HALLOWEEN

 Halloween Or Hallowe'En (a Contraction Of Hallows' Even Or Hallows' Evening), Also Known As Allhalloween,All Hallows' Eve, Or All Saints' Eve, Is a Celebration Observed In Many Countries On 31 October, The Eve Of The Western Christian Feast Of All Hallows' Day. It Begins The Three-Day Observance Of Allhallowtide, The Time In The Liturgical Year Dedicated To Remembering The Dead, Including Saints (Hallows), Martyrs, And All The Faithful Departed.

 

  It Is Widely Believed That Many Halloween Traditions Originated From Ancient Celtic Harvest Festivals, Particularly The Gaelic Festival Samhain; That Such Festivals May Have Had Pagan Roots; And That Samhain Itself Was Christianized As Halloween By The Early Church.

 

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  Some Believe, However, That Halloween Began Solely As a Christian Holiday, Separate From Ancient Festivals Like Samhain Halloween Activities Include Trick-Or-Treating (Or The Related Guising And Souling), Attending Halloween Costume Parties Religious Clothing, Carving Pumpkins Into Jack-o'-Lanterns, Lighting Bonfires, Apple Bobbing, Divination Games, Playing Pranks, Visiting Haunted Attractions, Telling Scary Stories, As Well As Watching Horror Films. 

  In Many Parts Of The World, The Christian Religious Observances Of All Hallows' Eve, Including Attending Church Services And Lighting Candles On The Graves Of The Dead, Remain Popular,[ Although Elsewhere It Is a More Commercial And Secular Celebration. Some Christians Historically Abstained From Meat On All Hallows' Eve, a Tradition Reflected In The Eating Of Certain Vegetarian Foods On This Vigil Day, Including Apples, Potato Pancakes, And Soul Cakes

  The Word Halloween Or Hallowe'En Dates To About 1745 And Is Of Christian Origin. 

  The Word "Hallowe'En" Means "Saints' Evening". It Comes From a Scottish Term For All Hallows' Eve (The Evening Before All Hallows' Day).In Scots, The Word "Eve" Is Even, And This Is Contracted To e'En Or Een. Over Time, (All) Hallow(s) E(v)En Evolved Into Hallowe'En. Although The Phrase "All Hallows'" Is Found In Old English "All Hallows' Eve" Is Itself Not Seen Until 1556

  Today's Halloween Customs Are Thought To Have Been Influenced By Folk Customs And Beliefs From The Celtic-Speaking Countries, Some Of Which Are Believed To Have Pagan Roots. Jack Santino, a Folklorist, Writes That "There Was Throughout Ireland An Uneasy Truce Existing Between Customs And Beliefs Associated With Christianity And Those Associated With Religions That Were Irish Before Christianity Arrived". Historian Nicholas Rogers, Exploring The Origins Of Halloween, Notes That While "Some Folklorists Have Detected Its Origins In The Roman Feast Of Pomona, The Goddess Of Fruits And Seeds, Or In The Festival Of The Dead Called Parentalia, It Is More Typically Linked To The Celtic Festival Of Samhain, Which Comes From The Old Irish For 'Summer's End'."

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  Samhain (/ˈSɑːWɪn, ˈSaʊɪn/) Was The First And Most Important Of The Four Quarter Days In The Medieval Gaelic Calendar And Was Celebrated On 31 October – 1 November In Ireland, Scotland And The Isle Of Man. A Kindred Festival Was Held At The Same Time Of Year By The Brittonic Celts, Called Calan Gaeaf In Wales, Kalan Gwav In Cornwall And Kalan Goañv In Brittany; a Name Meaning "First Day Of Winter". For The Celts, The Day Ended And Began At Sunset; Thus The Festival Began On The Evening Before 7 November By Modern Reckoning (The Half Point Between Equinox And Solstice).

   Samhain And Calan Gaeaf Are Mentioned In Some Of The Earliest Irish And Welsh Literature. The Names Have Been Used By Historians To Refer To Celtic Halloween Customs Bad Habit Nun Up Until The 19th Century, And Are Still The Gaelic And Welsh Names For Halloween.

TRADITIONAL BAVARIAN MEN'S CLOTHING

Formerly, Lederhosen Were Worn For Hard Physical Work; They Were More Durable Than a Fabric Garment. Today, They Are Mostly Worn As Leisurewear. Today, Lederhosen And Dirndl Attire Is Common At Bavarian Garment  Around The World.

