"Sale" Induced Over-Buying

There's something about hotel rooms that make me want to write. And so as I waited for a reasonable hour to go to sleep while at the Merignac/Bordeaux airport enroute to Canada, I began thinking about spending money on things I don't need - in this case clothing in particular.

With my "Buy Nothing Day" resolutions, my own unfortunate "sale" experiences, and while contemplating the "Black Friday" mentality, I came up with the notion of "sale induced over-buying". With discount retailers inundating the market, you would think that this would not be a problem. After all, on any day of the year, you are likely to find a "deal" albeit requiring some "shopping around". Perhaps the difference lies in the fact that on "Black Friday" the consumer believes that the best possible price is given no matter where one ends up shopping. Or is it the idea of "lost leaders", those items possibly marked below cost of production minimums that bring you to the store or website but once you are in, you end up buying many other items besides the lost leader? After all, the shopper can rationalize that since the lost leader cost almost nothing, he or she can afford to buy more. And that is how my thinking progressed and my idea of "sale-induced over-buying" began.

I then researched a smattering of both economic and psychological literature, where the following topics recurred: "buyers' remorse", the "paradox of choice", "addictive/compulsive buying behaviour" aka shopaholic along with some Marketing 101 terminology. I think there's a post in each of these.

My belief is that at the "over 50%" discount, consumers begin thinking, "at this price I should buy two or three or twenty", whether it be toilet paper or cashmere sweaters. A University of Southern California paper tells us that for regular mark-downs, "a large segment of the population . . . respond(s) to negligible discounts (as little as half of 1%)" and that the words "everyday low price" increases sales of the product exhibiting that sign. It may be the standard price for that particular store and it doesn't mean it has been marked down. So if consumers respond that significantly to insignificant reductions or no reduction at all, at what percentage will they overbuy? 

The way we think about retail pricing determines what we might overbuy at sale prices. If I am introduced to a product at a low price, it will be difficult for me to pay a higher price whereas if I only know a product at a high price, I won't mind paying it and anything lower will lead me to believe that I am getting a deal. This is what Introductory Marketing calls "internal reference prices" or the prices a consumer is willing to pay based on experience. Then comes the discount, which I suspect would have to be significant and range between 60% and 80% off before a rational person becomes irrational about the number of items he or she buys. As I write those numbers I have to remember that consumers also respond to negligible discounts of less than 1%. So the question still remains, what discount percentages provoke overbuying?

What should you do so that you do not become a victim of sale-induced over-buying?

Buy what you can use and not more . . .

1. Lost Leaders. Only buy the lost leader and only buy as many as you can use. If you want to give them as gifts, this is of course a good time to buy.

2. Never say, "this is such a good deal, I'm going to buy three (or however many) more". Buy what you can use. If you buy with storage in mind, consider the hoarding mentality, and ask yourself if it is really necessary.

3. Go to the storefront, auctions or online with a plan and stick to it. I have heard of those who go to auctions and get so caught up in the excitement of the moment that they come home with way more than what they originally set out to buy.

Or is it personality type that factors into overbuying? . . . a discounted price, a perceived need, a spendthrift mentality and there arises the circumstance to buy more than one really needs. I have never seen this idea clinically analyzed but maybe someone somewhere has already done this. Let me know if you have seen this literature or have done research of this kind. 

In the meantime, be careful about how many cashmere sweaters you buy!

Resources:

Scherhorn, Gerhard. The addictive trait in buying behaviour. Journal of Consumer Policy, 1990. Retrieved November, 30, 2014 from  http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF00411868#page-2

Bigne, Enrique, Ruiz, Carla, and Sanz, Silvia. The impact of internet user shopping patterns and demographics on consumer mobile buying behaviour. Journal of Electronic Commerce Research, 2005. Retrieved on November 30, 2014 from http://www.csulb.edu/journals/jecr/issues/20053/paper3.pdf

Lars Perner, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Clinical Marketing. Department of Marketing, Marshall School of Business, University of Southern California. Introduction to Marketing: Pricing. Retrieved on November 30, 2014 from http://www.consumerpsychologist.com/intro_Pricing.html

It's Frigid on the Prairies - the 2014 Version

Four more days in France with plus mid-teen Celcius temperatures and sunny skies with a smattering of rain and then it's back to the congélateur - the freezer, as my Port Ste. Foy neighbour has nicknamed what I call "home". November, 2014 has been frigid on the Canadian prairies with below normal temperatures, and an early snowfall that has been supplemented with yet more snow. Both the northern US and Canada are receiving record snowfalls and city administrators are claiming that snow removal budgets are already becoming depleted. Sigh. But I see the long range forecast promises me a mild minus 8 on our return. 

For the moment, what type of coat or jacket to wear when it is . . . 

