1. Which side do you take… Copycat designs are a way for the average consumer to stay current and wear runway styles without breaking the bank OR Copycat designs take business from the designer and cheapen the value of their work. Explain.

I think copycat designs are perfectly okay. Not everyone can afford to wear high end designers! I don’t think they need to rip the designs off stitch by stitch, but a similar look is fine by me. H&M and other similar stores have a brought fashion to those who normally couldn’t afford it otherwise.

2. Sometimes we do things, even if they are unethical or illegal (downloading music for free, watching full movies on YouTube). Do you think it is unethical for a designer to copy a vintage piece, make it current and sell it?

If the designer isn’t going to freshen it up, then it makes me feel yucky. If they update it, then what’s the harm?

3. Would you buy an item that is a very well done copy of a runway garment if it fell within your budget?

As long as it wasn’t claiming to be the original designer, I see nothing wrong with it. Do people really have a problem with this? I don’t see any of these questions as copying. Designers copy each other all the time, and no one seems to care. Is it only a problem when someone does it in a more affordable way?

4. According to the fashion laws, at least in the US, apparel design is seen as too utilitarian to qualify for copyright protection. Would you think this is detrimental to the industry or beneficial.

I feel for the designers because it isn’t fair that they can’t protect their designs more. But really, it would be so expensive and not worth the effort to do so. It’s one of the first topics we addressed in fashion school because it is such a hot topic.

5.  Own up… share the things in your closet that is a knock off. You know those things you got in China Town, on the streets of New York, or where ever.

In high school I was so addicted to fashion, but I couldn’t afford any of it. I would look through Teen Vogue and lust after Murakami Louis Vuitton bags and other designer items. I do have some fake bags, but that’s it. I don’t have any fake clothes, and don’t carry the fake bags anymore. Once I hit college I grew out of that phase and I know a lot of other bloggers used to carry fake bags in high school, as well. Now I use the fake bags to organize all the junk under my bathroom sink. It’s great because I don’t care if the bags get ruined and no one looks under my sink anyway. Besides, it’s true, once you get your first real designer bag, the fake ones just don’t compare.

My cats were pretty upset when I busted out the suitcases.

Yummy Mexican food at Sombrero’s (Blink 182 wrote a song about its awesomeness).

This bird was just chilling on the rail!

Creepy kids room at the Whaley House. It’s Travel Channel’s most haunted house in America!

Trying to explain to my boyfriend how to use my fancy camera.

Walking up the stairs in the haunted house!

I know you’re jealous of my beach towel (it’s Aladdin).

Mrs. Whaley was French and decorated her house as so. The house seriously freaked me out.

Cornado Beach. We’ve decided we’re for sure moving down to San Diego!

Living out of a suitcase is hard! Our friend’s cat seemed to enjoy it, though!

It was more of a controlled chaos, really.

Cute ground squirrel we saw at the Camp Pendleton View Point!

It ran at the camera and scared the crap out of my boyfriend! The squirrel ran right up to him!

I wore jean capris and a fitted t-shirt for a relaxed outfit that wouldn’t embarrass me when I had to get out of the car at gas stations.

It looks like dinosaurs should live here!

California really is beautiful.

View on the drive down!

Sorry for taking a few days off, but c’mon, I was on vacation people! Plus, the day I got back school started. But I’m recuperated now and the posts will be back up regularly from now on!

1. What new fashion trend are you looking forward to sporting this Fall?

I’m really excited to be sporting the fun sweaters with animals, like a moose! I’m excited because a lot of looks for Fall are just a continuation from Summer, just with tights added.

2. Which item in your closet is most likely to be your go-to transition piece?

I think cuffed shorts with tights is going to be a really fun way to transition to
Fall.

3. What item from last year are you looking forward to reinventing this Fall?

I’m excited to find new ways to wear my thigh high boots!

4. What is your favorite part about this time of the year?

I like that you can wear both Summer and Winter items. I feel more motivated once the weather starts to cool down. Summer is for relaxing and Fall is for motivating.

5. Will you be attending any fashion events this Fall? 

New York Fashion Week is right after school starts and that just seems much too overwhelming for me this semester, but I’m really hoping to make it to fashion week in the Spring of 2011. I will be attending some local fashion shows in Sacramento and maybe even San Francisco, though!

Read about my favorite fashion shows for Fall 2010!

