Week 3 BOC: Women’s professional Swimming suits

It all really depends on the time, people, where you’re at, and most importantly how you want to look. If you were with a group of say four girls you would want to be the cutest one out of all of them, so you would pick the cutest swimsuit/outfit. Also time is a factor as well because it varies. In the morning/afternoon you would wear something summery and fun like a white or colorful swimsuit, and something that drapes over like a light top or a dress. In general women just want to look good with or without accessories. They also want to be the center of attention of everything. If it were an important event of course a women would get dolled up with make-up, sun hats, rings, jewelry, heels, and fun things. Mostly they’re just there to look at, and sometimes admire.

BOC Week 3: Midterm

I chose "Dickinsons original witch hazel". Which is a pore perfecting toner. This toner is perfect for anyone of all different skin types.  It's non-drying, it deeply cleanses, but it also keeps and maintains a clear, smooth, and balance skin. I use this product everyday morning, and night. The best thing about the witch hazel is that it is oil-free so that it won't clog or cake up your pores. When you use witch hazel or any natural astringent you must let the toner dry natural without using a towel or anything because it would defeat the purpose.

Week 2: Discussion Questions

1. How has fashion advertising changed since the mid-twentieth century? What are some of the differences between ads that appeared before the 1950s and those from the 1950s, 1960s, and today?

It's vastly changed from the 50's. 50's advertisement was more informal than fashion or any kind of world-changing advertisement. It wasn't really creative as well. They used real people doing real-life things, and they wanted to capture the image. One thing that I noticed about the 50's were that the seem to list prices of the product, and how it worked. While this day and age we barely list anything, it's more about image than price. Later through the 50's and 60's ads became more and more popular using successful tactics to compete with other companies.

2. What are some of the theories related to fashion branding? What do they say about fashion branding as a means of communicating with consumers? How do the contemporary ideas of Hamilton, DeBord, Agins, Gobe, and McCracken relate to those of Barthes and Baurdrillard?


Barthes found that there were three different levels that are a division of garments which relate to fashion branding. It shows a study of culture and fashion that influences many consumers and how they interpret fashion or fashion branding. There is one point to fashion branding though, and that is they try to communicate with the consumer in a way that the consumer can see the product in a way that is creative and force them or at least get them to see the garment and see the store or company for what it's worth. Most theories with Barthes and Baurdrillard seem to deal with the garment instead of the story of fashion branding that comes along with it.

3. What types of meanings does Grant McCracken associate with fashion products? Do you agree or disagree? If you disagree, what would you add to or delete from his list? Give an example of one of the meanings.


McCraken has nine subjects that deals with a company to help the company look at the target market a different way. They are; gender, lifestyle, decade, age, class/status, occupation, time/place, value, and fad, fashion, and trend meanings. (   ) These are really just the basics for any company. There is one thing that has changed, and that is the sexuality in most brands. The tend to sway towards more of the LGBT side, but at the same time appealing to the heterosexual community as well .

Week 2 BOC: My Voice

As a Fashion Marketer and merchandiser, I plan to show a different perspective of fashion by applying all that I learn into what I will do. The retail industry is not about what you have or what you can afford it’s about how you apply yourself and what you know to the company so that you can improve the company you own. When I was little I could always see what creative thing I can come up with next, but now I have lost all my inspiration for what I was doing and who I was. Trying to find my talent and passion was really hard when you don’t know what to do with what you know already. Later I learned from a wise person that being in fashion doesn’t mean that you could always get to become the designer. There’s more to it than being just the Designer. You also have to know the business side of fashion. Being in the industry is hard work but being in the business is harder, it’s where you put your, blood, sweat, hard work and perseverance that will get you going. I decided that I am the creator of the fashion and business industry; and being the creator is like the designer, now I have the power to change advertisements and marketing strategies, and fashion forward looks each season.

EOC Ch1: Exercise

Exercise: Fina a fashion advertisement. Identify any historical, social, or cultural icons in the ad and share the story the ad is trying to tell the viewers. How does this ad make the consumer want to purchase the product? 

I found this ad by Chanel and I thought this was gorgeous. Summer is coming up so they tapped in to a social responsibility and the season. They have created a surf board with the logo and Chanel built in to the surf board. They had a classy women walk down the beach showing not only can a women surf but the can also look fierce, and fearless no matter what comes their way. This is what I got from look at the ad. 

