The Boomers Blog – Fashion Blog

The history of Italian jewelry is rich, diverse and passionate. Modern Italian jewelry designer draws from traditions in fine craftsmanship that dates back centuries. Almost every culture indulges in some form of body adornment, much of this is done in relation to a ceremonial purpose; religious affiliation, social status or family. This was no less true in Italy; however, there are some unique differences in the approach of the Italian designer to jewelry that is linked to the great role of Rome in world history. The campaigns that extended the power of the Roman empire to far corners of the world, resulted in different influences coming to bear on the Italian artistic design of jewelry.

In many of the works by classical Italian jewelry designers, you see traces of Egyptian, Greek and Asian culture. How the combination of these cultures impacted the development of designs, is easy to see from the discoveries of jewelry made during the ancient Etruscan period in southern Italy. From the 9th to 4th centuries B.C., these early Italian jewelry designers, whose gold jewelry designs have never been equaled in beauty, perfected the techniques that are still in use in making Italian jewelry today. A prime example of the value jewelers place on their craft is seen in the life of one of the best known 19th century Italian jewelry designers, Pio Fortuna Castellani, who studied and revived the Etruscan “granulation” technique for crafting gold jewelry. Castellani, among others throughout the history of Italian jewelry design, have infused passion into this craft of beauty, that in many regions of the country is almost an obsession. This is the main factor which has set their production apart from the rest of the world.

Gold has always been the most highly used metal in Italian jewelry; respecting the fact that the human body, mind and spirit has a strong, innate connection to gold, more than any other metal. Prized for its affinity to the color to the sun, our powerful lifegiver on earth, the attraction of gold is magnetic and was revered in ancient times. The demand for gold Italian jewelry of today has not lessened, but the wonderful Italian sterling silver jewelry cannot be ignored either. Now there are Italian jewelry designers that have chosen to work exclusively in the highest quality sterling silver, creating beautiful ornaments for every part of the body. The demand for Italian jewelry is the result of high production standards along with the originality, quality and diversity. The history of craftsmanship of Italian designer jewelry has always been highly valued, whether it was for gold, sterling silver or gemstone pieces.

Italian jewelry today continues to make fashion history with designs in bold and delicate gold, oversized and trendy sterling silver with diamonds or semi-precious gemstones. When you are ready to adorn your body with something beautiful, take advantage of the rich history of Italian jewelry to satisfy your every desire.

style=”text-align:justify;”>
Sunglasses have a dark history, but a brilliant future.  The history of sunglasses can be traced back to Roman Emperor Nero who watched the gladiator competitions through polished light emerald green gems held up to his eyes. The invention of sunglasses was somewhere between 1268 and 1289.  A visual historical recording of early sunglasses is a painting done by Tommaso da Modena in 1352.  The person in the painting was wearing sunglasses.  This was the first painting of a subject in sunglasses and many more were to follow as it became a fashionable symbol of distinction or honor.

Around the twelfth century and before 1430, sunglasses were worn by Judges in the Courts of China.  The smoky quartz, flat-glassed panes were not used as protection from the sun.  They were used to conceal any expression in their eyes to keep from giving away the outcome of their decisions.  Prescription sunglasses were developed in Italy in 1430 and were later used by the Chinese Judges.  

By the 1600′s people began to realize the benefits of prescription glasses as helping the elderly to see better and the motto “A Blessing to the Aged” came into being in 1629.  It was the motto of an English eyeglasses manufacturer, Spectacle Makers Company.

In the mid 18th Century, James Ayscough developed blue and green corrective lenses which began the use of sunglasses for correcting optical impairments.

The development of glasses and sunglasses continued through the years.  Problems in keeping eyeglasses on the face or propped on the nose led to experiments.  Glasses frames had been made from leather, bones and metal and were propped on the nose.  Sidepieces began as silk strips of ribbon that looped around the ears.  Instead of loops, the Chinese added ceramic weights to the ends of the ribbons.  Solid sidepieces were finally invented by Edward Scarlett in 1730.  Benjamen Franklin’s invention of bifocal lenses followed in 1780.

By the 20th Century, sunglasses were used to protect the eyes from the sun.  In 1929 Sam Foster began selling his protective sunglasses at Woolworth stores on the boardwalk at the beaches in Atlantic City and New Jersey.  His Foster Grants were the first mass-produced sunglasses and they began the trend of sunglasses for fashion.

