DIY and The Economy

<---dumb Proenza Schouler tissue tee for $325 <--smart: Seven for All Mankind sequin jacket $495 (kidding--you could buy that thing at H&M for much less) -->LaRok's interpretation of reality is funny.

I went to Saks and Barney's today to browse pretty things I couldn't buy (though Saks was having yet another 40% off sale). In my promenade among soft satins and busy beads, I realized that the trends nowadays are quite extreme and indulgent, reflecting consumers' needs to feel satisfied when dropping $400 on a top. Nobody wants a T-shirt from The Row that looks the same as one from H&M. They want beads, faux fur, leather and feathers. At Saks, it felt as though if a shirt wasn't beaded, it had ruffles poured all over. Plain leggings are rare compared to pleather ones, or perhaps a pair with intricate gold prints and enough zippers to permanently chafe me. Designers are being forced to go to the extreme to make consumers feel like they are indulging themselves when they're buying something.



On another note, at Barney's I saw feather and bow headbands that I realized I could make by buying feathers and glue at Jo-Anne Fabrics or something. Much cheaper, and really, it means more to make your own accessories.
I even saw a dress by Vena Cava that was really cute with a black, stringy trim stitched all over. I felt like that $500 dress could have been a product of my late night frustration with a needle and thread. Winter term in Hanover will be my time for experimenting with cheapo products and making them look expensive. Aka I'll be starting my own personal Forever 21.