-20 or more Degrees Celcius

Nice: Something that . . . holds in and maintains body heat, wicks away perspiration and is naturally water resistant, can be fashionably designed, and lasts for decades.

Reversible Shearling for Frigid Temperatures. Photo by JoyD.

In my mind, if it is minus 20, shearling is a natural choice that can keep you comfortably warm. See my post from December, 2013. My shearling has to be at least 20 years old now and I still love it in frigid temperatures. I am fond of the boxiness, the choice given by its reversibility and the length; yet there are those who would criticize it saying it has no style. To me, its functionality overrides the "style" factor and in fact, its plain lines are what has made it stylish every winter for the past twenty. It is heavy but there is a comfort in that heaviness. Now it is showing signs of wear and therefore . . .

Helmut Lang Shearling Jacket. Photo Source: Stylebop

Need: I will have to break down and buy another but I have been looking, online and otherwise, for the past two winters. This Helmut Lang shearling has possibility, although the designer price is a tad much for me at the moment. It might be spring before I save enough sheckles to buy it and by then, I will rationalize my procrastination for another year.

Necessary:  A functional, safe and warm pair of winter boots . . . but that's another post. I'll wait until I am back in Canada for that one.

Buy Nothing Day - November 28, 2014

NECESSARY

Buy Nothing Day is a Canadian-born day of protest and occurs the Friday following the US Thanksgiving holiday. Internationally it is acknowledged either on that day or on the Saturday following. It has been promoted by Adbusters magazine and I am happy to be observing the sentiment while in France. 

My tradition is to make economic resolutions in my spending life. My "Buy Nothing Day" resolutions for this year are:

1. To have a weekly "Buy Nothing Day".

2. To be more analytical with the contents of my closet and donate clothing whenever I want to buy something new.

3. To not buy anything "Made in China" or other countries with questionable labour practices.

I'll let you know how I've managed . . . 

and if you are interested, I have attempted to do this before (albeit less so) . . . 

What to Wear While Drinking Gluehwein

. . . that which keeps you warm at +5 Degrees Celcius

I was in Austria and Germany last week, visiting the Christmas markets. Traditional Christmas wares are for sale but more important is the food and beverages that people relish while standing near the food kiosks in the market. After experiencing the Salzburg market in Austria and the Augsburg market in Germany, the German rendition appears to be the more festive, insofar as food and drink is concerned! In Salzburg on a Sunday afternoon, I had a "bosna", two skinny sausages on a bun with onions and hot spices. Mulled wine is not a favourite of mine so I didn't have any "gluehwein" - pronounced "glue-vine". In Augsburg, I decided to do a comparative taste test of the bosna - for my taste, the German rendition won. But I'm supposed to be writing about what was being worn while browsing and carousing at the KristKindlMarkt.

Relative to a Canadian point of view the temperatures were mild, around the plus 5 Celcius (about 41 Fahrenheit) range during the day. Whenever in a situation where there is a mix of tourists and locals, the clothing choices will range from chic to ordinary. 

So what were people wearing at the Christmas market in Salzburg? 

Nothing special - just what would keep you warm anywhere in the world where the temperature was 5 degrees Celcius.

Salzburg Christmas Market, Sunday, November 23, 2014. Photo by JoyD.

Salzburg Christmas Market, Sunday, November 23, 2014. Photo by JoyD.

Salzburg Christmas Market, Sunday, November 23, 2014. Photo by JoyD.

We went to the market in Augsburg the evening of Monday, November 24th for the opening ceremonies and it seemed that all of Augsburg turned out for it. In fact there was even a Japanese film crew recording the event. I have no photos from the this market, which confirms that I was having too good a time and forgot about taking photographs.

Team Sport Apparel - "Naive" Perhaps, but still Inappropriate

No Thanks

While in France, I try to keep current with what is happening in Canada and I am surprised and slightly shocked that a Junior hockey team has resurrected a former mascot for nostalgia sake it seems. See the story in the Saskatoon Star Phoenix.

What we wear is open for interpretation by whoever meets us, without knowing who we are and without knowing what our philosophies are. Mascots, since they are emblazoned on sports team clothing, represent the wearers in some way, even though it may be frivolous.

In this case, the team decision makers have associated a questionable mascot with success and popularity from their past. This character suggests a male of Middle Eastern heritage wielding a hockey stick associated with the Raiders team name. In the 90s, the team had replaced him with a pirate, but now the former mascot has been returned. In recent times, North American sport team mascots have become more neutral with those having names associated with aboriginal peoples changed so that no offence is taken by any particular person of native ancestry.

How important is a mascot to the community and to the players? Presently any one of the players on the Raiders team is only old enough to know the pirate logo from direct experience. The community has a significant percentage of First Nations and a new, albeit small percentage of Middle Eastern descent. Who were the decision makers? . . . my speculation suggests it was those who are 50+ and not members with an association to an ethnic minority.

