The National costume


National costume, (also: national dress, regional costume, folk dress or traditional garment), expresses an identity through costume which usually relates to a geographic area or a period of time in history, but can also indicate social, marital and/or religious status. Such costumes often come in two forms: one for everyday occasions, the other for festivals and formal wear.

In United States usage the term "costume" is used in the sense of "fanciful dress", and so "national dress" is used to avoid this connotation.

Following the outbreak of romantic nationalism, the peasantry of Europe came to serve as models for all that appeared genuine and desirable. Their dress crystallised into so-called "typical" forms, and enthusiasts adopted it as part of their symbolism.

In areas where contemporary Western fashions have become usual, traditional garments are often worn in connection with special events and celebrations, particularly those connected with cultural traditions, heritage, or pride.

In modern times there are instances where traditional garments are required by law, as in Bhutan, where the traditional Tibetan-style clothing of gho and kera for men, kira and toego for women, must be worn by all citizens -- even those not of Tibetan heritage; or in Saudi Arabia, where women are required to wear the abaya in public.

Examples of national costumes

Africa

Americas

Asia

East Asia

South Asia

Southeast Asia and Pacific

Europe

Middle East



Source : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_costume
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national costum in the world

National costume, (also: national dress, regional costume, folk dress or traditional garment), expresses an identity through costume which usually relates to a geographic area or a period of time in history, but can also indicate social, marital and/or religious status. Such costumes often come in two forms: one for everyday occasions, the other for festivals and formal wear.

In United States usage the term "costume" is used in the sense of "fanciful dress", and so "national dress" is used to avoid this connotation.

Following the outbreak of romantic nationalism, the peasantry of Europe came to serve as models for all that appeared genuine and desirable. Their dress crystallised into so-called "typical" forms, and enthusiasts adopted it as part of their symbolism.

In areas where contemporary Western fashions have become usual, traditional garments are often worn in connection with special events and celebrations, particularly those connected with cultural traditions, heritage, or pride.

In modern times there are instances where traditional garments are required by law, as in Bhutan, where the traditional Tibetan-style clothing of gho and kera for men, kira and toego for women, must be worn by all citizens -- even those not of Tibetan heritage; or in Saudi Arabia, where women are required to wear the abaya in public.

Examples of national costumes

Africa

Americas

Asia

East Asia

South Asia

Southeast Asia and Pacific

Europe

Middle East



Source : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_costume
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The Korean Traditional Dresses



The Korean costume is called hanbok. It is characterized by simple lines and no pockets. The women¡¯s hanbok comprise a wrap skirt and a bolero-like jacket, and the men¡¯s, roomy pants bound at the ankles and a short jacket. Hanbok are worn by Koreans of all ages, particularly on traditional holidays and when attending social affairs having a Korean overtone.
Some of the basic elements of today¡¯s hanbok, namely the jacket (chogori) and pants (paji), were probably worn at a very early date, but it was not until the Three Kingdoms period (57 B.C.-A.D.668) that the two-piece costume of today began to evolve. Short, tight trousers and tight, waist-length jackets were worn by both men and women during the early part of the period as evidenced by ancient tomb paintings.
Toward the end of the Three Kingdoms period, T¡¯ang China introduced Koreans to silk mandarin robes and they were adopted for wear by royalty and officials. Noblewomen began to wear full-length skirt-trousers and wide-sleeved, hip-length jackets belted at the waist and noblemen began to wear roomy trousers bound in at the ankles and a narrow, tunic-style jacket cuffed at the wrists and belted at the waist.

In the late thirteenth century Koryo, the kingdom that ruled Korea from 918-1392, became a vassal state of Mongolia during the Mongol Chinese Yuan Dynasty. Its twenty-fifth ruler, Ch¡¯ungnyol-wang (r.1274-1308), took as his wife a princess from the court of Kubla Khan and began dressing in Mongol fashion. It is said that within three years of his ascendance to the throne, every official in the Koryo court had shaved his head except for a patch of hair in the middle and had adopted the dress of the Mongolian plains people. During the short time Koryo was a Mongol vassal, three kings were born to Korean-Mongolian queens, which had quite an effect on the social and fashion trends of the times. The skirt (ch¡¯ima) was shortened as was the vest (chogori), which was hiked up above the waist and tied at the chest with a long, wide ribbon instead of belted and the sleeves were curved slightly.


