I must confess I have been a little uninspired lately. It has become my daily habit to review a number of fashion oriented web platforms for the purpose of staying in touch, finding interesting articles for my fashion bibliography and well frankly to get inspiration. What has become somewhat disconcerting is that most of what is written is about how to make money or conversely how to not fade away and die (like department stores). There is a frenzied kind of desperateness that drains every ounce of creativity out of the sphere. In some ways engaging with this content has been contributing to making me feel a little desperate too. But problematically when one is too engaged with these sorts of thoughts there is no room left for inspiration to come into your brain and plant some new seeds. What gets planted instead is obsession.
There was one article I read this week, by a writer I admire, Lauren Sherman, that made me quite sad. Discussing the problems being experienced by the retailer J. Crew, she suggests that the demise of “middle of the road” brands like J. Crew, Gap, Banana Republic and Sears, parallels the disappearance of middle class households. Most choices are fast, discount or very basic fashion (think H & M and Uniqlo) or very expensive and high end (Gucci). Sort of like the rich and the poor. There is no more in-between. The word luxury appears in every title. Despite consumer gains made through the accessibility of social media, there is the potential for the loss of democracy. Fashion, despite its new mantra about inclusion, is forgetting about the one category that always seems to matter and always gets ignored (and this is not exclusive to fashion right now): income and social class.
One of my talents in life, thanks to a very odd sort of upbringing, is that I have always been able to seamlessly cross class. My mother came from a highly educated and wealthy set of parents while my dad came from a family that did not complete high school and was solidly working class. I embarked on a path that included highly educated, but chose a profession that kept me in the ranks of a class somewhere in-between that of my grandparents. I moved back and forth between these two worlds throughout my entire childhood and in many ways still do. I suppose in this way I am honoring all of my DNA, I must admit that in the photo I posted today I am wearing an expensive coat like the plaid one with a velvet collar my maternal grandmother bought me in Saks when I was 7. Kind of ruined me when it came to coats after that. My first purchase at age 16 when I got my first paycheck from working in a grocery store was a camel’s hair Villager coat. In my lovely bag in this photo, is a very worn, but butter soft leather wallet I have had for a very long time. I also bought my brothers ice cream and candy with the leftover paycheck money.
Being exposed to extremes also allowed me to become very creative and pragmatic in making way more with less. I think it is why and how I developed my own personal style. In some ways, I think this may explain why I have such a widely diverse set of followers. An editor once said to me during an interview, “You are aspirational but you are also accessible.” This is why brands like H & M despite issues with sustainability, remain so popular: they too are aspirational yet allow many people who do not have a hefty income to love, participate in, and enjoy “fashion”. H & M allowed everyone to have something Margiela, Rei Kawakubo, Kenzo or Erdem. That is why there needs to be more inclusive aspirational choices and inspirations. There is a need to preserve democracy in fashion.
There are some brands that seem to understand what democracy may mean in fashion. An American brand that is a proud sponsor of democracy is Calvin Klein. Selling a very aspirational (and expensive) collection, 205W39NYC, in its Madison Avenue store, it also sells underwear and jeans on Amazon. A young Chinese designer I have met, Momo Wang, has developed an entire brand around the memories and secrets that girls share called, Museum of Friendship. Her WeChat shop offers earrings and other objects that any girl can afford alongside her higher end collections that evidence her privileged Central St. Martins training. These are the brands that allow all of us to play in some small way in a fashion that is democratic and truly inclusive. So today, on this day before Thanksgiving, I remain grateful to my grandparents for the experiences that they provided that allow me today to move from desperate to inspired. They have been instrumental in helping me to create this new life that I am very much enjoying and started with literally nothing but a website, a phone, a closet full of consignment and a very supportive partner who happens to be a good photographer.
Who or what are you grateful for this Thanksgiving?
Such an interesting post. In the UK, we have a store called Debenhams which has budget end designer lines from the likes of Julien Macdonald, John Rocha etc so you get style without having to pay a lot.
Today, I saw someone who had been ravaged by cancer in merely 11 months. Right now, I’m thankful for everything and keeping everything crossed for that guy.
That certainly puts it in perspective.
Hello! This is the first time I read you. Congratulations you are si Proud of your background. I love fashion and I like people like you. Here un México are H&M stores, in the big cities of Course, I live far from it but when is possible I buy there. I’m tankful forma my family and Friends. Are the best. Xoxo from Zac,México.
Thanks for following!
I really enjoyed reading this, and I agree with Ms. Sherman’s view that we are losing many of the mid-price options when it comes to shopping for clothes. Before I started buying most of my wardrobe second-hand, I used to buy things from the Gap regularly, because for the most part, the quality was good and the price was affordable. I have notice that the quality has gone downhill, which is likely one of the reasons the brand is not doing well. It is challenging to find any retail stores that sell well-made, stylish pieces that those of us in the "middle-class" income range can afford.
