ContemporaryCLASSICS

S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

About

This special Express look-book is all about the classic staple items that a woman should have in her closet. In this issue you will find everything from the history of the garments, and how they’ve become key elements to a woman’s wordrobe, to the latest styling tips for keeping these classic pieces looking trendy and chic this Spring. All products in the catalog are available for purchase at local Express stores or online at Express.com. It’s time to update your wardrobe!

In the Issue:

White Button Down

Denim Jeans

Basic T-Shirt

Biker Jacket

The Crisp Blazer

Little Black Dress

White ButtonDOWN

The

White ButtonDOWN

Fun Fact: Women’s button down shirts generally button to the left while men’s button to the right. During the 19th century, wealthy Victorian women generally didn’t dress themselves, so their buttons were designed for a right-handed servant. Men primarily dressed themselves, so buttons on the right side made sense.

White ButtonDOWN

The History. . .

Until the 1800s, shirts were primarily worn as under garments. During this time peo-ple began wearing shirts and tunics of linen cotton. In the mid 1800s, English polo players would wear long sleeved oxford cloth shirts. In order to keep their collars from flapping while they galloped on the field, the players would use buttons to attach their collars to their shirts.

Where did it begin?

John Brooks, of Brooks Brothers, noticed this trend and adopted it in 1896. He began selling polo shirts in his family stores. Brooks Brothers labels still read “The Original Polo Shirt”.

Since button down shirts look great in multiple ways, like with a tie, unbuttoned, over another shirt, they quickly gained pop-ularity. It was introduced to America around 1900 and was considered a “daring choice”. During the Jazz Age the shirt’s popularity sped up. Hollywood kept the trend moving by often having stars, like Frank Sinatra, wear button down shirts in popular films. It wasn’t until the sixties, when wom-en started entering the workforce that they began wearing button down shirts. By the time the eighties rolled around, wearing a white button down was even popular for young teenage girls to knot them and acces-sorize them. Today, the white button down is a shirt that is appropriate for business attire and for casual wear. Every woman must own a white button down because of its great ver-satility.

White ButtonDOWN

Lace a necklace through the shirt collar for a dressy touch. Metal Disc Bib Necklace $29

Button the shirt to the top for a structured look.The Essential Shirt $49

Black jeggings balance a relaxed button down.Stella Extreme Stretch Jean Legging $79

Bright sandals add a pop of color for spring time.Cut Out Strap Sandals $59

The Look . . .

White ButtonDOWN

Alexander McQueen Elie Saab

S P R I N G 2 0 1 4B U T T O N D O W N T R E N D S

The Relaxed Fit$59

Sleeveless$44

Ombre$59

Two-Toned Collar$64

Screen Printed$69

Oversize Fit$59

Sheer Print$44

Classic Button Down$59

Bat Wing$49

DenimJeans

DenimJeans

Fun Fact: Levi Strauss never actually wore a pair of jeans in his life. He created the pants for laboring men and the design made him very wealthy. Wealthy businessmen did not wear jeans. Yet, he still insisted that the pants should be made of the highest quality regardless that they were for working.

DenimJeans

The History. . .

Where did it begin? In 1853, Levi Strauss, a young German immigrant, left New York for San Francisco to ex-pand his brother’s dry goods store to the California gold rush region. After settling in the area, a custom-er came by to ask what he was sell-ing. When Strauss mentioned that he had rough canvas for tents and wagon covers, the man said, “You should have brought pants!” He hadn’t been able to find a pair of pants strong enough to last. This sparked an idea for Strauss. He had the canvas made into waist overalls. They were very successful with minders, but the complaint was that they tended to chafe. Strauss did some research and came up with the conclusion to use a twilled cotton cloth from France, which was known as “serge de Nimes”. Today we call this fabric denim. Twenty years later, Levi Strauss & Company started using the pocket stitch design and began putting rivets in pants fro strength. May 20, 1873 is the official birth-day of the “blue jeans”, as this was the day Strauss received a U.S. pat-ent for the pants.

7.

For decades jeans were only worn as work clothes. This changed in the 50s when western movies gained popularity. Stars like Roy Rogers, Gene Autry, and John Wayne were often styled in Levi’s and Lee Riders and the public noticed. In the 60s, the bad boys began embracing jeans thanks to Hollywood actors James Dean and Marlon Brando. Denim became the symbol of youth around the world. Today, the average American has seven pairs of jeans and consistently re-supplies their denim ward-robe. Some people wear jeans on a regular basis: dressed up, casual, tight, relaxed. There are so many styles of jeans and so many different ways of wearing them. Every woman needs a good pair of jeans!

DenimJeans

The Look . . .