DVF

Jean Paul Gaultier

BCBG Max Azria

Nina Ricci

Alice + Olivia

Blumarine

Hey guys, guess what! I’m a Trendsetter on Shop It To Me! You can check out the post I wrote explaining Shop It To Me here.

Just in case you were wondering, my vacation is going fabulously! I feel so relaxed. It’s a great way to start off a new semester at school. We’re going to the beach later!! I’m going to put up a post soon with pictures from the drive down from Sacramento to San Diego. It was so beautiful!

Hilary Duff – love her new red hair!

Demi Lovato

]]> http://www.ChiqueChic.com/2010/08/24/love-style-muses/feed/ 0 http://www.ChiqueChic.com/2010/08/23/road-trip/ http://www.ChiqueChic.com/2010/08/23/road-trip/#comments Mon, 23 Aug 2010 16:00:54 +0000 Emily Allred http://www.ChiqueChic.com/?p=4104

By the time this post goes up we will hopefully be a good chunk of the way closer to San Diego! It’s about a 9 hour drive! Crazy! People who aren’t from California don’t usually realize that northern and southern California are basically like two different states. The only part of So Cal I’ve seen is Disneyland and LegoLand so this should be a fun adventure! I will try to post picture everyday! Hope everyone has a great Monday! Ha! Yeaah. I always have a case of the Mondays, but not this time!

By the way, anyone have any suggestions for what to do in San Diego or LA? Let me know!

Hey, so I know there are a lot of social media sites out there, but show me some love! Here are the sites I have accounts with!

Olivia Palermo at the Target Kaleidoscopic Fashion Spectacular

Rachel McAdams out in Paris

Reese Witherspoon with her daughter.

Emmy Rossum at Trust Off-Broadway Opening Night

]]> http://www.ChiqueChic.com/2010/08/21/style-muses-2/feed/ 0 http://www.ChiqueChic.com/2010/08/20/friend-friday-conspicuous-consumption/ http://www.ChiqueChic.com/2010/08/20/friend-friday-conspicuous-consumption/#comments Fri, 20 Aug 2010 16:00:26 +0000 Emily Allred http://www.ChiqueChic.com/?p=4047

1. Do you think fashion blogs are often just conspicuous consumption (the lavish spending on goods and services acquired mainly for the purpose of displaying income or wealth/social status)? Are some?

I’m sure that there are some out there like that, but those are never fun to read in my opinion. I’ll be honest, I can’t afford many of those things, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want to see other people wearing them. I think it comes down to the reason behind it all. You can always tell the difference between someone doing it for recognition or simply because they love fashion.

2. As bloggers do we have the obligation to explain our personal financial status, how we pay for the things we showcase, if we have debt, etc…

Of course not! When did it become socially acceptable to openly talk about finances in front of friends, let alone strangers? Frankly, I don’t think it’s anyone’s business but their own.

3. Critics often say that fashion bloggers should use their money to support more worthwhile causes than clothing themselves in a different outfit daily. What’s your reaction to this?

I think that’s kind of silly.  Do these critics also get upset about all the money people drop on technology and video games and other various unneccesary (but fun) items? No. To each their own. Oh, and I do donate my old clothes to Goodwill, so technically I am helping a more worthwhile cause.

4. Since you started blogging, do you spend more money on fashion and beauty products?

I actually think I spend a lot less now.  I will admit that I feel more pressure to spend money, though. It’s easy to think, “Oh, I need a new pair of shoes, my readers have seen the ones I have way too many times.” But all in all, I feel more inspired to mix up my wardrobe and try to keep things fresh. I feel like the blogs that do that are much more interesting.

5. Life is about more than what money can buy. What are the things that top your list of what life is all about?

Oh that’s tough because many things come down to money, like food. I would have to say favorable weather, doing favors for others, and having great people in your life. Was that corny enough for you?

Hope everyone has a fantastic weekend! I leave for San Diego before the sun even rises on Monday! I’m so excited!

Have you guys heard about Shop It To Me yet? It’s this cool site that is basically your free personal online shopper. When you sign up, you pick out the different designers you like and the sizes you wear, and then they scour the web for sales that match and email you! Sounds pretty easy, right? You don’t have to worry about them filling up your inbox, either, because you can select how often you receive the emails! It’s any bargain hunters dream. And guess what? I found out on Monday that I was selected to be a Trendsetter on their site! Pretty exciting, right? I am beyond excited! So check out the site and let me know what you think!