FASHION Guide

Look Stylish With the Latest Fashion Trends
By Connor R Sullivan

Everyone wants to stay up to date in terms of what they wear. The society these days is very conscious about fashion trends and wants to stay ahead of the competition. Fashion keeps on changing but what matters is keeping up with the current trend. Currently, there are many styles which people are after and these include military outfits such as military t-shirt. Military t-shirts are really popular with those going out hiking, camping and fishing and is a must have for fashionable males and females of 2009. These days, fashion goes with the different occasions. There are different trends for every occasion such as shopping, parties, weddings, outing and so on. Here, let us look fashion trends for men and women for 2009.

Every man these days wants to be a style icon, but with the economic crisis, the trends have returned to basic and classic styles. The denim trend is continuing and since it is cheap and durable, men are going for jeans with washes being expanded and tints being more highlighted. Also fashionable are leather jackets which go with their skinny jeans. Sport shirts which are brightly striped and are stiff collared go well with worked jeans as well. For the colder season, men usually go easy and they can even do with a finely tailored coat that can be matched with any type of jeans or casual pants.

The most fashionable color for 2009 is yellow as yellow represents optimism, hope and a new beginning. During summer and spring, the most worn are clothing with exotic prints and large polka dots. Women look sexy and sleek during hot seasons with their lean silhouettes. Dresses never go out of fashion and for this year, the style is one shouldered dresses. Floral dresses suit women of all ages and sizes and this is the reason they are still continuing with the fashion. Satin and silk fabrics are a craze for spring as women are reloading their womanhood with full length skirts. Ruffled tops gives skinny girls fuller looks, adding volume to the body and is a must have for the thinners of 2009.

When winter approaches, it is again time for women to update their wardrobes. This is the season when women tend to wear clothes in layers and go with excessive accessories such as scarves, shawls, hats, socks, ponchos and so on. The most popular styles of jackets for 2009 are blazers and cropped jackets which go with leather pants or skinny jeans. Fur coats in colors of browns, blacks and grays are in style and look great with ankle high boots.

There are numerous designers who keep on releasing their styles throughout the year. It can be quite difficult at times to keep up with the different styles that are being introduced. However, if you have to keep up with the latest fashion, you need to consider buying clothes and accessories depending on your height and size. Styles keep on changing all year round and sometimes keep on repeating.

Why Blackglam Mink Coats Are Considered The Best Fur Coats Available
By Gregg Hall

Making Profit With Wholesale Women's Clothing For Your Online Wholesale Dropship Business
By Peter J. Johnsons

A wholesale drop shipper is heavily relied upon by its retail partner. This is because they are the supplier of products that retailers and vendors sell. They too are the ones responsible to get those products to their customers on time and in good condition. So finding the right wholesale drop shipper is a must in the e-commerce industry. Because without them, a retailers online wholesale drop ship business will not prosper.

So the best advice that anyone can give you is do your research about a wholesale drop shipper before you deal with any of them. Find that reliable, dependable and legitimate supplier so that you will not regret your decision to have your own online business. But before you can do this, you must decide what products to sell in the first place. After all, you can only know which wholesale supplier you will need if you know the products you will be selling.

There are many plausible products out there that you can choose to sell. The range is very wide considering the number of wholesale drop shippers out there ready to accommodate every retailers and vendors. But what niche is really doing well in this industry? Well, online and offline, the women's clothing forte is always doing good business. Although we see a lot of reports that we are experiencing a global crisis, it really has not stopped the women's clothing market to boom. Still, many people particularly women are still into buying a lot of clothes. They dress with the trends and when a fashion style ends and a new one begins so will women's buying sense. So doing an online business to accommodate such needs will be highly profitable for that entrepreneur.

Once your product is decided, make your research about that prospective wholesale drop ship supplier. Do not be conned into thinking that all suppliers are good suppliers. There are a lot of them that are not and some are scam artist so be forewarned about them. If you see an offer that is too good to be true, it probably is. Just be familiar with the usual benefits that drop shippers offer. Their products are cheap, they store your merchandise, they deliver your products directly to your customers and they take care of the packaging as well. Other benefits can be thrown in as a come on by them but make sure to read the fine prints at the bottom of the contract so that you know what you are getting yourself into when you sign.

Harajuku Fashion Style
By Marsudi Suwarnaadi

Japanese Clothes Could be the Solution to Body Odour
By Jonna Dagliden

Have you started to think about what to buy for your nearest and dearest this Christmas? Ever had friends with body odour, and never had the urge to tell them? Well, soon there will be a solution to both problems, and good bye to the stressful Christmas season. Japanese manufacturers are focusing on developing fibres from naturally-occurring chemicals obtained from plants and animals. They are increasingly focusing on developing fibres and textiles for personal well-being, hygiene and comfort.

Osaka-based Omikenshi has developed a number of health-promoting viscose fibres. One of these is its Sundia branded fibre which has special deodorizing properties. The deodorizing effect is activated simply by exposing the fibre to sunlight for five hours. Fabrics made from Sundia also have antibacterial properties and help to protect the wearer from UV radiation. The company also offers Crabyon branded viscose fibres which are coated with chitin made from crab shells. Crabyon fibres are designed to provide protection from germs.

