Chic at a Click: eBay Fashions

Fashion buying websites are taking over the fashion industry quickly and quite stylishly. Especially with a growing population of consumers who are, "using the Internet to find the lowest price," it is important for designers to look to sites like EBay as outlets to sells their merchandise. One of the biggest plusses to these fashion e-commerce sites is that these fashion obsessors are able to get their hands on designer pieces at a much faster pace then if they were to wait for stores to start selling these items. I think that it is especially important for designers to consider partnering up with mega fashion selling sites like EBay and Amazon because not only are more customers shopping online, but sites like these have an extremely large demographic and rest many more customers then say a store front. With EBay bringing in more than $1.3 billion on sales alone, it should be obvious why this is a step designers should take. -Kaitlin

As designers and retailers have continued to explore options to increase sales and exposure, it is not a surprise that one avenue has been through eBay, a mega online shopping and auction website. In the article, Chick at a Click: eBay Fashions a Deal with Designers, the success of eBay as a fashion website is discussed. At the time this article was written, eBay ranked as the number one fashion website “in terms of unique visitors and page views” (p.506). By incorporating new fashion pieces by having direct relationships with designers, eBay gives consumers the opportunity to own items more quickly than at a traditional retail stores. Consumers are also able to purchase unique items, that my never make it to a store and at the other end of the spectrum, they may be able to purchase a favorite piece that is older and may no longer be in stores. Having these different options gives designers, consumers and eBay as a whole, a chance to make additional profits, find awesome deals and participate in fashion in a new way. The above image's are from eBay's Holiday Collective campaign for this season.  -Rachael

eBay, the online-auction powerhouse, hold quite a name for itself. While being such a powerhouse, it still encounters some problems, one of these main problems being fraud. Although the existence of counterfeit fashion goods sold on eBay, has been a concern, eBay is still hasn't been deemed liable in courts for the sale of fakes. The company says it is doing its best to prevent fraud by removing listings for questionable items, when they are reported by consumers. In many cases, buyers who unknowingly buy counterfeit goods can get reimbursed for as much as $175 through an eBay insurance program. -Amanda





Ebay as a primary fashion source? Who would have thought. According to the article, "Chic at a Click: eBay Fashions a Deal with Designers," the online auction market has become a hot-spot for goods-seeking fashionistas. Once eBay realized its popularity and high ranking among consumers, they started to develop a plan to deal directly with designers. This is a smart move with great benefits for all parties involved, including eBay, designers, and consumers. Ebay gets a share of the profit the designers make from each piece sold, and in turn, designers are getting a much higher share with eBay than if they sell their collections to a department store. For the eBay shopper, products are offered online months before other stores receive their shipment. Ebay is promoting their unique apprroach to online shopping with special events and advertisements in high-fashion magazines, claiming "department stores don't have a department just for you" (p 507). This is another strong point within this business, shoppers can personalize their accounts and find clothing that fits their body and their taste! -Mallory

The Shadow Designer

The Shadow Designer article in Chapter 11 describes what June Horne, a buyer for Saks, goes through to determine the pieces that will be appropriate for her stores. The article shows what responsibilities are required for a buyer to be successful and how they relate to the designers. “ A designer concentrates on the collection, a buyer on the customer” (Horne). When evaluating the process, this quote explains how a buyer has to truly understand what the consumer expects; without consumer appeal, designers cannot sell their collections.  A buyer must use creative, fiscal and geographical elements to bring success to both their store and the designers. The above video introduces us to the Buyers at American Rag Cie and their outlook on being successful.  -Rachael

Buyers are some of the most influential characters in a company. Like the article The Shadow Designer stated, "the role of the department store buyer is to translate the look of the impossibly beautiful runway model into an outfit that a real-life woman can wear and purchase." I found it surprising that not only does the buyer have to responsibility to pick out that the store is going to sell but they also have the power to tell designers to make certain garments for their store. The example I found from the article is when Horne tells Alfaro that if he doesn't drop the slit on his skirt they would simply just send it back and not sell it in the store. I think I found this so surprising because I thought that they would just pick certain garments from designers to sell in the stores but I certainly had no idea that they had some much say that they could tell the designers what to make for their stores. But it does make sense that the designer concentrates a collection on the customer, and who better to know about their customers then the store buyer his or herself.  -Kaitlin 

The quote stuck with me throughout this reading was "A designer concentrates on the collection, a buyer on the customer". This I found to be very true and I related it back to majors within our school. No wonder buyers are derived from Fashion Marketing majors, because marketers know the ideal customer. Designers derive from Fashion design majors because they study how to make innovative clothing, not focusing on studying the consumer. After reading this article I have learned that it takes an overall well rounded Fashion and business knowledgeable person to become a successful buyer. You have to know the Fashion side and knowing what is trending and you need to know the business side in knowing your customer and knowing what will sale. This is a tough job that is specific for certain people.  -Amanda

