Jennifer Lawrence wearing Casadei shoes at the engagement party

Jennifer Lawrence wearing Casadei shoes

Already in February this year, information reached the public that the star of “The Hunger Games” and “Silver Linings Playbook” got engaged. The chosen one of her heart turned out to be Cooke Maroney, the 33-year-old director of the New York art gallery Gladstone.
It is not yet known when the wedding will take place, but this week the future bride and groom organized an engagement party for their friends. Thanks to the stylists of the actress (Jill Lincoln and Jordan Johnson), Jennifer’s creation leaked to the network, which delighted the editors of American websites!
Jennifer Lawrence chose a dress from the L. Wells collection (spring 2019), to which the celebrity chose Casadei shoes, Roger Vivier handbag and Fred Leighton jewelry . For the entire creation on the Moda Operandi platform, you have to pay $ 2,300, which gives us about PLN 8,800.

Learn the history of Sneakers

Get to know the history of Sneakers!

A few years ago we called them sneakers or sneakers, and today they are proudly called “sneakers”. In this article, we’ll explore the interesting and intricate history of sneakers, and we’ll pass plenty of famous companies and brands along the way. are you ready?
The first nucleus of this popular shoe model was the person of Wait Webster. It was he who in 1832 was the first to patent the rubber sole of the shoe.
Initially, sneakers took the form of shallow, canvas shoes with a rubber sole. They were often used during hiking, which contributed to calling this type of shoes “tramp” from the word wanderer and wanderer. It was this name that was polonized by Poles and changed to “sneakers” so popular in Poland. Due to the fact that very similar shoes were produced in Poland from 1927 by the Polish Rubber Industry, they were sometimes also called pepegs.
However, in order to maintain the proper chronology of events, we have to go back to 1916 for a moment. It was then that the first significant brand producing sneakers – KEDS – was founded. This brand exists to this day and still produces shoes.

The beginnings of the company

However, the shoes we now know from store shelves and which have become the icon of sneakers were invented and created in 1917 by Marquis M. Converse. Previously, Mr. Marquise ran a tire manufacturing company, but he decided to re-industry and bet everything on one card. The result was the appearance of converses, but they were not so popular from the very beginning. Initially, it was just one of many variations of the popular “sneakers”. Only six years after the start of production, i.e. in 1923, the company decided to cooperate with the legendary Charles “Chuck” H. Taylor, who was a player of the Akron Firestones team. This collaboration changed the lives of both Marquis Convers and Charles Taylor.
It is not entirely clear how these two men met. The fact is, however, that “Chuck” was a very keen athlete. Not only was he a great basketball player, but he also wanted to have a real impact on the development of this sport. It was Chuck who invented the first seamless basketball and regularly tested new models of shoes. No wonder that when Marquise Converse offered him the opportunity to create perfect shoes, Chuck immediately picked up the subject.

Beneficial cooperation

Since then, Converse has undergone a metamorphosis. A star with Chuck’s signature appeared on the shoe, and the shoes received a raised upper, two small fans on the outside, an aesthetic rubber toe cap and reinforcement on the heels, which was complemented by a thick anti-slip sole. The whole was complemented by strong and solid laces.
Shoes in this form became a real hit and gained a loyal group of fans in virtually every social group. Although the story could be considered finished at this point, there are still two interesting events worth discussing.
Behind the success of the brand was undoubtedly Charles Taylor, but despite the fact that he became the right hand of the President, he never received a share of the profits, and only received a monthly salary. However, it can be assumed that Chuck was happy with this situation, because he worked in the company practically until the end of his life.

Company bankruptcy

Another interesting period in the life of the Converse brand were the 90s of the previous century. It was then that, despite previous successes, the company deteriorated financially to such an extent that it declared bankruptcy. This situation was very well used by Nike, which bought out the bankrupt company and immediately started financial optimization.

On top again!

Nike decided to move the production of shoes to Asia and decided to use cheaper materials for their production. At first, such actions were negatively perceived by fans of the brand, but thanks to the new production process, over time Nike expanded the range of Converses and once again raised the brand to new heights. It is worth noting that Converse shoes are the most counterfeited shoes in the world!

How to care for a leather handbag

How to care for a leather handbag

A leather handbag is not only elegant, but it is also practical and very durable. However, even the best product can lose its properties if we do not care for it properly. That is why today we have prepared a short guide for you, in which we will tell you how we should take care of handbags so that they do not lose their unique appearance.

How to clean a handbag step by step

1. First, we should empty the entire contents of the bag. This is a good time to check whether we really need everything inside.
2. When the bag is empty, you can start cleaning the inside of it. It is best to use a damp cloth for this purpose. You will need a cotton cleaner to remove tougher stains. Just remember to always test a specific agent on an invisible part of the material to check if it will not damage the material.
3. The next step should be to thoroughly clean the outside of the bag. The market is full of specialized preparations, so you will certainly find something for yourself. Just remember to clean your bag regularly. If you see that a stain has appeared on it, you should not put off cleaning it too much. If you allow the dirt to “bite” into the material, it may turn out that you will not be able to remove it.
4. After such cleaning, you should put the bag in a dry, airy place and give it time to dry.
5. The next, final stage of bag cleaning should be its proper impregnation. For this purpose, you should use special preparations created for a specific material. You must remember that natural leather, nubuck or suede need completely different impregnating agents.

