As 2020 draws to a close, we can affirm without question that Covid-19 changed everyone’s life from the intimacy of a family to the larger issues of economic stability. The politicizing of this illness has taken its toll on our mental health and our ability to withstand the virus.
Even today, we can get caught unprepared when we dare to sneak out to shop or go to the market and look around at people in masks. We marvel at young children who were often afraid of Santa Claus or clowns but have readily adapted to seeing people in masks and learned the silent language of detecting our intent with our faces nearly covered.
We cover the fashion industry which is a huge driver of power, dollars and influence. Not only do we personally find talking and writing about style interesting, it is one of the largest employers of women worldwide, from picking cotton to designing the most elegant of gowns. Women, like Anna Wintour and others, have been able to remain in power in a beauty dominated universe, long past when they would have been marginalized in other industries. An interesting conundrum.
Like so many others, the fashion industry was decimated. Major retailers such as J.Crew and Neiman Marcus declared bankruptcy. According to a recent Fashionista report:
“We saw factories shutting down, retailers cancel and/or fail to pay for orders (which, in many cases, resulted in already-underpaid garment workers not getting paid at all) and wholesale brands have to suddenly pivot to online, direct-to-consumer models. Meanwhile, slashed advertising and marketing budgets meant mass layoffs and furloughs at brands, media giants like Condé Nast and at major PR agencies — not to mention retailers. Oh, and influencers had to take a break from posting glamorous vacation content and likely lost out on revenue as retailers slashed commissions on affiliate links.”
During this pandemic, some business gained even more wealth, while others were forced to shut down. To some extent, anything and everything driven by the Internet gained traction. For days and weeks at a time, for many of us, our solace from and hunger for the world beyond our own pod was defined by on-line activity. Got something to sell, you had a market, and millions ready and willing to buy.
The In Influencer today
One interesting example is that select celebrities flourished this year. Look at Travis Scott as an example. For those of us not in the know, Travis is a 28-year old rapper who recently fathered a child with Kylie Jenner, a name you must know even if you have been renting the Unabomber’s cabin in the woods. Again, according to the recent Fashionista report:
“Travis Scott is coming for Virgil Abloh’s title as the collaboration king. This year alone, he released capsules with McDonald’s, Mattel’s Hot Wheels, Fortnite, Houston Rockets, Nerf and Uninterrupted. Forbes put the rapper on the cover of its “30 Under 30” issue, calling him “corporate America’s brand whisperer.”
And Scott really does move product: Drops from his Cactus Jack shoe label (a sub-brand of Nike’s Air Jordan line) consistently sell out and demand high prices on resale sites. StockX even dubbed Scott the year’s “collab king.” (On average, his sneakers sell for 370% above retail on the platform. For comparison: The average Yeezy brand sells for 60% above retail.) The Travis Scott Effect applies to apparel, merch and other collectibles as well, making “Travis Scott” the second biggest streetwear brand on StockX, trailing only Supreme. Plus, 95% of those items sell for above retail. Imagine selling anything at 370% above retail!
Guess how much?
This coming year, we may finally be able to open our closets and actually choose something to wear when we can go out again and see friends. What will our relationship look like with real clothes? Have we changed our minds about fast fashion, $2,000 coats, a new black dress (how many do you actually need?) or will we happily and slowly return to our old ways. One industry that has flourished in the quiet of the pandemic has been the greening of manufacturing in fashion. We will focus on a number of companies early in 2021 that are leading the way.
In the meantime, check out the Plus Three Rule, and see if this doesn’t give you hope as we return from the abyss. To update your wardrobe without spending a fortune, look to accessories. Accessories, shoes and layers can update your look, and, while they are often practical as well, they can add new energy to your go-to outfits. Here is a list of suggestions that we like:
Take the little black dress that we all have and have worn a zillion times. Add a shiny pendant, and a belt and maybe add red shoes instead of the go-to black heels.
A blue or black blazer can dress up any outfit, especially jeans. Consider adding some Bam with hoop-like or other fun earrings and maybe a colorful scarf and some chunky necklace.
At a certain point, leggings look best on women of a certain age if they are topped with an over the derriere sweater or shirt. To update this look, add an interesting vest, then add Audrey Hepburn sunglasses. And to top it off, add ankle socks with colorful flats.
And there you have it. The PLUS THREE RULE. It is simple and fun and inexpensive. It updates your look. For more ideas, check out INSTYLE Magazine, on line.
Hopefully, we will soon be able to go out and meet friends and dine out and actually see each other’s faces when we laugh and smile. In the meanwhile, stay safe and well. Happy Holidays to you all.
Lucy and Claudia