 

Lederhosen Were Once Widespread Among Men Of The Alpine And Surrounding Regions, Including Bavaria, Austria, The Allgau, Switzerland, The Autonomous Italian Region Of Trentino-Alto Adige/Sudtirol (Formerly Part Of Austria-Hungary) And Alpine Area Of Today's Slovenia. But They Were Not Usually Worn In Southwestern Germany Or Switzerland.

 

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La Couturiere Parisienne, However, Claims That Lederhosen Were Originally Not Exclusively a Bavarian Garment But Were Worn All Over Europe, Especially By Riders, Hunters, And Other People Involved In Outdoor Activities. The Flap (Drop Front) May Have Been a Unique Bavarian Invention. The Drop-Front Style Became So Popular In The 18th Century That It Was Known In France As à La Bavaroise, "In The Bavarian Style."

 

The Popularity Of Lederhosen In Bavaria Dropped Sharply In The 19th Century. They Began To Be Considered As Uncultured Peasants' Clothing That Was Not Fitting For Modern City-Dwellers. However, In The 1880s a Resurgence Set In, And Several Clubs Were Founded In Munich And Other Large Cities Devoted To Preserving Traditional Rural Clothing Styles. The Conception Of Lederhosen As a Quintessentially Bavarian Garment That Is Worn At Festive Occasions Rather Than At Work Dates Largely From This Time.

 

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Lederhosen Have Remained Regionally Popular And Are Popularly Associated With Virility And Brawn. Some Men Wear Them When Gardening, Hiking, Working Outdoors, Or Attending Folk Festivals Or Beer Gardens. They Are a Symbol Of Regional Pride In Bavaria And The Other Areas Where They Are Worn, But Are Rarely Seen Elsewhere.

 

Traditional Lederhosen Are Hand Made Of Tanned Deer Leather Which Makes The Pants Soft And Light But Very Tearproof. As Those Leather Pants Are Very Valuable And Can Last a Lifetime, Some Bavarians Even Bequeath Their Lederhosen To The Next Generation. Some Variations Of Modern Lederhosen Are Made Of Heavier, Lower Quality Leather, Or Imitations Like Velour Leather Which Make Them Much Cheaper But Less Durable. All Variations Are Usually Equipped With Two Side Pockets, One Hip Pocket, One Knife Pocket, And a Codpiece (Drop Front). For An Oktoberfest Costumes, People Combine Lederhosen With Haverlschuhe, Stockings And a Classic White Or Checked Shirt.

CHRISTMAS COSTUMES

Christmas (Or Feast Of The Nativity) Is An Annual Festival Commemorating The Birth Of Jesus Christ, Observed Primarily On December 25 As a Religious And Cultural Celebration Among Billions Of People Around The World.

   A Feast Central To The Christian Liturgical Year, It Is Preceded By The Season Of Advent Or The Nativity Fast And Initiates The Season Of Christmastide, Which Historically In The West Lasts Twelve Days And Culminates On Twelfth Night; In Some Traditions, Christmastide Includes An Octave.  

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   Christmas Dresses Day Is a Public Holiday In Many Of The World's Nations, Is Celebrated Religiously By a Majority Of Christians, As Well As Culturally By Many Non-Christians, And Forms An Integral Part Of The Holiday Season Centered Around It.

 

The Traditional Christmas Narrative, The Nativity Of Jesus, Delineated In The New Testament Says That Jesus Was Born In Bethlehem, In Accordance With Messianic Prophecies. When Joseph And Mary Arrived In The City, The Inn Had No Room And So They Were Offered a Stable Where The Christ Child Was Soon Born, With Angels Proclaiming This News To Shepherds Who Then Further Disseminated The Information.

 

Although The Month And Date Of Jesus' Birth Are Unknown, The Church In The Early Fourth Century Fixed The Date As December 25. This Corresponds To The Date Of The Winter Solstice On The Roman Calendar. Most Christians Celebrate On December 25 In The Gregorian Calendar, Which Has Been Adopted Almost Universally In The Civil Calendars Used In Countries Throughout The World.

   However, Part Of The Eastern Christian Churches Celebrate Christmas On December 25 Of The Older Julian Calendar, Which Currently Corresponds To January 7 In The Gregorian Calendar. For Christians, Believing That God Came Into The World In The Form Of Man To Atone For The Sins Of Humanity, Rather Than Knowing Jesus' Exact Birth Date, Is Considered To Be The Primary Purpose In Celebrating Christmas.

