月別アーカイブ: 2015年10月

The streets this weekend will be filled with people wearing items of clothing intended to terrify, repulse and otherwise freak out viewers. But as “Fashion Victims: The Dangers of Dress Past and Present,” a new book from Alison Matthews David, an associate professor in the School of Fashion at Ryerson University in Toronto, makes clear, zombie costumes are the least of it.

Since at least the 19th century, women and men have been wearing garments that were truly horrifying in the damage they caused — both to the wearer and to the world around them.

As far as wardrobe scares go, it doesn’t get much more dramatic. Naomi Campbell falling off her giant Vivienne Westwood platforms (a story that is included in Ms. David’s book) has nothing, for example, on the tale of the arsenic-laced green dyes in clothes and accessories of the late 19th century, whose poison leached into the wearer’s skin. Or of the crinoline skirts that caught fire and burned the women inside to death, or the hobble skirts that caused their wearers to go tumbling to the pavement. Or of the woman who was strangled by her scarf on a ski lift in the 1970s, thanks to “long scarf syndrome,” the Dr. Who-spurred neckwear trend, or the girls in 2005 who, in an effort to copy the actress Sienna Miller, started sporting long boho gypsy skirts whose hems brushed dangerously close to candles on the floor around them.

picture: chiffon wedding dressThough this is all, on one level, clearly alarmist, and it would be wrong to draw a general conclusion from the evidence presented that fashion does more harm than good, it’s nevertheless eye-opening.

Which was, it turns out, Ms. David’s goal. Speaking on the phone from Canada, she said her point was not to indict the industry, though she acknowledged the book could be read that way, but rather to cause “people to take a second look at what they buy, and think about the other people it may have touched.”

“I wouldn’t be in fashion if I didn’t believe it could empower us and protect us and be a power for good,” she said. “But I do think the way it is produced and marketed can cause harm.”

And not just to women. She also, she said, wanted people to understand that “it’s not as simple as ‘why are women such fashion victims?’ Men have been equally gullible, wearing top hats that caused mercury poisoning in the craftsmen,” not to mention brightly colored socks (in the late 19th century) created from aniline dyes that caused the wearer to have sores and skin diseases.

So did the experience of researching the book, which took about a decade and included not only delving into fashion archives but also into old medical texts and digging garments out of storage and having them (and, for that matter, modern cosmetics) analyzed and tested in various modern laboratories, change how its author thinks about what she buys?

“I probably shy away from fast fashion more than I would have,” Ms. David said. “I try to buy clothes made locally, by Canadian designers, out of recycled fibers. But I still buy lipstick, though I might get it tested in our physics lab for lead content before I actually use it.”

In the meantime, she is at work on a new book, a study of “clothing and crime — how clothes have been used in smuggling, as disguise and as murder weapons.”

Murder weapons? Trick or treat.

read more: wedding dresses glasgow

As a rite of passage, the bachelorette party has long gotten a bum rap. Stereotypes persist of the bride’s night-before-the-wedding gathering as a ladies-only version of the raucous bachelor party. Yet the truth is, a growing number of brides crave a tasteful, relaxing and deeply personal send-off for their single days.

In fact, a relaxing getaway ranked high as an ideal bachelorette party for 59 percent of brides-to-be in the Ultimate Bridesmaids Census. Sixty-seven percent wanted dinner, dancing and time spent with their closest friends, and 23 percent wanted something non-traditional that really reflected their personal interests.

“Bachelorette parties are as unique as the women they celebrate,” says Michael Belot, general manager of Destination Kohler – home to AAA five-diamond and Forbes five-star hotel that hosts scores of brides, bridesmaids and weddings each year. “We’re seeing an emphasis on relaxation for the bride and companionship with her friends in today’s bachelorette parties. Brides want to spend their special night – and often an entire weekend – in a soothing, stress-free atmosphere before the hectic pace of their wedding day.”