In the 1930′s the Army Air Corps asked Bausch & Lomb to develop sunglasses that would efficiently reduce high-altitude sun glare for pilots.  Bausch & Lomb came up with sunglasses that had a dark green tint that absorbed light through the yellow spectrum.  

Edward H. Land had invented the Polaroid filter and by 1936 he was using it in the making of sunglasses and soon, sunglasses became “cool.”  Movies stars began wearing sunglasses as a statement and to hide behind.  Aviator glasses became popular with the movie stars and the general public in 1937 after Ray Ban developed the anti-glare sunglasses using polarization.  The longer lens was created to give more protection to pilots’ eyes from the light reflecting off their control panels.

By the 1970′s Hollywood stars and fashion designers made a huge impact on the sunglasses market.  Clothing designers and stars put their names on glasses and sunglasses and everyone had to have them.  

In 2007, stars are still hiding behind their oversized designer sunglasses, making fashion statements and protecting their eyes from the harmful effects of the Ultra Violet (UV) rays of the sun.  With modern technology and improvements, sunglasses continue to evolve.  We have gone from holding green gems up to our eyes to watch Gladiator sports to Oakley’s 2004 sunglasses with digital audio players built in.  What’s next?

High heel shoes can have an amazing effect on women and are able to fill them with pleasure and excitement when shopping for them at Chanel or Prada. The high-heeled shoe in particular is a matter of contentious and heated discussion. No other shoe has gestured toward sexuality and sophistication as much as the high-heeled shoe. So many women are dreaming of having their closets full of shoes, but in reality they are merely pay attention to the fact that shoes could be one of the oldest inventions of our ancestors.

High heels are not a modern invention. Rather, they enjoy a rich and varied history, for both men as well as women. Controversy exists over when high heels were first invented, but the consensus is that heels were worn by both men and women throughout the world for many centuries.

Most of the lower class in ancient Egypt walked barefoot, but figures on murals dating from 3500 B.C. depict an early version of shoes worn mostly by the higher classes. In ancient Greece and Rome, platform sandals called kothorni, later known as buskins in the Renaissance, were shoes with high wood or cork soles that were popular particularly among actors who would wear shoes of different heights to indicated varying social status or importance of characters.

Around 1500, European nobility developed heels as a separate part of their shoes, primarily as a means to help keep their feet in the stirrups. The wear of heels by men quickly became the fashion norm, primarily in the courts, and this practice spawned the term, “well-heeled” as a reference to those who could afford the costlier shoes.

 The modern European fashion of the high heel comes from the Italian “chapiney” or “chopine” style: mounted shoes on a 15 to 42 cm high cylinder. In 1430 chopines were prohibited in Venice, but nothing could stop the trend. The invention of the high heel is attributed to Catherine of Medici in Paris, in the 16th century, who used them due to her short stature, and soon introduced them into fashion amongst the European aristocracy. At the age of 14, Catherine de Medici was engaged to the powerful Duke of Orleans, later the King of France.

]]>

In the 17th century, the English Parliament punished as witches all women who used high heels to seduce men into marrying them. In his biography, the famous Giovanni Casanova declared his love for high heels, which raised women’s hoop skirts, thus showing their legs.

In 1791, the “Louis” high heels disappeared with the revolution, and Napoleon banished high heels in an attempt to show equality. Despite the Napoleonic Code against high heels, in 1793 Marie Antoinette went to the scaffold to be executed wearing two-inch heels.

In the 1860s, heels as fashion became popular again, and the invention of the sewing machine allowed greater variety in high heels. In Victorian art and literature, cartoons and allusions to tiny feet and the affliction of large feet (typical of the elderly spinster) were ubiquitous. Victorians thought that the high heel emphasized the instep arch, which was seen as symbolic of a curve of a woman.

While high heels enjoyed widespread popularity in the late nineteenth century but the Depression during the 1930s influenced Western shoe fashion as heels became lower and wider.

