Fashion Glossary

Designers are breathing new life into old-school fabrics, textures and trims, including lace, eyelet, embroidery, fringe, crochet, and one of my favorites, dotted swiss. One variation of dotted swiss - which is typically a sheer, lightweight fabric with a dotted motif - is flocked fabric, or flocked dots, which means the tiny little dots are raised. Leave it to Marc Jacobs, who's always reinventing retro with beautiful results, to utilize flocked chiffon in a fresh, new way.

Sadly, the pricetag on the Marc by Marc Jacob's creation has also kept up with the times, and costs a hefty $235 on sale. But thanks to, ahem, modern technology, stores like Forever 21 carry similar styles at a fraction of the price. For a summery little black dress, scoop up Forever 21's dotted swiss wrap on the right. It's got all of the flock, none of the fat.

Left: Marc by Marc Jacobs Flocked Silk Chiffon Dress at eLuxury.com, Was $388.00 Now $235.00
Right: Forever 21 Dotted Swiss Wrap Dress, $37.80

Impress friends with your fashion know-how by dropping the word chevron into a conversation, which is just a fancy way to describe those rad V-shaped stripe patterns that are cropping up everywhere for Spring. Vivid and bold, chevron stripes punctuate accessories and fool the eye for your figure's benefit on swimsuits. Get your chev-ron with the budget-friendly finds above.

Clockwise from top: Naughty Monkey Chevron Striped Pump at Lulu's, $72; Jovovich-Hawk for Target Swimsuit, $29.99; Arrowstripe Longsleeve Dolman at Forever21.com, $22.80; Printed Scarf Bag at OldNavy.com, $11.70; Chevron Stripe Onepiece at Topshop.com, £28.00; Background: Chevron Apron at Urbn.com, $14.00

Clockwise from top left: Spring 2008 looks from Diane Von Furstenberg, Badgley Mischka (2), and ADAM. Source: Style.com

Ombré, from the French ombrer meaning "to shade," is a dip-dye effect given to fabric in which the color is graduated from light to dark. The intoxicating technique, which naturally lends itself to billowy silks and bohemian silhouettes, was picked up on Spring 2008 runways by designers such as Diane Von Furstenberg, Badgley Mischka and ADAM (formerly Adam + Eve). While we can't expect budget retailers to recreate the sunset-glow of ombre by actually hand-dipping fabric (they've tried it by mechanical means before, but the effect is usually more tacky tie-dye than ethereal ombre) we're hopeful that modern technology will make it increasingly possible for this irresistible trend to reach the masses come spring.

We have a REAL treat for readers today - Dina Selkoe, the chief women's buyer at Karmaloop, generously donated her time and expertise to answer a few of our most burning questions about STREETWEAR, arguably one of the leading forces in fashion and culture today. Be prepared to be enlightened. —TBB

The Budget Babe: Can you explain what "streetwear" is for readers who might not be familiar with the term?
Dina Selkoe: Streetwear is a fashion and culture genre that captures a lifestyle, attitude and mentality – city, technology, music, design and art oriented and reflective of evolving cultural cross-pollenization made possible by the internet. Streetwear is not only 'Hip-Hop', 'Urban', 'Punk' or 'Skate' clothing, although all of these represent influential elements in Streetwear culture and style. Streetwear is not mass appeal fashion - it’s far more niche and advanced with greater elements of high-fashion and frequently represents the vanguard of where fashion and culture are going.

TBB: How can someone who might not normally rock streetwear incorporate some elements of streetwear into their wardrobe (without looking like a poser!)?
DS: The easiest way – both in terms of helping to pull together a look and ease of wear for basically anyone is wearing a cool hoody either over a simple t-shirt (hard to mess up) or over a more streetwear-y t-shirt (make sure the t-shirt and hoody look good together). Next would be a pair of kicks, which one should try to coordinate with the hoody or t-shirt. Also right now a pair of colored jeans- we have great ones from Tripp NYC which are super affordable!

TBB: Who is the hottest streetwear designer today?
DS: I love Leah McSweeney’s Married to the Mob. MOB stuff looks great - with awesome graphics and clever plays on words and popular culture, and fits super well. MOB has been involved in really cool collaboration projects with everyone from graffiti artists to high-fashion houses. I like that Leah is running a successful company at such a young age – she is a pioneer in women’s streetwear and her brand is definitely going places.

Also love Triumvir, which is a men’s brand, but getting into women’s product as well. Triumvir is Richard Vaughn and his sister Julia (who will be heading up the women’s project). They have super sharp graphics and a sort of flippant, thumb-in-your eye sensibility, which is a little dark and definitely focused on the unique and individual.

TBB: Who are some high-end designers we should know that are bringing streetwear to the runways?
DS: Jeremy Scott, Comme des Garçons, Heatherette, Yohji Yamamoto, some Gucci Men’s Footwear

TBB: What are the must-have hot items for the streetwear elite today?
DS: Attitude and confidence- all you ever really need is something that works for you and that you feel good wearing.

TBB: How often to trends change?
DS: Streetwear as a style has been present and evolving for some time, but trends within streetwear do change quickly and often with the allover print craze probably being the most obvious recent one. However, the popularity of classic pieces – whether skinny jeans, high tops or hoodies - has been quite constant for years. Right now Streetwear is moving in a cleaner, more refined direction, almost more mature direction.

