Designers have long found inspiration in pleats, from Mariano Fortuny’s “Delphos” dress to Stella McCartney’s standout AW2011 collection.

Box, Accordion, Inverted, Honeycomb, Knife – there are as many types of pleats as there are plausible explanations for when and where they first originated. From evidence of plissé style pleats found in Viking graves in Birka as far back as 10 B.C.. to Mariano Fortuny’s stunning art nouveau “Delphos” dress in 1920 to Stella McCartney’s directional use of stiffened micropleats in her standout AW2011 collection – it’s clear pleating enjoys both a long tradition of inspiring ethereally classic style, and is set to enjoy a roaring revival in 2012.

Save for school uniforms and Disney animated female leads, the use of pleating had all but disappeared from modern wardrobes. And here’s why: unless you’ve got the trim tummy of a school girl or figure disproportionate answering to the name of Ariel or Belle, you’re unlikely to want to wear what is easily the least flattering item in the history of clothing.

A tricky look done right via Harpers Bazaar’s Street Style Blog. Cinch in the waist and wear a darker hued top to contrast with the fullness of the skirt.

It’s true. The very reason for their invention – to give cloth an elastic quality that will cling to the curves of the body without the need for darting or shaped panels – is precisely what makes pleats so widening and aging. But with the trend for twenties deco hitting spring fashion like Gatsby‘s big yellow buick hit Myrtle Wilson, it’s time to mount a full scale rescue of the pleat from frumpdom.

And, as always in fashion, there’s a trick to pulling it off. The best advice to wearing the style this time around is to have them start at the hip, not the waistband. Cinch-in the waist and then do double due diligence by wearing with a black top to contrast with the fullness of the skirt.

The post Then And Now: Pleats appeared first on EcoSalon.

According to the Queen of retro glamor, Dita Von Teese, “the rule of shopping for me is: If your grandmother would like it, I would like it!” Jewelry designers Kris and Kim Nations couldn’t agree more.

Their latest collection, made from recycled metal and mixed elements, was inspired by their glamorous Granny, a fashion model in the 1940s who, being something of a bon viviant, enjoyed four husbands before finally settling in El Paso with the love of her life. Named “Farrington” – after their grandfather, her fifth and final husband – the collection reflects elements of the vintage Pueblo deco style that so delighted their Grandparents.

The Kris Nations line is known by fashion insiders for being the ultimate source for best friend jewelry gifts (bookmark their site for 2011s special occasions!) for reasonably priced pieces such as their signature cities necklaces and deceptively simple hammered hoops, which perfectly illustrate the line’s handcrafted, filigree aesthetic.

The sisters are based in San Carlos, California and work with local artists in the area to create the one-of-a-kind, handmade limited edition pieces. Using recycled metal and mixed elements such as the 2 pyrite – a.k.a. Fool’s Gold – nuggets and hand dyed silks featured in the Old Town Necklace above. It’s available in unusual color combinations of Navajo coral, turquoise, lemon and slate that reflect the Southwestern style beloved by their Grandmother and Grandfather.

True to Kris Nations easy-to-layer and minimal design, the edgy – but still pretty – line of delicate pieces manage to create a rip-roaring first impression, much as one imagines their gregarious Gran once did. The Electro Social Club earrings, below, made from Hematite beads on a hand shaped and hammered hoop are particularly spiffy standouts, exemplifying the jazz age influence.

After the king of retro-fitting fashion, Marc Jacobs looked to the Jazz Age for his Louis Vuitton pre-fall collection, and with news of Baz Luhrman’s upcoming remake of “The Great Gatsby,” don’t be too surprised if you start feeling a distinctly Deco fashion mood coming on.

The post Distinctly Deco Dangles appeared first on EcoSalon.