'picture from Hanbok by sunny yang'
In the late thirteenth century Koryo, the kingdom that ruled Korea from 918-1392, became a vassal state of Mongolia during the Mongol Chinese Yuan Dynasty. Its twenty-fifth ruler, Ch¡¯ungnyol-wang (r.1274-1308), took as his wife a princess from the court of Kubla Khan and began dressing in Mongol fashion. It is said that within three years of his ascendance to the throne, every official in the Koryo court had shaved his head except for a patch of hair in the middle and had adopted the dress of the Mongolian plains people. During the short time Koryo was a Mongol vassal, three kings were born to Korean-Mongolian queens, which had quite an effect on the social and fashion trends of the times. The skirt (ch¡¯ima) was shortened as was the vest (chogori), which was hiked up above the waist and tied at the chest with a long, wide ribbon instead of belted and the sleeves were curved slightly.
The upper classes wore hanbok of closely woven ramie cloth or other high-grade lightweight materials in warm weather and of plain and patterned silks the rest of the tear. Commoners were restricted by law as well as resources to cotton at best. The upper classes wore a variety of colors, though bright colors were generally worn by children and young girls and subdued colors by meddle-aged men and women. Commoners were restricted by law to everyday clothes of white but for special occasions they wore dull shades of pale pink, light green, gray and charcoal.
Both males and females wore their hair in a long pigtail until they were married, at which time the hair was knotted-the man¡¯s in a topknot (sangt¡¯u) on the top of the head and the woman¡¯s in a ball just above the nape of the neck. A long pin, or pinyo, was thrust through the knotted hair of the woman as both a fastener and a decoration. The material and length of the pinyo varied according to the wearer¡¯s class and status. Headwear for men varied according to class and status.
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korean culture dresses

The Korean costume is called hanbok. It is characterized by simple lines and no pockets. The women¡¯s hanbok comprise a wrap skirt and a bolero-like jacket, and the men¡¯s, roomy pants bound at the ankles and a short jacket. Hanbok are worn by Koreans of all ages, particularly on traditional holidays and when attending social affairs having a Korean overtone.
Some of the basic elements of today¡¯s hanbok, namely the jacket (chogori) and pants (paji), were probably worn at a very early date, but it was not until the Three Kingdoms period (57 B.C.-A.D.668) that the two-piece costume of today began to evolve. Short, tight trousers and tight, waist-length jackets were worn by both men and women during the early part of the period as evidenced by ancient tomb paintings.
Toward the end of the Three Kingdoms period, T¡¯ang China introduced Koreans to silk mandarin robes and they were adopted for wear by royalty and officials. Noblewomen began to wear full-length skirt-trousers and wide-sleeved, hip-length jackets belted at the waist and noblemen began to wear roomy trousers bound in at the ankles and a narrow, tunic-style jacket cuffed at the wrists and belted at the waist.

In the late thirteenth century Koryo, the kingdom that ruled Korea from 918-1392, became a vassal state of Mongolia during the Mongol Chinese Yuan Dynasty. Its twenty-fifth ruler, Ch¡¯ungnyol-wang (r.1274-1308), took as his wife a princess from the court of Kubla Khan and began dressing in Mongol fashion. It is said that within three years of his ascendance to the throne, every official in the Koryo court had shaved his head except for a patch of hair in the middle and had adopted the dress of the Mongolian plains people. During the short time Koryo was a Mongol vassal, three kings were born to Korean-Mongolian queens, which had quite an effect on the social and fashion trends of the times. The skirt (ch¡¯ima) was shortened as was the vest (chogori), which was hiked up above the waist and tied at the chest with a long, wide ribbon instead of belted and the sleeves were curved slightly.


'picture from Hanbok by sunny yang'
In the late thirteenth century Koryo, the kingdom that ruled Korea from 918-1392, became a vassal state of Mongolia during the Mongol Chinese Yuan Dynasty. Its twenty-fifth ruler, Ch¡¯ungnyol-wang (r.1274-1308), took as his wife a princess from the court of Kubla Khan and began dressing in Mongol fashion. It is said that within three years of his ascendance to the throne, every official in the Koryo court had shaved his head except for a patch of hair in the middle and had adopted the dress of the Mongolian plains people. During the short time Koryo was a Mongol vassal, three kings were born to Korean-Mongolian queens, which had quite an effect on the social and fashion trends of the times. The skirt (ch¡¯ima) was shortened as was the vest (chogori), which was hiked up above the waist and tied at the chest with a long, wide ribbon instead of belted and the sleeves were curved slightly.
The upper classes wore hanbok of closely woven ramie cloth or other high-grade lightweight materials in warm weather and of plain and patterned silks the rest of the tear. Commoners were restricted by law as well as resources to cotton at best. The upper classes wore a variety of colors, though bright colors were generally worn by children and young girls and subdued colors by meddle-aged men and women. Commoners were restricted by law to everyday clothes of white but for special occasions they wore dull shades of pale pink, light green, gray and charcoal.
Both males and females wore their hair in a long pigtail until they were married, at which time the hair was knotted-the man¡¯s in a topknot (sangt¡¯u) on the top of the head and the woman¡¯s in a ball just above the nape of the neck. A long pin, or pinyo, was thrust through the knotted hair of the woman as both a fastener and a decoration. The material and length of the pinyo varied according to the wearer¡¯s class and status. Headwear for men varied according to class and status.
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Traditional Dresses


Apparel and fashion in Poland has been influenced by the resources available, climate, and also by the other cultures that the people came in contact with. German, Czech, Russian, Lithuanian, Romanian, Austrian and other influences can be seen in the traditional dress of each region. Because of these diverse influences, each region of Poland has its own local traditional dress. There are roughly 60 unique costumes attributed to the different areas in Poland, these are just a few.