TBB: How do you stay on top of the latest trends without spending a fortune?
DS: Well, the good news is that most streetwear isn’t extravagant, so people can really update and freshen up their wardrobe with just a few new pieces in new colors or patterns. City-dwellers should look out for in-store events around a particular brand/designer offering promotions on merchandise.


Dina Selkoe­ was born in Russia and moved to Brookline, Massachusetts when she was 4 years old. At 33 years old this beauty has a background in Law. After completing a degree in Law at Harvard and Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Dina is now Creative Director and Women's Buyer at Karmaloop.

Shop all the looks you see above at Karmaloop.com >>

Nothing says cozy quite like a Fair Isle sweater…which may very well explain why modern takes on this classic knitting style can be found season after season. Around 1850, authentic Fair Isle sweaters were made famous by knitters on Fair Isle, part of the Shetland Islands, Scotland, for their brightly colored, patterned knitwear. Today's Fair Isle-style knits make a ski-lodge chic statement on tunics, sweater dresses, and more. Pair these pieces with dark tights and knee-high boots for an updated look that pays homage to this rich, textile tradition. Here are eight affordable ways to hook the trend:






[1] Roxy 'Hot Chocolate' Short Sleeve Sweater, $48
[2] Delia's Fair Isle henley, $48.50
[3] Heritage 1981 Telluride sweater top, $26
[4] Lux Fairisle sweater dress, $58
[5] Lands' End vintage ski design sweater, $49.50
[6] Alloy Fair Isle babydoll, $29.50
[7] Sweater Project Fair Isle sweater dress, $34.00
[8] Mossimo Fair Isle sweater tunic, $24.99

In the never-ending quest for better quality clothing at lower prices, it's important for us budget babes to know what our clothes are made of: Fabric, whether natural or synthetic, effects the function, comfort, care, cleaning and lifespan of each garment you purchase.

Here's what you need to know about some common fabric types:

Natural Fabrics: Made from naturally occurring plant or animal material.

COTTON: The touch…the feel…the fabric of our lives—Cotton is the most common and popular natural fabric today. Random fact: Did you know that United States paper money is 75% cotton? Neither did we.
Pros: Comfortable, versatile, soft, great breathability, absorbent and durable. Denim, velour, jersey and many other popular beloved fabrics are made from cotton.
Cons: It can wrinkle.

LINEN: Natural fabric similar to cotton that is made from flax fibers.
Pros: Great breathability
Cons: Tends to wrinkle easily; poor elasticity

WOOL: Natural, animal-derived fabric. Most wool comes from sheep; specialty types include mohair, angora and cashmere.
Pros: Incredibly warm, dirt and water resistant.
Cons: Shrinks when washed at high temperatures. Can be itchy.

SILK is one of the oldest, most luxurious fabrics known to man, spun from the cocoons of silkworms.
Pros: Beautiful, strong and comfortable with a shimmering, natural lustre.
Cons: Delicate and susceptible to rough treatment, sunlight, perspiration.



Synthetic Fabrics: Man-made through chemical processes where liquids are extruded and formed into filaments, which are made into fibres that are woven into a fabric.

POLYESTER is the most widely used manufactured fibre in the United States. Polyester has gotten a bad rap (blame fashion in the 70s), but it is quite the modern marvel.
Pros: Works well in blends with other natural fabrics, such as cotton, which extends the wear of garments. Strong, crease-resistant, colorfast and retains its shape.
Cons: Doesn't really breathe, thereby creating unsightly sweat stains; not readily biodegradable.

RAYON is neither a synthetic nor a natural fiber but rather a manufactured fiber derived from naturally occurring cellulose.
Pros: Cheap, versatile fabric. Rayon drapes well, is easy to dye, and is highly absorbent.
Cons: Tends to age poorly. The manufacturing process of rayon results in a great deal of environmental pollution, inspiring a drive to clean up the industry. (We're not scientists, but we're guessing that most synthetic fabrics use up a lot of resources and create a lot of waste since they're basically made out of plastic, which is a petroleum-based product.)

NYLON: Every heard of pantyhose? Nylon was also heralded as a modern miracle when it was invented back in the 1940s.
Pros: Very elastic and resilient.
Cons: Melts at high temperatures; too much washing and drying can cause piling to occur.

ACRYLIC: A synthetic which resembles wool.
Pros: Fine, soft, "fluffy" fabric.
Cons: Very vulnerable to heat and not very warm.

ACETATE: A synthetic which resembles silk.
Pros: Resistant to shrinking and wrinkling; pliable and good for draping. Taffeta, satin, crepe and brocade often contain acetate.
Cons: Not as strong as silk. Keep nail polish remover and perfumes containing alcohol away as these can melt acetate fibers.

Jodhpurs, or what we think of as horseback-riding pants, are galloping into shops for fall.

Jodhpurs by Balenciaga and Roberto Cavalli (center); Style.com
Like the jodhpurs worn in and around the city in India after which they are named, modern interpretations of these trousers are similarly baggy around the thigh and tight-fitting through the calf.

We think the unique pants look pretty cool on models who prance like ponies down the runway...the question is: Will the silhouette they provide translate well for normal women?

If you decide to saddle-up to this trend, look for pants with smooth pockets placed on the front, rather than the sides. Avoid any other equestrian accessories. You'll also probably want to tuck in your top, so consider a belt and blazer or cropped jacket to balance the look.

What do you think? Will you rein in the jodhpur look for fall or leave it in the stable?