CLOSET DEJAVU: THE RETURN OF THE CROPPED TOPS

In one of your scavenging moments in your mom’s old school photo albums, you’ve probably came across a picture of her wearing a cropped top like this:

Why mom? Why?!?!??!

And do you recall telling yourself that it’s actually one of the greatest fashion faux pas you’ve ever seen?

The coolest women are sporting their moms' top!

Well, better have your fashion and style books updated because the cropped tops are back!

Way back in the 80’s, people might be collecting scissors at home, and are snipping away whatever they see as part of their past time. Be it paper, their dog’s hair, and even their clothes. And the cropped top could’ve been an accident. And who would’ve thought that this weird and too liberated piece of clothing actually defined women’s style in the 80’s until the early 90’s.

The cropped tops are originally used as sweat tops for dancers in the 80’s (see “Flashdance”, “A Chorus Line”, and “Fame”). It’s lightweight, covers the body well, but still reveals a bit of it. If you’ve talked to a dancer or if you’re one yourself, sexy and provocative clothing influences the way a dancer moves and grooves. Loose and tight clothing lets a dancer see his/her curves, which helps them sway their bodies back and forth in the most gracious and luscious way they could imagine.

Cropped tops are staple clothing for cheerleaders. Revealing a bit of skin is good for ventilation purposes, and is judge- friendly too *winks*.

Do you still recall how you'd exchange your life just to be a Spice Girl for a day?

If you’re a 90’s kid like me, then you’ve probably experienced the first wave of Pop Culture. Boy and girl bands left and right, Teen sensation flicks and books are becoming a part of your daily life, and clothing is an ode to your favourite girl band/pop icon. Girl bands like spice girls and tv shows like Beverly Hills 902010 have opened the probability of the cropped top as a cool piece of clothing.

"Excuse me, you're being called to the principal's office for violating the dress code" (A SEGMENT SHOT FROM BEVERLY HILLS 90210)

And like all other fashion styles, the cropped top has fallen into obscurity. But history does repeats itself because the cropped tops have resurrected from the dead! I’ve come across a couple of fashion online boutiques in multiply and cropped tops are the hottest clothing pieces to date. Zara, Topshop, Cache Cache, People are People, and Pink Manila are some boutiques that carry ready- made cropped tops. But if you’re on a budget, you can create your own cropped top—and even as many as you want! Get a shirt or tank top that you’re willing to cut. Get and mark your desired shortness, then snip away! Personalize it by adding pins, pearls, beads, and other clothing add- ons. You can even turn this into a business! Making cropped tops are so easy, that you don’t even need basic sewing skills to create one! Well, you should be at least knowledgeable in handling and using scissors. :p

How about cropped tops for men? YAY or NAY?

Photo Credits:

Spice Girls- xedxanga.com

Zombie crop top- manolo.com

Beverly Hills 90210- caromarketing.com

Cheerleader- skleotards.com

Patridge, Barton, Lohan collage- jalouxstyle.blogspot.com

Mom and Dad 80's pic- flickr.com

THE CLOSET DEJAVU: THEY CALL HIM "CHUCK"

From the young to the young-at-heart, it seems that every person should own at least a pair of 'Chucks'. Not because it's a fad, but because Chucks are an iconic closet trend.

The classic high- cut shoe has transcended generations and time. If there were any changes made, it would only be the color, cut and print of the shoe. But the material and style still remained the same.

Let's go back in time and discover the brain behind the Chucks: Charles H. "Chuck" Taylor.

You'd probably wonder why Chucks have become so popular, up to the point that it has become a closet staple. Nowadays, it has been loved because of the simple yet sophisticated style that stands out among the sea of superfluous sneaks and rubber shoes, as well as its ease of use because of the lightweight material. But before, it was loved by athletes, specifically the basketball players.

"Times have changed, but Chuck remains the same." (Photo credits: ioffer.com)

Charles Hollis "Chuck" Taylor was a popular basketball player in his high school. His skills have brought him to professional basketball where he became part of the original Celtics of the NBA.

During that time, Converse is the popular manufacturer for athletic shoes. Converse has been making shoes for basketball players. The style before is patterned after the traditional look of the shoe. But this time, it's lightweight, and the rubber sole gave athletes that much needed bounce during jumps. It was such a fantastic technology during that time. The shoes produced by Converse was called CONVERSE ALL STAR SHOES.

THE MAN (Charles H. "Chuck" Taylor) (Photo credits: hoopedia.com)

But Charles wasn't satisfied with the design of the shoe. So he decided to alter the design. As a part- time job, he applied as an employee in Converse. He presented a new look of the All Star shoe. He used canvass, which made the shoes become lighter. And Charles designed the "high cut" shoe, so as to prevent the ankles of the players from being hurt.

And this patch is not just there for the sake of labeling. It was put there because it provided more protection for the balls on the ankle.

To patent his design, Charles just put his name "Chuck Taylor" on the patch.

THE LEGEND (The original style of the Converse All- Star Chuck Taylor Shoes)

The first- ever Converse All- Star Chuck Taylor Shoes was in white. And this is how it looked like.