June Horne, Buyer

June Horne at the Calvin Klein Collection Opening

After reading "The Shadow Designer," I was more aware of what the position of a Buyer actually entails. According to the text, a buyer's job is to "translate the look of the impossibly beautiful runway model into an outfit that a real-life woman can wear and (more to the point) purchase" (Lubow). The buyer acts as a bridge from the designer to the consumer. It is shocking how much influence and power a buyer has on both the designer and the consumer. For instance, a buyer can tell the designer what stays in the store and what goes back. Just as well, a buyer can heavily influence the purchase decision of a consumer, merely based on what they've chosen to have sold in the store. All in all, a buyer holds an important role in the fashion industry, and should be respected. -Mallory 

Move Over, Tupperware: Botox Parties Are In

First it is about the tupperware and now it is about the botox. Like we are all trying to become the 'Real Housewives' of the world. Dr. Roche has used this almost drug like facial procedure as a way to keep business booming and even find new customers. By offering a discount to the customer who gets a group of 10 friends together for a botox party, it makes sense why this lady trend is being seen all over the U.S. However, what is this saying about these botox going ladies? Personally, I see it in a way that these so called 'friends' are judging each other and fighting for this sort of most 'young' looking award. It is unfortunate to see that women today cannot just sit around and enjoy each others company while sipping cocktails and eating appetizers. Yet, women want to sit around a kitchen and watch their friends get poked in the face. I don't know, this whole concept just seems a little bit weird. Also, although this procedure is temporary, it is totally addicting, not to mention pretty darn expensive. It was also shocking to see how much Dr.'s rely on parties and get togethers like these for a large amount of their sales. I guess the new fad is looking more and more fake as we get older, and it is one fad I will not be a fan of, at least I hope not. -Kaitlin

One of the key points that grabbed my attention after reading Move Over, Tupperware: Botox Parties Sweep the Country, was the cost and pricing structure of the Botox. In the article, the author informs us of the following scale for a single vile of Botox, 

• Cost for the manufacturer: $40.00
• Cost for the Doctor: $400.00, which is a 1000 percent markup
• Cost the Doctors charge per vile: $2800, which is an additional 700 percent markup
• Each vile can treat three or four patients

A different perspective is gained when evaluating this pricing scale. For an individual to participate in this procedure, a great deal of money must be invested, but is the cost reflective of what one is actually receiving?  Cosmetic procedures have gained popularity and when seeing the potential profit for manufacturers and doctors, it’s not surprising to see why they would push things such as Botox parties.

So what is a Botox party? Well, basically it is a get-together of women who eat, drink, and have conversation, all while receiving treatments of Botulin Toxin, or more commonly known as Botox.  Additionally, this party masquerades as a “Spa Day” or “Girls Day.” For example, on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, Adreinne Maloof, one of the cast members, throws her own Spa Day in her home. She invites all of the other ladies on the show, and it becomes quite the shindig, from drinks and hors d’oeuvres to manicures and medical procedures. In the article, “Move Over Tupperware: Botox Parties Sweep the Country,” Dr. Gregory Roche attends his wife’s Botox party, where he is the doctor performing Botox procedures on the guests. He claims that this is a fad on the west and east coasts, and wants to popularize it among the Midwest states (Creager, 2002). These parties provide a significant income for cosmetic surgeons because they get so many patients all at once (Creager, 2002). And this is why so many doctors are for these parties in the first place. I think this party fad is just so interesting. Of course, I don’t think I will ever be hosting one, but it might be fun to check out, first hand, what happens at one of these things! -Mallory

With these Botox parties, some ladies can get carried away and just want the injections all over. They dont take into consideration that getting the injections in certain areas can be dangerous. For example, it is highly recommended that you do not get botox around the mouth because it can cause drooling or trouble talking. Also, Botox given on the wrong forehead muscles can cause the eyebrows to rise in a constantly surprised expression. You should definitely find a doctor who is familiar with facial expression muscles. Botox wears off in three to five months, so nothing, even, a mistake is permanent, but still lasts quite a while if still a mistake. -Amanda

Women's Interview Dress

The way we dress for an interview can ultimately be the deciding factor in whether the company chooses to hire us or not. However, because of the variety of fashion changes that are happening everyday, it is close to impossible for a women to find the perfect interview outfit. Surprisingly enough, appearance has been estimated to influence up to 70% of employment interviewers' judgments (Springbett, 1958). Sometimes I think women just wished that before the interview the company just gave you a robe so that your outfit was not part of the decision process. After the study was completed, I found the results to be quite surprising. For example, not that all men are this way, but I that they would be a lot more accepting of slightly revealing outfits in an interview. However, I guess I was wrong. The results showed that although men would enjoy the sexualized interview outfits, it would actually give them a negative feeling of how the women would perform in the office. And women on the other hand were much more accepting of more fashionable additions to the plain business suit. For example, women did not mind tweeds and other colors whereas men just wanted a simple tailored suit that did not draw much attention. 

