If you live long enough, everything is retro.
In the 80's, I embraced preppy- but drew a hard line at duck shoes; they were just plain ugly. Yes, a hater. However, somewhere along the road of life, I gave up totally embracing trends. Not only is it expensive to keep replacing your clothing, but it's hard getting rid of a favorite go-to item simply based on someone else's rules around what is trendy.
Yes, I am eclectic in both my fashion choices & interior design, preferring to surround myself with textures, colors, and shapes that make me happy. After all, you only live your life, not someone else's.
Enough with my reflections- what is trending & why?
Preppy is familiar, adaptable, and all about the details. It's also not just for the Ivy League - it's been retooled with a facelift like all other previous trends. Borrowing from what we embraced the first time, but more relevant to our lifestyle now. The colors are more muted, but the quality is there. The styles are classic & transition well into work-to-leisure settings, with a polished look.
Comfort in fabric & fit is here to stay- granny's gurgle is gone and replaced by fabrics that conform to your body type rather than you conforming to the fit. Modern consumers want fabrics that are easy to care for and are adaptable to their lifestyle- smart looks for work, stylish - yet ready for a quick walk with the dog or stopping after work for a pint with friends.
What else is trending? varsity jackets, which makes me wonder when corporate teams will start embracing the idea of adding patches & pins for achievement to work wear?
Color- from the bold to the pastels & earth tones, there really are a host of choices for how to layer in the right touch of color for your go-to "collectible" tees. Similar to the popularity of vintage concert tees, creating designs and selecting the right color for the tee & design work are important elements in creating your next favorite tee; capturing your moment in time.
Sustainability- an increasing number of our lines have fabric that is made with plastic water bottles, recycled clothing scraps and produced with the environment in mind. Our blog has several features about why Eco-clothing is in demand and this quilted jacket is a hit for the inconsistent weather patterns we experience in North Carolina.
Fall trends bring back those nostalgic sensory elements of texture- the ridges of corduroy, thermal-waffle textures, soft cozy fuzzy fabrics, puffy and drapey fits. What else is popular? We are still seeing clothing normally associated with dirty hand jobs, brands like Carhartt, trending now for several years. Guess what? One of my personal favorites, pockets is taking center stage. Finally, a place to put our phones and other items we just can't seem to live without being close at hand. Combine drapey with pockets, well that's a winner in my book. Check out this recent video of one of my favorite new pieces in our showroom collection.
No matter your taste or perspective, we have options. A recent team of visitors commented on the vast choice of products & styles in our showroom. In fact, last week we added 50 new pieces to our showroom collection of products- outerwear, wovens, polos, fleece, sweatshirts & sweaters, and of course tees! Set up a time to come in and try on pieces from several of our partners.
Olivia-
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