Mix and match: a denim top looks great with jeans in a different wash.Polka Dot Denim Shirt $59

Straight leg jeans flatter every figure!Rerock Straight Leg Jean $118

A bright scarf breaks up the denim look and the light material is perfect for Spring.Floral Oblong Scarf $34

Metallic sneakers bring a little glam to a casual outfit.Gold Metallic Oxfords $59

DenimJeans

Just Cavalli DKNY

S P R I N G 2 0 1 4D E N I M T R E N D S

Jean Leging$118

Flared Jeans$98

Boyfriend$108

Bright Colored$79

Printed Denim$79

High Rise$79

BASICT-ShirtThe

BASICT-Shirt

Fun Fact: It takes about six miles worth of yarn to make just one average size cotton t-shirt. About two billion t-shirts are sold world wide every year.

BASICT-Shirt

The History. . .

Around the time of the Spanish American War, the U.S. Navy issued t-shirts to soldiers for under their uniforms. Soon the Army adopted the T-shaped shirts as well. Dockworkers, farmers, miners, and construction workers all began using t-shirts because they were easy to clean, comfortable, and the lightweight fabric was preferable in warm weather. Two decades later, the University of Southern California began issuing t-shirts to football players to prevent chafing under their shoulder pads. The students found the tees fashionable and began snagging them for casual wear. The school was forced to stencil “Property of USC” on the tees to prevent fur-ther theft.

Where did it begin?

3.

5.

T-shirt sales skyrocketed when Marlon Brando wore a thin, white t-shirt in the 1951 film A Streetcar Named Desire. The movie increased sales to $180 million by the end of the year. In the 60’s, t-shirts really became a fashion statement. People began wear-ing them as forms of art and self-expression. Woodstock boosted tie-dye t-shirt sales in 1969. T-shirts were used for everything from tie-dye, commercial adver-tising, souvenir messages, and especially protests. By the time 1977 rolled around, Milton Glaser came up with the logo “I <3 NY” for tourist t-shirts. Today it is the most imitated t-shirt design in history. What started as a simple undershirt for soldiers has turned into the most worn shirt today. With dozens of different fits, styles, colors, and necklines, there is a t-shirt for every occasion.

BASICT-Shirt

The Look . . .

A colored graphic tee brings a more playful element to a dressier outfit.Peacock Graphic Tee $24

Useful and stylish: a vibrant watch is the perfect spring time accessory.Rhinestone Studded Watch $29

Dress up your favorite t-shirt with a creamy lace skirt.High Waist Lace Skirt $59

After hiding all winter, show off your calves with some chic strappy brown wedges.Criss Cross Strap Wedge Sandal $59

BASICT-Shirt

Marc Jacobs Proenza Schouler

S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The Peplum Tee$49

V-Neck$24 T-Shirt Dress

$44

Graphic $39

Oversized$39

The Crop Top$29

Ruffled Sleeves$49 Printed T-Shirt

$49The Sophisticated Tee

$39

T - S H I R T T R E N D S

BikerJacket

BikerJacket

Fun Fact: Leather jackets were so frequently worn by Russian Bolsheviks (a Russian po-litical party similar to democrat) that they nearly became the group’s uniform during the Russian Civil War in 1917.

The History. . .BikerJacket

Leather biker jackets were originally created for aviators during World War I. These jackets were bulky with shearling-lined collars and lapels to pro-tect the pilots. Fast forward ten years to 1928. At this time, outerwear designer, Irving Schott, created the iconic Perfecto leather jacket. The jacket was thick leather with wide snap-button lapels and heavy zippers. It was thick enough to protect motorcyclists if they were in an accident. In the 1930s Harley Davidson began distributing the Perfecto, and biker gangs were quick to pick up on the trend. Once again, Marlon Brando sported the look, this time in the film The Wild One. Hollywood had now created the complete bad boy look: denim jeans, a tight t-shirt, and a biker jacket.

Where did it begin?

Throughout the 50s, re-bellious teenagers sported the leather jacket. In 1960, Yves Saint Laurent showcased the first Perfecto-inspired jacket on the runway. At this time, the Mods in Britain began wearing the biker look, but in a trim and sleeker way. This is when the leather jacket was first picked up by girls. The 70s Punk era had teens and young adults em-bracing the look as they ex-pressed their desire for indi-vidual freedom. Once the 80s rolled around, the jacket became cropped and oversized to fit the Grunge movement. At the end of the decade even designers like Versace and Chanel showed bik-er jackets on the runway. Today leather biker jack-ets come in different colors, unique embellishments, differ-ent fits, and styles. It can be used in an edgy or feminine look. Just last year designers like Phillip Lim and Alexander McQueen showed biker jackets on the run-way. This jacket that started out for bad boys is now a necessity for every girl.

BikerJacket

The Look . . .