Although I believe that these are all good points, I think that in todays work community, it is important to look at where you are going to interview. I believe that many companies want to hire an employee that is dressed in a way that represents the spirit of their company. For example, if you were applying to be a social media director for say a tattoo shop, they most likely would laugh if you wanted in with a full on pants suit. So with all of these things considered, we will never really know if our interview outfit works or not.-Kaitlin

Fashionable Interview Attire for Women

Women's job interview attire basically breaks down into appropriate versus inappropriate. The study that the textbook discusses focuses on narrowing down the categories of dress into “appropriate,” “maybe,” and “inappropriate.” Taking a closer look, gender played an important role in what was acceptable or not. Moreover, women were more accepting of slight variations from traditionally appropriate interview attire than men were. This study was conducted in 1991, as well as 2002; the findings concluded that a more conservative look was preferred in 2002, compared to 1991. The economy has much to do with the type of dress that societies prefer. The results of the study demonstrate that our interview dress is moving toward conservatism, but not as much as prior to what the state of the economy was in 1991.

I have always had a tough time deciding what type of dress was considered appropriate for an interview, and quite frankly, this article did not clear up much! I gathered that the more covered-up and plain a woman is in her interview, the more likely it is that she will land that middle-management position. I completely comprehend that, but I am confused as to where the line is drawn when it comes to interviews in the fashion industry. This study was done with jobs that do not concern the fashion industry, so it would be interesting to see if the results are the same if the focus is on those jobs. -Mallory

After reading “How Personnel Interviewers See Women’s Job Interview Dress”,  I directed my focus on what were considered inappropriate suits. In the article, a few of the characteristics that correlated with inappropriate suits were, skirts above the knee, high-contrast trim on pant legs, matching leather jacket with pants and busy textures or bold stripes. The reason I found this to be so interesting was these characteristics of inappropriate suits described what I myself would likely wear on an interview. It shows how this information pertains to the type of position a woman is applying for.  For instance, in a creative field, diverting away from the norm can actually be appropriate. It is about evaluating what the work environment entails when deciding on the right choice for interview attire.

-Rachael 

I found the article, "How Personnel Interviews See Women's Job Interview Dress: A 2002 Update", very surprisingly with the results it gave. However, I have to take into consideration that this was an update from 2002, I am sure the facts would be different now in 2012. Some of the most shocking facts to me were the Guidelines for Appropriateness. Little details such as a collared shirt vs a non collared shirt, made such a huge difference. It is almost required to wear a collared shirt to an interview, whether you are male or female, and I do not see this changing any time soon. Another fact was women's heels, there was a height requirement, which I didnt think people took seriously, but apparently a its a big deal. The height requirement of heels are 1 1/2 to 3 inches high, and closed toe. I didnt think these little details made such a huge impact, but it is something to take into consideration for your next interview. -Amanda

Goodbye Briefs, Hello Jammers

For high school boy on the swim team, their swimwear can be more controversial than modesty or immodesty. This subject touches on several other points. One being, the comfort and insecurity factors. Boy's in high school are going through many bodily changes and are easily insecure. The famous piece of swimwear, a Speedo, can be a scary thought to many high school boys. They don't want to be embarrassed or made fun of, therefore, this can stop many boys from trying out for the swim team. To help solve this problem, some high schools have switched to having their swimmers wear "jammers" which are swim suits with more coverage. My thought on this is, why hadn't they thought of this earlier? This seemed to have been a continual problem since the beginning of the sport of swimming. Many guys shyed away from the sport due to the attire, if they had changed this earlier, they would have had a greater participation within the sport. -Amanda

High school sports teams are just one more part of growing up that we all hate. Whether it's the swim team or dance team, teenagers are being forced to wear uniforms that they may not be comfortable in. A high school in Iowa is finding this extremely apparent through the large decrease in try-outs. I think it is important to always allow the person wearing the uniform to feel confident and comfortable. It's a proven fact that when one is comfortable with what they are wearing, they are much more likely to perform better. Although, Speedo would argue that their expense swim merchandise is what does the job and creates the success. It's about the "swimmer making the race," not the swimsuit making the race. These sort of uncomfortable situations happen all the time right before our eyes in things like dance teams, cheerleaders, models and more. We should be letting the wearer pick the outfit not the coaches, because we all have different tastes. -Kaitlin

