Urban Pulse

Fashion Week is upon us, and as predicted, patterned pants are ruling the runway this season. Flowered, polka dotted, striped, and chevron-covered bottoms are the new “it” item to dress up any outfit, chase away the winter blues, and declare a bold fashion statement both on and off the runway.

Adding splashes of color to any outfits, these pants will be the “it” item of your outfit, allowing for the simplicity of solid colored basic tops and simple flats or boots.

Designers from high-end brands like Prada all the way to J. Crew are releasing their interpretations of patterned pants this season, and with the boldness of colors also come creative freedom to play with the pants’ silhouettes. We’re seeing slim-cut high-waisted pants, slouchy loose trouser with tapered ankles, and wide leg capris in bold prints.

With such a bold fashion statement in vogue, the styling possibilities are endless. How will you wear your patterned pants this season?

Pantone has declared Tangerine Tango to be the Color of The Year for 2012, and all of a sudden it’s everywhere. More vibrant and vivid than its 2010 predecessor Honeysuckle, this year’s cheerful reddish hue is inspiring designers worldwide. Appearing in couture fashion, interior design, handbags, and wallpaper, Tangerine Tango is officially taking 2012 by storm.

“Sophisticated but at the same time dramatic and seductive, Tangerine Tango is an orange with a lot of depth to it,” said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute. “Reminiscent of the radiant shadings of a sunset, Tangerine Tango marries the vivaciousness and adrenaline rush of red with the friendliness and warmth of yellow, to form a high-visibility, magnetic hue that emanates heat and energy.”

Now that you’re aware of Tangerine Tango no doubt you’ll be noticing its presence on the runway, in stores, and in interior design. We’re excited to see where it shows up next!

Color blocking became popular last spring, with bright, bold colors, but the trend has continued to grow and evolve. In the spring, countless designers and celebrities showcased bright pinks, purples, oranges and greens, combined together to create a striking effect. While these colors seem best suited for spring and summer, color blocking can be used with neutral colors for the colder seasons. This trend has even made its way to the home. A splash of color amid neutrals creates a sophisticated, yet bold look.

Check out this video on Color Blocking Fashion Tips and Refinery29‘s tips on Colorblocking Dos and Don’ts this winter.

With a camera in every phone and hundreds of different social networks to share photos on, we have become a society enamored with photos. Erik Kessels, a Dutch visual artist, was alarmed at the ubiquity of photography and so he printed out every single photo uploaded to Flickr within a 24 hour period. The results are staggering. Kessels explained his work, on display at The Future of Photography Museum at Foam in Amsterdam, by saying ““We’re exposed to an overload of images nowadays… This glut is in large part the result of image-sharing sites like Flickr, networking sites like Facebook, and picture-based search engines. Their content mingles public and private, with the very personal being openly and un-selfconsciously displayed. By printing all the images uploaded in a 24-hour period, I visualise the feeling of drowning in representations of other peoples’ experiences.” Are we over-sharing or simply taking advantage of an accessible art form and connecting with friends? Either way, that picture you absentmindedly uploaded to Flickr might currently be displayed in an art museum.

-Merany

Good Trend of the Week: Chevron Pattern

The chevron pattern began trending a few months ago and has taken off into so many different areas of design. From the recent insanely successful release of Missoni for Target, we have seen the chevron pattern incorporated into affordable fashions and home goods. We have also seen this dynamic pattern incorporated into many aspects of interior design, from fabrics and wall coverings, to tile and furniture. Chevron is so striking yet so versatile in it’s design aesthetic and creates such a bold statement. Chevron is clearly a trend that is here for the long haul!

Bento lunchbox ideas from Another Lunch.

When I was younger, Lunchables were all the craze, there is something about having individual compartments: one for your sandwich, another for veggies and dip, a third for fruit and maybe some chocolate. A bento style setup can make your lunch more fun and also pleasantly presentable. Now, there are several companies making eco-friendly bento lunchboxes such as ECOlunchbox. These stainless steel containers make it easy to pack a well-balanced lunch, and also helps you say goodbye to plastic zip locks and brown paper bags. Great recipes for kid’s lunches that follow a bento format are available at Another Lunch. Melissa Sharp’s website features links on how to choose and where to find bento packs, as well as helpful snack tutorials. However, you don’t have to be a kid to enjoy these eco bento ideas!

Images from ECOlunchbox's website.

-Neko

Jacket and skirt from Schmidttakahashi's Reanimation Collection

When browsing through consignment shops and vintage boutiques, I never fail to find some cool garment or accessory, but its hard to ignore the former owner and the garment’s former life. But now the mysteries of our recycled favorites are being debunked by Berlin fashion label Schmidttakahashi (the name comes from co-designers Eugenie Schmidt and Mariko Takahashi) as it seeks to unveil the past, present and future of vintage fashion.

The way it works is that clothes are donated with each donor receiving an ID number. Every item is then saved in an archive before Schmidttakahashi goes to work dismantling and reassembling the clothes into new designs.  The information about the combined materials and other garment information is then stored in an RFID-chip and sewn into each new piece. The items in the “Reanimation” collection can then be scanned with a smartphone, allowing donors and new owners to visually see the transformation of their clothes, while also allowing the present owner to add to the clothing’s narrative. In the minds of its creators, “Reanimation” is a way of swapping identity. With each recycled garment we are essentially slipping into “the external skin of another”.

-Neko