With the creation of the miniskirt in the early 1960s, stilettos came into fashion and were attached to boots that enhanced the look of bare legs. A stiletto heel is a long, thin heel found on some boots and shoes, usually for women. It is named after the stiletto dagger, the phrase being first recorded in the early 1930s. Stiletto heels may vary in length from 2.5 centimetres (1 inch) to 5 cm (2 inches) or more if a platform sole is used.

Unlike the medieval period of Europe, when extravagance was more sought after that practicality, the fashion today trumps comfort. Women in the 21st century have more shoe choices than ever before. From athletic wear to the 2006 “heelless” high heel, women can choose to wear what they want, even hybrid shoes such as “heeled” tennis shoes and flip flops. While these may be oddities of fashion, they gesture toward an exciting array of fashion choices women have today.

Every woman deserves to wear shoes which match her outfit, look elegant and wrap her delicate feet. Whether they are lace up, platform or clear heel each of the shoes definitely compliments the outfit and makes the women love walking and feeling sexy.

When it comes to high heels they are teasing and flattering, they make women feel special and empowered as well as highly confident regardless of when or how they are worn. A good collection of shoes can be found at http://www.wildandsexy.co.uk/ and should be part of every woman’s wardrobe, not just because of what it does for confidence levels but also as a means of upping the wow factor where the man in your life is concerned.

Unlike their trendy, contemporary counterparts, vintage handbags exist in a class all their own. Their uniqueness and style are unparalleled in fashion and speak of a time when classic design, quality workmanship and ultra-feminine style were not just luxuries–they were the norm.

Vintage handbags are special. To have one is like owning a piece of history. With the increasing popularity of vintage clothing, so there is also a wide variety of well-preserved and restored vintage handbags available on the market today. Each bag has a story to tell–about the time period from which it hails, the long-gone designer who artfully crafted it and the stylish woman who once carried it.

Unlike the mass-produced handbags seen everywhere today, the handbags of yesteryear are quality pieces often made by hand in Europe or the United States. As any fashion shopper knows, most quality designer handbags carry hefty price tags.

Vintage handbags can be a surprisingly affordable alternative for stylish women on a budget. Shop around to reputable vintage shops to compare prices and research on the Internet for the going rate for certain designs.

Usually well-constructed from high quality leather, silks, and wool; vintage handbags make excellent heirloom pieces. Indeed, that is how many of us acquire them from generations of past family. With a little loving care and gentle use, you can extend the useful life of your heirloom well into the next decade.

Vintage style is timeless. It never goes out of style. With the current preponderance of designer handbags (and their look-alike and “inspired” knock-offs), handbags of the current era seem to all look alike.

For fashionable women who are unconventional and who love to stand out as individuals, vintage handbags can be a delightful way to express your unique, classic style and impeccable, good taste.

Brief History of Louis Vuitton handbags

Louis Vuitton was trained as a luggage packer for upscale Parisian families in the early 1800′s and began his rise to fame by being appointed by Napoleon III to pack the dresses of the Empress Eugenie. He got the idea of his famous handbags based on his extensive knowledge of luggage and actually began by designing luggage for the traveling rich in Paris.

Louis Vuitton’s earliest inventions included the idea of designing luggage that was flat and could easily stack in railway carriages. His rivals began imitating the rising popularity of his luggage designs which lead to the creation of distinctive stripes and checkerboard patterns.

The business was formed in 1854 and luggages begin to give way to handbag designs. The ever popular Noe bags were originally made to carry 5 bottles of champagne but its success was so phenomenal that upscale women everywhere began to carry this elegant bag. The Damier Canvas design had it’s debut in 1888 and in 1896, the familiar Monogram design was launched to try and counteract the replicas made by his competitors who were copying his unique styles. The Monogram logo consists of intersecting LV initials with a curved beige diamond and a 4 point star inset. The design is continued by its negative consisting of a beige circle with a four-leafed flower inset. A PVC coating is added to the fabric which is embossed with its own design.

Today Louis Vuitton still stands for the highest quality and any purse that comes from their factory that does not meet these standards is destroyed. This company has stood the test of time for 3 centuries and continues to be a force in the fashion history of handbags.