As you can see, cleaning a handbag is not as difficult as it may seem!
In addition to the instructions above, we also have a few golden tips for you that will make your handbags last longer. Here they are:

1. No leather bag likes moisture. However, if there is a situation where your handbag gets wet, remember not to dry it in the sun or radiator. It’s best to put it on a paper towel and let it dry by itself.
2. Light skin discolors very easily. If you have clothes that dye during washing, you should not combine them with light-colored leather bags.
3. If you are not going to use a given bag for a long time, fill it inside (so that it does not deform) and hide it in a cotton cover.

We hope these few tips above will help you keep your handbags in perfect condition. If you have any tried-and-tested handbag care tips, be sure to let us know in the comments!

How to care for a down jacket

How to care for a down jacket

Down jackets always cause a lot of emotions. On the one hand, they perfectly protect us from low temperatures, but on the other hand, they are full of myths about care and washing.
In this article, we will try to dispel some false myths and tell you how to best care for your down jackets so that they serve you as long as possible.

Is the down jacket washable?

Definitely yes! Like other items of clothing, down jackets get dirty over time and start to smell unpleasant. In such a situation, we should not wait, but act immediately.

How to wash a down jacket?

At the very beginning, we need to read the information on the label. It is from there that we will find out at what temperature we should wash our jacket and whether the manufacturer allows the possibility of dry cleaning and the use of a tumble dryer.
It is also necessary to run the washing machine “empty” once before washing to make sure that there are no detergents in the machine that can stain the jacket and stick the filling.

What means to use?

In the case of down jackets, we should give up traditional washing powders and liquids. So what to use? There are special agents available on the market dedicated to washing down jackets and it is them that we should use for washing.
How to dry a down jacket?
If the manufacturer allows the use of a tumble dryer, then in addition to the jacket, we should also put special rubber balls into the device to break down the down. However, if we do not have the possibility to use a tumble dryer, then we should hang the jacket flat in a warm, airy place. During drying, we should break down the down in the jacket from time to time by hand. You should also be aware that in the case of thick jackets, the drying process can take up to several days.

How often should you wash your jacket?

We must be aware that each wash reduces the thermal properties of the jacket because it compacts the fibers inside it. For this reason, we should not wash the jacket too often.

Storage

Proper storage of down jackets is as important as their proper care. It is important to remember not to roll the jackets into a roll, not to crush them or to oppress them in any other way.
It is best to store the jacket on a solid hanger with thick arms. A good solution will also be to additionally close the jacket in a special cotton cover.
It is worth remembering to take the jacket out of the wardrobe from time to time and air it, but we should not do it in full sun because the impact of UV rays on the fibers contributes to their slow degradation. It is therefore best to lay out the jacket in a shady place for a period of 30 to 60 minutes.

Everything you need to know about Swarovski crystals

Everything you need to know about Swarovski crystals

Swarovski crystals have been winning the hearts of women since the end of the 19th century. Despite the fact that we meet Swarovski crystals every day, we are not always able to understand their value. That is why in this article we will try to bring you closer to this topic and explain what these popular crystals really are.

Company history

The history of Swarovski dates back to 1862 in northern Bohemia. It was then that Daniel Swarovski was born. His father was a craftsman who ran his own grinding shop specializing in cutting glass. His father’s trade had a direct impact on young Daniel’s life. It was in his father’s workshop that Daniel Swarovski learned about this profession, and at the age of 30 he patented the first electric glass cutting machine. Three years after this event, Swarovski’s Austrian brother-in-law offers him to set up a company, and it was the consequences of this decision that turned the jewelry world upside down. Why have Swarovski crystals become so popular?

Company secret

The whole secret of the company lies in a special grinding method, which is closely guarded to this day, and the company, despite so many years on the market and global success, has still remained a family business. However, in addition to the closely guarded method of stone processing, two more breakthrough moments deserve attention. The first one took place in 1956 and was called “Aurora Borealis”. This method was created especially for the Christian Dior Fashion House and consisted in covering the bottom of the diamonds with a very thin layer of metal, thanks to which they took on a rainbow glow. More than 60 years have passed since the creation of this solution, and it is still eagerly used by designers.
The second “milestone” for Swarovski was the creation of Cubic Zirconia in 1977. This invention even enraged the current jewelry world. The popular zircons were a great imitation of diamonds, and thanks to the low price, everyone could afford them.

Are Swarovski crystals real?

Swarovski products are made of lead glass. It is a special variety of glass that contains a bit of lead, thanks to which the material becomes more plastic, and the refractive index and dispersion are significantly improved. However, it must be remembered that although Swarovski crystals shine beautifully and reflect light, they are not real diamonds – which has its pros and cons.
Thanks to the fact that Swarovski crystals are a beautiful imitation of real crystals, they can be beautiful additions to jewelry or wardrobe, while keeping the price of the product at an affordable level.
The second big advantage of Swarovski crystals is their weight. Diamonds are much lighter than real diamonds, so you can create fancy ornaments and decorations from them (for example, chandeliers) without worrying about whether the whole structure will withstand.
What else distinguishes Swarovski products from real diamonds besides price and weight? A very subtle difference will be the sound the original crystal makes when struck. With Swarovski crystals, the sound will be shallower and shorter than real crystal.

Where can I find Swarovski crystals?

Usually, we are used to the fact that Swarovski crystals are used to decorate clothing, jewelry or other items. However, not everyone is aware that the Swarovski company also creates exclusive glass decorations, and there is a Crystal Amusement Park near Wattens. The Swarovski Kristallwelten Resort, opened in 1995 on the occasion of the company’s 100th anniversary, has so far been visited by over 12 million guests from around the world.