All talk and no action!  No, I am not talking about politicians.  I’m talking about the Fashion industry.

Over and over again reviewing the latest spring fashion trends for this report, I read words such as conserve, reuse, and repurpose to help preserve the resources of the earth.  Except for shoes made out of some sort of corn product, I did not see any suggestions from the Fashion Industry on how to go about this.  I doubt they would profess the Jane Fonda’s personal assertion that she was just not going to buy clothes again as I heard her say at one of her recent climate change protects in Washington D.C.

Oddly enough, the same time I researched current fashion trends, I started reading Julie Summers’, “Fashion on the Ration,” a book about British fashion efforts during World War II.  Among other things, Summers writes about reusing fabrics from a variety of sources such as flour bags for shirts and used parachute silk for “undies,” as well as reconstructing garments for younger members of the family. British women even made special little purses to carry their gas masks.  Amazingly, Britain during this time encouraged women to dress well in an effort to elevate the country’s morale during these horrific times.  There is something to be said about when we dress well, we feel well.  I am reading this book as part of the research I am doing on my next ladies-of-a-certain-age mystery, “Murder and a Victory Garden.”

Of course, in this country women have been reusing material and reconstructing garments throughout our history, particularly as the country was being settled and through World War II.  In the other book I am writing, “Paths – a Primer for Ladies-of-a-Certain-Age,” I define two groups of women baby boomers: those born between 1946 and 1954 and the group born between 1955-1964.  I refer to both groups as “Boomer Babes,” but make the distinction of how different they are in many ways due to the rapid socioeconomic changes that happened. The first group will remember these clothes and maybe how their mothers and other women talked about nylon being severely rationed for war efforts and the black market for nylon stockings. I remember my mother talking about using an eyebrow pencil to make lines on the backs of her legs to imitate the line of nylon stockings. 

Personally, I am very skeptical that the fashion industry will encourage us to reuse and conserve, and I am skeptical that many of us will want to or even know how to. However, research shows we love to shop consignment and thrift stores.    But, no doubt about it climate change will continue to impact fashion.  The coronavirus is interrupting resources for materials and workers, let alone the Fall Fashion Week. Who knows, like in Briton during World War II, we might all be carrying little pouches for masks!

For most ladies-of-a-certain-age today the focus is on casual clothing since many are no longer in the workforce and have moved to retirement communities.  Although still invisible, we do see more ladies-of-a-certain-age in prominent positions and in the media.  They certainly are slowly bringing down the veil that has covered our age group in this country.

Before writing my fashion blog each season, I visit my local Target store. (We only have one in the small Western Colorado city where I live.) I visit Target because I find it a great example of all the latest fashions and colors, and because there is a store in almost every city where my readers live.  Also, I scour many websites that feature the latest fashion trends and list these sites at the end of the blog or provide a link. After doing all of this I review some basics, summarize the hot trends as I see them, list the most popular colors for the season, and finally, reveal “what’s in my closet.”  The spring and fall fashion report blogs are some of the most popular for readers.

First, let’s review some basics:

• Support your sister – no judgment of what other ladies-of-a-certain age wear.
• We all have a fashion personality and we naturally gravitate to certain styles.

If you don’t know yours, here’s a fun fashion personality quiz:

• We all have a color season if you will, and we look our best when we wear these colors.

If don’t know your season, believe me, it is worth your time to find out

Hot trends:

I did not find any outstanding trends this season.  Fashion seems to be all over the place; for example narrow cut and flared leg pants are both in vogue, and the colors this season seem odd to me; for example there is only one Pantone green, a shade I associate with fall, and few pastels.  It seems like the whole world and our country is topsy-turvy. 

• Trench coats
• Jean jackets
• Pleats
• Dots
• Crocheted items (probably nothing your grandmother ever made!)
• Bra tops (yep!)
• Hot pants (aka – short shorts – remember the song?)
• Large purses
• Straw handbags
• Chokers
• Pearls
• Bright floral and beaded colored earrings (give your silver and gold ones a break)
• Bright colors – reds, oranges, coral, yellows, browns and lots of blues, a green that looks like turquoise
• Loafers
• Sneakers
• Platforms
• Mules
• Flats
• Strappy sandals
• Stacked heels and high heels
• Collar fronts  like the Count of Sesame Street wears
• Peplum sleeves
• Head bands and hair clips

Sharing my 2019 fall fashion choices: What’s in my closet

• I always “shop my closet, first,” and do a little “tiding” while I am at it.  I am a huge fan of Maria Kondo and recycling.  What doesn’t bring me joy anymore, I put in my donation bag to my favorite thrift store. My closet is full of traditional casual style of clothes in “winter” colors.
• I must admit – Conserve and preserve is easy for me.  Yes, I am in that first group of women and came from a family that was very financially prudent.  (I am so grateful they taught me those lessons.) But …. I have a tendency to hang on to things.

Frankly, I look shabby at times.  I hate to admit how old my trench coat and jean jacket are.  We have had wonderful adventures.  I am not shopping for new ones in my favorite consignment shops.  I have seen lots of these types of coats in these stores.  Yes, I will wash or dry clean them.  I always do.  With the virus, it is even more important than ever. 

• Since most of my days include yoga and pickleball, I am planning on buying a couple of pairs of sport knit capris. 
• I hope to find t-shirts in the only colors I like this season – Pantone’s Chive and Grape Compote. 
• From the yoga studio or the pickleball court, I often go someplace where I don’t want to look like I just came from there.  I’ll throw on a denim jacket and a beaded chocker I have had for years.
• My navy blue Hobo bag would have been perfect this season.  But, it looks worn and is going in my donation bag.  I did buy a big leather gray Ralph Lauren bag (retail originally around $500) at Goodwill for $50. I took it on a trip and found it to be too heavy.  It is a great bag for air travel.  I am looking for another find.
• I didn’t realize how many “in-style” shoes I had until I went through my closet.   So I won’t be buying any this season.
• Nail polish is not in my closet.  I will buy a new bottle of Rose Pedal polish by Sally Hansen because it stays on and is plant based. I do get pedicures because I have several in-grown toe nails.  Pedicures are great for ladies-of-a-certain-age for a variety of reasons, including the thickening of nails and flexibility. 

• List of  web sources:
• Chicos
• Harper Bazaar
• Whowhatwear
• Jjill
• Elle
• Freshproduce
• Sally Hansen
• Vogue
• Nordstrom
• Soft Surroundings

Copyright – Elizabeth J. Wheeler, March 5, 2020.