Mountain Region
Traditional Costumes are still sometimes worn for Weddings and other important family and social events. The man's Gorale jacket from the Mountain region of Poland is made from the finest unbleached wool with distinctive hand needlework. The matching trousers are also decorated with exquisite needlework and feature a black stripe down each leg. Note the black felt hats with tiny conch shell bands. The traditional shoes worn with this outfit are moccasinlike with long laces that are wound tight over the trouser bottom. These beautiful jackets, and the ladies vests are often passed down through generations.

The ladies vest is embroidered with dyed silk and sometimes sequens, tiny beads, or pearls. The strings of red beads that are so common to ladies outfits were traditionally coral.



Source : http://www.polishamericanclub.org/dress.htm
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Saudi Arabian Traditional Dresses

ghutra an iqal, a traditional Saudi head dress for men
Photo: Thomas Peters
Men wear a ghutra an iqal on their heads.

In Saudi Arabia, as in all countries, climate, usefulness, and custom influence dress.
Men and boys wear the thawb, an ankle length piece of clothing which is long and fits loosely. Athough the thawb covers almost the entire body, it allows air to circulate freely. This piece of clothing was traditionally made of cotton, but it is also made of other kinds of cloth.


Saudi dress - a Jallabia




Saudi dress - a Jallabia
Photo: Thomas Peters
Women and girls in Saudi Arabia wear a long dress with long sleeves. It is called a jallabia (or sometimes a thawh).

Men also wear a ghutra an iqal on their heads. This is a square head cloth with a double circle of black rope or cord to hold it on the head.

Today Saudi men and boys wear this head cloth not only with the thawh, but also with work clothes. This headcloth comes in plain white and in red-and-white checks. It is folded diagonally to make a triangle.

Women and girls in Saudi Arabia wear a long dress with long sleeves. It is called a jallabia (or sometimes a thawh). It comes in different colors: black, green, purple, blue…and a lot more colors.

The dress is long so that it can cover every part of the body because our religion does not allow us to show any parts of our body. We have to cover everything.

Women in Saudi Arabia don’t wear these dresses every day now. They only wear them on special days or when they feel like wearing them, but the Bedouins, people who live in the desert in Saudi Arabia, still wear jallabias every single day.



Source : http://www.topics-mag.com/internatl/dress-saudi-ar.htm
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The Korean Hanbok Fashion



Koreans use "bot"e as a general term for clothing. Traditional clothing and adornments, on the other hand, are called "hanbok"-an abbreviation of the term Han-guk pokshik (Korean attire).

Along with language, religion and cultural patterns such as dance, food, housing and aesthetics, apparel plays a vital role in the preservation and expression of cultural identity. In multiethnic nations such as China and America, styles of traditional attire are diverse.

However, in countries such as Korea, which are occupied by a single ethnic group, traditional dress is synonymous with national dress. For this reason, the hanbok forms a highly effective expression of Korea identity. Thus, changes in hanbok design from the past to the present parallel the nation's historical development. Moreover, hanbok's form, materials and designs provide a glimpse into the Korean lifestyle, while its colors indicate the values and world view of the Korean people.

Development of Hanbok

Hanbok is apparel of the Caftan type-a style of attire which is primarily found in Asia. During the Ko Choson era, Tan-gun popularized shaving of the head and the wearing of hats.

During the Three Kingdoms period, which began with the founding of Koguryo, hanbok consisted of a two-piece "unisex" outfit. The upper garments of this period opened in front and came down below the waist. They were held shut with a belt. The lower garments were also tied off above the feet. Notably, the opening flap of the upper garments seems to have been placed on a leftward diagonal from the upper right-in contrast with the left to right flaps on the chogori worn today. This change in the direction of the opening flap occurred after the mid-Koryo period. Among Western apparel, a right-side flap is used for male attire, while a left-side flap is used for female attire. Thus, the unisex style popular in the modern period can be said to have originated in East Asia, whereas the differentiation between male and female attire is thought to have originated in the West. Ancient Koreans produced upper and lower garments which were beautiful yet pracitically suited to the active lifestyle of nomadic hunters.

During the Shilla period, Korean society diversified while contacts with neighboring countries increased. At this time, Koreans began to introduce the international fashions of China's Tang Dynasty. Examples include sleeveless shirts for women, long scarves, decorative hairpins, male headdress and coats with roung lapels. Elaborate silk clothing and ornaments were other elements of the refined clothing fashions of the period.

During the KoryCo period, the long upper garments of the previous period gave way to waist-length attire. As a result, waist belts were replaced by coat tie-strings. As one of the unique features of Korean clothing, the coat string was initially a short, thin cord but eventually developed into the style seen today, i.e., a long, dangling piece of cloth that hangs down below the knees. Around this time, Tang Dynasty's fashions became less influential. As Korean society turned to the values of frugality and simplicity, the calm, tranquil beauty of agriculture life found expression in the period's famous blue celadon and white clothing. Korean clothing underwent further refinement as cotton was introduced into Korea from Yuan China. In addition, clothing regulations were introduced from abroad and a system of official uniforms was established for the palace.