So what are the things that brides and bridesmaids tell the Destination Kohler team they must have for their bachelorette soirees? Belot points to five in-demand elements:

1. Spa time

Whether it’s a group mani-pedi, a yoga class or a lunch of delicious, healthful spa cuisine, bachelorette groups crave spa time. Parties are looking for spas that offer a comprehensive list of salon services, familiar and new massages and body treatments, and easy access to luxury accommodations. For example, at Destination Kohler, bachelorette groups often book rooms in the Carriage House, which is located above the Forbes five-star Kohler Waters Spa. Participants can spend the day in their spa robes if they choose. “Kohler Waters Spa is by far the most popular request and activity among bachelorette parties, and is often the center of the trip,” says Garrett Mersberger, manager of Kohler Waters Spas. Playing to this trend, many resorts have created female-centric spa packages like the Girls Getaway.

2. Great food

Forget the pigs in a blanket, deviled eggs and other de rigeur finger foods long associated with bridal showers. Modern bachelorette groups are looking for dining options that are luxurious and delicious, or that accommodate lifestyle needs such as gluten-free or low-calorie diets. Spa fare often fits well with this preference. Resorts with multiple dining options afford bachelorette guests the opportunity to dine lightly for lunch and then enjoy a more indulgent dinner.

3. Bonding activities

picture: vintage style bridesmaid dressesHitting the bar and dancing the night away are no longer the only bonding activities for bachelorette groups. From yoga classes and golf outings to wine and chocolate pairings, brides-to-be are looking for more diverse, sophisticated activities they can do with their girlfriends.

4. A location “away from it all”

Nearly a third of respondents in the Bridesmaid Census said they didn’t want to go crazy for a bachelorette party, they just wanted to enjoy time with their friends. Perhaps it’s because their lives are about to change dramatically. Maybe it’s a need to reaffirm the girlfriend bond that has seen them through life’s ups and downs to reach this happy point in their lives. Whatever their reasons, a growing number of brides are looking for a bachelorette experience that transports them and their closest friends far away from their daily routines. Some fulfill this wish by choosing a resort location far from home. Others may choose accommodations that are more intimate. At Destination Kohler, bachelorette parties can also opt to stay at Sandhill, the resort’s luxury private cabin that sits on 350 natural acres just a 10-minute drive from the resort.

5. Personalization

Twenty-three percent of surveyed brides said they wanted a bachelorette party that was deeply personal and tailored to their individual tastes and interests. For some, that’s a spa experience. For others, a golf getaway. Even when they’ve booked a bachelorette package, brides and their bridesmaids are looking for ways the resort can customize their experience. Add-ons are popular, from spa treatments to wine tastings.

Bachelorette party experiences are becoming as individual as the brides they celebrate, Belot notes. “Brides are not cookie cutter, so their bachelorette parties shouldn’t be either.”

read more: dark red bridesmaid dresses

I was told, “Drew Barrymore and Toni Collette, stars of ‘Miss You Already,’ plus VIPs Ed Norton, Cuba Gooding, Nicole Miller, Kick Kennedy, arrive 6 p.m.” Host Andrew Saffir didn’t. Nobody showed until 7ish. I sat alone in empty MoMA.

Earliest arrival, Lee Radziwill. Skinnier than my house key and seeming frail. Next, June Ambrose,Jay Z’s stylist. Someone whispered, “She’s wearing a Balmain that hasn’t come out yet.” And shouldn’t. Too short, too tight, too gold-embroidered. Also, she kept pulling up her crotch-high boots.

Down-to-earth Drew Barrymore actually kneeled down to chat. “I’m wearing Stella McCartney.” Stunning Drew’s dark appliquéd gown was a knockout. Also knocked out was the front, which showed everything but her scrapbook. Laughing, she tugged it closed. Said Toni Collette: “She’s shy. Not a tit kind of girl.”

Drew: “Who knows if this gown’s mine for keeps or not? I didn’t ask. Stella’s my dear friend. I love her. Friends play a big part in my life. This film’s about valuing friendship. Two women. I have two daughters. In the end, friends are all you have. Women put one foot in front of another. They’re heroes in life.”

The gorgeous gown was form-fitting. She manage to eat anything? “Please. I had lunch at Pastrami Queen. Big deli sandwich.”

Collette: “I play a charismatic, complicated woman who relies on those around her when becoming ill. We had lots of input so as not to mess up. I even checked with a family member who had a similar condition, and it’s a bitch.

