Gone were the days when fashion was for the elite and given importance on just special occasions. Thanks to the introduction of retail stores that cater to any person’s budget and the internet, fashion is now pretty much accessible by almost anyone. It has now become part of everyone’s daily lives from dressing up for work or a high profile event in the city (Juan 1).
Yet as fashion immersed people’s lives, the culture of what is in and trendy has emerged as well. Fashion is ever changing and all is to blame on fashion trends. These trends dictate the current must haves and the “It” items this season or an estimated time of 6 months. They have created this notion of materialism in society and even to the point of obsession. Terms such as “reccesionista” or “looks for less” which means being stylish on a budget have been coined, indicating the ever prevailing need to be fashionable despite the ongoing economic crisis. Moreover, people still actually splurge on articles of clothing and do not in mind the price tag that come with. Whether it be designer goods from Chanel and Prada or to the clothing racks of high street stores H&M and Zara, there is still bound to be a cult following and demand for it.
However, these trends just do not come out of nowhere. There is actually a whole process or cycle on how these fads come to be. For this whole craze to kick off, it obviously must be the spotted first. This stage, which is referred to by the American Marketing Association or AMA as “distinctiveness” phase of the cycle is the time where in the trend is most coveted. Usually this part is when certain styles such as bohemian, military-chic and certain pieces of clothing or accessories like sheer-overlays, oversized clutches, or clogs are seen on the red carpet and the runway shows especially of the notable fashion cities, particularly New York, Milan and of course Paris. The second step or the emulation phase as the AMA calls it , is when...