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The beginning of the Choson period saw the development of a Confucian society. At this time, the use of cotton became wide-spread. In addition, the period saw the development of a unique script, known as Han-gul, and the publication of numerous scholarly compilations. At the same time, there were diverse developments in the system of ritual attire. Confucianism, as the central ideology and faith of East Asia, was actively pursued at this time, along with its system of ritual dress. Ritual clothing represented the visible manifestation of intangible Confucian virtues such as benevolence, propriety, wisdom and trust. Since clothing served as a medium for the visible expression of a rite, it was deemed a very significant form of expression. Hence, Choson apparel, in addition to its role in delineating social status, represented a strict conformity to Confucian codes of ritual attire. In particular, a standardized system of clothing for the various rites of passages was established in accordance with numerous ritual manuals. Special attire was worn for the rites of manhood, marriage, mourning and memorial services. Even today, these clothes can be seen at weddings and funerals, and in particularly conservative areas, the special clothing for memorial services is still worn. The traditional dress of Confucian scholars can be seen in the paintings of the famous Choson folk painter, Shin Yun-bok. In these paintings, the outer robes are long, yet never touch the ground. Inside the robes, multiple layers of undergarments can be seen. With wide sleeves hanging down, the grave-looking scholar sports a broad-rimmed, horse-hair hat.

The late-Choson period saw great social changes as the common people came to resent the feudalistic system. The period was also marked by significant changes in values and aesthetics. At this time, female entertainers took the lead in the new developments in women's attire. Men's fashions, on the other hand, were primarily influenced by members of overseas missions, political reformers, overseas students and missionaries. Folk art depictions of women during this era show them wearing white belts, snug chogori that show the contour of the breast, and numerous undergarments exaggerating the volume of the dress. The erotic beauty of the garments has little precedent in traditional Confucian culture.

The opening of Korea to the West intensified the pace of change in apparel. Most notably, clothing during this period became much simpler. During the coup d'etat of 1884 and the Kabo Reform (1894), clothing specifications for various ceremonies were combined to form a single ritual attire. The awkward, wide sleeves became narrower and male top-knots were cut off. Among woman's attire, undergarments as well as concealing vestments such as the ssugaech'ima (shawl), chang-ot (hood) and noul (veil) gave way to a more practical, short coat.

The disappearance of traditional attire during the process of modernization has been explained in relationship to economic development. Nations which have industrialized and developed economically have given up their traditional clothing, as part of their everday dress, at a more rapid rate than economically backward nations. In Korea, the hanbok began to disappear as everyday dress in the 1960s and came to be used only during rituals. As for traditional ritual attire, only marriage and mourning clothing have survived. Traditional hanbok are now only seen on special traditional events such as folk festivals, shamanic kut, historical dramas or reenactments of palace rituals.

In short, the hanbok has undergone many changes but has generally consisted of elements still evident in hanbok today, i.e. pants, outer coat, skirt, and soon. Among the hanbok's different forms, ritual clothing has traditionally taken precedence. During its development, the hanbok acquired some elements from neighboring nations, while changing to suit the particular needs of the times.



Source : http://www.asianinfo.org/asianinfo/korea/cel/hanbok.htm
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THE TRADITIONAL UKRAINIAN DRESSES




Folk costume is a basic element of a country's culture and craft, closely tied with its whole history. Vasyl Boiko, a fellow at the Institute of Art, Folklore and Ethnography of the Academy of Arts and Science of Ukraine, writes that folk costume "distinguishes itself through its originality and the wealth of regional variations... The Ukrainian costume is a genuine encyclopedia of the people's creativity. In it are synthesized the folk arts of weaving, style, sewing, adornment (embroidery, applique, trimming, etc.)."

Traditional dress in Ukraine shows a high degree of sophistication, elegance, and artistry. For centuries scholars of ethnography (descriptive anthropology) and folklore have collected and studied Ukrainian folk costumes. Art historians have paid much attention to the highly artistic embroidery that is a fundamental element of folk costume.

History

The earliest-known dress worn in the territory of Ukraine dates back to the Scythian and Sarmatian tribes. Men wore cloth or fur trousers, jackets, pointed caps, and boots. Women wore wide shirts that dropped to the knees, a coat with armhole slits, and a cap like a man's hat but covered with a wrap. Embroidery was a Scythian art as far back as the 5th century BCE, according to archaeological finds.

But it was during the Kyivan-Rus era, according to Kateryna Mateiko, a scholar with the Ukrainian State Museum of Ethnography and Crafts in Lviv, that the prototypes of the basic elements of the Ukrainian costume developed. The main elements of dress were the shirt, trousers, cloak, sheepskin vest, overcoat, cap, footcloths, stockings, and boots. Princes and boyars (the upper ruling class) wore clothes influenced by Byzantine fabrics and ornaments.

