The Classic Blazer, the career woman's outfit... I was wearing that in the spring of 1979. This ad ran in New York Magazine's April 21, 1980 issue, the week I married and headed to Dallas to work in corporate marketing and communications. I even cut my long hair as I bought those business clothes.
Then the stupid 80s (as my husband calls it) came in. Still, I stayed with the trends, in and out of pregnant clothes, buying those aerobic clothes and scrunchie socks, then khakis from the Gap in the 90s turned into cute and colorful, turned into black, black, black (NYC influence).
The trend now? I probably have bought fewer clothes this year than I have any other year of my life. Like my grosgrain ribbon tie, then - 1979 then, in fashion, now I'm right there, too, not spending. U.S. retailers are facing a wave of closings and bankruptcies starting this month as holiday sales were the worst in 40 years with consumers spending at least 20% less on women's clothing, electronics and jewelry.
With his eye for street fashion, NYTime's Fashion Photographer Bill Cunningham captures today how "women still look MAAAVVVELLOUS, wearing those clothes they bought years go, proving the whole statement: good fashion design is like antique furniture - you don't chuck it out in the garage, you wear it."
I chucked out those '80s clothes long ago. I'll have to pull from the 90s or from another era.
The economy (and all of those 14,000 stores they predict that will close), were dependent on you having 87 pairs of shoes, matching belts and purses. They depend on the men to have 18 business suits., and everyone to have an extra car, extra computers, and on. After we all stop buying for awhile, I hope the pendulum settles somewhere in the area, where people learn to live and SAVE off of what they make. It might mean fewer stores, but an economy built on credit cards and people spending 120% of what they make, will never make a long lasting, strong economy. So you keep saving (but you can give away the Jane Fonda leggings).
Posted by: a | January 04, 2009 at 08:27 AM
The economy (and all of those 14,000 stores they predict that will close), were dependent on you having 87 pairs of shoes, matching belts and purses. They depend on the men to have 18 business suits., and everyone to have an extra car, extra computers, and on. After we all stop buying for awhile, I hope the pendulum settles somewhere in the area, where people learn to live and SAVE off of what they make. It might mean fewer stores, but an economy built on credit cards and people spending 120% of what they make, will never make a long lasting, strong economy. So you keep saving (but you can give away the Jane Fonda leggings).
Posted by: a | January 04, 2009 at 08:27 AM
I don't have anything from the 80s in my closet, but may have one or two things from the 90s. I tend to not wear things that are the latest fad (but still stylish) therefore, I don't have to buy a whole new wardrobe every year. I do have 2 items I have kept from the 70s - a gorgeous green evening gown and my wedding dress, but I would need to drop a size (at least) for them to fit!
Posted by: allison | January 04, 2009 at 01:45 PM
I wore suits like that when I started with Price Waterhouse in 1986. The worst part of the outfit was the stupid foulard tie I'd wear with it. You know a fashion trend is bad when you hate it even as you wear it.
Although there are obviously fashion trends now, I think that things have sped up so much that practically anything goes. I can wear a short skirt one day, and long one the next, and both fit in just fine. That's great, because I don't feel compelled to buy new clothes as much.
I wonder what I'll wear when I'm much older (God willing). No muumuus in my future, I hope!!
Posted by: Kathy H. | January 04, 2009 at 03:07 PM
I date back to the 70s when the mini-skirt reigned. I wouldn't wear that stuff for love or money. At 61, I wear jeans and sweaters or tops mostly -- even for work. For dress up, it's usually something classic and black. Liz Claiborne survives well!!!
Posted by: Kay Dennison | January 04, 2009 at 06:12 PM
I bought 3 shirts and a pair of pants this year - clearance sales - total cost $18. I did buy a pair of nice brown heels for $30 to go with my brown "going to funeral" dress which was my ONLY purchase last year ($25).
In the 80s the only nod to "fashion" I made was the Flashdance look. (And in fact it was the only time in my life I have ever been fashionable - obviously I have no judgment in that regard.) Fortunately, very few pictures of me survive from that era.
I had all homemade clothes in the 70s because the hemlines did not comform to the requirements of my school.
Posted by: Janet | January 28, 2009 at 09:03 AM