Like I said before summer is coming up so consumers are more likely to purchase products in the summer due to it's so HOT and they want something that airs out and wicks moisture. So a way that they did was took a picture of a lovely women at the beach where the weather is nice and the ocean is blue and beautiful. 

EOC Ch1: Discussion Questions

1. What is fashion branding? How does branding establish a product's identity?

     Fashion branding is how a consumer perceives a particular brand with a product or service that the company offers. Fashion branding is also very competitive that targets consumers with products, advertising, and promotions, so that the consumer can identify in a different way. Again, a way to establish a products identity is to advertise to a particular type of consumer that will be loyal to your product as well as your service.

2. How are companies able to sell items like T-shirts, jeans, and sunglasses at high prices? Can you give an example of another item sold in the luxury market that might not have been traditionally perceived as a luxury good?

    T-shirts, jeans, and sunglasses can be sold anywhere at a normal price, because they are simple things that you need and can get for everyday use. Unless you want to be unique and get items where the fabric quality is better and the construction of the garment is better. By far companies like to sell high price sunglasses and etc. by being unique and creating different products for that particular consumer. It also helps them appear unique in the eyes of the consumer.


3. Race, ethnicity, religion, ans sexual orientation play a part in the purchasing decisions. Identify three consumer groups that are different from you. In your opinion, do they differ from each other with regard to fashions and the types of brands they purchase? Why or why not?

    Three different consumer groups from me would be Women, Straight men, and children. For women there are different things that a women can purchase that I can't for myself. For example make-up, although I use face wash and other beauty products to keep my face from looking horrible. I still wouldn't be able to go to the store and buy make-up, bras, and panties.
   Straight men have a totally different concept from what I purchase. Some tend to purchase items such as Oakley sunglasses, shorts, and a tank. While I prefer something more elaborate when going out, going to school or hanging out with a group of friends. If I wore shorts and a tank, those would be my lazy clothes otherwise for straight men, it's their everyday wear.
   Children is a whole different ball game. I don't think I would wear anything or purchase anything in the children section because that's not what I would like to purchase on a regular daily basis.

BOC Week1: Slip! Slap! Slop!

Slip! Slap! Slop! Is a brand that really carry’s out their product as well as care for the consumer themselves (Literally). When we were little tykes we always found some sort of rhyme to help ourselves remember that we have to eat our vegetables, clean our room, or do the laundry. When Slip Slap Slop came along it was almost the only thing that people couldn’t go without. Because of the catchy phrase kids and adults alike were able to remember to put on their sunscreen before heading out in the hot sun. This was especially famous in the summer when kids would come home with sunburns and red skin. Slip Slap Slop actually teaches you to become wary of them sun. An example is Slip meaning slipping on your clothes, Slap to put some sunglasses or a hat on, and slap to cover the remaining parts of your body with the sunscreen to protect yourselves from the harmful rays of the sun. There are also theories saying that the sunscreen is actually bad for you says Improve Health, 

“The Sun, we were told (just like so many other natural things)  is bad for you; so you need to “slip on a shirt, slop on some sunscreen and slap on a hat”.

“The sunscreen part firstly has been called into serious question. Do you know that if you use a sunscreen you are more than 80% more likely to develop a melanoma than someone who doesn’t.”

“Melanomas are the most lethal form of skin cancer. Melanomas  have been increasing in incidence continuously since 1983 across all age groups in spite of everyone slipping, slopping, and slapping”

http://improvehealth.wordpress.com/2011/04/27/slip-slop-slap-proven-wrong/

There are also companies that spread word about sunscreen being approved. Sunscreen has also changed during the year so its not as harmful. 

"Sunscreen products are regulated as over-the-counter (OTC) drugs by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA has several safety and effectiveness regulations in place that govern the manufacture and marketing of all sunscreen products, including safety data on its ingredients" 

http://www.aad.org/media-resources/stats-and-facts/prevention-and-care/sunscreens

What Improve Health is trying to say is if you don’t get exposure to the sun, you may experience a lethal form of skin cancer, which is really bad. Overall this cause quite a controversy which is really whether to use the sunscreen or not.