Another unusual development from Omikenshi is its Kishu Binchotan fibre. This is made from a composite of viscose and charcoal derived from oven-baked oak. The charcoal particles generate negative ions, which are said to create a sense of well-being, to absorb odours and humidity, and to aid blood circulation by releasing far-infrared radiation.

In a further innovation, Omikenshi has developed viscose fibres which contain the health-giving compound squalene - a substance derived from shark's liver. Following extensive studies, it has been found that squalene plays a key role in maintaining health.

Daiwabo, another Osaka-based company, has developed a new deodorant fibre called Deometafi. The fibre is able to neutralize a wide range of odours - including unpleasant odours generated by the human body. In order to achieve these properties, Daiwabo has created artificial enzymes which are able to form ionic bonds with fibres.

Health, safety and environmental concerns, are also a driving force behind a number of Japanese fibre innovations. Three companies -Asahi Kasei, Teijin and Toyobo - have developed polyester cushioning materials to compete with polyurethane (PU) foam in public transport seating and household furniture. PU foam suffers from the drawback that it is difficult to recycle. Also, it generates toxic by-products when it burns. The new polyester materials overcome these drawbacks.

This must be too good to be true. Just wrap up the present and you'll soon have a body odour-free life, and at the same time, all Christmas wishes could come true, not to mention, yours!

History and Clothing in Ancient Japan
By Christopher Schwebius


Japanese history includes alternating periods of isolation and revolutionary influences from the rest of the world. As early as the Jomon period from about 14000BC to 300 BC, Japan had a hunter-gatherer lifestyle; wooden stilt houses, pit dwelling, and agriculture. Weaving was still unknown and the ancient Japanese clothing consisted of fur. However, some of the world's oldest pottery is found in Japan, along with daggers, jade, combs made form shell and clay figures.

The period thereafter to 250 BC saw the influx of new practices like weaving, rice sowing, iron and bronze making influenced by china and Korea. Chinese travelers describe the men 'with braided hair, tattooing and women with large, single-piece clothing.' Initially ancient Japanese clothing consisted of single piece clothing. The ancient and classical Japan begins from the middle of the 3rd century to 710. An advanced agricultural and militaristic culture defines this period. By 645, Japan rapidly adopted Chinese practices and reorganized its penal code.

The peak period of ancient Japan and its imperial court is from 794 to 1185. Art, poetry, literature and trade expeditions continued with vigor. Warlords and powerful regional families ruled ancient Japan from 1185 to 1333 and the emperor was just a figure head. By the Japanese Middle Ages, Portugal had introduced firearms by a chance landing of their ship at Japanese coast; samurai charging ranks were cut down; trade with Netherlands, England and Spain had opened up new avenues. Several missionaries had entered Japan as well.

Distinct features of the lifestyle, ancient Japanese clothing and women is difficult to decipher for the simple reason that it is super-imposed by the Chinese culture. Ancient Japan readily adopted other cultures and practices and most of its own culture is lost among these adaptations.

Ancient Japanese clothing was mostly unisex, with differences being in colors, length and sleeves. A Kimono tied with an Obi or a sash around the waist was the general clothing and with the advent of western clothing are now mostly worn at home or special occasions. Women's obi in ancient Japanese clothing would mostly be elaborate and decorative. Some would be as long as 4meters and tied as a flower or a butterfly. Though a Yukata means a 'bath clothing', these were often worn in the summers as morning and evening gowns. Ancient Japanese clothing consisted of mena and women wearing Haori or narrow paneled jacket for special occasions such as marriages and feasts. These are worn over a kimono and tied with strings at the breast level.

The most interesting piece of ancient Japanese clothing is the ju-ni-hitoe or the 'twelve layers' adorned by ladies at the imperial court. It is multi-layered and very heavy and worn on a daily basis for centuries! The only change would be the thickness of the fabric and the number of layers depending on the season. Princesses still wear these on weddings.

Since the Japanese people don't wear footwear inside their homes, tabi is still worn. These are split -toe socks woven out of non-stretch materials with thick soles. Clogs have been worn for centuries in ancient Japan and were known as Geta. These were made of wood with two straps and were unisexual. Zori was footwear made of softer materials like straw and fabric with a flat sole.

Ancient Japanese clothes, culture and footwear are slowly regaining their popularity with the western world. There is an honest curiosity in knowing more, wearing kimonos or using silk fabrics with beautiful floral prints from the 'land of the rising sun'.

By Jennie Gandhi

While considered by many as daring, outlandish and provocative, Japanese fashion has come a long way from being just about kimonos and school uniforms. Their eye-popping and flamboyant outfits have largely been influenced by Japan's huge underground club scene. Tokya and Osaka is where Japanese Street Fashion is at its best. By adopting a mixture of current and traditional trends along with foreign and local labels, Japanese youth have created their own unique blend of fashion.

