Shopping & Fashion Blog

ashion has certainly come a long way from the top hats and petticoats era of the past. Clothes today have become a great combination of aesthetics and function. One might think that because of the progress that we have maid in the area of clothing, we would not look back at our past. Reality, as always, has a way of denying what we all think. Today, we all see a resurgence of popular fashion styles from the past. It seems that old school fashion is coming back. First of all, what is old school fashion? Well, it constitutes of fashion coming from 1970s-1980s. Old school fashion is being brought back by fashion conscious young adults and teenagers today. Old school fashion is not only determined by the clothes. Old school fashion is evident in accessories, hairstyles and even in the attitude of the youth today. The question, however, is why? Why is old school fashion coming back?

There are a variety of reasons why people are bringing back old school fashion. First of all, this fascination with the past has started with television. Do you realize that the people who are bringing back old school fashion are the ones who grew up watching reruns of such shows as Happy Days? We are also the same generation who enjoy watching TV shows based on the past such as That 70’s Show.
Come to think of it, we have been exposed so much to old school fashion in other media. Think of the movies: we are the ones who enjoyed watching movies of old shows like Starsky and Hutch, Charlie’s Angels and other movies which have been resurrected from the old death of camp TV to the new life of the cinema. Well, the media certainly brought about the old school fashion revival. It was the spark that created the fire. The question, however, is what fuels the flames? The truth is, people like old school fashion. It looks good and helps them reconnect with a past which was not as complicated as the world today. The reason why old school fashion is constantly gaining popularity is the fact that once it was reintroduced into society, people found that they actually liked it.
Old school fashion is also very popular because of the fact that there’s just something about it that is so sexy. Old school fashion was designed to show of the beauty of the human body. Fitted shirts and pants, cool patterns and designs, these are the trademarks of a past which young people have not experienced.
Another reason why people think that old school fashion is so cool is the fact that, combined with today’s technology of comfortable fabrics, old school designs can be pretty showy and yet casual at the same time.
So why is old school fashion coming back? Well, some people would see it as a metaphor for us trying to reclaim a past that never really belonged to us. It can also be a metaphor for trying to extract the best things out of the past. You see, when old school fashion was brought into this century, we never really brought all of the bad memories with it. Old school fashion could either be a great example of recapturing the beautiful past or it could be a bad metaphor for selective amnesia. You decide.

Choosing a birthday gift for a friend about to turn thirty years old can be a challenging task. You want to honor the special day with a unique gift, but not necessarily draw attention to their age. After all, thirty is the pivotal year of life when we transition from young adults to full-fledged grownups. Make your loved one feel their best on their big day by choosing a gift that focuses on the beginning of his or her life, not the number of years that have passed.

If you want to give a truly personal gift, you cannot go wrong with a birthstone– a gift idea that dates back to Biblical times. Birthstones and zodiac stones are great gifts that hold deep significance and will be treasured for years.  When making your purchase, be sure to keep in mind the type and size of jewelry the person wears most often, as well as whether she prefers gold or silver. This way, you can embed her birthstone, for instance a pearl for a June birthday, in a setting that will be adored. Birthstones are also stunning when mounted in watches, brooches, and hairpins for those who rarely wear rings or necklaces. If you are shopping for a man, he may prefer a pocket watch or specialty ink pen imbedded with his birthstone to jewelry.  Following, is a list of birthstones:

January — Garnet
February — Light Purple Amethyst
 March — Blue/Green Aquamarine 
April — Diamond
May — Emerald
June — Pearl
July — Ruby
 August — Light Green Peridot
September — Blue Sapphire
October — Multi-Color Opal
November — Golden Topaz
December — Turquoise or Blue Zircon
 

Some people have a special interest or belief in their astrological information. If this is the case with your friend, consider giving him or her a physical symbol of the zodiac and of your love with a zodiac stone gift, sometimes called Astral Stones. As with the birthstone tradition, a gemstone is assigned to each of the twelve zodiac signs. If your friend is a Cancer, for instance, he or she will cherish an emerald and its professed abilities to increase courage and health. When presenting a zodiac stone gift, include a description of the gem’s astrological significance and origins.  Following is a list of zodiac stones:

Aquarius — Garnet
Pisces — Amethyst, Aquamarine 
Aries — Bloodstone 
Taurus — Sapphire
Gemini — Agate, Alexandrite 
Cancer — Emerald
Leo — Onyx, Peridot
Virgo — Carnelian 
Libra — Opal
Scorpio — Beryl
Sagittarius — Topaz 
Capricorn — Ruby 

Whether you purchase a birthstone or a zodiac gemstone, you’ll honor your friend’s thirtieth birthday in a distinctive, personal, and memorable way.