Some people attribute the existence of the high heel shoes to Catherine of Medici from Paris, who wore it owing to her short stature and became a part of the fashion shortly after. These fashionable shoes enjoy a varied history in men and women.
Initially, men and women both wore high heel shoes for centuries. The lower class walked barefoot and people wearing them were mostly popular figures such as actors. They wore high heel shoes indicating their social status and trying to gain importance. The men heels were primarily worn in the courts. The modern fashion came from Italian style ranging from 15 to 42 cm. During the 17th century there was a change stating that women wore high heel shoes to seduce and marry men. Later, Giovanni Casanova also declared his admiration for shoes that showed the beautiful legs of women.
The year 1791 brought a significant revolution when Napoleon banished high heel shoes attempting to illustrate equality. Regardless of Napoleonic code, Marie Antoinette in 1793 appeared wearing shoes of two inches to the scaffold. Once again in 1860s heels gained utmost popularity and the contraption of sewing machine bestowed with great varieties in high heel shoes. In fact, Victorians felt wearing them gave a symbolic curve to every woman. The late 19th century brought widespread popularity, but in 1930s the western shoe with heels received favorable response. In early 1960s, miniskirt came into full form and the stilettos emerged into fashion enhancing the look of legs. Stiletto heels are long and thin varying in lengths from 1 to 2 inches, and are especially for women.
Even the tennis shoes came high heeled. The heelless high heel shoes allowed women to wear all types of shoes. Though, it seemed to be the height of eccentricity, the gesture of having an assortment of fashion choices could not be ignored. Women love wearing shoes matching their outfit and appreciate wrapping their delicate and elegant feet. Especially, the high heel shoes certainly bring compliments as they look empowered and highly confident.
High heel shoes indicate fashionable footwear that raises the feet of the wearer significantly. The footwear creates an aesthetic feeling as a person appears slender and tall. Today, they are obtainable in diverse styles and shapes such as pumps, tapered, stilettos, blocks, blade and wedge. Fashion icons regard heels above 8.5cm as high and consider anything below it as medium or low heel. It is noted that women only wear them, but the Cuban heels and cowboy boots are worn by men as well. Initially, raised heels lead to slipping forward while riding, but over decades it became stylized.
France later created high heel shoes ideal for men and women. This trend declined during the French revolution, but resurfaced in 1800s. The shoes went through several changes such as the late 70s preferred low heels, while the late 80s and early 90s were happy with high heels. In this period, the heels shape changed from 70s with block to 90s with tapered and 80s and post 2000 with stilettos. Recently, the shoes heights vary from 4cm (kitten heel) to 10 cm (spike or stilettos). The extreme high heel shoes are available in 13 cm and have aesthetic reasons to be worn. However, they cannot be worn practically everyday.
High heel shoes are popular among women as it adds height to the wearer and give an aesthetic appeal. It is also believed to alter the angle of the foot and also enhances the calves shape.

