MODE by Sarah

MODE ISSUE 1

SPRING 2017

contents 04 chic

12 cosmopolitan

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20 urban

28 nineties

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let’s talk outfit

n Australian designer label that is dedicated to the strong, the obscure and of course the beautiful. Sass & Bide is a highly creative Australian designer brand in which leads the culture of chic fashion for bold, unique and individualistic women. From bestfriends to co-founders for the last 18 years, both Heidi Middleton and Sarah Jane Clarke set out to reinvent the feminine wheel quite early on, fast becoming a must-have in every twentysomething’s wardrobe, they’re best known for stunning embellishments and unique collaborations within. Heidi and Sarah, join MODE for a cuppa and a chat. The talk features their thoughts on the evolution of chic wear and how it has influenced their career pathway into becoming fashion designers plus their top 4 chic outfit formulas that are in trend for 2017. What does the term ‘chic’ mean to you both? H: I feel that the term chic is basically a word that describes a person who is fashionable, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that they have to wear the latest and hottest looks that are around. It can be used to refer to a woman as smart and stylish. S: It means you wear what looks good on you. I feel, and that you know how to work with what you’ve got. In terms of flaunting it without looking like a victim of fashion (aka trying too hard!.You also follow the current fashion trends but with a critical eye on board.

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How do you feel the style of chic has evolved over the years? H: Babe let me tell you, the fabulous chic style takes into account the right amount of risk (fashion and trends) vs. safety (your colours, body type, personality.) for any occasion. In saying so, I feel it has evolved in a way that having a great chic style means that you’re able to dress presentably but take it close to the edge without overdoing it. S: Like Heidi mentioned babe, it has evolved for sure, there’s no doubt. I feel like the chic style is honestly about daring to stretch your fashion spectrum and trying new things. When you’ve achieved a certain level of comfort and confidence, you’ll dare to evolve the chic style according to your mood and the experiences, dreams and goals you get along the way. Do you think that chic wear has thoroughly influenced the success of Sass & Bide? H: Oh yes, chic wear has for sure. Over the years the Sass & Bide collection draws inspiration from love, culture and art to create the unique Sass & Bide style, in which everyone knows. From the many collections that include items such as ready to wear, the classic denim and leather pieces in which have all influenced the creations we designed. S: Couldn’t agree anymore Heidi, chic wear has come a long way with Sass & Bide. I feel that the dedication to women of ageless spirit connected to a sophisticated and liberating style of relaxation and adornment is what chic wear has become throughout.

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Can you please talk us through the 4 outfits you have put together for us? H: Yes yes, of course! So Sarah and I put together a few pieces as mentioned in which we feel thoroughly showcase various formulas in which chic wear is and can be.

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S: We were looking forward to this part of the interview so bad! As Heidi mentioned, we have taken the outcome of chic wear and incorporated it to some of the trends that have been going around this year; such as denim, off the shoulders, scrunchies, tee and cami top combo, flared pants, hoops, statement earrings, slides and floppy hats. The list goes on.

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outfit one

H: The choker craze trend can be paired with a plain tee and cami to create that combo. You can pair a black leather skirt with simple suede boots and a floppy hat to add that extra depth. Add a pair of silver hoops and your statement silver choker to tie in the formula together.

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outfit two

S: The off-shoulder trend has always been around the block, but summer brought in an offshouldered top with ruffles. The other thing is that you can pair up heels with to add a colour blocked attire. Finish it with a simple jewelry and a head piece, and you are good to go with this formula!

outfit three

outfit four

H: The classic denim trend for every woman should consist of the classics but it never hurts to revisit the cold shoulder trend, but layer it under a pair of denim overalls. To top it off add a pastel pullover as well as a summer slide. With some statement earrings and the usual scrunchie to put this formula in one.

S: The lay-it-over look trend comes in where most jackets are used to cover up an old tee or hide our arms, but these days, jackets are just used to lay over an outfit. So, wear your leather jacket with your halter neck top plus some flared pants and the original nude heel for a beautiful daytime look with edge, plus gold accessories to make this formula.

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stars seeing

t’s the controversial dress that has everyone in a spin. The ruffled, star spotted wrap dress is rolling off the lips of every woman’s tongue. The Alexandra dress is the charming baby of Australian blogger/model Alexandra Spencer and design director Teale Talbot. They are not only making waves (and money) because of the controversial dress body copy that boasts claims that ‘Men love Sundresses’. While some claim it do be sexist in phrases of the text like “We also know this point is actually pointless because we women dress for ourselves and ourselves only. But sometimes… just sometimes you need a get-out-of-jail-free card.

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Maybe you forgot to take the trash out or you scratched your dad’s car or maybe you were really late and you forgot do the one thing they asked you to do.” It is a huge contradiction for the company to make, while it says that women are independent and don’t rely on the approval of men it then goes on to say that if for whatever reason you need to get out of something that you have done – this is your ticket out. If your like me and simply choose to overlook the somewhat sexist text and focus on the actual dress itself it is a beautiful designer piece that will be timeless in your collection. The fashion label boasts that this is the dress that can get you out of anything – and believe me it can do exactly that.

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“Just sometimes you

need a get-out-of-jail-free card.”

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he allure of red has stood its test of time over the years, a seductive, sultry colour that draws in whoever lays eyes on it. Réalisation Par has had previous success with celebrities adorning their pieces specifically Alexa Chung was caught wearing the ‘Christy’ dress which sent their social media into a frenzy and has been skyrocketing to over 200,000 followers. The companies designers wanted to create a product that was instantly recognisable, having someone walk down the street or look at an image on the web and instantly know the it is a Réalisation dress. The route they took with enlisting the help of social media influencers like Alexa Chung has definitely worked in their favour. The dress though does not come cheap, it is a high-end fashion label and will set you back around $260, available through only their online store. The dress transforms you into a new world of wonder.