I am grateful to have work that I enjoy and am able to travel and live on my own. I am also very grateful for the people I have met on this journey, particularly the women I’ve met through my blog and IG who inspire me to be the best version of myself as possible. Happy Thanksgiving Lynn!
A wonderful alternative that you do so well is vintage and recycled. Enjoy the holiday season!
Have you tried J.Jill? Price points are reasonable, sales are great. You can play it straight or really mess around/funk it up by playing with proportion .
I am familiar with them, but not the best match for my style.
I am thankful to be a parallel class-crossing chameleon, Lyn! My father was Ivy League, my mother Great Depression poor. It’s my mother’s side that taught me to knit and sew and thrift shop with eagle eyes. And my dad’s side had enough security not to become obsessed with money, but to look beyond personal gain to the pleasure of well-worn tools and long-term friendships. Both of my parents are gone this year, so I raise a glass to the blessing of their influence and memory.
Difference is what adds some spice to life!
Isn’t so fascinating that at any given moment we all are a compilation of our experiences starting with our upbringing and ending at this very second? Children are very impressionable and being exposed to a good quality coat or a black, elegant velvet dress has lasting effects for their entire life. I feel grateful to my parents for exposing me to beauty and grace at a very early age while modeling a life filled with love and decency thus giving me a perspective on life that is meant to gracefully and joyfully be lived.
You are right, it has become more and more dificult to find good quality at a reasonable price. Even solid brands which used to have middle-road lines either eliminated them or they lowered the quality to a point that is quite worrisome. Finding a good quality cotton Tshirt which is well cut and sewn has become a painful process as I see prohibitive prices of hundreds of dollars for a simple Tshirt. The stores are full of polyester items and it makes me wonder if at some point we are not going to get buried by piles and piles of clothes which eventually will end up in the landfills. Fast fashion is taking over our breathing room and unfortunately, it affects the esthetic sense of the society in general. Children growing up today are not exposed to good quality items the way we were, and that is not only sad, but it also lowers the standard of expectation for them.
So here is to a comeback of quality over quantity ! Happy Holidays everyone!
Yes a return to craftsmanship and care would be a wonderful idea indeed.
Lyn, I much enjoyed reading your blog post this early morning and am glad you shared some of your background with us. I am a boomer baby and grew up with very little, but one advantage was that my Mother, now 92, could sew. She made everything from doll clothes to my college wardrobe. My taste continues to be informed by my Mother’s. (And I can sew!)
I enjoyed reading your writings. I am a late bloomer when it comes to fashion. You become my inspiration .
I am 55 years old now. Thank you for sharing your blog.
Im Ruby Bsllesteros from Philippines
Lyn, your words make neurons crackle, dormant ideas wake, and aha moments cascade. You pull everything out of me because your truth becomes my truth; your ideas are relatable. To me you are a lyrical writer whose written narratives are a nightingale’s songs!
Is your book happening?
When will it be written?
What will it contain?
Have you read Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari, A Brief History of Humankind? (Humans haven’t really been so kind, by the way) I highly recommend you do. It has become my all time favorite book and one that gives me much pause. It does not contain styles and other fashionable ideas, not exactly, but because his narratives push the envelop to a distant or maybe not so distant future I begin to wonder if anyone need wear clothes. I say this because the author describes a few possibilities of what a human may become; one that isn’t 100% physically human at all, as we know a human to be. This may sound like science fiction but after you read his book you will understand. His book is a colossal read, probably the best from any historian of this century. It is an honest, raw, and radical look at early man to present day and future societies. My attention turned to you and your blog and I wondered what prediction, if any, you have for the future of clothing and fashion. Let’s say in the years 2060- 2080. What do you think will happen to the world of fashion? What will fashion depend on? Will there be a style for the semi-human or robot clothing line waiting for buyers on some remote digital platform? Will fashion even exist? Hard to imagine, but in a world where change is ever so speedy, I can’t help but wonder. If anyone has an answer, it would be you! What do you think?
Thanks for reading
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Great post.
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Wonderful article! I find your style and approach to life very refreshing. I have been on a very long journey to discover myself via fashion and you are an inspiration, because I feel that in order to dress yourself well, you must first know yourself and you beautiful lady, know exactly who you are.
Bravo!!
Lyn,
I’m a teacher, too. I love fashion and find it hard to fit in. I stand out in the crowd. I’m currently 32 and want to be just like you!
Thank you for your endless inspiration.
Sounds like youa re well on the way if you are yourself and standing out of the crowd!
thank you . you inspire me