During the Kozak period, the nobility dressed in Renaissance styles prevalent in Europe, with the addition of long overcoats and sheepskin jackets to protect against the climate. Kozak officers adapted this dress to military needs, with short caftan or zhupan, wide trousers or sharovary, and cloak or kyreia. Townspeople imitated the fashions of the nobility to some extent, while the Kozak style influenced the dress of the peasants. The features of dress that evolved during the Kozak period among the townspeople and peasants were preserved with some changes, while the nobility adopted European baroque fashions.

The golden age of Ukrainian folk costume was the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century when regional variations reached their peak. Availability of factory-made fabrics in the second half of the 19th century changed the fabric used in the fashions, but the general features of folk dress persisted in small towns and villages until the First World War. After the First World War, folk dress began to disappear in the countryside because of the low price of urban clothing and the peasant's desire to dress like townsfolk.

How many variations of Ukrainian costume are there?

Scholars of Ukrainian folk costume usually classify it by regional differences. The Encyclopedia of Ukraine recognizes five regional groups: that of the Middle Dnieper Region, originating in the Hetman period; Polisia; Podilia; central Galicia and Volhynia; and the Carpathian Mountains and Subcarpathia, including Pokutia, Bukovyna, Hutsul, Boiko, and Lemko.

The book Ukrainian Folk Costume divides the country into 17 ethnographic regions: Dnipro, Kyiv, Poltava, Chernihiv, Kharkiv, Podilia, Northern Bukovyna, Polissia, Volyn, Hutsul, Boiko, Zakarpattia, Lemko, Yavoriv, Sokal, Pidliashia, and Kholm.

Classifying costumes by region is a broad tool, since variations occur from village to village. Costume differs according to sex, with woman's dress more elaborate than men's. Social, economic, and marital status influence dress and there are special ways of dressing according to the season and for festive occasions.



Source : http://pages.prodigy.net/l.hodges/costumes.htm
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Design and Calibration of Boat Wake Model 2009




Project Description:
As coastal development continues, boat wakes are being introduced both in greater frequency and magnitude and into areas that would otherwise rarely experience wind-generated wave energy. Our intention is to complete development of a tool, which we are calling the Boat Wake Energy Model (BoMo), to forecast wave energy distribution arising from such wakes in order to then understand the impact or assess damage of natural resources and plan mitigative strategies. BoMo will be a sophisticated boat wake generator and wake propagator model that computes wave energy, wave height and wave period generated by the small boats and ships in a geographic format. The wave energy is a function of boat hull length, hull shape, beam, displacement, boat velocity and bathymetry. Wave energy will be computed for both planing and displacement hulls and over complex bathymetry and shoreline geometry. BoMo will be divided into two main modules, a wake generator module to generate the boat wake and wave propagator module to propagate the wake generated to the shoreline. Because these entries interface with the bathymetry and shoreline in a Geographic Information System (GIS), the user also will have an option to select the path along which boat is sailing. The wake generator module provides output as a georeferenced map of wave height, wave period and wave heading. The wave propagation module includes the shareware REFDIF1, a nonlinear, combined refraction/diffraction model. Values of wave height and wave energy will be provided as outputs at the grid nodes in form of a text file, and various georeferenced map products.

Expected Outcome:
Adapt the University of Delaware REFDIF1 (refraction-diffraction) model to accept boat wake input in a GIS format. Produce a series of hull type x speed x water depth = wave height calibration curves. Develop, test and add a neural network component to input wave characteristics to REFDIF (or its equivalent) based on vessel type, speed and size. Integrate these computations into a GUI targeting the skill levels of resource managers. Nominate this product for a technology transfer award.


Source : http://www8.nos.noaa.gov/nccos/npe/projectdetail.aspx?id=584&fy=2009
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Fashion of Valentine Day

Oh my gosh, Valentine's Day is almost here and you still don't know what to wear? Luckily, you have this weekend to buy your last minute outfit. We know its hard to pick what to wear on this oh-so-important day, so we thought we would give you a few ideas.

Date in daytime
Dressing flirty and casual is the theme here. We suggest matching a simple camisole with a shrug. Jeans are sexy enough without being overwhelming, such as Blue Cult jeans. The bag must be cute, and should not be the ones you usually go shopping in. (We suggest the Juicy Couture ones below.) Finally, a date at daytime is not the right time for heels! Flats are perfect. Remember to choose girly and feminie ones, and no sneakers! (unless you are your guy are both very
at.)
from Urban Outfitters
from Guess
from Guess
Jeans by Blue Cult
Juicy Couture Heart-shaped Wristlet
Maloles ballet flats
Irregular Choice flats

Evening Date
The dresses we chose are for different dinners, depending on which restaurant you are going to and how formal you are required to dress. Wear dresses that are feminie, pretty, but NOT too revealing. You do not want to look like a slut, or too desperate. Match the dress with an elegant bag. We especially like the Kate Spade bag. You get more freedom with shoes, although heels are definately preferred, (unless you are already taller than you guy.) Choose from a sparkly, glamourous pair, to a simple, stylish pair.