“In the movie, I have a double mastectomy scene. It wasn’t as bad as you’d imagine because I actually have nothing up there to show in the first place.”

picture: summer wedding dressesJacqueline Bisset: “I play a small part. A flaky actress dingbat who annoys her daughter, with whom she hasn’t a good relationship. But what’s consuming me now is politics. I can’t stand what’s happening. Everything’s so difficult. I follow, but I get upset. I speak to about 15 people a day. All about politics. I like Obama. He’s so distinguished. And I respect everything Obama does.”

You a Democratic voter?

“I live in California, but I can’t vote. I’m British.”

Not that I’m one to brag…

Pardon — but back while every newscaster, reporter, pollster burbled about will-Biden-won’t-Biden, and before he weaseled out, I told you — flat-out! — he’s going no place. Not like I didn’t think so. I knew. Too old, too chicken, too often he tried and lost, too standoffish in terms of romancing fund-raisers and contributions. He just wanted limelight. I told you!

Please try to pay attention

The shmatta industry’s sewed up Hillary. Vogue’s Anna Wintour, bridal’s Vera Wang, Marchesa’s Georgina Chapman went Dutch on a cocktail fund-raiser . . .

April brings Cirque du Soleil: 38 aerialists, athletes, street pros, tightrope walkers and “acrobats defying imagination” . . .

A-Rod sniffing out investments. With FM Capital Partners he just bought 700 Ohio apartments.

Odds & ends

Designer Zang Toi, who dresses A-1 ladies, creating a line of greeting cards . . .

NY-1 anchors and anchorettes going on location to interview and mix it up in Greenwich Village’s annual Halloween Parade . . .

John Grisham bought his eighth home. Amelia Island, Fla. . . .

2014’s gold-medalist ice-skaters Meryl Davis and Charlie White, who’ve been on our Rock Rink, to again compete in Pyeongchang, South Korea’s 2018 Winter Olympics.

Le Pain Quotidien has this sign: “A yawn is a silent scream for coffee.”

read more: vintage style wedding dresses

On a fall day in 1945, Leona and Art Schlenz made a promise to one another to live their lives together for the rest of their days.

“You have to take the good with the bad and believe in each other,” Leona said.

Holding that promise true, the couple celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary Oct. 7 in Jamestown with their families.

“It’s tough (marriage), but it’s a choice,” Art said.

Their wedding was simple. There was no white dress, honeymoon or decorations. Art said that the day after his wedding he was back out on the tractor, simply because there was work to be done.

Instead of hundreds of guests and bundles of flowers, the couple were surrounded with their dearest family and friends at Leona’s parents’ home, making a promise they would see through.

Sitting in his recliner on the farthest side of their bedroom Monday afternoon, Art’s face began to light up as he spoke about a flock of geese that flew across the blue sky of Fredonia the day they wed.

He also was especially enthusiastic about the supper menu the night of his wedding. Art said Leona’s mother prepared seven different kinds of meat, including chicken, beef and duck and pickled vegetables decorated the dinner table.

As a wedding present, Art’s family gave Leona 14 cows for farming, which she said supplied the family with milk and food for years to follow. The couple farmed for the majority of their lives, harvesting crops of wheat and oats, according to Art.

Art said he always loved when Leona made homemade jerky from their livestock.

Picture: www.queeniebridaldress.co.ukLeona said she spent a lot of her time in the kitchen, and Art said she always had a treat ready for visitors.

Art said he first spotted the woman who was to be his wife when he was 25 years old. Leona, 20 at the time, was out dancing with her friends when Art approached her.

Their first date was a dinner date with Leona’s family around the table. Leona said it was typical of the time to not go out to dinner, but instead to spend time at home getting to know each other’s family. The couple dated for a year before they wed.

They had three children, Larry, 69, Charlotte, 66, and Robbin, 55. They also have eight grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. Spending time with their grandchildren tops the charts for the couple’s favorite activity to date.

Beginning in their 50s the couple spent 21 winters in Apache Junction, Ariz., where Leona recalls these seasons as her favorite memories with her husband. They would play cards, visit together and enjoy the sunshine.

Art also did carpenter work during his time in Arizona. Some of his work still hangs on the walls of his bedroom, including a stylish clock and a paisley-type carved candle holder.

