Goodwill Fashion Expert—Bjorn Nasett

Fur-real DIY Infinity Scarf!

Last week I showed you how to make a cloche-style fur hat made from a faux lamb coat I got at one of our stores. There was so much fabric there once I took it apart that I decided to make a scarf, too! There was so much, in fact, I will have more projects to make using the leftovers. Talk about a great buy! Often I peruse the clothing racks at Goodwill not only for fashion, but for pieces that have a good amount of yardage, like dresses and robes. The lining for my scarf was a stretch velvet dress that I also purchased at Goodwill.  

Let the Fur Fly!

Creating new items from old faux (or real) fur coats is a great idea. Not only can you make some great fashion items to wear during the cold winter months, but you can let your imagination be your guide! I purchased an oversized faux lamb coat at Goodwill a couple years ago, simply because it had so much fabric! At $7.99 I thought it was a bargain, given that faux fur at the fabric store is considerably higher-priced than this gem. I had originally thought I would make a cozy winter throw out of it, but instead I decided to make a hat and scarf! This week we’ll do the hat.

Minimalist Tendencies

What does minimalist actually mean? To me it suggests a lack of bells and whistles, or it could also mean a lack of embellishment and flourishes. We have explored this idea in fashion over the last 100 years or so in different periods. The Art Deco period, Mid-Century Modern, 60s Modern, and then later in the 1990s a resurgence of many combinations of the above stated style periods. Simple chic designs never go out of style really.It is, therefore, a movement marrying form with function AND fashion. For example, for winter we have Korean Fashion Designer, Leyu, who showed her stripped- down styles last February at what would be the last Mercedes Benz sponsored Fashion Week in New York City. When you scroll through our slideshow of her garments below, some elements will become apparent to the viewer. Let’s go trend spotting!

Men’s Fall Fashion Rocks!

Concept Korea showcases Korean fashion designers and their best ideas at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week twice a year. I always try to attend simply because they tend to be a little more over-the-top in a good way! For Fall and Winter 2015, one of the two featured runway shows had a whimsical and out-of-the-ordinary menswear looks created by a designer named Tae Yong. His take on what men should, and could, wear for fall and winter was definitely not your basic khaki-and-button-down combo. But, like I always say, there’s an element in every outfit and garment that leads us to other trends or, it could be worn on its own instead of employing the over-the-top styling most runway shows require to make them more “showy.” Take a look at the slideshow below and you’ll find yourself smiling at some of these wacky menswear pieces! But, without a doubt you’ll develop an understanding that Tae Yong’s garments are beautifully made, and with a little modification they could become wearable to the bro’s here in the Midwest.

Kooky Can Be Cool ...

When looking at fashion images, it’s sometimes distracting the way models are styled for runways or presentations. I challenge you to look at the photos I took last February at the Saunder presentation. Emily Saunder was born in New York to British parents, and “her pieces encapsulate the essence of femininity, but with a quirky-eclectic twist, providing beautifully unique clothes for every occasion.” If you can see past the ghostly makeup and frizzy coiffures, you’ll notice some very wearable, and yes, edgy fashion on display. Here’s the ideas I think are cool …

Pick 5 for Fall Fashion - Part 2

Michelle Gill (shown in the photo on the left with Danette, the store manager of the Goodwill Store and Donation Center on Palmer Street in Milwaukee) is part of the team at Fashionable Demand, a fashion consulting and editorial styling enterprise. As part of my on-going series of spotlighting fashion voices and their choices, I asked her to pick five items that would make her fall fashion must-have list. Here’s what she picked and why …

Halloween Pumpkin Patch Sweater

For those of you who don’t want the fuss of an elaborate costume, but still want to join in the festivities with flair, why not put your creativity on display by making a simple Halloween fun sweater? I was inspired by the popularity of Christmas-themed sweaters, and this is what I came up with … a crazy pumpkin-patch look that will surely be noticed!

What you need:

Black Widow Fascinator ... 1, 2, 3!

Want an easy and fun costume in a flash? The great thing about Halloween and Goodwill is that we’re chocked full of Halloween costume pieces, ideas, and decorations! While watching an old movie one night, I saw a showgirl costume featuring a spider headdress. This inspired me to come up with my own version utilizing items I found at Goodwill! Keep in mind, you can use almost any lightweight Halloween decoration to create a spooky fascinator! What you’ll need to make this cool, spooky, yet spectacular head piece is listed below!

Cozy Up to Fall Fashion

Now that fall has arrived, a lot of people I know can’t wait to reach for their cozy sweaters and coats for comfort from the chill. For many, fall is a favorite time of year simply because of the fashion choices we can make!  Last February in New York, I attended the BCBG MaxAzria Fall 2015 runway show, where almost every look was relaxed and cozy looking. Rich with details such as leather, woven textures, fur trim and oversized sweaters. The pieces the designer presented were wearable and fun for women of almost any age. In the Midwest, dressing for cold weather is part of our DNA, and the ideas shown in the photographs I took provide great food for thought as we inevitably head down winter’s path.

Costume or Couture?

Not everyone wants to be ghoulish and ghastly on Halloween. Some ladies prefer a classy and glamorous costume, and you can’t do better than a dress portraying the flapper era of the 1920s. I would avoid the fringed-type dresses and garish colors, but instead go for a sophisticated take on that look using pieces you could actually wear again! The Great Gatsby was my inspiration when I went Goodwill to find an entire outfit from the plethora of items our stores have in their Halloween section!  

Here’s what I bought and why:

Fall Fashion Goes Nomadic

Leave it to the designers at Nicholas K to bring all kinds of visual references to their Fall and Winter 2015 collection which bowed last February at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in NYC.  Sometimes as viewers we may not see the ultimate wearability of some of these over-the-top ensembles. But, on closer inspection, you realize that designers want to give us ideas we can integrate into our own fashion choices. Not many people do literal takes on what they’ve seen on the runway. In other words, sometimes you just have to enjoy the view, and create your own take-away from what you’ve seen. 

New York Fashion Week in Black-and-White

You never know what you’re going to see on the runways of New York Fashion Week. It’s often fun, fashionable and fresh, but other times you just scratch your head and wonder who in the world would ever wear that?! Still, the one thing that almost never changes is the way people attending the September shows (spring and summer fashion for 2016) and February shows (Fall and winter fashion for 2016) dress to impress! Throughout the city during those weeks, numerous venues from art galleries, ballrooms, and even a former post office, are transformed into beacons that lure the fashion followers in droves. I set up my camera outside the former post office, Moynihan Station, one sunny morning to capture what “those in the know” were wearing.