Japanese street fashion has a variety of trends and styles. Youth were more elaborate in their dressing patterns and make-up. Bright colours, eccentric patterns, hand-made garments, heavy jewellery, mixing and matching jeans and tank tops with traditional wear like kimonos, is their way of making statements about their cultural influences and way of life. Lolita, Kogal, Cosplay, Ganguro are some of the most sought after styles that Japanese youth display on the streets.

Lolita is a style with many subcultures, such as Punk Lolita, where chains, beads, lace and wristbands are popular accessories along with pink and peach colour prints. Gothic Lolita focuses on styles emerging from the Victorian age such as dark colours, black make-up, heavy brooches, and ribbons.

The Ganguro art of dressing is similar to North American youth trying to replicate tanned and blonde celebrities and models. The look consists of light or dark tanned bodies, bleached or dyed hair, summer dresses and platforms. Their exaggerated looks and outfits, is their attempt at westernizing themselves dramatically.

The Kogal style is where young Japanese women display their wealth through various tastes in music and fashion. Wealthy parents often support young girls who are into this style. They keep themselves up-to-date with Japan's ever-growing mobile technology. They adorn themselves with big boots, skirts pinned very high, dramatic make-up and the latest in American fashion brands. Many see the growth of Gothic Lolita to be a reaction to the materialism desire that emerges with the Kogal trend.

Costume Play, shortened to Cosplay is a trend where dressing of characters from manga, anime, fantasy movies and videogames is encouraged. The Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter and The Matrix series are some Hollywood films which increased the popularity of Cosplay artists. Japanese youth styled in Cosplay attires are often seen at various public gatherings such as amusement parks, nightclubs dedicated to like-minded dressers and many high profile Cosplay parties.

By Jennie Gandhi

During the middle of the nineteenth century, the Japanese began to move away from their traditional clothing, to adopt the western style of dressing. Two centuries later this trend came to be termed as Street Fashion. Basically this term implies the customization of outfits by adopting a blend of current and traditional trends. Such clothes are usually tailored at home.

Basically, the street fashion is considered to be rather trendy amongst fashion gurus of the world. This is because it is an individualistic genre of dressing. And interestingly, across Japan, various dressing sub-cultures have mushroomed with their own unique way of dressing. Some rather simple and young, typically teenage in its way; while there are the outrageous styles that seem to emulate the punk trends of the eighties.

Whether tourists do shop for the street fashion clothing or not, visiting these shopping destinations are of interest. While almost every country has its own unique style of dressing, in Japan one would find a totally different street trend prevalent in various areas. There is uniqueness and innovation at almost every nook and corner, especially amongst the youngsters.

Tokyo is one of the prime fashion destinations of Japan. Her is a list of some places where one could shop for Japanese street clothing:

Harajuku: This has come to be regarded as the latest fashion center of Tokyo.

Ginza: This fashion area is dotted with a number of clothing shops as well as restaurants, for shoppers to refresh themselves when in the middle of a shopping spree.

Odaiba: This is considered as a tourist hotspot for street fashion shopping, as well as sightseeing.

Shinjuku: A fashion destination, with a brightly lit up nightlife.

Roppongi: This is an ideal shopping hotspot for English speaking tourists, with an entertaining after-shopping-hours life.

Shibuya: One can get the latest and most outrageously fashionable objects from here.

Urban Clothing is the Symbol of Modernize

Cheap Prices in Women's Clothing

There is always a big market for women's clothing as the fairer sex is quite meticulous in observing the latest trends and fashions in clothes. Designers of women's clothes (most of them are women themselves) go by the four seasons of the year in the ideas that they put into their designs and cuts in women's clothing. The business of drop shipping and wholesaling online is now into women's clothing too, as the entrepreneurs in this new business style online are also after the profits they can make in big volumes here.

Men are not too particular in the clothes that they wear provided that they are comfortable with them. Not so with women, who are always on the lookout for the latest in fashionable clothes that come out every quarter. Fashion magazines feature these latest styles always as they know that they have a big readership among the womenfolk, young and old. Smart drop shippers with their equally smart wholesalers are now carrying fashion magazines too among the things they sell online, because they have realized that sales in fashion magazines correlate somehow with the huge sales figures in women's clothing.

And because women's clothes change in designs with the seasons, wholesalers now know when to pour capital into inventories of women's clothing and when to sell them cheap so as not to have their money tied up in clothes not anymore saleable, because they have gone out of fashion. The buyers' psychology in women always works too (the wholesalers are aware of this) - they tend to gobble up things that sell cheap, even if they see no need for them. Many clothing items of women bought in a hurry this way in cheap price auctions end up unused in many a woman's clothes closet.

Drop shippers and wholesalers who concentrate on selling women's clothing are raking in big profits after they have discovered these product items are among the most saleable that they can carry. Salehoo even has noted this and now includes this fact in their holdings of information on the favorites of online buyers. The women's niche in clothing sales is now becoming a top target of aspiring online drop shippers and wholesalers too.