Man Up is a contest I hosted to target the societal norms of toxic masculinity that is represented through little boys clothing. The objective of this contest is for male participants to design a t-shirt for young boys that is not so limited to interests based on gender. Majority of the shirts for little boys that you see nowadays represent things such as cars, sports, video games, etc. However, some little boys may be into things such as unicorns, cute animals, or even bright colors in which you do not see very often. The reason why I wanted to host this contest is to make a difference in th ..read more

As many of you may know, the new Disney movie Cruella came out and everyone is raving about it! From the fashion to Emma Stone's portrayal of the character, Cruella, the movie was a masterpiece. I even noticed many of the iconic outfits from the movie being recreated on social media platforms. This shows how costume design plays a big role in the fashion industry. Normally, people tend to watch movies/tv shows over fashion shows. Therefore, many fashion trends originate from the costume design/wardrobe. Speaking from experience, the show Outerbanks had a major impact on the 2020 summer style ..read more

The fast fashion industry is something we should avoid and we should try to shop locally instead! If you are looking for a boutique in the Bay Area check out Hula Boutique! It is a mother-daughter team and they have a couple of wonderful ladies who help them out on the weekends. They are also open every day. Hula Boutique is located at 6136 La Salle Ave, Oakland, CA 94611. They also have a website http://www.hulamontclair.com/index.html I had the chance to talk to the sweet owner of this boutique, Naomi and learned more about Hula! Hula Boutique was started in September 24 years ago and has b ..read more

As many of us may know, animal testing is a huge problem in the beauty industry that needs to be stopped immediately. The good news is that there are many brands out there that are both vegan and cruelty-free in which we should support! Starting off with makeup brands, Indi and Ary would be a great brand to check out. Their website states, "Designed for the appreciative and discerning consumer, INDI & ARY, is a consciously curated, mindfully sourced Cruelty Free Beauty Boutique. We source local and international Cruelty Free High Performing Cosmetics that are also connected to your values ..read more

As we may know, the worldwide pandemic has affected people all over the nation. The fashion industry was greatly impacted as well with many retailers having to close their stores, big fashion events being postponed, and so much more. Although there was a spike in online sales and a demand for "comfortable, at home clothes", it wasn’t enough to make up for the overall drop in sales and hit on the global economy. Fox News stated, "Many major brands like J Crew, Brooks Brothers, and JCPenny had to file for bankruptcy." To add on, Bloomberg reported that about 1,089 garment factories in Banglades ..read more

The fashion industry can be seen as problematic, but it is also important to highlight the positive aspects. Body positivity has unfortunately always been an issue in the fashion industry. However, many brands have promoted and designed plus-sized clothing! A great example is Levi's whose sizes go up to 26. According to Ecocult, "They also ensure that their products are free of toxic finishes, and support more sustainable cotton farming." Another brand that has done a great job of promoting and designing plus-sized clothing is Made Trade. They have a curated collection of plus size apparel u ..read more

Although the fashion industry is starting to change, there is still a lack of representation amongst colored models in many big brands. Brandy Melville is a very popular brand that many teenagers like to shop at. However, the brand has faced quite a bit of controversy over the years. First and foremost, Brandy Melville only carries one size fits all clothing. Along with that, all the models are skinny and Brandy Melville does not show the diversity between different body types. The message they are pretty much conveying to teenage girls is that you have to be skinny to be beautiful. This need ..read more

The fast fashion industry is something we should avoid and we should try to shop locally instead! If you are looking for a boutique/gift shop in San Francisco check out Picnic SF! Picnic SF is located at 1808 Polk St, San Francisco, CA 94109. Picnic also has a website https://www.picnicsf.com/ I had the chance to learn some fascinating information about the background of this boutique! Picnic is a modern one-stop urban emporium selling a well-curated array of apparel, accessories as well as unique and affordable home accents and gift items! Jasmine mentioned, "The gifts, home goods, and cloth ..read more

Not only does the fashion industry lack inclusivity of transgender models, but the glamour industry in general suffers a lack of transgender representation. However, Valentina Sampaio was cast by Victoria Secret as the first openly transgender model. She made it on the covers of Vogue Paris, Brazilian and German Vogue. Just yesterday, Leyna Bloom became the first transgender woman of color to model in a Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue. Leyna Bloom was also one of the first openly transgender models during New York Fashion Week of September 2017 as well as the first transgender woman of colo ..read more

Man Up is a contest I hosted to target the societal norms of toxic masculinity that is represented through little boys clothing. The objective of this contest is for male participants to design a t-shirt for young boys that is not so limited to interests based on gender. Majority of the shirts for little boys that you see nowadays represent things such as cars, sports, video games, etc. However, some little boys may be into things such as unicorns, cute animals, or even bright colors in which you do not see very often. The reason why I wanted to host this contest is to make a difference in th ..read more