I imagine that the number of fans who will choose to wear this logo on their chests have not analyzed it completely. They may rationalize by saying, "Get a life, it's just a mascot, it's just a sport." That may be, but you can't discount the perceptions of others. The numbers in the stands will represent to the world whether naive nostalgia is more important than presenting a positive image. 

Rightly or wrongly so . . . here are a few quotes that reflect clothing, personality and philosophy . . . in this case, it is more the mascot than the clothes . . .

A man cannot dress, but his ideas get cloath'd at the same time. (Laurence Sterne) 

What a strange power there is in clothing. (Isaac Bashevis Singer) 

Every uniform corrupts one's character. (Max Frisch) 

Know, first, who you are; and then adorn yourself accordingly. (Epictetus) 

Carelessness in dressing is moral suicide. (Honoré de Balzac) 

Clothes can suggest, persuade, connote, insinuate, or indeed lie, and apply subtle pressure while their wearer is speaking frankly and straightforwardly of other matters. (Anne Hollander)

Clothes are never a frivolity:  they always mean something. (James Laver)

But then again, perhaps it is not the wearer but the viewer who perceives. . . 

Any affectation whatsoever in dress implies, in my mind, a flaw in the understanding. (Philip Dormer Stanhope)

Choice, a difficult attribute, . . .

Be careless in your dress if you will, but keep a tidy soul. (Mark Twain)

(Quotes retrieved November 19, 2014 from Quote Garden.)

. . . and then maybe it's just a marketing ploy . . . even negative reaction plays into marketing statistics . . .

Fashion Design Copies

I have often wondered how it is that designers can survive financially, considering all the copying that happens in their industry. In fact, it is because of the ability to copy that the fashion industry is as successful as it actually is. I only realized this after listening to Johanna Blakely's Ted Talk, Lessons from Fashion's Free Culture. It also gave me a new appreciation for designers who emblazon designer logos on their products. I have criticized logo-laden products in a previous post without knowing the point of view of the designer label. In a nutshell, designers have copyright protection for their logo but not for their designs. The basic reason for no design protection is that clothing is considered a necessary utilitarian commodity and therefore needs to be exempt from limitations so that manufacturers can produce clothing for the masses. After all, a shirt is a shirt and a pullover sweater is simply that.

Brian D in black patent Tory Burch Revas.

Johanna Blakely made me appreciate two things. First, I now understand why it is that designers strategically place their logos on their products. I have a new appreciation for Tory Burch's Reva flats and I take back any criticism I have ever made about overtly placed designer logos. The second is that it is the freedom to copy which drives those who create and ultimately make money.

Toward the end of the TedTalk, she illustrates the monetary statistics of those industries who are bound by copyright and those who are not.

Yet I appreciate the concept of copyright, particularly in the business of writing and particularly when my authorship is acknowledged.  

Seasonal Confusion

Irises blooming in November. Photo by JoyD.

It is November and I am accustomed to the snow and minus temperatures beginning about now and lasting well into April when I am in Canada. Being in the South-West of France for the month of November with temperatures in the mid-teens during the day, I am confused. And so are irises in my garden. I found two blooming near the composted soil in the back region of my garden in Port Ste. Foy on November 10th. It is not only the irises. My husband was pruning the lilac today (he was in shorts) and he found a few buds bursting with colour.

Choosing what to wear is a tad difficult since I do not have many transitional clothes here. I see people in boots and fur-trimmed hooded jackets, but to me, it is not nearly cold enough for that. As far as I am concerned, perhaps January or February warrants that type of clothing but at present I am still wearing transitional fall clothing. In fact, generally speaking, so far, the afternoon temperatures are a mild 10 to 15 degrees Celcius - those temperatures do not invite scarves and boots, at least in my mind; therefore I am confused about what to wear and what is considered acceptable winter apparel.

I began wondering what would constitute a transitional winter closet when the weather is coolish but not freezing. These points could also help you pack your suitcase if you are planning a fall/winter trip to Europe.

1. Socks and closed in shoes (no sandals)! Even though Canadians might think the afternoon temperatures here in France are warm enough to wear sandals or flats with no socks, everyone I see is wearing socks and closed in shoes. Boots are very popular!

2. Lightweight merino wool sweaters replace cotton t-shirts. I find cotton too light and fleece too warm.

3. It's time to pack away the linen pants. Think lightweight wool for trousers as well. Heavier weight stretch skinny pants can almost be too hot right now but they would be great as the temperatures get colder.

4. A wool or cashmere cape, jacket or coat or a lined all-weather coat. All-weather coats, with a zip-in lining, may be the answer. I do know that my leather jacket is not warm enough, especially in the coolness of the mornings.

5. Scarves - as many as you can afford! 

And always, think of layering as you plan your winter closet or suitcase.