After the children grew up and moved out, Art and Leona moved to Wishek, where they had a house built, and continued farming. Leona also worked at a nursing home in Wishek. Fifteen years later, the couple sold the house and moved to Jamestown to be closer to Robbin, where they reside today.

Leona said they stayed together “because we loved each other,” and her favorite thing about her spouse was that he was always nice to her. Art laughed and said she was hooked from the beginning because of his looks.

read more: chiffon bridesmaid dresses uk

The million-dollar fashion question, the one I’m asked every day without fail from the third week of August for three months, concerns the date from which it is socially acceptable to wear black opaques. To which the simple answer is that the rule is the same for black tights as for oysters: only when there is an R in the month.

Quick shout out to the fishmongers, who are at this very moment are no doubt mobilising to point out that it’s not that simple: I know. (Something about breeding seasons or refrigeration; whatever.)

Funnily enough, it’s not that simple in fashion, either. In certain fashion circles, the answer to the tights question is: only when there is a Z in the month. That is, never in a month of Sundays. Those New York glossy-magazine women who go barelegged all year round are not an urban myth. I have seen with my own eyes their honey-brown legs rising from Alexander McQueen ankle boots on days in February in Manhattan when my face aches with the cold after five minutes outdoors. They are as mystical as unicorns, but flesh-and-blood creatures nonetheless.

picture: wedding dresses for the beachThe black-tights question is the million-dollar question because it is not just about what you wear. It is about class, and money, and age. It is about how you order the priorities of how you look and what you get done. It is about your postcode and your mindset, your taxi bill and your holiday schedule. The black-tights question is code for: “Are you one of us? Are you a real, normal person I can talk to about how my shoes are killing me, or are you one of the unicorns, chanting glassy-eyed about how you don’t feel the cold?”

This is why the only acceptable answer is the one I borrowed from the oysters. Zero-tolerance of tights is only not annoying if you are a diehard fashionista, the type that wears strange trouser shapes and weird shoes and goofball jewellery. If you are that type of person, you can get away with a year-round no-tights-rule and it seems a charming eccentricity – but on most women, it reeks of pulling rank.

The black-tights issue is fundamental because it separates fashion as actually lived by actual human beings from fashion as seen on models. Like umbrellas, or a Daunts Books bags bulging with trainers and scarves and Kindles, black tights are omnipresent in the real world when there is an R in the month, but remain largely invisible in fashion editorial. What’s more, in the era of 6am Barry’s Bootcamp and Brazilian waxes, when being really quite freaking hardcore about pain is – for better or worse, discuss – way more feminine than baking cupcakes, your willingness to go barelegged is, literally, a black-and-white marker of the degree to which you are prepared to forgo comfort in order to achieve the right look.

I wear black tights, when it gets really cold. But a tiny part of me dies, the first day I do so.

It is also a matter of cold, hard cash. Or, to put it even more brutally, it’s a bus-stop issue. A bare leg is a luxury that signals you have the funds to pull the ripcord and summon an Uber should the wind chill get too much. It is an age issue, too, because bare legs are a youthful look. This is not simply about whether or not you are too old for bare legs, but by going bare-legged you make it clear that you do not believe yourself to be too old for anything, thank you very much.

And then there’s grooming. Thanks to fake tan, that great social-leveller of our age, having brown legs no longer means you actually go on six holidays a year. But legs that are smooth and tanned enough to be bared do require a certain level of attention, and having the time to devote to this is a luxury in its own right.

Debate about when or whether to wear black tights is, therefore, a matrix by which we ask all kinds of other questions. Which, I suppose, is why such an apparently boring question is so compelling. And, indeed, why I can’t give you a straight answer. I will say, though, that I haven’t worn them yet this season. And that I say that with, if I’m honest, some degree of pride.

read more: www.queeniebridaldress.co.uk

Dr. Albert Mohler, president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky, has said that Christians should not attend a same-sex wedding, even of their own child, because doing so demonstrates “moral approval” for such unions.

“At some point, attendance will involve congratulating the couple for their union,” Mohler writes in his new book, We Cannot Be Silent, Charisma News reports. “If you can’t congratulate the couple, how can you attend?”

