Have a question about fashion that’s been bugging you?

Like, what colors look good on a brunette? (Jewel tones like teal and purple are fantastic.)  Or, why do people say you can’t wear white after Labor Day?  (Check out this interesting Time.com article that explores why.)

Make us privy to your fashion dilemma, and we’ll help you solve it (or at least try!).  In fact, we’re giving away $20 Nordstrom gift cards to a few lucky readers who share their questions with us!

Here’s how you can win:

1. Become a fan of File Under: Fashion on Facebook (if you’re already a fan, just go straight to our Facebook Fan Page!).
2. On our Facebook Fan Page, ask your fashion-related question.  But, don’t delay – the due date is August 1, 2010.
3. Feel free to comment or answer questions from other readers, too!  We love to hear your thoughts.
4. We’ll pick 3 lucky winners, who will each receive a $20 Nordstrom gift card.

Even if you don’t win, you might find your question answered either on our Facebook page or in one of our Training Manual blog posts, so stay tuned.

Share this with your friends – post this article to your Twitter or Facebook profile!

Dolce & Gabbana, Fendi & Madonna – sometimes fancy fashion designer names are a challenge to pronounce.  We’ve all been guilty of designer name mutilation a time or two, and as penance, we’ve gathered a list of famous brands and designers, along with their proper phonetic spellings.

Arm yourself with our guide, and names like Nicolas Ghesquière and Proenza Schouler will soon roll confidently off your tongue:

A

Abaeté:     Ah-bye-ah-tay
Agnès B:     Ahn-yes Beh
Alber Elbaz for Lanvin:     Al-BEAR el-BAHZ for Lon-VAN
Alejandro Ingelmo:     Allay-handro In-gel-mo
Alessandro Dell’Acqua:     Ala-SAND-roe del-LA-kwa
Alexandre Herchcovitch:     Ah-le-ZAN-dreh HAIRCH-co-vich
Anais Anais:     Aney-Aney
Andrew Gn:     Ahn-drew Jen
Andy Thê-Anh:     An-dee Tay-Ann
Ann Demeulemeester:     Ann DEH-moo-lah-MEE-ster
Anna Sui:     Ah-na SWEE
Anteprima:     On-tay-PRE-ma
Anya Hindmarch:     Ahn-ya HEIND-march
Aquascutum:     Ah-kwa-SKEW-tum
Arthur Mendonça:     Ar-thur Men-doe-sa
Atelier:     Ah-tell-ee-ay
Azzedine Alaia:     Aza-deen A-LYE-a

B

Badgley Mischka:     Badge-lee Meesh-ka
Balenciaga:     Bah-lin-see-AH-gah
Bally:     BAH-li
Balmain:     Bahl-mah
Baume & Mercier:     Bom ee Mer-SEE-yay
Behnaz Sarafpour:     Beh-naz Sa-RAH-furr
Bettye Muller:     Beh-tee Meu-ler
Bottega Veneta:     BO-tega VEN-e-ta
Boucheron:     Boo-ke-ron
Boudicca:     Boo-dih-ka
Bruno Magli:     BROO-no MAL-yi
Bvlgari:     BOOL-ga-ree
Burberry Prorsum:     BUR-bur-ree Proar-some
Byblos:     BEEB-los

C

Cacharel:     Cash-er-el
Carolina Herrera:     Caro-leena Ey-reh-ra
Cartier:     Car-ti-yey
Celine:     Seh-lyn
Celio:     Chel-yo
Cerruti:     Cher-RU-tee
Cesare Paciotti:     Che-sah-ray Pah-cho-tee
Chaiken:     Chay-ken
Chanel:     Sha-nel
Chantal Thomas:     SHAN-tal To-MAH
Charles Jourdan:     Sharls Zhor-DHUN
Charriol:     SHA-ri-yol
Chloe:     KLOH-eh
Chopard:     Sho PAR
Christian Dior:     Dee-yor
Christian Lacroix:     Kree-styan la-KWA
Christian Louboutin:     Kree-styan Loo-boo-tahn
Clarins:     Clarans
Claude Montana:     Kload Mohn-TA-na
Coccinelle:     KOH-chee-nel-li
Comme des Garçons:     Comb day Gar-SON
Costume National:     KOHS-tyum NAH-sho-nal
Courreges:     Koo-REZH
Cynthia Rowley:     Cynthia RAO-li

D

Dana Buchman:     Day-nah Buck-man
Diane von Furstenberg:     Diane von Fur-sten-berg (pronounced as spelled)
Dior Homme:     dee-OAR OM
Dolce & Gabbana:     DOLE-chay and gab-BON-a
Donna Karan:     Donna Karen
Dries Van Noten:     DREEZE van KNOW-ten
DSquared2:     DEE squared