5 Winter 2014/15 Trends That Could Cost You Nothing

1. Unbalanced Earrings: Now you know what you can do with the single earring you kept after losing the other! The 2014 winter single big earring trend has morphed into two unrelated earrings for spring 2015. I still believe you need something that brings an element of similarity between the two and you can achieve it asymmetrically. As you scroll through the photos on the Harper's Bazaar post, you will see that several designers featured a related-ness albeit in an unbalanced fashion. I too have suggested the asymmetrical look back in a post about jewellery trends for the winter of 2014. In the photo on the previous post I specifically designed the asymmetrical "Keys to My Heart" earrings and in the photo on this post, I recreated one of the vintage clip earrings into a long dangle for a friend in Victoria, B.C. You can easily pull off this look with what you finda in your stash of earrings, doubles or singles. 

Vintage earrings reworked by JoyD

to create an asymmetrical pair. Photo by JoyD.

2. Multiple Ring Trend: A ring on every finger or multiple rings on one finger can be a no cost trend this winter. Collect all that you have and then play at mixing and matching. If you have several rings in the same colour tone, all the better. Even the ones that no longer fit can be worn below the finger joint or on the thumb. I've never worn rings as a fashion accessory so therefore this one would cost me.

Photo Source: Vogue

3. Hair Trends: Clicking through the photos on the UK Glamour site hair appears to be pulled back and off the face, whether parted down the middle or sides or pulled straight back . . . the better to show off your asymmetrical earrings. Of course there are foreheads covered with swooped strands and messy tendrils front, side and back but the most of the looks are flat and slicked back.

4. Alpine/Nordic Sweaters: Sweaters are often "keepers" in our closets. Almost everyone I know in Canada has one of these sweaters packed away somewhere. We can't bear to get rid of them and luckily they can be considered classics or at the very least they come back as focused trends every few winters. Elle tells us that this is one of those winters. If you did donate yours to Goodwill, you just might have to buy another one and stash it (or wear regardless) in the off years.

5. Ponchos, Capes, Blanket Wraps, Shawls: Like the Nordic sweater, somewhere in your closet or closets you probably have something akin in this category. The Vogue "Under Wraps" post  illustrates a range of looks that you probably can mimic with something you already have, if not in your closet, perhaps on your couch.

Oversized Camel Cashmere Shawl.
Photo taken by ShirleyB while
in Bergerac, France.

(It is November 10th and this photo still reflects the weather in France. For my Canadian friends, I will be joining you soon in the snowy minus temperatures.)

The next time you peruse a fashion trend blog, think about . . ."In what ways can I adopt the look so that it costs me nothing?"

Rings Enhanced

Closet Choices: Rings

NICE          NOTE-WORTHY         NO THANKS

NICE: Rings on all fingers is the tendance/trend for jewellery in 2015 and Djula Joaillerie, Paris does it well. Of course they design earrings, bracelets and necklaces but the beauty of decorating the hands and fingers is taken to innovative, sophisticated levels. Triple rings joined by delicate chains extending through the length of the finger or crossing horizontally from the index finger with a centre crown for the middle finger attached to the ring finger with black diamonds or covering the finger tips with thimble adaptations or gold flames rising upwards from the base of the fingers toward the back of the hand - all bring a whole new perspective to the word "ring".

Djula 2014 Ad Campaign. Photo Source: www.djula.fr

NOTE-WORTHY 1: I remember seeing a ring for two fingers in a magazine in the fall of 2013. As with most trends, a teaser is sent out seasons before to determine what will fly and what doesn't.

NOTE-WORTHY 2: The designs to me are exquisite yet I probably will never own anything significant from Djula owing to the prices. There are small pieces that I could imagine indulging myself with but of course, the expensive pieces are what attract my eye.

NO THANKS: Although I love the look of hand chains, where the ring is attached to the bracelet with a chain crossing the back of the hand, it is a "no thanks" for me. I can't even give any good reasons why but I just wouldn't wear it. At the same time as I claim it to be a "no thanks", I adore the sunburst design of the hand chain in the Djula advertisement.

Remove those Security Tags

Situation #1: A young woman and her friends were shopping and upon leaving the store, the security alarm sounded - the subsequent interaction was embarrassing for all concerned. After many questions posed to her by the store manager, the answers to the following two questions revealed the problem: 

"Are you wearing anything that you bought recently?" Her look was blank at first followed by a red-faced positive response (she was wearing a new bra she had recently purchased at LaSenza in Canada). She was in another store at the time the alarm went off. "Did you remove the security tag from the article of clothing?" 

"What security tag?" she asked.

"There is a security tag sewn into a seam somewhere on something you are wearing and it must be removed because you may set off alarms as you did today."

Situation #2: My husband was wearing a new cashmere sweater and he visited the same shop wearing his sweater a day later. He set off the alarm. He was questioned but not searched and the security guard let him leave without too many questions since they recognized him from the day before. My husband related the experience and of course, I told him about the "bra" story. One happened in Canada; the other in France. Obviously there was no mention of security tags to either one of these people when they made their purchases.