It became so famous during that time, that Converse became the leading shoe provider for the NBA, and for the other countries who patronized the great American sport.

Unfortunately, Charles didn't make billions with his shoe design. He never received any great commission from Converse's shoe sales. He drove from town to town in his Cadillac, and sold his chucks to the locals. That's how persistent and industrious he is as a worker. He died in Florida in th '60's.

And little did Charles know that his design will sooner or later, become a legend on its own.

Photo credits: sneakernews.com

In my opinion, the latest basketball shoes designs are still patterned after the all- star Chuck Taylor shoe. But this time, due to changing needs and the advancements in technology, the high- cut shoe has evolved into a more complex type. The latest basketball shoes are engineered, which makes them perfect for the tough demands of the hard court.

And the good ol' Chuck Taylor was kicked out from the court. It has fallen into obscurity. And it has been associated with punk/rocker/emo dressing at the start of the 20th century.

But still, no one can deny the brilliance of Chuck Taylor. How he made the first- ever high- tech shoes for the hard court, and how his design became the standard for basketball shoes.

Undeniably, the All- Star Chuck Taylors will always be an iconic piece of footwear. It's timeless style and convenience will always have a place in our hearts (and in our closet).

**Info credits: hoopedia.com

The Closet Dejavu: Oxfords And Brogues: The Timeless Leather Shoe

Ah, the vampy 1920's. Probably the most stylish era for an old soul like me. If I were to live again, I would like to go back to the 20's, where fashion is a way of life.

A typical social party in the 20's

Living fashionably in the 20’s is a symbol of status. Social parties are part of life. That’s why women and men dress to impress. They crowd in smoking bars and cabarets to drink wine, ale, smoke, socialize, and socialize some more.

Fashion is also a mean of expression. It is an era of liberation and artistic freedom through film, music, and art. Men and women were almost one and the same. The masculine female was a popular physique, and females would strut on the street wearing t- bar shoes and Mary Jane booties with their coat dresses. In a sense, it is a way to show that women are no longer inferior to men.

But this culture and way of life are only part of the history of the Western civilization, particularly Europe and the Americas. And this is what we are going to focus on: The Timeless 1920’s of the West

In whatever you wear, there’s still a part of your outfit that belonged to the 20’s: The coat, tuxedo, knee- length skirts, Mary Jane shoes, stockings, fedora hats, ties, ribbons, and leather shoes. Ah--- the classic leather shoe: A symbol of elegance and formality.

But little did we know that the classic leather shoe has had a marvelous history of its own.

Left: A casual oxford; Right: an oxford (note that these are modern designs)

Derbies, Oxfords, Brogues, Loafers: The popular shoes of the men in the 20’s. Now let me give you a brief history on the leather shoe.

The Oxford is a leather shoe in a single tone. It might have slight decorations or marks, but most of the time, it’s just black, and the leather is patent. It was used in formal events. While the two- tone oxfords are made for casual use. Tones are usually in the patterns black and white, or white and tan.

An Oxford shoe with Brogueing

Brogues are cultural shoes. The punctured patterns that we see are not there for design’s sake. Brogue shoes have originated in Scotland. The holes are really holes because they serve as the shoe’s drainage mechanism when people cross the river. It has been adapted to the Oxfords as part of the design. That’s why when you see an Oxford with hole patterns, those are called Oxfords with Brogueing (a process of putting hole patterns on shoes).

Women’s shoes have designs similar to the oxfords and brogues. But to add a touch of femininity (maybe to somehow please the purists in their era), Salvatore Ferragamo, a prominent shoe maker in the 20’s, have put heels on the classic leather oxfords. In the 40’s, the heel has evolved to a thicker sole, which is now popularly known as the “Wedge Heel”.

And today, the classic styles are making a huge comeback. And now, with a contemporary touch.

My Oxford with Brogueing :)

What you’ll love about women’s dressing in the now is how androgynous it can get, but still manage to look beautiful (but of course, it still requires confidence to pull a look together).

This pair of oxfords with brogues that I bought from Pill, The Ramp at Crossings, is an example of how beautiful women’s dressing can be. Sans the heels, the soft leather makes these shoes look feminine. But since the style is patterned after a man’s shoes, it adds a lovely touch of masculinity to the pair.

Unfortunately, this pair is killing my feet. I sorta’ regret the fact that for a long time, I would always dress for comfort. And in my terms, that would be wearing flipflops for 24 hours a day, 7 days in a week, and 12 months in a year. And now that I’m interested to wear shoes, my feet are kinda’ adjusting to the closed and congested nature of shoes. And I know that one day, my feet will like shoes (They should because I bought two for this month!).

The adaptation of the classic oxfords to the contemporary times was a great idea. It’s a good way of breaking boundaries by bridging yesterday’s fashion and today’s. It enables you to learn a thing or two about the history of the world through the eyes of fashion. And it also enabled the classic leather shoes to break free from its own purpose: From the forever formal shoe, to the casual and FEMININE one.

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