All in Fashion

Animal Print, Cheetah!

Animal Print, Cheetah!

House of Style Stories
Fashion

Who doesn't love a fun animal print? Cheetah looks great on shoes, belts, scarves, and just about anything. The best part is the variations and colors you will find on just about every accessory.

It never gets old! Which is your favorite, Leopard, zebra, tiger, or cheetah? Animal prints are often confused with one another because they are so similar in families but are very different cats. Meow! I found a fascinating book on Cheetahs and it inspired me to share the history with you.

Since ancient history, cheetahs have been admired the most amongst wild cats. This is due to their tremendous speed and beautiful coats. I have wondered how this distinct pattern came about and why it is almost always known as a fashion print.

The "Witches Hat"

The "Witches Hat"

House of Style Stories
Fashion, Cashmere goats, Trends, Fashion history

Happy Halloween my fellow style historians! I thought this would be the perfect time to share the story of the witches hat. Have you wondered where the witches hat originated from?

I think the most intriuging fact is that this hat was born from folklore. There are stories about witches keeping organs inside of their hats and using for magical spells. Old Stories claim witches were only meant for evil and the hat was used to intensify their scary appearance. Good thing it's all fiction.

The Longchamp Travels

The Longchamp Travels

House of Style Stories
Fashion, Fashion history

You know those lightweight bags with the leather handles that collapse into pocket sized mini amazingness? For those of you visual learners, I am referring to this beauty right here...

Long champ is French and pronounced Long-shamp. People go crazy over Longchamp bags and I would like to take a moment to tell you why they deserve the popularity. The history behind Longchamp is as fascinating as their bags.

The Fleur De Lis

The Fleur De Lis

Jen Snitselaar
Fashion

You have seen the fleur-de-lis on handbags, jewelry, clothing, and various accessories. What is the history behind it? How did it become so popular? Why is the name so hard to pronounce? You know I have the answers to all of these questions!

The fleur-de-lis has French roots and means simply a stylized lily or iris. The amazing fact about this symbol is it represents many different meanings to various cultures. Such as religious, political, dynastic, artistic, and emblematic but all different interpretations and always viewed as one symbol, fleur-de-lis.

Cashmere is King

Cashmere is King

House of Style Stories
Cashmere, Cashmere goats, Fashion, Fashion history, Trends, Weaving, Wool

Imagine walking into a department store at the turn of the fall season. You catch the eye of the most comfortable, soft, amazing sweater. You've instantly fallen in love and then you glance at the price tag. Yikes! "Seriously", you think to yourself "$200 for a sweater?" You then frantically search for the manufacturers tag and read '100% cashmere'. Suddenly you see lights flashing and quickly realize that it's the light bulbs in your head. You slowly understand why it is so expensive, and maybe you cry a little. I have always wondered how cashmere was discovered. Why does it feel so amazing?

Coach or Cliche?

Coach or Cliche?

Jen Snitselaar
Fashion, Fashion history, Trends

It was the holiday shopping season in 2004 and I fell in love with the most beautiful patchwork Coach tote. My mom wanted me to have the bag because it was so '"me."

We saved the money and I was very proud to carry that bag. It felt like I was walking around with a new baby, you know the feeling? I retired the bag after a short while because I saw a lot of people with my very same bag, it was everywhere. Why? Fast forward to today, that patchwork bag exploded all over the place. I would even spot "knock-offs", which is reassurance that everyone would own my tote or similar. I felt myself getting sick over Coach and hated looking at the 'Cs' all over the bag . Did people even know what those 'Cs' meant? When Guess came out with a similar version and put 'Gs' all over would they notice the difference? How did this trend get so out of control and did people know what they were really buying?

The Story Behind Flip Flops

The Story Behind Flip Flops

House of Style Stories
Fashion, Fashion history, Trends

While it might be obvious as to why thong sandals are called "flip flops" or if you are like my two year old daughter she calls them "beep bops".

They earned their name by the sound they make as you walk, "flip" and "flops". My burning question though, is who thought of creating a thong sandal? How did they come about?

Honestly, I've gotten more blisters from flip-flops than any other shoe, but why do I keep wearing them? From college shower shoes, after a grueling workout, quickly grabbing the mail, or dressed up for work are a few of the many occasions. The answer is simple, flip-flops have a long and rich history. Yes, there is history and style in a thong sandal!