Security Clothing Tag. Photo by JoyD.

Many people are setting off security alarms owing to the crime of not removing a security tag now being sewn into the seams of clothing. Of course the tag reads, "Please remove before wearing"; however, it is easy to not bother if you have never been in the habit of removing tags. You would think that these tags, when being de-magnetized as you are buying would stay de-magnetized. I don't know much about the intricacies of this technology but knowing human nature there will be many security alarms being set off until we become accustomed to removing these tags.

There are some sales personnel and clerks who are telling their customers about this and others of course who have not. Now you know!

So if you find yourself setting off security alarms when you go shopping, think about whether any article of clothing you are wearing and bought recently might have a security tag.

Fall Transition with a Shawl and a Blazer

Transitional Choices

Closet Content Analysis: a Shawl and a Blazer

  

NICE             NOTE-WORTHY

In Canada, the transition between seasons can be abrupt with shorts and sandal weather morphing into parka and boot weather without much warning. This year, however, the seasonal transition has been lovely with a great fall to ease us into winter and so it has also been here in France. It is the beginning of November and of course there is a crispness to the morning air but the sun shines and shirtsleeve choices can still be made. A denim jacket or a blazer is all I need for covering and if I stay in the sun for a bit, I am taking that off.

Camel shawl over
B&W print blazer
Photo by ShirleyB.

The two transitional clothing items for me in this moderate climate in the south-west of France are my:

NICE: Holt Renfrew cashmere shawl and . . .

NOTE-WORTHY: a blazer.

The shawl has served me well: on the plane, in an overly air-conditioned environment, on a cool summer evening, as a jacket in the fall and to cozy up indoors on a rainy or snowy winter night. The blazer functions in a variety of seasons: with a short-sleeve t-shirt on a coolish summer day or with a long-sleeve silk or cashmere top on a fall to winter day or with a crisp white shirt and wide leg linen pants or skinny jeans. The blazer immediately upgrades the look and the shawl gives an element of individuality.

My friend ShirleyB from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan took the photo as we were walking back to the car after having lunch at La Flambée in Bergerac.

Black and white floral blazer. Photo by JoyD.

Update (Nov.6, 2014): I received a couple of emails asking about the blazer. Here is a more detailed shot of the blazer I was wearing in the photo above. I was also wearing a wide leg linen pair of pants, a white v-neck t-shirt and a pair of black loafers.

Age Appropriate?

I don't like it when people say, "You're 45, so you should be wearing X and never Y". For me, dressing is about attitude, not age.

- Twiggy 

OK Twiggy, I'm over 45 and I do think that there are times that I should be "wearing X and never Y". I will agree that attitude plays a part but sometimes one's attitude can influence them to make inappropriate choices. As a teacher once told me, "Just because you can, doesn't mean you should".

For the most part, people are kind and will not criticize what you have chosen to wear. But what about the times when you or maybe someone else wants to say something, but doubt arises for a variety of reasons and so nothing is said? My mother used to voice the saying, "When in doubt, don't!" 

Here are some of the things that others have suggested people at a particular age should not wear.

Closet Choice: NICE OR NO THANKS?

Your Choice . . .

When and with what do we stop?

1. Skinny jeans/pants. I'm still wearing mine and I love them. I know more women who are 45+ wearing them than not. I don't see a problem. Should I? They are becoming a classic, a basic in the closet.

2. Short shorts or short skirts. I've given them up but there are others who haven't. Is this unreasonable?

My Favourite Jimmy Choos. Photo by JoyD's husband.

3. Heels. I have a pair of Jimmy Choo's. I love them. I wear them and I will wear them as long as I can; yet there are those who say high heels should be given up when you reach a particular age. My feet are in good shape - no fallen arches, no bunions and I have decent legs. I won't give up my heels until my feet tell me to.

4. Denim. Now I think this is ridiculous but someone somewhere put doubt in my mind. Where did I hear that after a particular age one should not wear denim? To me, this one is not debatable. In fact, I began watching for denim and it appears that is is the fabric of choice amongst the 50+ age group. Does this mean they are all wrong? Mind, there are a few questionable choices made by some, but for the most part denim is worn well by all those I see on the street. This too is an evolution of what is considered a classic.

5. Cleavage revealing tops. What is too old for those women who have great skin and beautiful cleavage and the attitude to pull it off?

OK Twiggy, I will defer to you . . . attitude does seem to be the discerning factor.

Canadians Wore Red on Friday, October 24th, 2014

The tradition of showing support by wearing colours, to demonstrate that we are united in mourning is a universal action that gives some measure of strength to those left behind. And so it was on Friday, October 24th when Canadians chose to wear red to show their respect to the soldier who died as he stood guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. 

