Comments on: what’s wrong with fashion?

By: mattababy.com » Blog Archive » Victorian Redux, Dov Charney’s D, and Fashion Bloggers At Large

Fri, 23 Jan 2009 07:54:18 +0000

[...] ethos and writes often and with great enthusiasm about the non-frivaloty of fashion, at times in explicitly political ways. Wardrobe Remix still feels very much like a women-centered space of creativity and expression, [...]

By: final fashion » the botany of design

final fashion » the botany of design — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 21:35:28 +0000

[...] There has been some interesting discussion happening, about how fashion seems to be failing a little.Â Well, interesting to me, this is Final Fashion.Â Sitting here in Paper Denim and Cloth and American Apparel, I got an idea. [...]

By: dana

dana — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 22:29:49 +0000

tricia, i think the lack of quality is becoming more and more of an issue. the other day i was looking for some professional work pants at banana republic and couldn’t believe how cheaply they were made ($90 pants!)…i don’t know if it’s just me getting older (and a little wider) or the industry, but everything feels and looks so cheap. i’m not a big fan of the gap (or BR, really), but have a few pairs of jeans from there and in a year, they’ve completely fallen apart. i’ve just decided to wait until i can afford better stuff. i’ve never been very fashionable or trendy, try as i might, so at least i want things that fit and will last. and sadly, the thrift stores are full of this cheap crap…i’d better learn to be a better sewer, i suppose!
i’m so glad i found your blog and wardrobe_remix, since both have given me a lot more confidence to wear what i like and not worry about those mall b*tches or what’s “in” or “out.” and i’ve started wearing so much color, i surprise myself (which makes shopping difficult, since verything is beige or black).
thanks!

By: elliebelle

elliebelle — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 21:53:30 +0000

Wow, what a great post with many thought provoking statements. I think it will be very interesting to see where the fashion industry goes, and if anyone will follow. I, like many others, hope to see a resurgence of smaller companies with more unique and creative fashions where quality is actually important. I myself have been doing the majority of my shopping on Etsy.com. Now if only we could overhaul the health care system in the U.S. so people could actually AFFORD to work on their own and create small businesses. Without that we will all be stuck “working for the man” in this crazy Wal-mart world.

By: Moi

Moi — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 17:48:16 +0000

Great post. I do however disagree I think the consumer is very much in power now.. take the trend of going ‘green’ we are definitely in charge now, and we have started to think before we buy..something that we never used to be.

I guess the designer prices makes you think twice before you buy, but I have not sensed this shift as much, maybe because I am in the UK and don’t feel the uncertainty when it comes to what the uncertain state of the economy. The black collections are definitely a view on how the economy is.. to buy colours are a splurge often only the rich can make, it is safer to go for black and designers have to make money at the end of the day.

We don’t need a machine telling us what to buy.. why would we need that? We have the luxury of buy what we like without feeling un-trendy because everything goes!

The focus have never been more on personal style, and I think fashion now is leaning towards going back to basics, that is what I am feeling.. at least.

Again great post!

By: :: fridayâ€™s fancies :: « elegant musings

:: fridayâ€™s fancies :: « elegant musings — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 13:49:37 +0000

[...] ♥ a thought-provoking post on the current state of fashion ♥ brilliant method for repairing torn tissue sewing patterns! ♥ inspiring interview with design-extordinaire Nubby Twiglet ♥ these sweet images make me smile! [ via ] ♥ a whole site of found snapshots [ via ] ♥ gorgeous artwork by Hillary Webb ♥ a fun way to use orphaned belt buckles! ♥ dreamy frocks and more… ♥ a variety of snazzy, easy-to-make headbands! [ via ] [...]

By: the Fashion Spot - The 4-5 piece French wardrobe

the Fashion Spot - The 4-5 piece French wardrobe — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 03:28:47 +0000

[...] ta-ta, I kept thinking about the guy who killed himself… I don’t know, it made me really sad, I can only imagine that his soul must have suffered a lot. It’s quite depressing how things can control our lives. I watched Possessed yesterday, it was interesting to see and I think we (well, most of us) habe a little hoarder in us, the people shown in the movie are just the extreme example. … There’s an article I liked, but I don’t know if it fits in here called what’s wrong with fashion?. [...]

By: suzi

suzi — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 01:54:22 +0000

Very insightful thoughts, I love that peole are doing, making and creating their own things. And I think it has been inspirational at how well individual artist are doing on sites like etsy. That place has grown so much over the last year . When I want to buy something unique I go there. When I want to see unique , individual styles I go to places like wardrobe -remix ( and there are so many others) where we can see people that really embrace putting things together that fits their individual needs and taste. There is definitly a movement, and I think it happens to be more of an internal questioning … of what kind of impact am I making on the earth, among my friends, family and neighborhood. I think that is very good.

By: Unicorns have whiskers

Unicorns have whiskers — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 18:41:52 +0000

This was a really intelligent and needed-for post, and you obviously have very intelligent blog readers too, Tricia!
I’m European, but there is talk about the uncertainty of the US economy here too, and it affects our economy too. For example, real estate market has slowed down, people are uncertain and don’t want to buy right now.

Personally I long for a time when people had less, and took better care of their things, wore their favorite clothes until they fell apart, mended, and sewed a lot of their own stuff. I guess.. a simpler time. When things had more inherent value, and people didn’t take everything for granted. Like how mom used to sew most of her wardrobe, and most of ours when we were kids, and how I would inherit things from my older sister and cousin. The way I wore my favorite (and only) pair of jeans and a stripy blue sweater every week.
I really wouldn’t want my own child to grow up a consumerist shallow brat…
I’ve been really put off by mass market clothing stores lately, I can’t step in without feeling oddly uncomfortable.
In the turn of the millennium there was talk that people were feeling uncertain and a lot of craftsy and “natural” things were coming back to fashion, but I guess people just realized that the world wasn’t going to end and returned right back. Or maybe that trend is still bubbling under, as this feeling, like you said.. some people are wanting that change, but will it reach a critical mass? Maybe people do need a crisis or a depression.

By: Natalie

Natalie — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 11:21:51 +0000

I think a lot about the absolutely insane trend cycle. It’s kind of symptomatic of the economy, I think. We’re having all this CRUD (and it is total crud!) thrown at us, and it seems like the only people buying in are the really younge people in their teens… people with high disposable incomes.

I think the DIY and craft movement is important for the survival of “the self”. We’re starting to realise that we’re probably not going to have a full fashion spread at our finger tips any longer, or, the spread is unsatisfactory as it stands right now because of the stupidly diverse trends being hyped everywhere around us. So, a culture of creating is important if we want to maintain our image of “self”, because we just can’t buy it right now, and who knows how long the marketing machine is going to pump before falling over… then the manufacturers fall over and so on and so forth.

Rupture and break. It’s one of those phrases I can’t get out of my head. Apparently it was the mantra of the avant garde. We have to destroy everything and then build it again. For me, that’s the most poignant thing that’s happening in fashion today. It is pointing to the implosion, and the smart cookies are learning how to felt, crochet, knit, sew, and style themselves without depending on external resources.