D&G Dolce & Gabbana Lace-Trimmed Dress

Sue Wong Beaded Slipdress

Y-Yigal Matte Jersey Dress
by Kate Spade
from Miu Miu
from Miu Miu



Source : http://iamfashion.blogspot.com/2005/02/valentines-day-what-to-wear.html
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Unique Indonesian Batik




Unique Batik by Global Trends Gallery offers women's batik clothing in high quality rayon and silk - hand painted or hand stamped batik designs - unlike commercially batiked fabrics found in mass merchandise stores. Our casual women's designer clothing is unique yet very affordable and ranges from beach wear to casual and resort wear. You can dress comfortably for any occasion with our wearable art fashions.

Our tops, pants, skirts, shorts, and dresses are easy to care for and easy to wear. The silk caftan and scarf are available in beautiful hand painted designs! And don't miss our popular sarongs!

Online ordering is safe and easy using our secure server. We ship anywhere in North America and most other countries internationally. Please browse our site and let us know if you have any questions.



Source : http://www.uniquebatik.com/
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Two cultures meet in Lasem Indonesian batik




Many frequently associate batik, the hand-dyed textile unique to the archipelago, with Surakarta, Yogyakarta and Pekalongan. While the first two cities are famous for their standard motifs, like flaming gringsing, princely parangrusak and bridal sidomukti, Pekalongan's batik designs are not set, so are as free as that coastal culture.

Another unique batik tradition can be found in the Central Java town of Lasem. Although both are coastal areas of the province, Pekalongan and Lasem have different batik motifs, owing to the two communities' dissimilar creative efforts and cultural influences.

Pekalongan batik are made by indigenous Javanese of Arab descent who produce floral designs, whereas Lasem batik are created by Javanese yet reflect a strong Chinese influence in their phoenix, dragon, bamboo and fan patterns, typical of Chinese paintings.

The Chinese reportedly settled in Lasem over 200 years ago. An uncorroborated account even says Lasem was named after the number 63 (lak sam in a southern Chinese dialect) -- part of the fleet of legendary Admiral Cheng Ho from the Zu Di empire of the Ming dynasty.

The tale goes that, as the fleet sailed along the Java Sea in 1413, great storms washed 63 of its junks ashore in Lasem -- hence the town's name.

The Chinese entry to Lasem has also hit the big screen in Ca Bau Kan, a novel by Remy Silado, who also wrote Sam Po Kong, describing Cheng Ho's voyage as far as Semarang, the present-day Central Java capital.

History records that the ethnic Chinese population grew fast along Java's northern coast from Jakarta to East Java, including Lasem.

Located 13 kilometers east of Rembang town, the district town of Lasem is the capital of Rembang regency. Serving as a transit terminal for inter-provincial buses plying Java's northern routes, Lasem has become more famous than Rembang.

The route brings fresh air to the town's handmade batik business, which experienced its golden period in the 1970s.

""There were around 100 batik entrepreneurs in Lasem. Its batik shot to fame back then,"" said Purnomo, 56, a batik maker who specializes in stamped horse motifs.

Lasem's handmade batik centers are found in subdistricts such as Gedongmulyo, Babagan, Karangsuri, Sumbergirang and Karanggede.

Purnomo employs 30 workers in his cottage industry in Gedungmulyo, Lasem. The area has many mansions with tall walls, heavy dragon-relief doors and ash-bowl altars for ancestral worship, resembling a Chinatown.

It is in these large residences that hand-printed batik production formerly enjoyed its heyday with its typically Chinese themes. Today, though, ""Only around 10 batik houses continue to survive. The handmade batik industry has been in sharp decline since the 1997 economic crisis"", said Purnomo.

Since the rise of machine-printed batik in 1994, handmade batik have been sidelined even further. Far lower in price, the modern products are generally preferred by today's consumers, who mostly seek cheap goods.

""We, as part of the community of batik craftspeople, have lodged protests, but market interest is more decisive. Machine-printed batik maintain their good public reception,"" he acknowledged.

In addition, some people assume that handmade batiks are an ancient and sacred craft, which leaves an impression of the textiles as expensive luxury goods. In actuality, the handmade products are not too expensive either at Rp 100,000 (US$11) for kain panjang (a wrap), though other types can fetch Rp 1 million ($110) or more.

At Lasem Market, a typical handcrafted batik can be bought at only Rp 75,000, while a refined and intricately designed one cloth may cost Rp 1 million -- the latter are often bought by fashion boutiques and major shops.

The artistic value of handmade batiks lies in their motifs and refined texture, and Lasem has five main motifs: tiga negeri, empat negeri, kawung, rawan and kendara-kendiri.

The complicated process of making batik by hand demands higher costs and a longer time compared with machine-made batik. For example, 20 craftspeople can make 100 batik cloths in two months -- or five pieces each.