In his book, which goes on sale Oct. 27, Mohler reveals that he has never attended a same-sex wedding and would refuse to even if one of his children or grandchildren were marrying. In explaining his stance, Mohler says that while Jesus regularly ate with sinners, “his constant call was to repentance” and in no case did he endorse sin.

Even if scientists are able to prove that people with homosexual tendencies are born that way, the “sinfulness of homosexuality” would not be eliminated because human sin taints the world, Mohler writes. He also charges that transgender people who turn from their ways should consult with their pastors about whether to have surgery to return to their original gender.

Mohler, who has led Southern Baptist seminary for 22 years, also weighs in on whether it is okay for Christian parents to let their kids play at the home of children with gay parents. He says it is, as long as the parents instruct their child first on “scriptural authority and sexuality.”

“We should make every effort to develop real and authentic friendships with our LGBT neighbors,” he writes.

Picture: bridesmaid dress shops londonCharisma notes that Mohler wrote his 213-page book, subtitled “Speaking truth to a culture redefining sex, marriage & the very meaning of right and wrong,” for “intelligent evangelical readers,” pastors, other church leaders and the public.

Southern Baptists are the largest Protestant denomination in the USA, numbering a little less than 15.5 million members.

Earlier in October, the Southern Baptist theological seminary held a three-day conference, titled “Homosexuality – compassion, care and counsel for struggling people,” in which leaders within the denomination discussed how the church can better respond to the LGBT community.

Speaking ahead of the conference, Mohler said that psychological therapy, including reparative therapy, is a “superficial” response to the struggle people face in dealing with same-sex attraction and transgender identity.

“In the case of many people struggling with this particular sin, we do not believe that some kind of superficial answer whereby they can turn a switch from being attracted to persons of the same sex to being attracted to persons of the opposite sex,” he said, the Washington Post reports.

However, Mohler reinforced the Biblical idea that marriage should be only between a man and a woman and said that gay people are able to turn from their ways through the grace of God.

“By God’s grace, that might happen over time as a sign of God’s work within the life of that individual. But … for many, many people struggling with these patterns of sin, it will be a lifelong battle,” he contended.

Mohler also lamented that in the past, Christians have sinned against the gay community by “ignoring their presence among us, by remaining silent when we should speak the truth and by reducing a massive human struggle to simplistic explanations.”

read more: short bridesmaid dresses

A FOOTBALL mad family who support Wales star Chris all over Europe and the UK for club and country; it’s going to be an interesting summer for the Gunter family… because they are double-booked!

The entire Gunter clan were at the Cardiff City Stadium on Tuesday to celebrate Wales’ qualification for the European Championships in France next summer, where they will be going to support Chris, who won his 63rd Welsh cap in their 2-0 win over Andorra.

However, those plans are more up in the air than they should be because Chris’ brother Marc – himself a talented footballer – is getting married during the tournament, in Mexico, an event planned for well over a year.

And it gets better, because Chris is scheduled to be Marc’s best man!

picture: red bridesmaid dresses uk“The wedding is booked for Mexico, Marc’s getting married, it’s not in the group stages but… I don’t think he’s too concerned, but his partner is. I think my mum and dad have a big decision to make,” Chris explained to the Argus.

“Hopefully the guests at the wedding do too, as Wales are doing so well. Marc might not make his own wedding!

“It’s funny really, it was booked way before the campaign and after our results, the clash became more and more likely. But in all seriousness, my family are all delighted. They’ve supported me all the way through and it’s for them as well, getting to a major tournament means so much.”

The boys’ father, Gerald, explains that while the family are understanding; Marc’s friends have been a little less forgiving.

“The timing could be very, very tight,” Gerald explained.

“They went ahead with booking the wedding ages ago and I think Marc was casual about it, at the time there was no way of even knowing if Wales would qualify.

“What will we do? I’ve got no idea! We’ll wait until the fixtures come out and then we’ll decide.

“But I think Chris is probably going to have to put royal blue bridesmaid dresses the football before the wedding!”

Gerald admitted the feeling of pride in the Gunter household is unlikely to subside anytime soon.

“We are so thrilled for Chris and the boys, they are going to be remembered in Wales forever,” he reflected.

