💙 Not Just Trends – plus Oscars Take 2022

How about the Oscars 2022?  Lots of opinions. The expression of appropriate attire varies so widely. Every year, the gowns: The Vanguardists, The Traditionalists, The Reliables, The Romantics, and the What Could They Possibly Be Thinking. Ingenues putting a new spin on The Pink or Blush-Colored Gown. Some carefully updated Old Hollywood Glamour. Black as the new black. Some hits and misses with neon bright colors. Everyone in better attire and looking more comfortable at the after party.

Which brings us to the subject of today’s post: the use of more vintage and sustainable materials, seen at the Oscars. Think trends sell?  Trends move fast, moving faster and faster, becoming outdated fast. Try selling bell sleeves now compared to a few years ago. But what is wrong with bell sleeves?  Well, they’re dated now. They still may be wearing bell sleeves from a few years ago but they’re not buying them now. When you are seeing an item in a thrift store, such as a sweater with bell sleeves, very often, it’s outdated. Looking back a few years from now, the Oscar gowns with cut outs are going to look very 2022, yes?

That is why the best bet is to look for condition, material and brand when sourcing pre-owned clothing items. Seen so many items that are great but they’re not in good condition, so it’s a no go. When a clothing item is made of good materials, it’s more comfortable to wear. So many designer items are made of poor materials, the cheap out for the quick buck. Just no. Brands serve as a shortcut for many of us. Brands tend to offer consistent sizing.  If a consumer already has a brand they wear consistently, looks good on them and has consistent sizing, they’ll shop that brand again and again. You can reverse this theory too:  pre-owned is a way to try new brands, at low cost.

There are so many brands, the subject of another post.