Lets jump right into what the topic is, Quick Fashion. I’ve been reading tons of articles lately concerning the future of clothing that is mass produced and of low quality. Look, I’ve been talking about this since 2015. Stores like Forever 21, H&M and Charlotte Russe might have to switch things up a bit. People are becoming more and more environmentally conscious. Our landfills have mounds of clothing because the quick fashion houses produce pieces of low quality at a rapid rate to keep up with trends, and make a quick buck.  I have nothing against quick fashion, because lets face it, not everyone has the budget to buy a skirt for $2,000.00. It’s nice to know that we as shoppers have options. Quick fashion gives us the opportunity to be trendy on a budget, but now consumers are wondering if it’s worth it. People are starting to feel a certain way about buying an item that was made by a factory worker in deplorable conditions, earning meager pay. What’s the sense of investing in items that are usually no good after 1 wash cycle anyway? When your local clothing swap business won’t take it, in the trash it goes! Oh, and don’t think you can sleep well just because you dropped a bag off at Goodwill. They’ll do the same thing if they can’t sell it as is.  There’s a new word being tossed around in the fashion industry; “Trans-seasonal.” Consumers demand clothing with better quality and more wear-ability. Makes sense; I mean people do care about their pockets, but they are willing to pay an extra $10 for piece of mind.

Machines will soon replace workers in deplorable conditions, but then what? The workers the machines replace will now be without the meager pay they earned which to them is better than nothing. *sigh* sometimes it’s no winning for losing. There are so many things to consider for a positive change in fashion. Maybe THAT should be the focus…Change.

This season’s holiday trends tend to be a bit on the casual side. Clearly comfort is the overall goal for styling this season; utilizing sequins and sparkling details to elevate denim looks show effortless and creative styling skill. Sheer tops also have more versatility. Not necessarily worn bare breast like Kendall Jenner, but with black bras exclusively. Bodysuits and bodycon dresses are also popular; elaborating curves is key and trending in dresses for the season. That trend is a constant for the club scene and urban chic attire. Velvet fabrics continue to reign supreme in virtually every market in regards to Womenswear.  Shoes, bags, and dresses are highly sought after in velvet with a variety of wine shades; red and purple tones. Overall, the looks for Winter 1 are festive and sleek with  romantic Gothic notes. I’m confident that the transseasonal pieces will continue into warmer weather, since the most popular silhouettes are spaghetti strap, bare shoulder, and backless. The velvet fabrics may not carry over, but the lace and sheer fabrics will.

WorldHood: Reflects the colors that are prominent in urban saturated areas. Motivated by the street scene in the U.K. and U.S; Autumn/Winter Trend Reports for 2018/2019; brilliant colors of Red, Washed Blue, Cement Grey, and Violet or Magenta tones. Casual pieces are the go to.

Ever since Donald Trump was elected president, people have been speculating a lot of outcomes for the United States. Unfortunately they’re not that optimistic. I’ve heard everything from “The economy is going to tank” “Countries are not going to make deals with the U.S.”, “The price of clothing and food will go up” and so on. Of course it seeped into Fashion too. The trends are a reflection of how society as a whole is thinking and the overall mood they’re in. I remember when 9/11 happened. The trend reports were filled with lots of dark colors, since that was the mood of Americans, and even people in other countries. What I urge people to do is focus on the things they DO want. Put your energy towards things that lift your spirits and give you hope. It’s interesting how people continue to perpetuate the idea of poverty for Trumps term. Who knows if that may be? In the trend reports I’ve viewed, there’s a trend called “WorldHood”. WorldHood reflects on urban culture and fashion in areas of the world considered “The Hood” or poverty. That trend has so many beautiful color stories and fashion styling. No matter what, we as people will come together and make beauty out of  negativity. Remember that.

https://youtu.be/TkiQeAOcJQw?t=1m13s

Part of being  a fashion writer is researching fashion and the trends. It’s something that’s an absolute must in order to keep things as accurate as possible. I love the many color stories, style reports, and  other things focusing on Fashion. But I can’t say that I see people actually following them. Usually the public inspires trends, which is why I believe that truly fashionable people don’t follow trends. Everything will come back around eventually. There definitely needs to be  some fresh new talent on the scene though. I feel honestly what the issue is with designers and other artistic individuals is trying to re-invent the wheel. Sometimes you just have to open your eyes and pay attention to whats going on around you. Take for instance this video. The first young man name Dillon is being interviewed; he created a fashion line, and at 16 years old he became a millionaire. His clothing line is cool; it reflects what’s trending in youth culture and fashion. It incorporates casual wear with an urban chic street vibe and popular slang phrases. I’ll let you watch the video to see his collection, but you’ll find that it’s simply him tie dying sweats and adding his logo. So many fashion designers in college have mounds of student loan dept, and struggle to break through in fashion. This young man was still in high school and just went for what he wanted.  I hope this video serves as inspiration to anyone who feels a little discouraged. Once again, just one day go to a cafe, search Instagram, tumbler, or Facebook and find  inspiration from whats really trending in the world around you.

Thank you :)

Brands turning things up a notch! Tokyo is pioneering the BEAUTY CAFE trend tremendously with stores like L’OCCITANE offering customers delicious healthy food, and  fresh juice bars to not only promote health, but expose them to skin care and makeup items. Technology continues to slay in terms of retail shopping. Anything that can be done online WILL be done online part-time or exclusively. One thing you can’t do though is EAT. Yes, I am aware that you can order food via web, but people still enjoy eating out. I felt this was a clever way for L’OCCITANE to increase if not maintain their customers traffic in their brick and mortar stores. I’ve said this before in an article…(this one and this one), that fashion and even beauty brands, will have to start giving people a good REASON to go out of  their way and shop in their stores. Looks like the best way now to drive sales, is with convenience.