 

The Celebratory Customs Associated In Various Countries With Christmas Have a Mix Of Pre-Christian, Christian, And Secular Themes And Origins. Popular Modern Customs Of The Holiday Include Gift Giving; Completing An Advent Calendar Or Advent Wreath; Christmas Music And Caroling; Viewing a Nativity Play; An Exchange Of Christmas Cards; Church Services; a Special Meal; And The Display Of Various Christmas Decorations, Including Christmas Trees, Christmas Lights, Nativity Scenes, Garlands, Wreaths, Mistletoe, And Holly.

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  In Addition, Several Closely Related And Often Interchangeable Figures, Known As Santa Claus, Father Christmas Outfits, Saint Nicholas, And Christkind, Are Associated With Bringing Gifts To Children During The Christmas Season And Have Their Own Body Of Traditions And Lore.

  Because Gift-Giving And Many Other Aspects Of The Christmas Festival Involve Heightened Economic Activity, The Holiday Has Become a Significant Event And a Key Sales Period For Retailers And Businesses. The Economic Impact Of Christmas Has Grown Steadily Over The Past Few Centuries In Many Regions Of The World.

SEXY HERVE LEGER

 So Sexy! Designers Create New Ways To Wear Body-Hugging Herve Leger Bandage Dress, Show Curves Rule

 

  New York — Part Of The Fun Of Watching The Herve Leger Dress Runway Show Every Season Is Observing How Designers Max And Lubov Azria Come Up With So Many Different Variations Of The Basic White Bandage Dress.

 

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  Since Acquiring The French Brand And Presenting Collections On New York Runways Since 2008, The Azrias Have Displayed Their Inventiveness In Creating New, Eye-Catching Ways To Accent a Dress That Hugs The Body Like a Sausage Casing.

 

  "It Really Is The Same Dress Over And Over Again. But They Have Found Ways To Add Something New To It," Celebrity Stylist Phillip Bloch Told Culturemap Before The Azrias Unveiled Their Fall Herve Leger Collection Before a Packed Audience At Lincoln Center.

 

  Bloch Recalled That He And Deceased Designer L'Wren Scott Were The First To Showcase The Brand In Hollywood Back When Designer Herve Leroux First Introduced The Bandage Dress In The Mid '80s.

 

  "(L'Wren) Would Get Them For Cindy Crawford And I Would Get Them For Fran Drescher. Fran Wore Them a Lot. They Were The First Two Celebrities Wearing Herve In La. We Did a Famous Shot Of Fran Where She Wore This White One, And We Did All The Flowers In Her Hair, That Was An Amazing One," Bloch Says.

 

  Now The Dresses Are So Popular, Bloch Says, That They Have a Tag That's Like a Tail On The Inside Of The Back Side Of The Dress, So That It Has To Be Cut Off Prior To Wearing It. Before That, Customers Would Buy The Dress, Wear It To a Club And Then Return It The Next Day. "If You Take The Tag Off, You Keep The Dress," Bloch Says.

 

  For Fall, The Azrias Have Added Padded Shoulders And See-Through Inserts In Some Looks While Others Are Heavily Beaded In Colorful Patterns Inspired By The Antoni Gaudi's Spectacular Basilica De La Sagrada Familia In Barcelona. Textured Jacquards Are Inspired By The Cathedrals Stained-Glass Windows And Celestial Ceilings While Heavily Studded Beadwork Evokes Soaring Arches And Warm Sunrays.

 

  The Duo Added Lamb Boleros And Beaded Bomber Jackets To Accent The Look, But The Dresses Are Just As Form Fitting As Ever.

 

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  Backstage Before The Show Began, Max Azria Noted That The Collection Consists Almost Exclusively Of Short Dresses (Only One Look Features Slacks). "I Love The Colors And The Prints," He Said. "We Respect The Feeling Of This Woman; She's Very Sexy But Is Proud Of What She Has Achieved."

 

  His Company, Which Also Includes Bcbgmaxazria And Bcbg Generation, Has Had Some Financial Difficulties, But a Recent $135 Million Cash Infusion By Investors Has Put It On Firmer Financial Footing. Azria Dismissed Concerns, Saying The Company Plans To Go "Higher And Higher."

 

  He Certainly Seems To Have a Loyal Following For Herve Leger Mini, As Many Guests In The Audience Wore Latest Variations Of The Bandage Dress.

