"I'm looking at an Angel, and believe me when I say, She got that whole place glowing..."

"THE SEXIEST NIGHT ON TELEVISION"

& A Night of Physics?

Quick Facts:

• 19 hairstylists
• 240,000 Swarovski crystals
• 125 pounds of glitter
• 34 Angels
• 90 feet of runway
• 5 inch heels
• signature angel wings = 50 pounds

-We will use one segment of the 2010 Victoria's Secret Fashion to determine the physics of a runway walk. The chosen song will be "Angel" sang live by Akon. 

-The length of this song is 3:35 minutes, the runway is 90 feet long, and the number of girls who walked down the runway during this song was 11 angels.

-Assuming that all the models had the same amount of time to walk down the catwalk, 3:35 (215 seconds) divided by 11 would leave 19.5 seconds per girl. Since, the next girl does in fact begin her strut once the girl before has reached the end of the runway. Yes, two girls are on the runway at one time. 

Therefore, to find the approximate average speed of one model you do the formula for average velocity:

so distance traveled: 90 ft. & time elapsed: 19.5 seconds

Average Speed = 4.615 ft per second

"woah, that's fast"

Could you do that with 50 pounds on your back and 5 inch stilettos on your feet?!

Advanced Technology in the Fashion Industry

One important aspect of the fashion industry is 'trend-spotting'. There are companies dedicated to forecasting trends that will appeal to the consumer market. After a two year research project, an advanced technology known as 'Trend Science' has been created to analyze consumer sentiments. Through social networking sites (Facebook, Twitter, etc.) trend forecasters have analyzed consumer opinions about specific trends.
Until this development, trend forecasters have gone on imagination and ideals of what they think are the upcoming trends; now, they actually have facts. And, this technology is very beneficial because of the hard financial times; knowing the trends can keep the profits coming in. Trend Science is extremely helpful to retailers and buyers.

What Stylesignal says about their product:
"Trend Science provides options to break trends down into markets (Europe, USA or Australasia for example) as well as garment types, prints, patterns, colours and details. The patent pending system also allows users to search for any word or phrase and presents a chart showing whether opinion is favourable or not. Users can also see the sources of the opinions, and trace back to the originator."
[Stylesignal is a London based company with a team of journalists, designers, and technologists]

"Every time I get off work, I look like a Smurf!"

Today at work I was talking about this blog with my manager Courtney. And, she gave me a great post topic. Why our jeans turn our hands, legs, and knees blue!?

The answer is in the dye. Denim is dyed with indigo that is meant to get stuck in the fabric. Obviously this is not always the case because our jeans constantly turn our bodies, handbags, and even the walls their blue hue. Typically, this problem stops once the jeans have undergone several cold-water washing cycles.

A quicker solution to this issue is soaking the jeans in salt water and/or water mixed with about a cup of vinegar. This process is known as "setting" the dye. 

These days however, many manufacturers use "color fast" fabrics that should not create this staining whatsoever. 

SO, just be aware so you don't come out looking like this:

Those pants fit you perfectly.

Lo & Behold, the J. Crew spring 2011 collection. I'd say the fashion designers will see great success with this collection.
However, having a good fashion sense is not the only thing that makes one a successful designer.
Good business skills, yes...Knowing what the customer wants, yes... having a background in the psychology of the consumer (anyone ever heard of retail therapy?), yes yes yes.


But, have you ever thought about the 'science' of 'fashion'? Without the role of science, clothing would merely fall limb on the body. 


FASHION: 
"It's not a jumbled business of cloth and colours loosely thrown together, rather, a well organised industry driven by the sciences, from market research to weaving, printing, dyeing, pattern making, branding and labelling; scientific intervention supports artist's continuum." http://www.fibre2fashion.com/industry-article/10/924/the-art-of-science-in-fashion1.asp


This leads me into a discussion on fabrics. Which fabric to make a garment out of is quite a scientific topic. Who is wearing the garment, where they intend to wear it, how is may be transported, etc. are important factors in the choice fabric. 


Examples:

• Tropical Climates: natural materials- rayon, cotton, linen, silk. all materials that are notorious for their ability to "breathe". cotton- easily washed and dried, perfect for profuse sweating episodes. Oh, and remember, it is always better to wear lighter colored fabrics, as the sun is more attracted to the blacks and darker shades.
• Extreme Cold Climates: fleece & leather. these are typically great insulators and keep the body much warmer. cuddle up in soft durable fleece, a fabric that comes from sheep and lambs. it is a natural fabric that needs extra care when cleaning and even though it is lightweight, it is extremely powerful to protect from the frigid temperatures.
• Perfect transportation fabric: jersey. packing for a trip? any garment of jersey material is perfect for travel. why? because it does not wrinkle very easily. you can fold it up, toss it around, and you still won't have to set time aside to iron it before an appointment or night out.

"Hey what's up! Check out Sadie and So Cal..."

Yep, that’s my job.

Ever considered the process of shopping a scientifical procedure? Research projects all over the world have focused on fashion involvement and the shopping behaviors of consumers. The consumer’s level of fashion involvement is based on the stimulus or situation and the attention to objects that are particularly relevant to the individual.

