FASHION
“Fashions fade, style is eternal.” - Yves Saint-Laurent
with 2017 officially over, it's time to analyse its biggest fashion trends
by vanessa ippolito
A less conventional trend we saw was pom-poms featured during the summer. Its most popular form came in the purse accessory pom-pom, usually a shade of pink. These wool and cotton spheres came on shoes, purses, hats, dresses, and tops. Every retailer from Target to Kate Spade carried some sort of pom-pom apparel. Pom-pom sweaters are a staple of beauty blogger and vlogger Zoella.
An affordable trend we saw throughout 2017 - which better thrive forever and ever - is thrifting! Everyone decided that hitting up the local thrift store or antique market was no longer trashy. Old is the new new. Find anything from a grandpa sweater to prom dress. Factors like the DIY trend of the 90s, the 2000s indie movement, the hipsters refusing mainstream, or the 2008 stock market crash all contribute to the popularity of thrifting.
Who’s to say these are only 2017 trends though as each has made prominence in large retailers?
The upcoming trends in 2018 seem to revolve around the 50s somehow. From businessman to punk rocker - we’ll be seeing it all. Pant suits, checked patterns, buckles and chunky boots will be making their comeback. The 70s are another era that has influenced fashion as of late, seen in bell-bottom and flare jeans, chunky heels, stripes, high waisted skirts, and earth tones. And watch out for chenille sweaters - those super soft, chunky-knit ones - as I’ve seen them in just about every store.
Kendall Jenner sporting a velvet outfit!
Let’s start with the softest: velvet! Velvet fabric has really made a comeback in 2017, especially nearing the chilly months of autumn and winter. It was a trend we saw fashioned as a jumpsuit by Kendall Jenner, as a skirt by Victoria Beckham, a pantsuit by Tilda Swinton, and dresses by countless others. However, velvet’s luxurious appeal reached us non-celebrities. It was featured in collections by huge retailers like Forever 21. Kylie Jenner even released a Velvet Lip Kit - an extension of her uber successful cosmetic lines.
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Another expensive looking trend came in the form of sequins. 2017 was the year where retailers discovered pattern changing sequins. They amazed people on pillows and eventually moved onto t-shirts. They grew in popularity in the fall as a way for people to sparkle through the gloomy weather. Sequins hadn’t been as popular since the shiny ‘70s. This won’t be the last we’re seeing of them. Vogue UK has predicted that we will see another sequin uprising in the spring and summer of 2018. Time to shine people.
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Finding Identity in Someone Else’s Clothes: the Rise of the Thrift Store Among Teenagers
by cat carkner
Nowadays, mom jeans, dad sweatshirts, and grandma knits are all wardrobe staples for the average teen, all thanks to the rise of the thrift store. In the past few years, thrift stores such as Value Village and Salvation Army have experienced significant increases in popularity among young people, namely teenagers. Statistics show that 60% of North Americans have bought second-hand clothing within the last two years. This surge in youth customers is reflective of and caused by the generation’s economic situation, their awareness of their environmental impact, and the modern teen’s struggle to exert their individuality in a mass-consumer, digital world.
Following the 2008 financial crisis, many older workers watched in vain as their retirement savings vanished, forcing them to remain in the workforce longer. These people re-entered the workforce through the jobs that teens traditionally filled up: burger flipper, shelf stocker, and cashier. In 2016, CBC reported that only one in two Ontarians between the ages of 15-24 had paid employment, having lost their jobs to the struggling older generation. Less employment means less spending money, forcing teenagers to turn to the fashion empire’s cheaper alternative: the thrift store, to satisfy their desire to keep up with the trends.
The author’s sister, wearing a Value Village find.
The current teenage generation is aware of their environmental impact. Since early childhood, they have been trained to reuse, reduce, and recycle, constantly being informed about the dismal state of their planet by the surrounding adults. Many teens are proactive in their efforts to lead more environmentally sustainable lives, and buying second-hand clothes is an obvious way to reduce their ecological footprint. Grade twelve Nepean High School student Theo Etzinger says that his use of the thrift store is partially aesthetically and economically motivated, but “also environmentally [motivated]; it’s just the best solution all around”. Etzinger is right, thrift stores enable teenagers to find a staple wardrobe piece for two dollars, simultaneously saving the approximate 5000 gallons of water that it takes to produce a new clothing item such as a cotton t-shirt.
Social media, a prominent feature in the lives of most teens, constantly bombards them with the same flashy ads promoting the same clothing fads. With the internet, massive international chain stores like H&M and Topshop are able to sell the same piece of clothing to millions of people across the globe. Often, this leads to the whole teenage age demographic wearing identical outfits, which showcases the power of the fashion industry, but hides the individual personalities of its consumers. However, wearing vintage or retro items that can only be found in thrift stores is a way for teenagers to exert their individuality and display their unique personalities through unique clothing. Many teens, including Etzinger’s classmates, Stuart Campbell and Zineb Nour, agree that the main appeal of the thrift store is the originality of the items that can be found there, and that “no one else can get the same thing”.
Anyone looking to expand their wardrobe with original items for a cheap price should look into visiting their local thrift store. Some Nepean student favourites include Value Village, St. Vincent de Paul, and Eva B in Montreal.