Fashion Institute Of Design and Merchandising

Holiday Gift Guide - Stylish Gift Ideas For the Fashion Design Devotees on Your List
By Lily McCallister

The holidays are upon us again, and that means festive parties, good cheer - and perhaps some panic when it comes to finding the perfect gifts. Relax. Here is the inside scoop on the latest fashion must-haves, straight from the top design houses, Hollywood stylists, and fashion schools, so you'll be able to give the season's most stylish gifts.



Totally '80s fashion. Gifts that remind us of the decadent eighties are very popular in these recessionary times. Jackets with shoulder pads, bold graphic T-shirts, and anything in bold dayglo colors will be on the top of every fashionista's wish list. Also, the eighties gave us the era of the preppie and yuppie, so classics like button-down shirts, Fair Isle sweaters, and espadrilles are back in style.



Chain strap bags. The hot trend for bags and purses is the chain strap. The metallic detail adds instant bling, and it dresses up even the most casual outfit. You can find a bag that fits your gift budget too, with chain strap bags available everywhere from mass market retailers to high end boutiques.



Hats are on. One of the biggest trends in fashion design is hats. It seems you can't see a runway show without models in fedoras, newsboy caps, berets, or some other type of headgear. The white hot hat for gift-giving this season will be anything with faux fur, like aviator or trooper hats with fur earflaps. And remember, hats are an easy gift item because most are one size fits all.



Chunky jewelry. Subtlety is out. Oversized is in. Bold, chunky rings and bracelets that are so big they make you walk lopsided are fun gifts that the fashion lover just can't get enough of.



Capes - not just for superheroes anymore. A quirky, yet ultra-stylish gift, the cape is showing up on young Hollywood celebrities and stylists alike. Capes are also easier than coats to buy as gifts, because sizing is much simpler.

Green fashions. Eco-friendly clothing and accessories will be the emerging trend for the next few years. Spread environmental awareness with green gifts like scarves made from recycled cotton yarn, or bags made from recycled rubber.

Mail Order Fashion

Mail Order Boxers
By Josh Riverside




Buying mail order boxer shorts over the Internet is the same as buying anything online. You will be faced with the same issues, such as the security of your credit card information and the capability of the online companies to deliver your goods on time. Before making the purchase, you must then be able to find out if the company you are buying them from offers privacy policies for your credit card information as well as refund policies in case the items do not arrive on time or at all.



Credit card information



One of the most important details that you will need to find out is the type of encryption technology that online shops use for their credit card transactions. Most companies use SSL encryption technology, which is a widely accepted kind of secure technology. Being aware of the encryption technology can give you the assurance that your credit card information cannot be viewed or used by other people. It is also good if the company that you are buying from has a policy saying that they will not charge you without prior notice. This also applies to whatever personal information you will be providing the company.



Return policies

Before purchasing online, you should also look at the return policies of the companies you are buying from. You need a certain amount of protection against late delivery or non-delivery of the items that you bought. You must make sure that you will be refunded if the order does not come on time, if you do not receive the items in good condition, or if you do not receive the items at all. You must also be aware of the other charges that you may incur, such as shipping charges and sales taxes.



As with any purchase online, buying your boxer shorts through the Internet will entail the same amount of vigilance that you need to employ when buying anything online. Be aware of how your credit card information and other personal information is secured. Know return and refund policies that can protect your rights as a consumer.

K&G Fashion

Women Managing the Money
By Bonnie Krisher

Enter any functional home and within moments it, becomes apparent who manages the household. Who schedules the appointments, organizes family affairs, is the at home physician, chauffeur, counselor, cook, and mediator? It’s the women. Combine this role with the growing necessity to work outside of the home contributing a shared or full income; it becomes evident that women have begun to move beyond the traditional roles of home management. Women are now managing the money. Charlotte Whitton – mayor of Ottawa said “whatever women do they must do twice as well as men to be thought half as good, luckily, this is not difficult.”



The days of coupon clipping and flyer sifting has been replaced by women finding lower interest rates on loans, mortgages and credit cards, more convenient banking alternatives, negotiating better rates on utilities, and finding better deals on financial issues affecting their families. It is this expansion of women’s roles combined with their propensity for seeking help that is leading them to educate themselves about money matters.