The debate between swimming briefs and "jammers"--swim suits that are just above knee-length--has risen among high school swim teams (p 204). Supposedly, the longer suits reduce race times and help the swimmer to be faster (p 204). Most coaches believe that it is not the suit that makes a difference, but the swimmer, himself. Many boys on high school swim teams have anxiety about wearing skimpy swim suits, like Speedos, because they, too have body insecurities. It seems likely that the boys who want to wear these jammers are the ones who would rather cover up their body. The issue does not lie with faster race times, it lies with the concern of modesty. Teenage boys aren't always humble with everything else they do, but this is something that boys this age are not eager to do. If they are comfortable in these longer suits, then I say, by all means wear them! -Mallory 

In the article Goodbye Briefs, Hello Jammers, the author Rob Gray discusses the change in male swimming attire. There has been a transition from briefs to jammers, which are trunk like swimsuits that fit tight on the swimmers body. These jammers are said to increase performance, however it is interesting to note that a main reason in the rise of their popularity has to deal with body issues. Male swimmers, especially in the high-school swim bracket, are finding a sense of comfort by having jammers as an option. The article discusses how male high-school students, who would usually not try out for swimming or other aquatic sports due to the revealing nature of the typical swimming brief, are now more inclined to do so with the option of jammers. The picture above shows how swimsuits, for men and women, have evolved over the years -Rachael

xoxo, mark.it team

love&tattoos, never easy to remove

The article, Erasing love Never Easy with Tattoos by Kyle Munson discusses why lovers should never plan a date that ends in the tattoo shop. Not only are these bad boys permanent but have been seen as a love curse by the many love tattoo advocates. Many of these unfortunate heartbroken lovers, find themselves sitting in the office of a plastic surgens waiting to endure the extremely painful process of tattoo removal, which is said to be the most painful process by far. I don't know what it is about lovers and tattoos but it just would never cross my mind because at any point something can go south. And once it's in ink on your body the only way to white it out is through surgery, it's just a stupid idea. A good example of this is Tamara from the Real Housewives of Orange County. Not only did she have her ex-husband initials tattooed on her ring finger but found herself in arguments with her longterm boyfriend. She elected to have the tattoo surgically removed to make her boyfriend happy and just at last get rid of the memories she didn't want to remember. 

I think that these kinds of tattoo not only are a pain in the butt to have removed, but cause many different strains on proceeding relationships. This makes if hard for people to legitimately move on. I mean come on, no one wants to date someone who has a different guy or girls name inked on them. -Kaitlin

In the article, "Erasing Love Never Easy with Tattoos," the author conveys the notion that it is emotionally and physically painful to have the name of an ex-lover permanently inked on one's body. While I agree with this, and never plan to get the name of my significant other tattooed on myself, others believe differently. An interesting point was made in the text, "Tattoos don't break lovers' hearts...Lovers break lovers' hearts" (p 119). This is from the stance of a tattoo artist, yet some people will argue that name tattoos are a "curse." Some people believe that once couples tattoo a name on one another, the relationship is over. As the tattoo artist stated, it is not the tattoo that is going to break up a relationship, it is more dependent upon the people in the relationship. The long-term consequences should be considered before a couple decides to get a permanent symbol of love tattooed on the body. For instance, the idea of getting a tattoo on one's ring finger is similar to wearing a wedding band. If a couple decides to get a tattoo underneath a wedding band, the action seems more thought-out and long-term, much like a marriage. -Mallory

      After reading "Erasing Love Never Easy with Tattoos", my first reaction was that the article had a bias undertone which was that, getting your lovers name tattooed is probably a bad idea. I do not believe the issue is so much getting a tattoo; it is about WHO is getting the tattoo and for what reasons. Because a tattoo is technically permanent, one must be confident in their decision making progress. Knowing that life can change at any moment, more specifically, people can change, creating a permanent reminder of a single person will always have cautionary elements. Tattoos can be a powerful way of expressing ones creativity, likes, passions, but as with many things, if it’s not thought-out or done with authenticity, a tattoo can be an unfortunate mistake reminder. Love is powerful, which is why a tattoo can be the perfect medium to express it. However, confidence must be incorporated with a lovers tattoo; confidence in the person who’s name is now upon your body but also confidence that change may require an alteration to the permanent art that lies upon your skin.

