Fashion Collections and Shows!

[Preface by Wicked Thrift's owner, Tammy Venneri: Before 2013's summer season gets away from me, I just wanted to applaud Wicked Thrift's highschool-level summer fashion intern, Diana Milkey, who has done an outstanding job with her writing assignments at Wicked Thrift. I thought it would help Diana's perspective to consider the meaning of "collection" in the world of fashion.  One of the most meaningful compliments I have ever received at Wicked Thrift, was when a shopper stated that Wicked Thrift is not just "a thrift store", but a carefully curated collection of beautiful fashions. It does not get better than that.]

On July 28, 2013, Wicked Thrift participated in The Current Quarterly Magazine's summer fashion show, which featured over 20 local Cape Cod boutiques. The event was held at the Cape Cod Maritime Museum in Hyannis, and not only was it another great success by the Quarterly's team, but it got me interested in fashion "collections" and how they’re used. Here's what I found-out about how collections work and their relevance on the runways:

At the risk of making this sound like an essay for school, a definition would probably be the best place to start: a fashion collection is something that a designer puts together each season to show how they will showcase new trends, often debuted at a fashion show. Fashion collections on the runway typically have a theme and some sort of consistent motif. For example, Wicked Thrift named our mini collection of three "looks" at the summer fashion show, “A Lite Brite Summer”.  It was a mix of contemporary and vintage bright colors and neons for a stunning summer style.

I'm learning, that collections offer a structure. Most fashion showcases begin with something casual and work up to more formal looks. There’s also a kind of “story” to it; when you watch a collection on the catwalk, you can definitely see some sort of beginning, middle and end with some sort of common connection throughout the looks. Each collection should evoke something from the audience and create a certain feeling about the outfits (Wicked Thrift calls this the entertainment factor).

For Wicked Thrift’s showcase at The Current Quarterly's summer fashion show, I definitely could see this sort of structure. The three outfits that were shown fit the “Lite Brite” theme: colourful and bright.

Now, I don’t know about you, but just looking at these fun colorful outfits gets me way excited for all sorts of summer fashion, even as we enter August! I think that all of these styles serve as a great inspiration for fun and bright fashion trends, and that’s exactly what I think fashion collections are supposed to do: inspire.

 Let Wicked Thrift’s collection inspire you! Come visit us at our stores in West Dennis and West Yarmouth and set your own trends! 

416 Main St. (Rte.28) WDennis, MA • 533 Rte.28 WYarmouth, MA

 www.wickedthrift.com • 508-648-5902 • info@wickedthrift.com)

   

Trend Alert: Batik Fashion

One of the Batik styles in Free People

Looking in the summer 2013 issue of the Free People catalog, I couldn’t help but notice a recurring theme (two, if you count the fact that all the models make the same face). Batik fabrics (pronounced buh-TEEK) seem to be a hot trend, and for a good reason. These beautiful, hand-dyed fabrics aren’t typically what you’d see in a super-trendy "younger" fashion catalog, but Free People has always showcased items with a bohemiam flare .

When I think Batik, the first thing that comes to mind is usually a swimsuit coverup, or one of the stores that sell them (I can think of quite a few here on Cape Cod), but I did a little research and found it was a whole lot more than just a pattern on a dress or shirt or skirt to wear on a beach day.

The process of designing the pattern

To really appreciate the inspired pieces see on the racks, here's some reference material:  Batik fabrics are hand-dyed and artfully hand-designed using a wax resist dyeing process. It originated in the Far East/Middle East, especially in countries like India, Malaysia, and Ukraine, and is still very prevalent in those places, today. Real Batik is hand-dyed and the amount of work that goes into the process is astounding.

Hand-printed batik shirt, Very Vineyard
$15 Wicked Thrift Cape Cod, 
West Yarmouth location (Shirt A)
Made in Indonesia! Beautiful batik button down shirt. 
Brown trim around the neckline, bottom, and sleeves. 
Flowy and comfortable. Intricate paisley-type pattern; swirly and gorgeous!

The steps involve dyeing a fabric, designing or stamping a pattern on it with hot wax, then dyeing the fabric again in a different colour. The wax works as a dye resist, because when the fabric is boiled (yes, boiled!), the wax melts away and the stamped pattern can then be seen. Not only is it an extremely difficult process, but it’s also incredibly time consuming. Originating in Java, this dye process is a favourite all over the world, especially in the Pacific islands and the Far East.

Recently, this type of fabric has been popping up all over high-fashion runways and magazines. It's a hot trend, especially for the hot days of summer,  and Wicked Thrift has a few Batik pieces to share with you in our store, this season.

Batik wrap dress, $12, Wicked Thrift Cape Cod
 Long, beautiful wrap dress! Zig-zag line pattern, w/sequins 
& bead accents.Perfect for a beach cover up!

These prints and patterns are a great addition to anyone’s wardrobe, whether you're headed to the beach or a fancy island resort.  Handmade fashion, like those made with Batik fabrics, are not only high style, but the amount of work that goes into every authentic piece makes it impossible not to appreciate how special it is.  The next time you’re out shopping, be sure to keep an eye out for these gorgeous prints, and don’t forget to stop into Wicked Thrift to see what styles we may have on the rack for you!

Batik Top, Reds Threads, $10, 
Wicked Thrift Cape Cod, 
 Way cool purple on purple button down tunic top! 
Breezy, beachy, and comfortable! 
Hand dyed vine pattern, gauzy and soft.