 

  "They Fit Like a Glove And They Look Beautiful On Most Women. I Love Them," Said Jaine Jackson, Who Traveled From Dallas To Attended Her First Fashion Show And Wore In a Low-Cut, Fringed Bandage Dress That Accented Her Curves.

HISTORY OF THE HERVE LEGER

In The Pantheon Of Famous Dresses, You'd Have The Lbd, The Wedding Gown, The Wrapdress, And, Residing At The Absolute Sexiest End Of The Hall, The Herve Leger Dresses. The Figure-Hugging Style Basically Ushered In The Term "Body-Con" And Has Had a Sexiest Who's-Who List Wearing It Since The First Style Was Introduced By Designer Herve L. Leroux In The Early 90s. If You'Re Thinking About Another Designer Named Herve, Hold Please: Leroux And Leger Are One And The Same. The Original Bandage Dresses Creator Was Christened Herve Peugnet, But The Name Was Deemed Clunky By Karl Lagerfeld After The Young Designer Went To Work For Him At Fendi. He Adopted Leger At Lagerfeld's Suggestion And Kept It When He Went On To Start His Own Label. When Max Azria Acquired The Brand In The Late '90s, Leger Took Up The Surname Leroux For The New Label He Started In 2000.

 

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But Back To Pre-Azria Bandage Dresses. A New York Times Runway Review, Published In 1993, Calls Leger's Speciality "Elastic Strips Of Fabric Sewn Together To Make Girdle-Tight Dresses." The Piece Also Reveals That His Brand Received Financing From The Bronfmans, The Powerhouse Family Who Made Their Fortune Via Seagrams And Counts Dj/All-Around Cool Girl Hannah Bronfman As The New Generation.

The Original Runway Pieces From Leger Share Similar Dna With What You See Produced Presently, Though The Bandage Style Was Mixed In With Less Body-Con Pieces, Including The Midi Skirts Worn On The Runway By Karen Mulder, Cindy Crawford, And Eva Herzigova In The Fall Of 1995.

 

Along With Being One Of The Models Sporting The Design On The Runway, Crawford Also Repped The Bandage Dress For Events Off The Runway. For a Vogue Anniversary Party In 1998, She Did The Lbd Version.

The Fact That The Brand Wasn't Originally Known Exclusively For Bandage Dresses Was Something Understood By Max Azria And Co. When The Company Acquired The Name In 1998. "When Leger Was Designing, He Only Used One Size Of Bandage. When You Look At The Archive, There's a Lot Of Woven, He Did Suiting, He Did Gowns," Lubov Azria, Chief Creative Officer Of Bcbg Max Azria Group, Told Glamour. "Bandage Was Only a Small Part Of It, But It Was What Got The Most Attention So We Realized That's The Essence Of Herve."

 

The Company Worked With Leger Himself For About a Year Before Looking For New Designers. When No One Quite Right For The Job Was Found, It Moved In-House, Staying Dormant For About Five Years While The Team Worked To Understand What Was Behind The Magical Bandage Look.

"I Didn't Want To Launch Until I Truly Understood The Whole Idea. A Bandage Dress Isn't a Woven, It's All Knitted On a Knitting Machine And Is a Completely Different Concept," Azria Explained. "People Assume It's Cut-And-Sew, But There's No Cutting. It's Knitted In a Panel And Then Attached. To Understand The Process And Technical Aside Took a While, And We Wanted To Make Sure It Would Be Unique In The Market."

 

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Those Archives She Mentioned Have Been Somewhat Of a Labor Of Love, With The Company Chief Digging Deep To Stock The Racks; The Back Catalog That Came With The Brand Wasn't The Crème De La Crème, With The Best Items Having Disappeared Beforehand.

 

"The Pieces That Were Truly Iconic Were Given Away Or Taken By Someone, So I Had To Buy Them Back From Ebay And Private Parties," Lubov Revealed To Us. "We Actually Printed Out Every Runway Show He Did And Matched The Pieces That We Had In Our Vintage Library And Figured Out What Was Missing. We Went On Ebay And Found Some Of Them, They Were Like 400 Euros, And We'd Go To The Collectors, Like Resurrection. Those Were Like $1,400, But Sometimes We'd Bargain Or Do Trades. Then I Found Somebody In Paris Who Was The Muse Of Herve Leger Pink. She Had Tons Of Them And Was Willing To Part With Them—She Was In Her 70s."