With the holiday season approaching quickly, many are trying to buy that one unique gift to give. Old Navy announced today that they are launching their Techno World line in stores located in the U.S. and Canada from now until the end of December.

Old Navy partnered up with HB3 Technology to add Touch Screen technology to clothes, according to a press release Techno World products, as they are called, can be considered inexpensive as they range from $6.50 to $34.94.

Techno World products contain different types of technology in them. For instance, they added machine-washable earphones into a jacket that can connect to media devices.

So people could “rock out”, Techno World added touch-sensitive technology to their shirts so that people could play the guitar on their shirts. Handheld amplifiers come with each T-shirt so they can strum the guitar as they wish.

Bowling Green State University communications student, Jessica Coyle 19, from Sylvania, Ohio said, “I think this is a really cool idea, but I feel like it will turn out tacky-looking, so no one will buy it.”

T-shirts and jackets are not the only articles of clothing and accessories to be technologically developed. Customers can find Touch Screen gloves, frost-free lap top cases and Discoball speakers.

“I think the Touch Screen gloves is a good idea because I can use my iPhone without having to take my gloves off,” said sophomore Holley Mosher, 19, theater major at BGSU.

Techno World products are available now in any Old Navy store found around the country.

Just as the leaves on the trees are changing colors, so are the wardrobes for BGSU men and women.  Expect to see bright colors of reds and oranges and plenty of patterns.

For women, the Native American trend, described in October’s Lucky magazine, features unique patterns in shirts, skirts and jewelry. Polka dots are also making a comeback on everything from headbands to boots, according to College Lifestyles.org.

Plaid shirts for men are popular among BGSU students.

For men, bright blue sweaters, plaid flannel shirts and Chino pants are in style.  Favorite standbys such as scarves and new trends such as feathers in the hair and half-shaved heads are part of the BGSU fashion culture.

Some fashion items that may never go out of style are yoga pants and sweat pants. Susan Wagner, a fashion writer for Friday Style, calls yoga pants the “new sweats” and that women can wear them pretty much anywhere.

A new trend for women is one or more feathers in the hair. In a story published this summer in USA Today, Jenny Elig, a reporter for the Indianapolis Star, said the feather trend started last spring when “American Idol” judge, Steven Tyler, wore a long feather extension. Elig said that feather extensions range from $15 to $50 and last about four to six weeks. Some women say this look is popular because it can make an outfit look edgy, or it can make an outfit look simple

“I like the feather in the hair because it is something different, and any girl can wear it,” said visual communications technology major Toria Felton, 20, of Tiffin, Ohio. “Plus, it’s not permanent.”

While there is more variation in trends for women, men also are varying their look around BGSU’s campus. Men say that flannels are popular because they are stylish, yet comfortable. They are also can be very affordable, which is part of the reason why college men are snatching them up at Old Navy for $30 or at Khols, starting at $22.

“Flannels are my current favorite clothing trend. They are comfortable, yet they look nice,” said business major Aaron Kline, 20, of Upper Sandusky, Ohio. “You can throw one on right before class and no one would be able to tell that you just rolled out of bed.” Old Navy sells a variety of flannel pants for under $15.

One fashion trend that students are seeing more of is the half –shaved head on females. This is a look that is receiving mixed results on this campus. Communication disorders major Kayla Devine, 19, of Rochester Hills, MI said that it is “unrefined” and “unprofessional.”

Skinny jeans are seen rarely around campus, showing students that it is not a popular trend.  While college men have said that skinny jeans give an edgy look to the male figure, some female students disagree.

“I don’t like skinny jeans on males. I think it gives the male gender a feminine vibe, which is not what us males want to have,” said construction management major Tyler Kanary, 20, of Rossford, Ohio.

Fall weather also signals sweatshirt season, and this is the season when BGSU apparel is most prevalent. Even though the weather is not quite cold enough for a heavy coat, many students grab their favorite BGSU “hoodie” to head to class.  Sports management student AJ Mitchell, 19, from Gaithersburg, MD said he wears BGSU apparel at least four times a week.

“I usually always wear BGSU stuff, even if I am just going to the Recreation Center to work out. I like supporting and representing my school.”

The most important thing for getting a job in the fashion industry is to network with fashion designers and magazine editors. Many “soon-to-be” college graduates were able to do so by attending the Teen Vogue Fashion University conference, held in New York City on Sunday morning.

Designers such as Michael Kors, Alexander Wang, and Peter Som talked to 502 students from all over the world about their careers, according to the New York Times. Students had the chance to get a behind-the-scenes look at the fashion business.

