Purely Personal Blog

The discovery and crafting of silk fiber into fabric is lost in the mists of time and myth. Archeological evidence dates the use of silk as far back as 3,500 BCE — 5,000 years ago in China. The secret of silk production was kept by China for thousands of years, contributing to its mystery.

It seems that humans, upon discovering something perfect, feel the need to improve it — and often succeed. Whether by chance or intentional experimenting, we seize the opportunity to create our own perfection in breeding, food, music and certainly in our clothing.

Stretching back into antiquity, linen is one of the oldest known woven fabrics (cotton is another). Linen is a natural fabric derived from the long staple fibers of the flax plant in a labor intensive and lengthy process, making linen an expensive and often coveted fabric.

Though less stringently observed than in the past, Memorial Day traditionally marks the official day to begin wearing whites, pastels, and intense, vibrant colors in linens and cottons. When budgeting and shopping for summer wardrobe updates and vacations, it may help to know a bit about the classifications, definitions and qualities of these popular summer fabrics. Over the next few blogs I will discuss these classic summer fabrics. Today I will discuss cotton — “the fabric of our lives.”

One of the most interesting and exciting aspects to what I do is discovering and working with emerging designers. One of these is a young, talented fine jewelry designer, Pauline Bernard.

If you are of a “certain age,” you may well remember your first encounter with a Roberto Cavalli design; flamboyant wild animal prints and ostentatiously bold colors definitely made a new fashion statement.

A personal shopper/stylist seems like a superfluous or even frivolous service at first blush. Stores abound and anyone can walk in and find something to purchase — and therein lies the problem.

With the passing of Iris Apfel, the world became a little less stylish. However, there is much to celebrate in the very full life of Iris.

Have some fun with fashion vocabulary and your Purely Personal style!

Shape is a critical factor both in designing clothing and in styling and fitting garments. In design, the shape of a garment is referred to as the silhouette and there are at least twenty-five identifiable silhouettes; some well known such as A-line, empire waist, dropped waist, wrap dress, and sheath.