Previously in the week another soldier, Warrant Officer Patrice Vincent, in Quebec was also killed. The assailants allegedly worked alone.

I am a Canadian in France and was touched by the expressions of sorrow that came from my French acquaintances, friends and neighbours. The butcher expressed his condolences to my husband and me, a neighbour came by to do the same . . . I was deeply touched. I felt the shock with the news release and, with being away, also felt helpless, almost isolated. It was the French who helped enhance my Canadian sentiments.

No matter where we are in the world, the lyrics in our national anthem, "we stand on guard for thee" were made even more poignant. Rest in Peace, Corporal Nathan Cirillo and Warrant Officer Patrice Vincent. 

What would happen if . . .

I recall a creative thinking exercise at a workshop I attended many years ago. The question posed to us was, "What would happen if all the cars in the world were painted yellow?" The consequences ranged from outright revolution to personal individualization. My response was that individualization would take place by adopting accessories for the cars that would likely reflect the extreme, bizarre and eccentric depending upon the personality type of the car owner.

And so it is with fashion. I can imagine the same exercise being presented in design classes. We all wear clothing and if we were all mandated to wear black, you can imagine the accessories that would develop.

What would happen if everyone was mandated to wear black ?

Given that there would be variations with the clothes themselves but since all is black, accessories would become more important to illustrate one's individuality (think of Fred Butler designs.) . . .

the belt . . . belts would probably evolve much differently than what we see now. They might extend upward and downward in such a way that would not only embellish the torso but extend into decorative trains and wings.

Coral, silver & black statement necklace by JoyD.
Photo by JoyD.

the jewellery . . . fashion costume jewellery would abound and I suspect choices, such as the ones Iris Apfel makes, would be the norm. More facial (for example: nose rings, eyebrow decoration) and more elaborate and unconventional ear jewellery would also evolve.



the bag . . . purses would probably not be much different since their function is the same and does not necessarily have a direct impact on the clothing worn.



footwear . . . similar to bags, shoes would also not develop differently than they are now, except our choices would probably lean toward what would be considered more eccentric and most certainly there would be more colour. There is no shortage of bizarre footwear presently.

Photo Source: Parasite 

frames for eye-glasses . . . designs like Parasite would be the norm and glasses would be viewed in the same way jewellery is by everybody who needed to wear corrective lenses. 

Photo Source: Just Posh Masks

In fact, decorative eye masks (See Just Posh Masks) would probably develop for special occasions.


hats and hair accessories . . . once again creative extensions of what exists today but bolder and bigger.



gloves . . . the long and short of it; obviously more colourful and certainly more decorative.

Chica Blue Shawl handmade by C. Murphy.

Photo by JoyD. 

the scarf, shawls, capes . . . colourful combinations would predominate with large and larger sizes coupled with ingenious ways of tying them.

tattoos . . . definitely more people would have tattoos that would be larger, more colourful and probably in more conspicuous places.

I have never taught in a design school but I'm thinking that this exercise would elicit curious and creative results.

I just may use an adaptation of this exercise for my own design purposes: what would happen if . . . 

Fashion Week Street Style Possibilities

Closet Content Analysis: Street Style 


Choices: Eccentric, Fashionable, Trendy or Stylish? 

The end of October is near and the hype of the Fashion Weeks, essentially September, over the world is now a memory, albeit in anticipation for the next season. For me, I have barely gotten over Summer 2014 and the fall fashion shows have shown Summer 2015 styles. The schedules for the 2015 fall and winter shows, which come in early 2015, are already posted. It's hard to know what you should be wearing when. That being said, this post is more about "street style" rather than the new designs. 

I have looked at a vast variety of "fashion week street style" photographs from New York to London to Milan to Paris and have concluded that there are five categories of people being photographed:

but of course . . . 

- the rich or famous socialites

-  show business types; 

- those who work in the fashion industry;

- media types including fashion bloggers, editors and cohorts of fashion magazines; 

- the anonymous fashionistas who hope to be photographed

This is not such an astute summation.

There certainly are some "creative" combinations.  I know, I know . . . the point is to get noticed and perhaps even be credited with starting a "trend". The looks range from the bizarre, which are destined to be adopted by adolescents or eccentrics, to the classic and tailored, which can be worn by anyone any age anywhere.

Since the photographs all require permission owing to copyright, I do not have any photos on this post, but I have linked to several websites that illustrate my take on NO THANKS and NICE. So whether eccentric, trendy, stylish or fashionable, you' can determine what you believe is a NICE or a NO THANKS.

NO THANKS: To me, Anna Della Russo is a prime example of eccentric. Perhaps I will eventually work toward eccentric; then again maybe not. One street style photograph shows her choice of long sleeved red top, turquoise blue appliquéd skirt and baby blue platform heels. One more photographic reference to prove that you have to be rich and work in the industry to get away with this sort of thing. Mind, in the photographs I have seen of her, it is very obvious that I simply do not like her chosen style.