-Rachael

In the article "Erasing Love Never Easy with Tattoos" there are a series of both tattoo artists, and people who do tattoo removals who speak on this touchy subject of people getting their significant other at the time, tattooed onto their bodies. However, this could been seen as a curse in which shortens the relationship, occurrences always happen that change feelings. A question that is brought up is that if it is okay to do this in the case that your loved one has passed away, and you are madly in love with that individual. In this case, I see it as okay to do because that person can never hurt you and if you have a deep connection and love for them, that can never be changed or replaced. It is always hard to move on, when you regret getting a person who is not important in your life anymore, permanently tattooed on you, therefore, you should think twice before doing this.  -Amanda

xoxo

the mark.it team

What About the Greek Life?

California sorority

Southern sorority

As one sorority member said, "I think a lot of it (dress and appearance expectations) is regional. Being that my little sister just pledged to be an Alpha Phi at Chapman University, I've heard nothing but nonstop stories about the parties, girls, events etc. I think that sororities especially are one of the cliquest aspects of going to college, that is if you get involved with one. Because these interviews were conducted in 1993, I thought that most of data was false or rigged.
So I thought I would explain some friends of mine and how I agree with the statement above that dress is completely regional. An old roommate of mine who used to attend Southern Mississippi State would always tell me how different people dressed for school in California. I always thought this was a joke till I actually asked her why she thought this. She followed to tell me that in Mississippi, all the girls in college wore Nike running shorts, oversized Ralph Lauren tshirts, running shoes and baseball caps to everything. I thought this was hilarious and at first thought she was joking. She wasn't because she gave me pictures to prove it. And even the boys wore their above the knee khakis, bright colored polos, loafers and baseball caps.
Yet after seeing my sister and hearing stories from friends in sororities in California, I came to the conclusion that they couldn't be more polar opposite. Here is California sorority girls especially make sure that they look in tip-top shape for classes, meetings, parties and more. And the boys just dress to always be, "playing it cool."It's almost like these people lived on different planets. -Kaitlin

Sorority Members: Physically Comfortable

Sorority Members: Mentally Comfortable

Part of the article, "It's All Greek to Me: Sorority Members and Identity Talk," explains that sorority girls do care a great deal about comfort. While in one instance, the comfort refers to physical comfort in dress, other reports discuss psychological comfort. One girl states, "...I can't understand why somebody would get up at seven in the morning every day to make themselves look like that. I guess that is more of a lifestyle choice. I prefer sleeping" (86). This sorority member has been termed "granola" because she would rather be physically comfortable than take extra time to wear clothing, accessories, or make-up that she deems uncomfortable. On the other hand, the text describes situations in which girls would rather feel more mentally comfortable. For example, one girl claims, "I feel, in classes, the nicer I look, the better I feel" (86). I would have to agree with this statement. I always feel great when I look great, because then I am more comfortable with speaking and having attention on myself. When it is the opposite and I think I don't look my best, I often feel uncomfortable or apprehensive; moreover, this is all psychological comfort, and the way it plays a part in dress. There is a movie, The House Bunny, that somewhat describes the difference in physical and mental comfort by portraying a transformation in appearance for a group of sorority girls. They are physically comfortable, but missing any sort of psychological ease until their appearances get made over. This depicts a few differences in comfort.  -Mallory

While sorority members can have individual tastes when it come to expressing themselves within their organization, the article "It's All Greek to Me" shows one commonality is that of proper hygiene. When evaluating hygiene, it wasn’t an issue of having high expectations; simply it was an understanding that there should be basic standards. Such standards were clean hair and nails, fresh breath and non-offensive body odor. The article briefly examines cultural difference in hygiene expectations. One sorority member was quoted "I know people will say that other people from foreign countries smell bad, but this is just part of our culture. More than 95% of the people are opposed to body odor and that has become a symbol of uncleanliness" (pg 85). It's as though the interviewee is stating that American culture expects non-offensive body odor and one should adapt to that fact. Interestingly, when discussing clothing expectations, sorority members explained that it was o.k. to dress down or be more casual as long as the basic hygiene standards were met. -Rachael

In the article, "It's All Greek to Me", they also point out the "legitimacy" of the "ideal" way to dress which is considered "presentable". The question is, "Who's to say what is presentable?". According to different people and social groups, the "ideal" way to dress can be different. For example, one of the interviewees points out that it depends on your personality. It will be different for someone who likes to dress preppy compared to someone who likes to wear all black. Another factor that plays into this, is culture. The ideal here in American, is different compared to Europeans. Therefore, we can come to the conclusion that there is no universal "ideal" we can all compare ourselves to, we need to take into considerations the factors of personality and culture.  -Amanda

xoxo

the mark.it team