E

Elie Saab:     EH-li Zahb
Emanuel Ungaro:     Ee-MAN-noo-el OON-Gah-ro
Emilio Pucci:     Eh-mi-li-oh Poo-ch-ee
Empire:     Um-pir
Emporio Armani:     Em-POHR-yo AR-mah-ni
Ermenegildo Zegna:     Er-MEN-a-jil-do Zen-ya
Erotokritos:     Arrow-toe-kri-tose
Etienne Aigner:     Eh-tee-yen On-yay
Etro:     Eh-tro

F

Façonnable:     FAH-so-nahb
Fancl:     Fang-kel
Fendi:     Fend-ee
Furla:     Fer-luh

G

Gareth Pugh:     Gareth Pew
Georg Jensen:     Yorg YEN-sen
Giambattista Valli:     Gee-ahm-battista Valley
Gianfranco Ferre:     Gee-an-frank-co Feh-REH
Gianni Versace:     Jee-YAN-nee Ver-SA-chee
Giles Deacon:     Jy-els Dee-kin
Giorgio Armani:     Jyor-jio Ahr-MAH-nee
Girbaud:     Jir-bow
Givenchy:     Jhee-VON-shee
Gucci:     GOO-chi
Guerlain:     Gher-lahn
Guy Laroche:     Ghee La-roash

H

Haute Couture:     OAT Ku-tour
Hedi Slimane:     Eddy Slim-MAHN
Helmut Lang:     HEL-moot Lung
Hermès:     AIR-mehz
Hervé Léger:     Air-vay Lay-jay
Hussein Chalayan:     Who-sane Sha-lion

I

Issey Miyake:     Ee-seh Mi-yah-key

J

Jacques Fath:     Zhack Faht
Jaeger-Lecoultre:     Yay-ger Leh-KOOT
James Perse:     James Purse (not “pierce”)
Jean Louis Scherrer:     Zhan LOO-ee She-REHR
Jean Paul Gaultier:     Zhan paul GO-tee-AY
Jean-Charles de Castlebajac:     Zhan-Sharls de KA-sel-ba-zhak
Joeffer Caoc:     Joe-fur Kay-ock
John Varvatos:     John var-VAY-toes
Junya Watanabe:     JOON-ya Wah-TAH-nah-bay

K

Kerastase:     Keh-rah-stahs
Kris Van Assche:     Chris Van-ASH
Ksubi:     Soo-bee

L

L’occitane:     Lok-si-tan
L’Wren Scott:     Le-ren Skot
Lacroix:     La-kwah
Lambertson Truex:     Lam-bert-son Tru-ex
Lancome:     Lan-kom
Lanvin:     Lon-VAUN
Les Copains:     Ley Co-pahn
LeSportsac:     Leh-sport-sac
Loewe:     LO-ee-VAY
Longchamp:     Long-shum
Longines:     LOHN-jeens
Louis Ferraud:     LOO-ee Fay-YOH
Louis Vuitton:     Loo-E Voo-EE-ton
Lucien Pellat-Finet:     Lu-see-en Peh-lought Fin-ay
Lulu Castagnette:     Loo-loo Kas-tan-yet

M

Madame Gres:     Mah-dam Gray
Mainbocher:     Maynbo-shay
Maison Martin Margiela:     MAZE-on-Mar-TEEN mar-GEL-ah
Manolo Blahnik:     Ma-no-low Blah-nick
Marchesa:     Mar-KAY-sa
Marithé et François Girbaud:     Mah-ri-TAY eh Frans-SUAH Jeer BOW
Martine Sitbon:    Mar-teen-sih-bohn
Missoni:     Miss-own-ee
Miu Miu:     Mew-Mew
Monique Lhullier:     Mo-neek Loo-lee-ay
Moschino:     Mo-SKI-no

N

Narciso Rodriguez:     Nar-SEE-so-Rod-RI-gehz
Nicolas Ghesquière:     NEE-ko-la guess-KYAIR

O

Olivier Theyskens:     Oh-LI-vi-yay THIGH-skens
Oscar de la Renta:     Os-car deh-la Ren-ta

P

Piaget:     Pya-jay
Piazza Sempione:     Pi-YAT-za Sem-pi-YO-ni
Pierre Balmain:     Pi-air BAHL-mahn
Pierre Cardin:     Pi-air Car-dain
Plain Sud:     Plan Sood
Poleci:     Policy
Prada:     Prah-da
Proenza Schouler:     Pro-EHN-za SKOO-ler