A cropped biker jacket is the perfect substitute for a bulky winter coat.(Minus the) Leather Moto Jacket $118

A bright pencil skirt keeps a biker jacket sleek and sexy.Studio Stretch Pencil Skirt $59

Rock the biker-chick look with grey heeled sandals.Platfrom Open Toe Heels $88

Soften up a tough girl look with a sweet feminine blouse.Printed Neck Tie Blouse $39

BikerJacket

Donna Karan Anna Sui

S P R I N G 2 0 1 4B I K E R J A C K E T T R E N D S

Metallic Biker$118

Dip Dyed$118

Suede$129

Colored Leather$118

Cropped Jacket$79

White Leather$118

The CrispBLAZER

Fun Fact: Blazers were designed for the intent of being an outdoor jacket. They were most-ly used for uniforms for airlines, schools, and yachting and rowing clubs. Now they are frequently used in business casual wear and are suitable for almost any occasion.

The CrispBLAZER

The History. . .The CrispBLAZER

There are two stories in regards to the history of the blazer. The more popu-lar story begins in 1837 when commander of a ship in the Royal Navy, HMS Blazer, received word that Queen Victoria was on her way to inspect the ship. He wanted to impress the Queen and didn’t feel the crew’s current uniforms were suitable. He designed a short navy, double-breasted jacket with Brass Royal Navy buttons and he named the jacket after the ship.

The second story begins in 1825 at Cambridge University. The Lady Mar-garet Boating Club’s founding, the team wore single-breasted jackets in the club’s color: “blazing” scarlet. Other boating schools began adopting the jacket as well. The bright “blazing” jackets spread until the 1880’s when they’d become popular enough for English school uniforms. The color became more muted and eventually settled on navy blue.

Where did it begin?

Like every previous garment, blazers began as menswear. In the 1920’s, Coco Chanel made blazers popular among women as well through her designs. Menswear became more stylish for wom-en during the 1930’s, as women began wearing pants and mens-wear-style jackets. The blazer is such a popular clothing item because of the sophisticated look. It appears sleek, but it’s convenient considering you don’t need to have matching pants. It can be worn casually, over jeans or pants, or it can me dressed up with slacks or a skirt.

The CrispBLAZER

The Look . . .

An oversized blazer is the perfect balance for girly flapper shorts, not to mention it adds sophistication!Oversize Blazer Jacket $118

A pearly heirloom inspired neckalce brings femininity to a masculine inspired jacket.Pearly Bib Necklace $39

Choose flapper shorts with some color to liven up a suit jacket!Tailored Flapper Shorts $54

Gold flats are an exquisite way to tie the whole look together.Two-Toned Pointed Flats $59

The CrispBLAZER

Elie Saab Band of Outsiders

S P R I N G 2 0 1 4B L A Z E R T R E N D S

Shawl Collar$118

Printed Blazer$98

Two-Toned$118

Double Breasted$124

Classic Chanel$124

Cropped Blazer$98

Peplum$118

Oversize$118 Long & Relaxed

$108

LittleBLACK

Dress

Fun Fact: Wallis Simpson, Duchess of Windsor once said, “When a little black dress is right, there is nothing else to wear in its place.” Vogue also predicted in the 1920’s that the little black dress would become “a uniform for all women of taste.”

Little BlackDRESS

The History. . .LittleBLACK

Dress

Out of all six of these garments, the little black dress was the first to actually be worn by women originally. The LBD came to the surface in 1926 with a design by none other than Coco Chanel. While this was not the first LBD, nor did she design it, but this was the time it became popular. Vogue printed a sketch of Chanel’s black crepe de Chine dress, including long, nar-row sleeves with a string of white pearls and a cloche hat. Vogue was correct when they pre-dicted that this dress would practically become a uniform for women. The LBD was a bit scandalous when first printed in the magazine. Black dresses were worn during times of mourning until now. The rise of the hemline was also deemed scandalous. The dress became so popular that Vogue nick-named the dress “Chanel’s Ford”, referring to the success of the Ford Model-T car.

Where did it begin?

During the post-war era, Christian Dior gave shape to the LBD by nipping the waist and shortening the skirt. Actresses like Grace Kelly and Elizabeth Taylor con-tinued to keep the garment stylish; but Au-drey Hepburn really defined the LBD. The Givenchy dress worn in Breakfast at Tiffa-ny’s has gained iconic status and is the most well known LBD today. The little black dress is still a staple piece in every woman’s closet, and maybe the most important garment. It embraces femininity and sexiness in a simple, versa-tile, and classic manner. It can be dressed down for the daytime, dressed up for the evening, styled classic, or trendy. The LBD is an investment piece: this classic dress will never go out of style.

LittleBLACK

Dress

The Look . . .

A pair of sequined dangling earings are a perfect way to bring an LBD look back to old Hollywood glam.Sequined Heart Drop Earrings $29

Nothing screams “sexy” like a black lace dress!Lace Black Dress $88

Red accented heels throw in a spalsh of unexpected, yet welcomed color, and spice up the little black dress.Ankle Strap Platform Heels $79

LittleBLACK

Dress

Chanel Christian Dior

S P R I N G 2 0 1 4L B D T R E N D S

Lacey Dress$88

Peplum$79

Bubble Dress$88

Hourglass$88

Sweetheart Neck$79

Metallic Sequins$98

Created by Taylor A. Allen

for