A report on Statistics Canada published in March 2006 stated that by 2004, 65% of all women with children under the age of three were employed - more than double the amount in 1976. Similarly, 70% of women whose youngest child was aged three to five worked for pay in 2004, up from 37% in 1976. This dramatic increase is leading more women to managing the money in their homes and will eventually lead to their families reducing debt load and seeking more wealth.



Debt can have a significant impact on a woman’s family and marriage. According to Brian Pybus, a debt reduction facilitator with K&G Debt & Credit Professionals, “debt is a result of life, it is the consequence of injury, illness, divorce and unemployment; there is a very human quality to debt.” Until debt can be eliminated, women have been looking outside the box for strategies to resolving it when they are over burdened as a result of crisis. Women have accessed services which provides for debt forgiveness as an alternative to bankruptcy. Women have come to realize that conventional options to resolving debt are no longer sufficient.



By addressing debt head on, as well as focusing on investments and building wealth, women are moving their families toward financial freedom. According to a report released by CIBC “Women Entrepreneurs: Leading the Charge,” in the last 15 years there has been a 50% increase in the number of self-employed women in Canada. On top of entrepreneurial innovations, women are also more actively involved in real estate investments, RRSP contributions, and creative wealth building endeavors. This will continue to have a major impact on how money is managed in the home.



It is a consistent truth that women have often been all things to all people, and now they are expanding relentlessly into the financial realm. This will have a major impact on our society as a whole. Despite the positive affect that this will have on the family finances, I question the affect that it will have on women themselves. There is only so much time and energy to go around, what will be compromised in the mean time? I implore women to consider their needs and to make choices based on what they wish for themselves, acknowledging that they have the ability to realize all of their dreams and that no two are the same.

Designer Fashion Jewelry

Designer Jewelry
By Alison Cole




Usually, when the word designer is attached to an item, like 'designer jeans' or 'designer clothes,' it means that the item has been made by a well-known designer, making the item very valuable. This is because designer items cost more to produce than items that have not been created by famous designers. This is very true with regard to jewelry, as well. A piece of jewelry that has been designed by some of the most famous jewelry houses are considered more valuable, and the price tags of most of them attest to this fact.



Some notable designers

Some of the more notable designers of fine jewelry include Coco Chanel and Elsa Shiparelli, whose designs were not only applied to fine jewelry. They were also used in combination with costume jewelry. Other notable designers include Adrian Buckley, Christian Dior, Joan Rivers, Joan Collins, Ciro, Butler and Wilson, Swarovski, Pearlman House, and Napier, who, up to this day, continue to come up with high-quality fashion jewelry.



Getting designer jewelry

Nowadays, you need not go to a jewelry store or to the shops of some of the more famous jewelry houses in order to buy designer jewelry. This is because the jewelry houses have joined the E-commerce bandwagon and they now sell their jewelry online. From these web sites, you can pick from a wide selection of jewelry. You could also have customized jewelry made for you. In addition to this, these web sites also provide other helpful information that can guide you in your purchase. For example, some sites explain what you should look for when buying diamonds. However, some people still prefer going to the stores because they believe that nothing beats seeing and fitting the jewelry yourself.



If you choose to buy online, you should be careful when doing so and you should make sure that you are buying from a reputable jeweler, as the Internet also hosts some unscrupulous companies who may want to fool you out of your money.



Designer jewelry is considered to be more valuable than other types of jewelry because it has been designed by some of the most famous jewelry designers and people who buy the pieces are assured of getting the highest quality jewelry. Recently, getting this kind of jewelry has become easier because they can be purchased online. However, when doing so, consumers should be careful and make sure that they buy jewelry from reputable jewelry houses to ensure they get only the best designer jewelry.

Fashion Degree

Earn Your Fashion Designing Degree Online!
By Tammy Greene

The field of online education is one which is getting popular day by day as people start realizing the benefits posed by eLearning. A vast number of colleges and universities across the world have adopted distance learning and offer specialized programs along with the regular traditional programs. Fashion designing degrees are one such example of specialized programs being offered completely over the internet.



Benefits of Acquiring Online Degrees

The advantages of opting for eLearning are countless. To begin with, distance education courses cut down on costs and time that is spent when attending a traditional university or college. Secondly, as the programs are available completely online, you can study at your own pace without having to follow a pre-set schedule. Then, studying online is perfect if you have a job or other commitments which can not be overlooked. With proper planning, it is not hard at all to learn and earn at the same time; all that is required is a bit of self-motivation and dedication.