R

Raf Simons:     Rauph SEE-mon
Ralph Lauren: Ralph LAUR-en (not Lor-EN)
Rei Kawakubo:     Ray Kah-wah-koo-bo
Rochas:     RHO-shas
Rodarte:     Ro-dar-tay
Romeo Gigli:     Ro-meoh Gee-lee

S

Salvatore Ferragamo:     Sal-va-TOH-reh Fair-a-GAH-moe
Shu Uemura:     Shoe Ooh-eh-moorah
Sonia Rykiel:     Saun-ya Ree-kee-eel
Sophia Kokosalaki:     So-fee-a Ko-ko-sah-lah-kee
Swarovski:     Swore-off-ski

T

Tag Heuer:     Tag Ho-yer
Tapeet by Vicini:     Ti-peet by Vi-ch-ee-knee
Thakoon:     Ta-koon
Thierry Mugler:     TEh-ree MOOH-gleh
Thomas Maier:     TOH-mas MAH-yer
Tibi:     Tbi or Tu-by (not Tee-bee)
Tiiu Kiuk:     Tee-you Quick
Tocca:     Toe-ka
Trussardi:     Troo-sahr-dee

U

Ungaro:     OON-ga-ro

V

Vacheron Constantin:     Va-sha-RON Con-ston-TAN
Veronique Branquinho:     Ve-ro-NEEK BRANG-kee-no
Versace:     Ver-sah-chee OR Ver-saw-chay
Vionnet:     Vee-oh-nay

X

Xuly Bët:     ZUH-li Bet

Y

Yohji Yamamoto:     YO-jee Ya-ma-moto
YSL Rive Gauche:     YSL Reev Gosh
Yves Saint Laurent:     Eve Sane LAUR-ahn

Z

Zac Posen:     Zac Poe-zen

If you like, you can also search for audio recordings of many of these designer names on the Forvo.com website.

Via several helpful sites, including: ValetMag.com, ErmouMag.com, PopCulturePost.com, HypeBeast.com, InStyleCebu.com and the Wall Street Journal.

Did we leave a tricky name off the list?  Let us know in the comments!

What’s the difference between an Hermès Birkin and an HermèsKelly bag?

There is probably no inanimate object in this world that comes as close to legendary status within the realm of fashion as an Hermès bag.  Actually, we’re referring to two handbags: the Hermès Kelly and the Hermès Birkin.

Many other purses come close (the Chanel 2.55 comes to mind), but none possess the same level of internationally-recognized social standing.

The Birkin and Kelly are also widely confused because of their similar appearance.  While both are extremely coveted amongst fashionphiles, there are a few differences that give each bag its distinctive style and character, which we’ve listed in full detail below.

The Kelly:

• Is generally considered the more formal style.  (Think ladies that lunch and old money – although the Kelly has recently gained some notoriety for being increasingly popular among WAGs and reality TV stars.)
• Has a single handle that seems particularly apropos hanging from the crook of the arm of a lady with perfect posture.
• Has a more structured shape than the Birkin.
• Comes in either rigide (outside stitching, more expensive) or souple (inside stitching, softer feel).
• Available in a 25cm, 28cm, 32cm or 35cm size, the most popular being the 28cm and 32cm.
• Comes with a removable shoulder strap.
• Is named after the elegant actress Grace Kelly, who, after her marriage to Prince Rainier of Monaco, covered her pregnant belly from photographers with her structured, crocodile Hermès bag.

The Birkin:

• Is generally considered the more casual and younger of the two styles.  (Also extremely popular amongst jetsetting celebutantes – you’ve probably seen it countless times between the covers of US Weekly.)
• Has two handles – the most obvious difference between the two – which gives it a sportier look.  However, like the Kelly, the straps are short and the bag is not designed to be worn on the shoulder.
• Has a less rigid, slightly slouchier shape and a wider opening.
• Comes in a range of sizes: 25cm, 30cm, 35cm, and 40cm.  There is also a 45cm travel Birkin with slightly longer straps (to be worn on the shoulder).
• Was created in 1984 for the British-born actress and singer Jane Birkin, who was on the same flight as Jean-Louis Dumas-Hermès when her overstuffed purse caught his eye.  The Birkin was designed to be larger and more practical; however, Jane Birkin later confessed she stopped using it because the heavy bag contributed to her tendinitis.