Michael Kors gave the advice, “I think the biggest thing is to keep your focus. Hone what you believe in and be ready for what’s next and new. Because guess what? Fashion will always hit you a curve ball, no matter what. Just when you think you know the rules, the rules change.”

Also there to lecture and give advice were panelists from multiple social media websites. Bloggers in the audience received tips on how to manage your company, as well as how to handle social media mistakes.

Experience and networking were a big piece of advice given to attendants. With social media becoming so widely known, people have easy access to the computer where they can find information about a certain company.

Students attended the Teen Vogue Fashion University conference where they listened to famous fashion designers speak about their career and the fashion future

When speaking about candidates for jobs, panel member Ms. Astley said, “They have no excuses to not be well-informed. You don’t even have to go to a library; it’s all right there at your fingertips, online. Employers don’t want to have to bring interns up about what it is they do.”
Proving the importance of social media, Teen Vogue streamed the conference live. They plan to do this in upcoming years so that those who were not able to attend or who were not chosen will be able to do so.

Most girls dream about their future traditional wedding- a white dress, wonderful husband, and a beautiful location. Most, however, did not imagine going out of the ordinary by having a black wedding dress, which is exactly what Vera Wang has created.

Wang wanted to give more of an edgy look to bridal dresses because she was “frustrated” with being traditional all of the time. She added nude colors and “sheer” material to the dresses so they did not look so dark.

“I did take it to a witchy kind of place,” Wang said. “For me, it helped build a sense of mystery that I was hungry for. And it added this sensuality and sexuality, and a little bit of severity, too.”

The gothic look did, however, create controversy. Some thought that it was not traditional and not proper. Others thought it was a lack of etiquette.

Jung Lee, a founder of Fête, an event-planning company in Manhattan, said, “The bride who chooses the black dress does not care about etiquette. That’s not to say she doesn’t have manners, but it’s certainly not etiquette.”

This is not Wang’s first time changing up the traditional bridal color. She has chosen to make dresses in the colors purple, green, and neutral. This is her first time making such a risqué wedding dress.

When seeing the unique-colored dress previewed, Mark Ingram, owner of the Mark Ingram Bridal Atelier in Manhattan, said, “It was shocking and outrageous, but it was also fabulous.”

Maybe the “unique-colored wedding dress look” will create a new trend, starting with celebrities. As the New York Times said, maybe a new phenomenon will occur, starting with a red-carpet ritual, instead of the traditional white.

Black wedding dresses created by Vera Wang.

We all know the big-time designer names: Gucci, Prada, Ralph Lauren, etc., but designer Alexander Wang will soon make his way on the list.

Taking over the fashion streets of New York, Wang, 27, has earned himself a career at such a young age. Wang has earned himself a $2 million dollar loft in Tribeca, as well as a fashion collection that is being worn by A-list celebrities.

His fashion shows and after-parties are ones that no one wants to miss. Wang’s most recent fashion show was held in September. Guests such as Lea Michele and Alicia keys attended, according to LAtimes.com.

“Perhaps more than any other American designer working today, Wang is a product of his times, creating collections for a generation raised on the Internet, extreme sports and sexually suggestive imagery and for whom nostalgia means 1990s grunge,” reported LAtimes.com.

Unfortunately for bargainers, Wang’s collections run on the expensive side. Clothing and shoes run from $100 to a few thousand dollars.

Wang’s first clothing line was launched in 2007, beginning at the ripped jeans, biker jackets, and burnout tees. Since then, his collections have become more classy and sophisticated, turning into a “Miami-Vice” style.

Through his many years of education, Wang achieved his big dreams and became a well-known fashion designer. His designs are sold in 500 venues around the country.

Welcome to blogs.bgsu.edu by COBL. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start blogging!

Hi, my name is Kelsey Rentner. I am 19 years old and I attend Bowling Green State University. I am in my sophomore year, studying Public Relations with a minor in Marketing. I am the vice-president of PRSSA, an on-campus organization designed for Public Relations/Journalism students. I am also on a co-ed flag football intramural team.

My hobbies include being around friends, being outside, and watching the University of Michigan football. I am a huge sports fan. I follow the Michigan Wolverines football, basketball and hockey team. I am also a Cincinnati “everything” fan. I love the Cincinnati Bearcats, Reds, and Bengals. I also enjoy having school spirit and following my BGSU Falcons!

Thanks for following my blog! More to come!