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st.

urban

treetwear has been around for a number of years; the word streetwear simply means “style” – specifically, the fashion trends of urban youth. However, the origin of streetwear stems from, and is most associated with, the hip-hop and skater subcultures of Los Angeles and New York. Because of this early inspiration, typical streetwear staples include oversized and baggy clothes, branded sneakers and graphic t-shirts.

Streetwear style has been appropriated over the years, as a fusion of the “oversized and baggy” look with contemporary fashion trends. For instance, an oversized jumper could be paired with ripped jeans; a hoodie worn under a jacket, with trainers or combat boots such as Nike, Adidas, and Timberlands; gym wear and tights with a graphic crop top such as Stussy or Santa Cruz. The fashion industry has, especially in recent times, blurred the lines between stereotypically male and female clothing. In general, streetwear style could easily be worn by either gender and it panders to no particular demographic other than youth. Streetwear has increasingly been influenced by artists and designers, as well as rap artists such as Rihanna, who has teamed up with Puma in designing her clothing and footwear collection Fenty, and Kanye West, who has also launched a clothing and footwear line known as Yeezy in collaboratipion with Adidas. Both artists have had great success with their streetwear-style lines. Designers have also had a great impact on streetwear style. Shawn Stussy who began his career in 1980 building surfboards, teamed up with Frank Sinatra Jr. (no relation to the famous Sinatra family), and started a clothing line which epitomised, and helped to popularise, streetwear. 20

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Stussy’s circle of friends, which included DJs, club kids and skaters, most likely influenced his designs, and the streetwear style was developed and expanded during this time. Like-minded artists and individuals helped publicise the Stussy label that focuses on aesthetic and culture, including art, music and literature that is now known as “streetwear” fashion. Felson Sajonas perfectly surmised how designers such as Stussy has influenced this culture, when he said “If streetwear was a religion, then Shawn Stussy would be its God with other brands constantly taking a page out of Stussy’s gospel on how to become a massively influential name”. Stussy was named as The Greatest Streetwear Brand of All Time by Bobby Hundreds, who is considered by some to be the backbone of Los Angeles streetwear and who, is his own right, has impacted and influenced California’s street fashion. The Hundreds has helped to promote streetwear culture and trends, bringing it into the mainstream. Even to this day, it is Bobby’s passion to promote art, fashion and music from the West Coast. Stussy has always been invested in exploring fringefashions and subcultures, which he has actively been promoting since he started his career with his own streetwear clothing empire. Stussy’s brand and style resonates with those who are young and appeals to how it has been a struggle for adolescents to strike a balance between rebelling against the mainstream and the stereotypical or “socially acceptable” styles of their parents, and to establish their own identity, whilst at the same time trying to fit in with other young people.

Top ASOS Denim Jacket Dotti Tights ASOS Crop Top General Pants Co. Shoes Platypus

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Top TEMT Leather Jacket Myer Ripped Jeans Dotti Jewellery/Accessories Lovisa Shoes Platypus

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Top Urban Outfitters, ASOS Bomber Jacket ASOS Tights ASOS Ripped Jeans Dotti Jewellery/Accessories Lovisa Shoes Rubi, Platypus

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channeling the

he fashion trends in the 1990’s were heavily influenced by the music and pop culture of the decade. The main styles that were present in the 90’s were minimalism, grunge and casual streetwear. Minimalism was inspired by many of the high-end fashion designers at the time including Maison Margiela, Calvin Klein and Ann Demeulemeester. The minimalistic style consisted of simplicity, clean lines and monochrome palettes. The grunge style consisted of dark colours such as greens, browns and dark reds with fabrics such as flannel and plaid. Loose and ripped clothing were also very evident in the grunge scene in the 90’s. the grunge fashion was heavily influenced by the punk music culture at the time and musicians such as Alice in Chains, Nirvana and Pearl Jam. The casual streetwear trend was very common among the youth in the early 1990’s. This trend was influenced by music, pop culture and the skating scene at the time. Some popular fashion trends included loose ripped jeans, denim jackets, graphic t-shirt, high-top converse/skating shoes, long sleeve t-shirts, combat boots/Doc Martens, bright thick-framed sunglasses and flannel shirts.

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It is no secret that fashion is a cycle, and in 2017 it is evident that the trends from the 1990’s are making a clear comeback. 90’s trends have been popping up in todays modern fashion designers work and in the styles of celebrities. The trends that have made a comeback in 2017 include denim jackets, loose high waisted jeans, choker necklaces, graphic tees and long sleeve tshirts, converse and Doc Marten boots.

“Fashions fade, style is eternal”

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Paul Andre de Vera

n an article by Paul Andre de Vera in 2015 he mentions that 90s “streetwear started to thrive much more than usual, because the music started coinciding with it. When you blended hip-hop with streetwear there was literally a super-drug created, and that superdrug was a lifestyle that everybody wanted to live (or at least look like they were living). The music scene that hip-hop was building allowed the clothes to really resonate within communities, and people started dedicating their lives to the stuff. People would develop designs for snapbacks of their very own, and puffy coats were also very high in demand (you probably couldn’t walk a mile or two without seeing some shell-toe Adidas, which I still wear today). Le Coq Sportif was literally at its highest peak in the 90’s as now it’s a brand you barely hear of; ask anybody who was a teenager in the 90’s and they’ll let you know about it. Record labels started hopping onto the bandwagon, and as a result there was a lot more money being put into these particular ventures.”

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ISSUE 1 SPRING 2017