Some of the phases in the traditional batik-making process are drawing the pattern, resist-dye waxing and dyeing. The latter step itself may involve three stages, and the more colors that are used, the more stages it requires.

The production costs for handmade batik is about Rp 15,000 per piece, in addition to two daily meals for the craftspeople.

Purnomo claimed that before the influx of modern batik to the market, he was overwhelmed by buyers' demand. Today, he only sells about 20 pieces a month.

The Rembang administration has strived to promote Lasem's handmade batiks through participation in business and trade fairs, but the market has not indicated much interest.

Lasem batik was among the work exhibited at a Semarang mall in March, featuring the original hand-printed batik from Pekalongan, Semarang, Kebumen, Puworejo, Demak, Kudus, Pati and Jepara.

""Lasem batik always boast typical Chinese colors, earth red and dark red, which are unique. Batik lovers are well aware of this distinctive feature,"" said Nita Kenzo, the owner of several Semarang boutiques that sell traditional batik.

In Nita's observation, Lasem still lacked the regeneration of its batik makers. She hoped that handmade batik exhibits presenting diverse regional products would raise interest among youths and help boost the spirit of restoring batik craftspeople to relevant areas. Further developments have led to divergent views among batik lovers over the use of natural or synthetic dyes.

For Purnomo, chemical dyes pose no problem.

""Formerly natural materials were used because no chemical colors had been found. In my opinion, chemicals produce better and lasting colors. Soap is now used in laundering instead of the klerak fruit, and after washing the batik, the textile can be dried in the sun without affecting the colors,"" he said.

With regard to handmade silk batik, Purnomo said he liked the material, ""but in this tropical climate, cotton batik is more suitable. Silk batik only suits air-conditioned rooms"".

He spoke sparsely on the lack of training a new generation of batik craftsmen while retaining his elderly workers.

""Young people now prefer jobs other than making batik,"" he said.

Lasem's traditional batik entrepreneurs should perhaps heed the efforts of the Semarang government, which has organized handmade batik courses that attract about 25 participants per class, mostly comprising students, youths and young housewives.


Source : http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2007/07/27/two-cultures-meet-lasem-batik.html-0
at 5:41 PM 0 comments
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Hijab Chic : How retailers are marketing to fashion-conscious Muslim women?




"Full coverage," not your typical fashion show prerequisite, was the theme at a "fashion seminar" recently hosted by Nordstrom at the tony Tysons Corner Center mall in McLean, Va. The show, called "Interpreting Hot Trends for Veiled and Conservative Women," was perhaps the first high-fashion hijab event sponsored by corporate America. The target: well-heeled Muslim women living in the suburbs of Northern Virginia, where mansions and mosques are filled with rich Muslim immigrants, an increasing number of whom shop at Tysons Corner.

The Nordstrom show is part of a growing trend: Western retailers and designers are beginning to market directly to Muslim women. In 2000, for instance, European designers Yves Saint-Laurent and Jean-Paul Gaultier showed at the International Festival of African Fashion in Niger while ultraconservative Muslims paraded through the streets in protest of the "satanic" presentation. A 2004 Hermes ad featured two women with the dark hair, dark eyes, and olive skin of many Middle Easterners and wearing the company's iconic scarves wrapped around their heads in the Muslim style of hijab. (When asked, the Hermes advertising department would say only that its marketing pitch is "global.") And a little over a week ago, French designer Judith Duriez, co-owner of the Dubai-based company Arabesque, debuted her fall 2005 collection of "sheilas" (veils) and "abayas" (gowns) for the cloaked Muslim woman. These fashions, traditional long black gowns (the color is one rule Duriez refuses to break), are enhanced by non-traditional accents such as mother-of-pearl trimmings and chiffon ribbons.

Retailers have likely caught on to the fact that conservative Muslim women are as interested in fashion as any other women and that, as a population numbering at least 500 million—an estimated half of which cover up regularly—they constitute a large, and potentially lucrative, untapped market. Indeed, to anyone who's paying attention, it's evident that Muslim women are going to great lengths (and in some cases spending a substantial amount of money) in an attempt to reconcile their religious mandate to dress modestly with their desire to look fashionable. Many women interpret the idea of "hijab"—the term comes from the Arabic word "hajaba," which is translated as "to cover," and is used generally to refer to modesty, and more specifically, to mean headscarves and formless gowns—quite liberally. They wear Diane Von Furstenberg mini-dresses over Levi jeans or rapper-style do-rags as headscarves. Other women don scarves by designers such as Christian Dior, Hermes, Gucci, and Dolce & Gabbana. And even the traditional dress is no longer black and shapeless but comes in various cuts, colors, patterns, and textures: slim-cut, baggy, silk, chiffon, fringed, fur-cuffed, hand-painted, and even embroidered with rhinestones and feathers.