NO THANKS 2: Susie Bubble in Milan, to me has an almost clownish effect with her oversize yellow and grey knit, covering a pink top and print skirt, and lime green runners. Entering this world as Susanna Lau, she is now the successful fashion blogger of Style Bubble, from the UK, and is better known as Susie Bubble.

NICE: Nicole Warne, on the other hand, looks beautiful in classic styling in the photograph shown on the Harpers Bazaar website. But I am partial to black, white and beige. Again, Nicole Warne, this time in white, grey and black. A woman after my own heart - a blogger with classic fashion sense who did well.

NICE 2: Then there was Leila Yavari, Stylebop's fashion director, on the Vogue site in Milan: very nice!

I love the variety, the eccentric and even the mundane that we choose to wear and I am grateful to all the photographers who have taken to the streets to illustrate what a wild and wonderful world fashion is.

I Left the Shop

Have you ever left a shop when you wanted to buy? What motivated you to leave the shop and leave the purchase behind? Here's my story . . .

Today, I was in Brantome (Dordogne, France) and saw a luxe three-quarter length cape/jacket. I would have purchased it immediately; however this is what happened.

I walked into the shop and there were two people, one man and one woman, sitting in comfortable armchairs. I said, "Bonjour" and the man responded. I told him the store was "magnifique"; he acknowledged. The woman sat there without any acknowledgement. There was a "fall" jacket/cape that I wanted to try on but it was in an awkward position. I struggled for a moment or two, trying to retrieve the jacket to try it on. The man advised me that he could send the piece by post if needed (he obviously deduced that I was a foreigner and made an assumption), the woman talked about accessories that would go well with the piece. Neither person acknowledged my struggle or anticipated that I wanted to try it on before I would buy. I left without trying it on and hence, without buying.

How many sales are jeopardized by what sales associates say or do? In the case described, these were probably the owners, all that had to be done was for one of them to take the jacket off the rack from their angle and once I had it on, I know I would have purchased it. Neither had the foresight to do that.

In another situation, this time in Canada, I loved the dress. I knew it looked it good. What's not to look good, it was a sheath dress in a size 4 (I now wear a larger size). The sales associate said, "I don't like blue". OK, I thought . . . it doesn't matter what you like. After I changed to try on something else, she took the dress away, out of my sight - mistake #1. I tried on the second dress, a print. She then began telling me how great the print looked on me and how awful the blue was - mistake #2. I liked the blue. I did not like the print. I left without buying the one I liked or the one I didn't like.

I have been a sales associate in a high end women's apparel shop. We were trained to mimic the shoppers' responses to whatever they tried on without talking too much. It worked. As a sales person I stood in the mirror with the customer; she touched the neckline, I touched my neckline; she motioned toward the hem and made a comment, I motioned toward my hem; she shrugged and then affirmed with a nod, I shrugged and then nodded. Voila. A sale was made. I probably did not say more than 10 words through the whole process and none opposed what the customer said herself. But then again, none were over the top compliments. I recognize the strategy when sales associates use it on me and I am impressed if they use it at all. It smacks of neuro-linguistic programming. Whether it is or not, I do not know, but it is a strategy of some sort and it worked for the most part.

Have you ever left a shop without buying? It would be interesting to read about your positive and negative sales experiences . . .

ITSO - In the Style Of . . . JackieO

Fashion you can buy, but style you possess.

The key to style is learning who you are, which takes years.

There's no how-to roadmap to style.

It's about self-expression and, above all, attitude.

- Iris Apfel

Photo Credit: Wenn.com via Celebrity Gossip

According to Styleblazer, Kim Kardashian's signature style is a blazer and skirt or long bottom combo. Styleblazer writes, "her daywear pretty much consists of a blazer, blouse, and pants or leggings". I never knew. And in the same Styleblazer post, Eva Longoria is allegedly associated with the sheath dress as her signature style. Now I know. I have something in common with Kim Kardashian and Eva Longoria. Well let's not stop there, Ciara loves black and white. Gosh, darn, what a coincidence, so do I.

Now, the same website accuses Kardashian of stealing looks but that indicates that if you are a celebrity (albeit reality tv status), you can be accused of "stealing a look" just by wearing a similar piece of clothing after another celebrity has worn that clothing item first? Hmmm? But that isn't the beginning. Perhaps Kim, Eva and Ciara, along with many other celebrities, were influenced by Jackie Kennedy Onassis or Audrey Hepburn or ________________ (put in your own style icon from the past).