The Buddha called love he drop of honey at the edge of the razor blade??sweet stuff if you can just get to it. I tis a paradox that could equally apply to the quest throughout history for arguably the most prized of all gems ?the pearl.In ancient times, pearls were believed to be gifts from the gods, transformed from drops of dew. Throughout history they have captivated the imagination like no other gem. Their beauty is celebrated in ancient texts, kingdoms have been wagered for their prestige and empires obsessed with their rare allure.In this section, we invite you to immerse yourself in pearls – the legends and myths, their extraordinary place in history and their ethereal appeal – an appeal which remains as powerful today as it was when pearl divers first risked the dangers of the deep.Pearls In Ancient HistoryPearls have been prized for thousands of years. Their mysterious beauty is matched by the mystery of their provenance in ancient times. As pearls were traded through trade routes of the ancient world now lost in the mists of time, the origins of some of the most important pearls in history remain uncertain. What is certain, however, is that the most prized of all pearls were oceanic pearls.Unlike freshwater pearls, oceanic (saltwater) pearls have properties from the sea that preserve their beauty for generations. Freshwater pearls tend to become chalky or milky over a relatively short time. And unlike their freshwater cousins, oceanic pearls are valued for their regular shape and superior size. But the factor in history that made oceanic pearls the most valued of all was their rarity. Early pearl fishers risked the many dangers of the deep to dive for the precious gems.Today, wars may no longer be waged over pearl beds, but just as in ancient times, divers still face the perils of the deep in the quest for the perfect pearl.Throughout history, the rarity and ethereal beauty of pearls has given rise to many myths and legends. In ancient times, Indians believed that pearls were created by a divine power that transformed drops of dew. In Persian mythology, pearls are created from the tears of the gods while another Persian name for pearls is hildren of light? revering the pearl as gifts from the gods. The Chinese believed that pearls were created by the power of moonlight.As trading routes opened from the lands where pearls originated, the ancient legends also spread around the world. The Greeks adopted the legends of the Orient, believing that pearls were created from the dew of the moon, captured by the oysters swimming on the surface of the sea by night. They also believed that a lightning strike at night would create a pearl. Both the Greeks and later the Romans ascribed the Goddess of Love – Aphrodite or Venus – with the creation of the pearl.In China, where pearl oysters have been gathered for thousands of years in freshwater rivers and the southern coasts, the character for ‘pearl’ appears for the first time in a dictionary written in 1000 BC.The Old Testament of the Bible, the Talmud, the Koran and the Indian epic Mahabharata all praise the purity and perfect beauty of pearls.Since ancient times, three pearl regions of the Orient have been famed for their fertility:- the Gulf of Mannar (between Ceylon and South India- the Persian Gulf- the Red SeaTHE GULF OF MANNARThe pearl beds of the Gulf of Mannar are mentioned in written records as early as the 6th century BC. For centuries, royal houses and warlords from India, Persia and Arabia fought to rule over the pearl beds and their prestigious bounty. On his extraordinary journeys of discovery, Marco Polo visited the Gulf in 1294, when up to 500 ships and boats would come at harvest season, carrying divers, merchants and adventurers, all in search of their fortune. Their levy was one tenth of their catch, payable to the king.In 1510 when the Portuguese conquered the region, a new era of European colonisation began. The Portuguese were followed by the Dutch and, finally, in the late 18th century, India was claimed by the British Empire.THE PERSIAN GULFUntil the discovery of oil and right into the 20th century, pearls were the main source of income for the entire gulf region for centuries. As recently as 1938, around 20% of the region’s population earned their livelihood through pearls.The pearl beds of the Gulf were renowned throughout the ancient world and remained in the hands of Arabian and Persian princes until the sixteenth century when the Portuguese took control of the most important harbours.Their rule lasted for a century before the Persians regained control. Pearls were traded mostly in the markets of Bahrain and Hormuz before the treasures were shipped by Indian merchants to the major pearl markets of Bombay.Unlike South Sea pearls, the pearls from Persian Gulf oysters were tiny, generally from 2mm to 5mm in size, but sometimes reaching 10mm. They were often yellowish or brownish in colour. As the Gulf was a major source of pearls in the ancient world it is easy to understand why South Sea pearls when they occasionally emerged through ancient trade routes became so highly prized.THE RED SEAThe third of the major pearl beds of the ancient world was famed for its pearls long before the birth of Christ. As early as the second millennium BC, the seafaring Phoenicians were trading as far away as India and first brought pearls home to the Mediterranean. The Greeks were captivated by the gems, adorning both the statues of their deities and themselves with the jewels.The campaigns of Alexander the Great (356-323 BC) opened trade routes between the known world and the orient, and the pearl trade flourished. With the unprecedented expansion of the Roman Empire, the pearl beds of the Red Sea came under the control of the Romans after the fall of Alexandria in 30 BC. The Romans developed what can only be described as an obsession for pearls and during the 500 years of their empire, more pearls were traded and hoarded than in any other period of world history.Perhaps the most famous