People find the idea of shopping as a pleasurable experience. Specific shopping behaviors can be credited for this level of enjoyment:

                 First off,  the “holy grail” of any shopping skill: BARGAIN HUNTING! Don’t I know it. From      working in retail, it is a known fact that the ‘clearance’ section of the store is notoriously the busiest and most haphazard. You fold stacks upon stacks of clearance merchandise to soon discover that it is ruined in 20 minutes flat. People love their discounts: 40%...50%... don’t even get me started on the ‘buy one get one free’. The reason that going on a treasure hunt for the greatest bargain is so appealing, the feeling of personal achievement. Although, let’s get real, when our entire store was 40% over Christmas, I guarantee that people picked up things they did not really need and walked out with heavily loads than initially anticipated. That’s the beauty of it!
                Browsing:“Hey, how are you doing, can I help you find anything?”                “No thanks, I’m just looking around.”

-Oh of course, those trite words. We’ve all used them. People are constantly searching out the newest “it” items, the newest trends. So, for the sake of the retail market, hopefully you’re producing, producing, producing in order to change “lookin’ around” to “buying”

Sensory Stimulation:  

-Pounding music? Check. Identifiable smell 100 feet before even entering the store? Check. Eye-candy employees wearing flip-flops no matter how much snow is on the ground outside? Check.

-Oh, the sights, smells, and sound of Hollister. Typical. Maybe not everyone’s cup of tea.

-All of this again contributes to the consumer’s hunt for pleasure shopping. Adventurous shoppers seek out these stimulating senses during any shopping experience.

Mingling with others: Last night at Hollister, it was teenage madness. I’d say ever person age 10-18 living in a 20-mile radius of Polaris ventured in. The tween girls went crazzzzzzzyy for the candy colored clearance graphic tees. Embellished with the oversized bird and “HCO”. And yes, I dealt with the aftermath and demolishing of the piles. But that’s just reality, shopping excursions are excusing to get out and about with friends and Hollister is an extremely popular destination for a cold, snowy winter’s night

  Being Pampered: Consumer’s gain pleasure through their interaction with the salespeople. They like to be helped, given advice on what works with what. And, high end and upscale boutiques are notorious for pampering: offering champagne as their customer’s wonder, maybe even handing out specialized logo water bottle. So you never forget them. Although, how could you when you get the credit card bill as a reminder at the end of the month…

   

           Kinesthetic Experience: You’ve seen them. Typically the middle-aged women with their workout gear and sneaks walking up and down the mall, arms pumping. Many older women find pleasure in walking in shopping malls as their form of exercise. This activity is a combination of all the shopping behaviors: older women mingling with others through exercise. And, they’re inside a mall with a vow to other “window shop.” Well yea right, it’s hard to fight the temptation of a sale at say, Coldwater Creek?

Conclusion:

“This study serves to alert academic researchers of fashion shopping to consider the importance of fashion involvement among shoppers during in-store visits. It strengthens academic knowledge on the particular shopping experiences, such as mingling or bargaining, of highly involved shoppers. Additionally, it provides ways for fashion retailers to trigger these shopping behaviors that are associated with fashion involvement. For example, retailers can design and implement more effective atmospherics, merchandising and service quality strategies to manage recreational shopping experiences and enhance spending.”

--My version was an adaption, complete study found here:

http://anzmac2010.org/proceedings/pdf/anzmac10Final00238.pdf

Petroleum and Bamboo Clothing? Say whaaaa?

So here's a tie in: the polyester material previously mentioned, is a synthetic fabric whose invention was a revelation for the low cost and production of the clothing we buy and wear everyday.
Wanna know something interesante? Polyester is made from Petroleum! Thus, the clothing on our bodies each and every day can severely affect the environment - creating emissions of dangerous organic compounds and gases into the air.


How can we avoid this? Dun..Dun..Dun..Dunnnn... Eco Friendly Fibers!


Examples -

• Tencel
• SeaCell . . yea, it has seaweed in it! Apparently an 'excellent source of calcium'.
• Lenpur . . it's like cashmere.
• Eco-fi . . made of plastic bottles!

So what  is considered one of the leading materials in this whole new innovation of "eco-chic"? BAMBOO

Yep, this guy's breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

The bamboo is crushed and pulped, and made into a fibre that is much like the feel of cotton. 

So, what are the benefits of wearing "this plant"?

1. it is actually quite soft, smooth, and comfy
2. it absorbs sweat easily, therefore your clothes are not sticking to you and you stay dry
3. it is like a natural air conditioner: leaving you cooler in the heat, and warmer in the chill
4. it kills bacteria, keeping you cleaner and odor-free
5. UV protective from the sun rays
6. anti-fungal (hehe)

Sounds pretty intriguing right? Visit Bamboosa out da wazoosa!

Oh No! The perils of "Static Cling"

Static Electricity - The accumulation of electrons on the surface of a material.
Cause - Two things rubbed against one another...Friction anyone?
More static occurrences in the winter? Because it's so freaking DRY!
Ben Franklin - Flying a kite in the middle of a thunderstorm in order to witness static electricity. Logically...

Annoying effect of 'static electricity' . . Behold: Static Cling!

Culprit: the polyester fabric of our clothes "made in China".
Conflict: It rubs against other material or dry skin and creates the static electricity. The positive charge of your legs attracts with the negative charge of the polyester.
Solution: rub a metal hanger along the article of clothing, the metal will remove the static electricity
Or... use more lotion!

*Personal tip on how to reduce the static electricity that causes 'annoying' flyaway hairs: spray Static Guard onto your comb or hair brush before brushing your hair. Weird. But it works!