Exit the Bling

A few days ago, I mentioned the Wall Street Journal article that discussed how the very wealthy are turning away from conspicuous consumption. Now the New York Times joins in with an article by Alex Williams titled, In Hard Times, No More Fancy Pants. The theme is the same, the tone somewhat less sarcastic.

My favorite quote from the piece is this:

WHILE fashion is always headed in three directions, consumers are turning away from disposable style — the overdesigned “it” handbag, for example — toward high-quality pieces that will endure over multiple seasons, said David Wolfe, creative director of the Doneger Group, which forecasts fashion and retail trends.

And then there is this:

Julien Tornare, the United States president of the Swiss luxury watchmaker Vacheron Constantin, predicted that his industry would move toward a period of “subtle luxury.”
“I think people are going to go with more conservative, not ostentatious — something more discreet that only the connoisseur would know and appreciate, not the bling bling,” he said.

The really great news for everyone is that if "high-quality pieces that will endure over multiple seasons" and "conservative, not ostentatious" are fashion and retail trends at the luxury level, we can expect a trickle-down of this trend through all strata of the retail market. Or at least we can hope!

Having a Very Small Closet has always been the "secret" to having a chic and functional wardrobe. But in a society focused on consumerism and "more is better", the method seems quite counter-intuitive.

Now with renewed interest in downsizing and frugality, we of the small closets just may find ourselves going with the grain, rather than against. And we will be doing it oh-so-stylishly.

See you next time...same blog time...same blog channel....

(Please visit Jennifer's Website for more information on wardrobe planning, or to sign up for my free e-zine.)