Just as the semiannual fashion weeks in New York, London, Paris and Milan are finally winding down, one of Philly’s biggest fashion events, thePhiladelphia Collection, is in full swing. The week of pop-up stores and parties, which began Oct. 7 and continues through Wednesday, puts local designers and boutique owners in the spotlight.

As the Collection’s packed calendar suggests, many entrepreneurial designers have chosen to make their homes in Philadelphia rather than fashion havens like New York. Sunday’s launch of the Philadelphia Fashion Alliance, an independent organization for alumni of the Philadelphia Fashion Incubator, shows just how advantageous sticking around the city can be.

Eight of the twelve brands who have gone through the popular Incubator program — Granaté Annina King, Jovan O’Connor, Minkeeblue Handbags, Rebeca Imperiano, Senpai + Kohai, Supra Endura, Terese Sydonna and Victoria Wright — are involved in the Alliance to date. The group’s main purpose is to maintain the support network and creative drive they fostered while working together at the Incubator. The designers also hope that by banding together they can raise their own profiles and, by extension, that of the city’s fashion industry. Essentially, they know there is strength in numbers.

To kick off their new venture, they held a group presentation of their upcoming spring and summer collections Sunday at the Philadelphia Art Alliance. All were represented except Supra Endura, covering two upper floors of the Wetherill Mansion with well-heeled women, racks of new clothes and the city’s chic set. The designers themselves were on the floor, too, mingling with fashion bloggers, admiring students and entrepreneurs.

The group’s goal is to host these collective events (think trunk shows and pop-ups) monthly to keep business booming. If their well-attended launch is any indication, the city is certainly interested.

“One of my favorite things about Philadelphia as opposed to New York is that the fashion designers here, the boutiques, the artists, the makers — we’re all such a tight-knit community,” said designer Victoria Wright. “I think the Alliance is really going to bring us all together to help support each other.”

picture: black bridesmaid dresses“The talent is here,” designer Terese Sydonna agreed. “Boutiques are open to us, buying our collections. All of us are carried in stores. It’s definitely there.”

Though the involved designers are hoping to help the whole city’s fashion industry rise, they’re keeping the Alliance in the Incubator family for now.

“Having gone through that process, we all know the difficulty, the intensity and the challenge of completing that, so these designers are all of a certain caliber,” Sydonna said. “It’s so beneficial to our organization. It can only get bigger and better from here. It’s so unlimited now what we can do.”

Some might think that Philadelphia’s smaller fashion scene would make competition especially fierce. But for members of the Alliance, sticking together is a way to motivate and inspire each other.

“Honestly we look at it like each brand is different in its own way. We might have the same customers but each brand is so distinctive,” Sydonna said. “We see it as there’s definitely room for everyone.”

“We always want to be positive and support each other,” she added, “and we always, at the end of the day, want to let everyone know what we’re doing and that there is a fashion community in Philadelphia.

Information on future PFA events is under wraps for now, but the designers are already planning a special holiday pop-up.

“We’re still working out the details, so stay tuned!” Wright said with a grin. “But it’s sure to be really wonderful.”

read more: chiffon bridesmaid dresses uk

Irv Danesh is a highly respected ER doctor and author, but his journey didn’t start the way you might expect. Just read his book – or maybe, in the not too distant future, catch his story on TV.

Danesh’s book, “The Loco Life of Doctor Taco,” has been picked up by a Hollywood producer to be turned into a sitcom. And now Danesh and his wife, Fanny, are trying to imagine which A-List actor will play him on TV.

“We’re curious to see,” said Danesh last week, with a laugh, as he sat in local coffee shop. “I’m excited to get on the set.”

Danesh’s semi-autobiographical novel chronicles the misadventures of a young man who, when he realizes his grades aren’t good enough to get into a U.S. medical school, decides to get his MD south of the border.

picture: long bridesmaid dresses ukThat echoes Danesh’s real life – he attended med school in Tampico, Mexico. While there, he accumulated a group of expat friends from the states, all-hoping to become doctors. In the book, Danesh, now 59, details epic escapades involving smuggling, prostitution, grave robbing and alligator hunting. He said a lot of the book is true – including a bizarre night he spent in a Mexican prison.