pearls of antiquity were a pair of jewels worn in the ears of Cleopatra, each said to be as valuable as the province of Asia. To impress Marc Anthony with her wealth and power, she is said to have dissolved one of the pearls in a glass of wine before drinking it. Octavian, the future Emperor Augustus is believed to have plundered the second after defeating Cleopatra, cutting it in half to embellish a statue in the temple of Venus.Julius Caesar issued pearl decrees allowing only for patrician ladies to wear pearls.The notorious Roman Emperor Caligula wore shoes embroidered with pearls and bedecked his pets and horses with ropes of the precious gems.Nero carried a pearl sceptre and had the interior of his litter lined with pearls.Over 500 years the expansion of the Roman Empire continued to open trade routes to the east with pearls being one of the most highly valued commodities. It is said that the Romans traded so much gold for pearls that their trade balance was badly affected.Following the fall of the Roman Empire, the fashion for pearls declined over the centuries. Roman riches were keenly plundered and hoarded by Goths and Vandals, with many treasures later turning up under the Franks who promoted the influence of the Christian Holy Church.Through to the Middle Ages, the greatest pearl treasures were seen in religious art and iconry or owned by the Byzantine emperors.Through a period of unrest and economic decline that preceded the Middle Ages, the people of Europe were filled with apocalyptic fear and the custom of donating their worldly possessions to the Church reached its peak. Many pearls were surrendered in the hope of divine salvation.It was not until the 12th and 13th centuries when the crusaders returned from the Holy Land, growing the order of knights throughout Europe, that the fashion for pearls, neglected for centuries was revived. The crusaders returned to Europe with stories of the fabulous wealth of Indian and Persian princes and it is from these times that the tales of The Arabian Nights originate.Pearls From The New WorldThe political stability and economic growth that enabled the Renaissance in Europe also led to a new age in pearls. Art and culture were no longer so strictly controlled by the church and pearls once again became a favourite fashion luxury. Venice and Genoa were famed for their pearl markets.In addition to pearls so keenly traded from the Orient, freshwater pearls were also discovered in many areas of Europe and can still be seen on church vessels and crown jewels that survive from that period.On the third of his legendary voyages, Christopher Columbus, discovered the pearl beds of the Americas and soon a thriving trade was established bringing pearls to Europe from the coast of what is now Venezuela, Panama and later the Gulf of California. The royal and noble houses of Europe including the Italian Medici, the Austrian Hapsburgs and the English Stuarts were among the biggest buyers.The most famous pearl of this time is La Peregrina, The Pilgrim, which was owned by Phillip II of Spain. It was believed to have bought the freedom of the slave who discovered the gem in the Gulf of Panama. Today, La Peregrina is owned by Elizabeth Taylor. A gift from Richard Burton, through the centuries its owners have included Queen Mary Tudor and Napoleon Bonaparte.Queen Elizabeth I of England (1533-1603) amassed a wealth of pearls to rival the lavish collections of the Persian princes and Indian Maharajahs. She always wore at least seven ropes of pearls – the longest reaching her knees – and owned more than 3000 lavish gowns embroidered with pearls.The fashion for pearls spread among the wealthier middle class throughout Europe and in many countries, including England, France, Germany and Italy. Pearl laws were passed aiming to curb the inflationary demand on pearl prices and the outflow of gold.The passion for pearls continued to grow unabated and through the Baroque age, the Rococo period and the Napoleonic age became firmly established as an essential accessory in any wealthy and fashionable woman’s wardrobe.Around 1845, French explorers returned to Europe with pearls from the South Sea, some dark in colour and larger than any pearls previously seen. Eugie, Empress of France, and wife of Napoleon, wore these dark pearls frequently, leading yet another fashion for pearls.In the late 1800s, the world’s most prolific Pinctada maxima oyster beds were discovered off the coasts of northern Australia. For hundreds of years, these beds had been fished by early traders and venturers including the Chinese, Macassars and Indonesians, who are now all known to have had established trade links with Australia Aboriginal people. The discovery?of the beds by Europeans soon gave rise to a booming mother-of-pearl shell industry.The isolated town of Broome became the world’s most important pearling port and by 1900 was supplying around 75% of the world’s demand for mother-of-pearl shell. Early in the 20th century the port was home to a fleet of 400 pearling luggers and more than 3000 pearlers from throughout Asia, principally from Japan.Occasionally, the Pinctada maxima oysters yielded natural pearls – the largest and most voluptuous pearls the world had seen. Their discovery caused a sensation and the modern passion for South Sea pearls was ignited that continues to this day. For the first time, the Europeans brought to the pearl beds the ‘new’ technology of the industrial revolution. Diving systems, for example, meant that divers could reach depths not previously possible. This also meant that rare natural pearls were being discovered in growing quantities.In terms of quality, size and quantity, their discovery led to an unprecedented era of pearls through the Victorian era in Europe. South Sea pearls were a popular highlight of the World Exhibition of Paris in 1900.Around this same time in Japan, Kokichi Mikimoto was having his first success in producing cultured pearls ?a success that has influenced the history of pearls to this day.