The trend would be just another marketing gimmick, except that the hijab is not merely an article of clothing, but a politically charged symbol. The hijab, as most people know by now, has become emblematic of an ideological and political movement that promotes a puritanical interpretation of Islamic law, or Sharia. In this interpretation, it is "haram," or illegal, for a women to reveal her arms, legs, or any bodily curves. In the most conservative circles, revealing the face, ankles, neckline, and hands is also verboten. (The Quran, while calling for modesty, does not mandate that women wear hair scarves or long gowns.)

To attend the fashion seminar, I had to go undercover in more ways than one. Nordstrom's publicity department called the show a "private event" that was closed to the press. When I asked why, I was told the company hadn't "media trained" its sales representatives. What if, God forbid, a Nordstrom saleswoman pitched a gauzy scarf that left a woman's hair visible? I'm a Muslim woman, but I don't cover my hair except when I go into mosques with a hoodie over my head in a look I call "ghetto hijab." So, at the diner across the street, I draped a hot pink scarf from the Tie Rack over my head and covered my body in a flower-patterned Nine West trench coat—more Grace Kelly than hijabi Muslim, but it worked—and prepared to see what Nordstrom thought was in fashion for the veiled-and-shrouded set.

The morning of the event, about 100 women—their hair covered by scarves, their bodies cloaked in abayas or burqas, and at least two of them with their faces fully veiled—pulled into the Tysons Corner parking lot in Volvos, BMWs, and Lexus sedans. In liberal Muslim circles, these women are sometimes derisively called "hijabis." The chicest among them—those who wear silk Hermes scarves and long Barneys jackets—are dubbed "fashionable fundies" (as in "fundamentalists"). The women call themselves "muhajabah," or "women of hijab."

The women and I slid into chairs set up at the top of the store's escalators, a few feet away from a display of slinky Nicole Miller gowns. The Nordstrom sales team was composed mostly of non-Muslim Americans, but there was one Muslim saleswoman with a scarf pulled up high over a bun in her hair. A chipper Nordstrom saleswoman in an appropriately modest business suit opened the show by pointing to a row of mannequins outfitted in what she called "the latest fall trends." There was a full-length Eileen Fisher skirt: "It allows for full coverage," she emphasized. And a black Anne Klein jacket: "It closes up high," the sales lady stressed. Finally, a $425 green-and-black Tesori tweed coat: "Just perfect for your unique style." In other words, it would cover the contour of a woman's butt—another no-no to reveal. The Nordstrom Web site promotes the jacket as a "tailored fit," but that wasn't part of the sales pitch here.

But something was obviously missing. A saleswoman stepped forward: "Of course, we have scarves!" Of course! Each mannequin had a scarf wrapped around its neck, ready to be pulled up. There were also brooches, which were said to be "perfect for pinning up scarves." A Muslim woman in the audience snickered at the effect of one broach atop a headscarf; it looked like a cake decoration.

Of course, the most puritanical Muslims would say that hijab is not meant to be flashy. According to these men and women, it's supposed to be the sartorial equivalent of a burlap sack, not a trimly tailored Anne Klein jacket. It's supposed to be black, not trendy colors like fuchsia and teal. Preachers from New Jersey to California rail at the pulpit against women who put too much fashion in their hijab. To quote one rant on a conservative Muslim Web site: "Everyday we see our Muslim sisters proudly displaying names and initials on their clothing. … What are they advertising? CD, YSL, D&G,"—as in Christian Dior, Yves Saint Laurent and Dolce & Gabbana—"How ironic that the most modest of dressing—the cloak and scarf—should become contaminated by advertising the names of some of the most shameless and perverted people in the world."

But women will no doubt continue to thwart such dictates in a desire to look stylish while remaining pious. And it may be Muslims themselves, versed in the nuances and requirements of the hijab, who will be best equipped to introduce it to the world of high fashion. Next month, on Nov. 10, Femmes Arabes, a magazine for Arab women, will sponsor a fashion show in Montreal featuring caftans—long flowing garments popular among Muslim women in North Africa—designed by five Canadian designers and five Arab designers; it held a similar show last year. And Eve N Black, a Dubai-based boutique founded by Muslim fashion designer Mohammad Bahrami, sells abayas that cost anywhere from $1,500 to $10,000 and are often displayed with matching shoes and purses. (If she spends $6,500 or more, a woman can get a copyright for her personal abaya design.)

If the Nordstrom event made one thing clear, it was that it's not easy to combine high fashion with religion. While one woman walked away with a long orange duster sweater, women on both sides of the figurative catwalk were grumbling unhappily. A Moroccan woman found a black polka-dotted top inappropriate because of its "three-quarter-length sleeves." Sleeves, according to the strictest standards of hijab, must extend to the wrists. A George Mason University law school student groused that a black Anne Klein skirt was "too short" because it hit the calves. A young scarved woman became frustrated that she wasn't able to find "an A-line skirt without a slit." And the Nordstrom cashiers mumbled to each other they weren't ringing up enough sales. Indeed, the fashion seminar, to borrow a phrase from the fashion world, was a definite miss.


Source : http://www.slate.com/id/2128906/

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