Photo Source: eonline; Retrieved October 6, 2014

Recently married (to George Clooney), Amal Alamuddin is featured comparatively, photo to photo with Jackie O, as a woman who has adopted the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis look. Which comes first, the similarities to celebrities/style icons or the innate predisposition of what one likes and feels comfortable in? Mind, the photos comparing Alamuddin to Onassis illustrate colour and style similarities which might be criticized as stretching the concept just a tad. Just because Alamuddin wore black and white, she is compared to Onassis who favoured black and white - OK? When I wear black and white I seldom think of Jackie Onassis. Back to Alamuddin, the wedding gown was interestingly similar in style to Jackie Kennedy's, if not in fabric. Check out eonline photos for the style comparisons.

Photo Source: Gamma Rapho, 1969 via

Huffington Post

Jackie O's style definitely affected my mother and I recall a pale blue sheath dress, which my mother wore, that had the look that Jackie O exemplified. I found a photograph of the dress posted by another blogger, Retrogran, who wrote a series of 7 posts summarizing Jackie O's style. Somewhere along the line of living and working and dressing I have clothing combinations that can be compared to Jackie O as can Kim Kardashian and Eva Longoria. Who knew? Certain items have been staples in my wardrobe forever and I suppose I can call black and white, blazer and trousers and sheath dresses elements of my signature style, which essentially probably originated with my mother's passion for the Jackie look.

There you have it . . . ITSO Jackie O.

What is your style, how did it develop and how is it developing? Does it take years as Iris Apfel alleges?

Here are 3 elements that eventually evolve into whatever your style is:

1. Comfort . . . Not so much what is comfortable, but what do you feel comfortable wearing? In other words, stilettos may not be comfortable physically speaking, but if you are a stiletto kind of gal, you may be even less comfortable, psychologically, not wearing them.

2. The Look . . . As Dolly Parton quipped, "It costs a lot of money to look this cheap." What is the look that you love? Is it bold colours and big jewellery ITSO (In The Style Of) Iris Apfel; cowgirl punk ITSO recent Vanessa Hudgens; lady chic ITSO Audrey Hepburn; goth ITSO black clothes and heavy eyeliner . . .

3. Attitude . . . when you wear a particular outfit, how does it make you feel? If you feel frumpy, dowdy and like a shlep when wearing something, don't adopt it as your style. Choose the clothing that makes you feel self-confident, strong and ready to take on the world.

Women at Grocery Store Wardrobe

When l review the search engine words that bring you to this blog, I am sometimes amazed at the words and phrases that actually get you here. Over the past week, one of the phrases intrigued me and that was "women at grocery store wardrobe". 

How was it that this particular phrase brought someone to my blog? And what exactly was this person looking for?

Was he or she looking for examples of what women wear when they are grocery shopping? Or was it someone curious about people who buy most of their clothing at grocery stores, such as Joe Fresh at Superstore in Canada or Tissaia at E.Leclerc or Tex at Carrefour in France? What exactly was the person wanting to find with the search phrase, "grocery store wardrobe"?

It did make me think and it did motivate me to write this post.

Interpretation 1: What are women wearing when they go to the grocery store? Insofar as grocery stores go, I can't imagine that this particular destination inspires women to wear a particular style of clothing. The grocery store is a destination only because of necessity and does not have specific wardrobe requirements. On the way home from work, dashing out to pick something up, or making a weekly replenishment of supplies hardly deserves a specific wardrobe. However, thinking about my past, I do remember my mother getting "dressed" to go shopping. That was the sixties and seventies and as a "housewife" her weekly shopping trip was in fact an occasion of sorts. In fact my mother did "dress" for this shopping trip, which included the grocery store in addition to other shopping. Now, what did she wear? I don't recall but I do know she never just dashed out to pick up a few things and so sweat pants, t-shirt and runners never would have been something she wore to go "shopping".

I have previously written about Sarah Turnbull's experience in her book Almost French (2004) when her husband suggested that she not go to the bakery dressed in her "gymnastic pantaloons". If the expectation for me as a consumer is to dress to show respect for the vendor, then of course, I would expect particular dress from the vendors. It does seem the way in France, but even that is changing with more casual dress for all concerned, especially in the country.

Interpretation 2: Or was the search phrase aimed at styles that could be chosen from the grocery store aisles? I have been known to pick up Joe Fresh t-shirts at Superstore in Canada and linen or cotton shorts and t-shirts at Leclerc in France but that would be about all. Perhaps there are women and men who choose to buy their entire wardrobes from the grocery store. Is it possible? I suppose it might be depending upon your lifestyle.

Interpretation 3: Or was the person looking for something akin to the site featuring the bizarre dress of shoppers at a particular American department store (Walmart). Goodness knows, I have never seen anyone wearing anything near what is posted on that particular site. Where in the world of Walmarts are the photographers getting these shots? Mind, the last time I was in a Walmart in Canada, it was because I heard that they stocked Bonne Maman jam.

I still am perplexed and certainly curious about exactly what that person was searching for.