I’m fascinated by trends. It’s not that I want to be trendy myself per se; from my perspective dad jeans are always chic. They cover up the dad-bod and fit the dad budget–and that is timeless. What intrigues me is how the idea du jour develops, gains momentum, becomes ubiquitous, then fades quietly into oblivion. Vogues ebb and flow in and out of our collective unconscious like the seasonal winds. Where do they come from? How did they start? How strong will they be? Nobody knows for sure.
Wide legged pants for example are making a reappearance in our culture. They were pervasive 50 years ago and made another brief appearance in the ’90’s. When they’re “in” they’re completely captivating, and when they’re “out” they’re heinous. Now here’s the bigger befuddlement: there’s an unfortunate economic epidemic that coincides contemporaneously with increased airflow around the lower leg region of a fully-clothed society. Science has yet to uncover any causation whatsoever, yet the coincidence is too perfect to be ignored.
Bell bottomed pants and stagflation have been seen more often than not in one another’s company. I’m hoping that the latter doesn’t take any root in our economy this decade, but the signs of it’s emergence are clear. Consumer Confidence just dropped another 12% this month. Wage inflation has declined 0.7% with this most recent survey. Consumer Spending slowed 0.1% over the last 30 days. And with the most recent tariffs announced on foreign autos, expectations for rising inflation are now higher than they were back when prices were rising by 9% annually.
You may enjoy a good wide-legged jean, but nobody likes the combination of rising prices, contracted production, and slowed spending. So if only out of a concern for the greater good of the American economy, my fashion vote stays firmly planted in camp daddy denim, accessorized by a comfy sneaker and loosely-fitted graphic tee. Long live practicality!