The sitcom deal isn’t Danesh’s first brush with fame. After a chance encounter with a screenwriter at a wedding in Los Angeles, Danesh worked on the USA Network show, Royal Pains, about a concierge doctor on Long Island starring Mark Feuerstein. Danesh was an on-set medical consultant and even wrote a few scenes and appeared as a cardiologist in one episode.

In addition to Feuerstein, he also worked with stars like Henry Winkler.

“It’s a rush being on set and working in the writers’ room,” Danesh said.

While he’s looking forward to being back in show biz, he’s not giving up his day job. Actually, he works nights in the ER at East Boston Community Health Center. Previously, he helped run the ER at Lawrence General for 23 years.

“I love the adrenaline,” Danesh said. “I’m a real ER guy.”

Danesh is writing his second book, based on his years at Brookdale University Hospital and Medical Center in Brooklyn, where he trained and worked from 1978-1983.

“It was the wild west,” Danesh remembers. “Brookdale was a teaching and living experience, essentially run by the doctors-in-training. The average workweek was 120 hours plus. The surgical uniform was at least a scrub top, jeans and dirty white coat, at least on rounds.

read more: gold bridesmaid dresses uk

Clothing might not be an essential purchase like food, water and shelter, but consumers spend so much on apparel that a chic skirt or a pair of designer boots might as well be necessary for survival. The statistics prove that Americans are in love with fashion, as the U.S. apparel market comprises 28 percent of the global clothing market to the tune of $331 billion, according to Statista.

However, while U.S. consumers have a constant love for fashion, the retailers which they shop from are constantly changing and evolving.

On Monday (Oct. 5), American Apparel, one of the trendiest clothing brands of the early 2000s, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in Delaware, according to a Oct. 5 press release from the company. While American Apparel was dealing with legal costs related to litigation against former founder and CEO Dov Charney, there was another source of market competition that siphoned sales away from the formerly popular chain: fast-fashion retailers.

“This process will ultimately benefit our employees, suppliers, customers and valued partners,” CEO Paula Schneider said in a press release. “American Apparel is not only an iconic clothing brand but also the largest apparel manufacturer in North America, and we are taking this step to keep jobs in the USA and preserve the ideals for which the company stands.”

picture: cheap plus size wedding dressesWhile traditional apparel sellers like Old Navy and Gap and fast-fashion retailers like H&M and Zara have coexisted in the same market space for some time, American Apparel’s downturn might indicate the start of a slow decline for unwieldy apparel merchants that don’t have answers for fast fashion’s two primary value propositions.

First, as Forbes explained, clothes are inexpensive in both price and quality, allowing customers to buy up styles of the season they like without worrying about the high-priced commitment to an individual article of clothing. Secondly, this high turnover of products allows fast-fashion merchants to restock their stores with new styles and designers to keep customers coming back.

American Apparel isn’t the only traditional apparel retailer that has struggled to resist fast fashion’s pull on consumers. According to data from Forbes, Gap – once the king of the casual apparel mountain – has watched its market share in the U.S. drop from 5.1 percent in 2010 to 4.7 percent today. However, Gap still sits several percentage points above retailers like Old Navy and Banana Republic.

Not all traditional apparel retailers are cowering in the face of the fast-fashion onslaught, though. J.C. Penney has announced plans to launch a new brand specifically targeted at the fast-fashion market, and CEO Marvin Ellison explained at a recent conference that the company had been studying fast fashion’s successful tactics closely.

“We are piloting a private brand called Belle & Sky, which is our version of fast fashion that is a private brand,” Ellison said, as quoted by The Street. “I have had two trips to Asia since March, and it was very informative because we spent a lot of time with suppliers talking about fast-fashion retailers, not trying to replicate fast fashion as a strategy, but to learn elements of the strategy.”

What exactly are those elements that J.C. Penney will try to incorporate? Details are still scarce, but it’s expected that items will include T-shirts priced under $20 and jackets ranging from $60 to $120. Prices like that might not bring J.C. Penney the success of H&M or Zara, but it’s a clear indication that fast fashion is the new normal in the apparel retail business.

After all, when it comes to traditional apparel retailers, if the fast-fashion shoe fits, they better wear it.

read more: tea length wedding dresses uk