If you’re into fashion but your schedule is too busy and doesn’t allow you hours each month to shop for clothes, a subscription box could be a great solution.

 

Gwynnie Bee

 

This subscription service offers sizes 10 to 32 and allows their members to have a lot of control in what gets delivered to their door, but also has an element of surprise because you never know what you’ll find on the site! Create an account and search through their inventory, adding individual pieces to your online closet that catch your eye. Once the items arrive on your doorstep, you can choose to send them back if they don’t appeal to you, buy them outright if you absolutely have to have it, or you can even choose to wear them a couple of times and return them later.

 

Stitch Fix

 

If you’re looking to expand your wardrobe with pieces you may never think to add, Stitch Fix is an excellent choice. First make an account and fill out your sizing information and personal preferences when it comes to clothing, and one of their personal stylists will put together a small collection and send it to you. The styling fee is $20, but shipping is free. Once you receive your subscription box, you can choose to keep the items and pay the cost for each, or send them back for free.

 

Fabletics

 

Keep yourself motivated to stay in shape by signing up for a Fabletics membership. This is a monthly subscription service that delivers workout outfits to your door. The styles are released every month and you can pick an outfit you love so you can showcase it the next time you hit the gym.

 

The Rachel Zoe Box of Style

 

If you don’t want to get clothing in the mail but still want a great subscription service, check out Rachel Zoe’s service. The Rachel Zoe Box of Style is delivered once each quarter, costing $100 and contains several high-quality items based on the upcoming season.

Want Free Makeup? Sign Up For These Rewards Programs

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Want Free Makeup- Sign Up For These Rewards Programs

Beauty products are very well known for coming in small packages with large price tags. With that in mind, like most people you probably would love any rewards program that can alleviate some of that financial burden. These programs offer many perks which include free products after a period of time. Take a look of some of the beauty store rewards programs you might want to sign up for.

 
Sephora: Sephora’s Beauty Insider

Sephora is one of the most popular beauty stores, and they have a wonderful multi-leveled rewards program that benefits its’ customers’ spending. At Level one requires a small amount of purchasing to reach and it rewards you with a free birthday gift and beauty classes that teach things about makeup and other beauty topics. As you continue up the levels such as VIB and VIB Rogue you will be able to enjoy perks such as free and exclusive gifts, seasonal discounts, promo codes, and one free custom makeover. Along with that, you can also expect to receive free two-day shipping, a private hotline to answer all your beauty questions, and invitations to private parties and product launches.

 

M.A.C: M.A.C Select (Back to M.A.C)

M.A.C is another popular store with a great program that has numerous benefits that are beyond the basic free shipping, free samples, and anniversary gift. They also have the Back to M.A.C program where you receive a free lipstick, or eyeshadow, or gloss if you join the M.A.C Select program by returning original packaging for six M.A.C products to your local store. Other rewards include a free 30-minute makeup application, first glimpse at new collections, and free two-day shipping on orders of $50 and more when you spend $150 within the year. Now if you decide to go all in and spend $500 in a year, you will receive two 60-minute makeup applications, early access to new collections, and an even better anniversary gift.

 

Ulta: Ulta’s Ultimate Rewards

Ulta’s Ultimate Rewards program has a great points system that allows you to be rewarded for each dollar your spend. For every dollar spent, whether in-store or online, you receive a point. These points can be saved and redeemed for virtually any product in the store. You will also receive email offers where you can earn the double, triple, and even quadruple the amounts of points you would normally earn. During your birthday month, you can earn double the points when you make a purchase as well as a free birthday gift. Also when you spend $450 in a year, you can go up to the Platinum level where you will earn 1.25 expiration proof points, along with a ten dollar coupon to go with your free birthday present.

 

Sally Beauty: Sally Beauty Club

This one might seem a bit unpopular as unlike most other beauty rewards programs which are free, Sally Beauty’s Sally Beauty Club has a five dollar fee. However, the upside to that is that as soon as you sign up, they spot you with five dollars, so it’s almost like signing up for free. They also offer many great perks such as a fifteen percent discount when you spend $25 in a month.

 

Fashion Trends for Fall of 2017

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Fall Fashion Trends 2017 - Marissa Elman

 

It’s almost time to put away the flip flops and get ready for Pumpkin Spice Lattes and the cool fashion trends that follow with the autumn season. As we head into fall, it’s time to check your wardrobe and make sure you’re ready to start it off on the right foot with these trends that are sure to be hot this year. Fashion week was held back in February, but the styles seen then help to set the stage for the fall’s trends to follow.

 

Denim

A timeless classic for anyone’s wardrobe is denim, and for the past few years, skinny jean denim has been the go-to style for many women. This fall, designers and trendsetters have decided to take a more structured take on this classic by creating more structured separate pieces like tailored jackets and skirts with clean lines. For jeans, we’re looking at high waisted and looser on the leg pants, rather than tight skinny jean styles we’ve seen over the years.

 

We’re also seeing more denim on denim looks for this season, allowing you to pair your favorite pair of jeans with an always-comfortable jean jacket.

 

Subdued floral prints

Florals for spring are typically a given, but florals rarely make waves in the fall. Rather than bright, colorful floral prints, we’re seeing flowers in subdued or even neutral shades. For this trend, aim for dark colored floral prints that are the opposite of pastel.

 

Trumpet sleeves

Shirts with sleeves that flared out made waves in the 70s and it seems like they are right on trend again. This look can be achieved with neutral colored shirts and dresses as it adds some fun to a simple garment. Or, go bold with a strong pattern or rich colored dress for some drama. This nod to the era of disco will add some flair to your fall wardrobe.

 

Glittery shoes

Last year, nude heels were all the rage as they were a way to elongate your legs and went with absolutely every outfit. This fall season, consider going on the opposite end of the spectrum by adding some sparkle to your shoe collection by investing in a pair of glittery shoes. While they still are likely to pair with multiple outfits, sparkly shoes will add some panache to your wardrobe.