Online Fashion Designing Degrees

There are quite a few online colleges and universities that offer fashion designing degrees via distance education. These institutions simply require you to fill out an online application to enroll in the course. Courses of distance learning programs require self-study through books, material available online, streaming audio and video lectures, participation in interactive activities such as live chat, discussion boards etc. Students are encouraged to interact with each other as well as their faculty through these tools.



For those who wish to attend an online institution, make sure that the college or university you choose is accredited and well-reputed. If your institution is not accredited, your online degree would be nothing more than a piece of paper. A vast number of traditional colleges and universities offer fashion designing degrees online for those who cannot attend their campuses for any reason what so ever.



The most well-known institutions that offer online fashion designing degrees include Westwood College which offers an online Bachelor Degree in Fashion Merchandising. There is also The Art Institute Online, which presents several eLearning programs including a Fashion and Retail Management Program. There are certain other institutions that offer fashion designing degrees online and can be found with a little research over the internet.



So for all those interested in moving their fashion designing careers online, you can do it completely online! Distance and time are no longer barriers to education. All you need to do is locate an accredited and well-reputed online college or university and enroll in your desired online fashion degree program!

Fashion Scholarships

Fashion Design Scholarships
By Jennifer Bailey

Considering the alarming growth of the fashion industry and the consequent bright future prospects in the field of fashion design, it is worthwhile to think of being equipped with the requisite skills. The knowledge of the required skills calls for pursuing a degree or diploma in fashion design. However, it might not always be easy to bear the expenses of the schools or the college offering such programs. To provide assistance in this respect, there are fashion design scholarships available for the students. The scholarship includes tuition fees, books and other supplies.



Usually, the scholarships are granted on the basis of the nationwide competitions. Prospective applicants are required to submit projects on different topics such as a new clothing line, a project outlining a plan for promoting a particular fashion store or a marketing strategy for a particular type of outfit.



The test conducted for the scholarship is aimed at testing the creativity of an individual. It also focuses on the way the creative genius is put into practice. Proper implementation is a very important aspect of fashion design.

Various scholarship examinations are conducted on certain stipulated dates



Besides this, there are certain eligibility criteria for the scholarships. So it is important that people interested in fashion design, keep themselves posted about the related information. There are websites that provide assistance in this regard.



Scholarships are granted for different amounts and for different categories of students. There are scholarships for undergraduate costume design student. A scholarship may also be granted on the basis of disability and ethnic background or on the basis of sexual preferences such as to the gays, lesbians, bisexual or transsexual, who are actively involved in community service. It is also available to the international students, dependants of retired army personnel, people who served in the army or affiliates of a particular religion or community such as the Presbyterian Church or members of the Jewish community.



The fashion design scholarships provide financial assistance to the eligible students to pursue their dreams and make sure that their financial position does not hamper their prospects in the field of fashion design.

Fashion Advisor

Enhance Your Style Statement With the Help of a Personal Style Advisor
By Keesha Parsons



Do you feel exhausted in roaming around the various shops, killing the importance of your works only to purchase a few dresses? Or have you become tired of seeing the same style and pattern of clothes in the shops nearby your place? Even at the shops in your local place, you have a very less probability to get the overseas brands. Don't get upset. The virtual online closet space is a kind of unique platform where you will be facilitated by choosing the right combination of clothes which would perfectly match with your persona. Here, you also get an opportunity to share your thoughts with personal style advisor and he will help you to do the selection.



The concept of online retailing is gaining more height day by day. It has been seen that the retailers, who are in the retail business even for over decades with their exclusive stores, are gradually considering online retailing as another mode of fast expansion and an easy way to reach the global customers. Online retailing has no such huge investment as the entire business is done over Internet.



The virtual online closet space is an ideal place that can fulfill all your requirements of staying along with your contemporary fashion. Here you will be able to dress the online mannequins according to your criteria and get the fashionable choice for you. This is a unique concept to find the excellent choice that suits you. Only you need to register yourself, and then observe the world of fashion which you ever had experienced earlier.



If you get confused with so many collections and fail to select the best one for you, then you can take the suggestion of personal style advisor by having a direct chat with him. He will guide you to choose the right attire that suits you. Even you can have an e-mail conversation with the personal style advisor later.