Both the Kelly and the Birkin are:

• Entirely hand-made, from start to finish.  Supposedly, the craftsmen who make Kelly or Birkin handbags are trained for 7 years – they are first tasked with making belts, wallets, small leather goods and other handbags before moving on to the Birkins and Kellys.  It can take an artisan up to 20 hours to construct a Kelly or Birkin bag.
• Embellished with a number-coded padlock and keys, which are housed in a small leather sheath.
• Available in various types of hardware: gold, silver palladium, burnished ruthenium and guilloche, which has a diamond-cut pattern.
• Made of various leathers, from smooth or pebbly calfskin, to exotic lizard, crocodile or ostrich skin.  Togo, which is a scratch-resistant textured calf leather, is considered the most popular.
• Very pricey: each starts at around $6,000 – but prices can go up into the six figure range, depending on the materials used.

Would you save up your pennies for an Hermès bag?  Let us know in the comments, and vote for the Birkin or the Kelly in our poll.

References & Further Reading:

• “Hermès v. Hermès”.  The Washington Post.
• “Hermès”. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia.
• Hermès Reference Library at The Purse Forum.

Have a style-related question you’ve been dying to ask? We’re at your service.  Feel free to email us at memo@fileunderfashion.com.

I shop online enough to guarantee lifelong job security for my local UPS deliveryman, which is a testament to A) my extreme laziness and B) hatred of driving in LA.

So when you simply can’t be bothered with traffic, inclement weather, long lines, or putting on makeup, then online shopping is your knight in shining armor. Get thee to your nearest computing device and start browsing.

But before you click the “Buy Now” button, check out our roundup of online shopping sites you need to know:

1. Gilt Groupe / Hautelook / Rue La La / Billion Dollar Babes
   These online sale sites host limited-time sales on designer apparel and accessories.  There’s even a Gilt iPhone app so you can shop mobile-ly.
2. ShopStyle.com
   This shopping search engine makes it easy to find any site that is carrying the item you’re looking for.  Perfect for comparing prices, or looking for your size when another site has sold out of it.
3. RetailMeNot.com
   An online bargain shopper’s best friend, you’ll find coupon codes from a huge range of e-commerce retailers.
4. Piperlime.com / Zappos.com / Endless.com / Shoes.com
   Buying shoes online can be difficult, but you can find (brutally honest) user-contributed reviews on all of these sites and benefit from other shoe shoppers’ experiences.
5. Ebates.com / Bing.com Cashback / FatWallet.com
   I can’t think of any reason why not to use one of these cashback websites.  Search for the site you want to shop at, click on it, and you’ll get a percentage of whatever you spend back in cash.  This can range from 1% to 15%, but even if it’s not much, it can certainly add up.
6. Polyvore.com
   It’s possible to spend hours on this interactive fashion collage website, which allows users to create their own outfits by pulling images of clothes and accessories from the internet.  It’s a great place to get a feel for current trends and discover cool outfit ideas (despite the excess of Twilight-inspired collages).
   

Fellow online shoppers – feel free to share your own online shopping tips with us in the comments below.

When you have a budget, yet want more shoes than you can possibly afford – then it’s good to have a strategy of sorts.

No, we don’t mean eating Cup-o-Noodles everyday for a month so you can get a new Balenciaga bag, or buying your clothes exclusively in black so that everything matches.  We’re just saying, spend your money wisely, and you’ll get a lot more mileage out of your wardrobe.

Here are 6 of our shopping commandments:

1. Invest in the stuff you will wear long-term (that oh-so-special, never-to-be-duplicated dress, those perfect pumps, the classic purse).
2. But for the fun trendy stuff, hit up your local Forever 21 / Zara / H&M / Steve Madden.  You just might find the most amazing thing that fits the bill exactly and costs 1/3 of the price and it’ll be like your birthday.
   
3. Visit consignment stores (like decadestwo in Los Angeles) and you’ll find used designer handbags (as well as great shoes and clothes and jewelry) in amazing condition – like seriously, Prada purses and Chloe bags for half off or more.
4. Dress to shop – if you’re shopping for a dress for a  special occasion, wear appropriate undergarments (i.e. strapless bra).  If you’re shopping for boots that day, wear socks.  Simple, yes, but something we always seem to forget.
5. Set a budget before you buy – if you’re shopping for, say, a pair of boots, decide in advance the most you could spend and stick to this dollar amount – this helps you filter out everything that is over budget, and helps curb impulse shopping.
   
6. If you find something you really love, but it doesn’t fit perfectly – keep in mind you can get it altered!  Don’t give up on something that is almost perfect, as long as you don’t need to reconstruct the entire thing. Why pass up something amazing when all you need to do is have it taken in a bit? Trust me, a reliable tailor will change your life.

Have a few of your own shopping tips?  Share with us in the comments below.