Seven Year Trend Cycles
God, in his infinite wisdom, has woven certain rhythms into the fabric of our world. One of them is the seven year cycle. Who can forget in the Laura Ingalls Wilder classic The Long Winter (Little House)
Does that affect what you wear? I think it does. Recently I took another analytic look at Suzie Woodward’s fashion cycles (which we last discussed in June of 2009). If I assume a seven year trend cycle, rather than the five years Suzie suggests, the three silhouettes fall right in place with what I’ve experienced, say, in the last forty years.
- we are now solidly in a sophisticate cycle (in 2007, we were debating whether we would wear baby doll tops, jeans tucked into boots, or leggings).
- prior to this, we were in a separates cycle (think Clinton and Stacy)
- most of the ’90s was characterized by the “saucy” cycle. And puffed sleeves.
- following the seven year cycle back, puts the sophisticate cycle back in the days of Michael Jackson’s Thriller and the TV show Dynasty. Right where it belongs.
- Prior to that was another separates cycle, from the mid-1970’s to the early ’80s.
I don’t remember much prior to that. 
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When Trends End
How to spot a trend nearing its expiration date:
a popular piece is increasingly burdened with laborious design embellishments.
Here at The Space Between My Peers, I publicize my own mistakes in hopes you will not have to repeat them. For example, a couple of years ago, I bought a funky pink velvet blazer. I love the color, but the buttons and pockets and ruffles have made it a less-than-stellar investment (although I didn’t spend much). Simpler would have been better.
How does that relate to today? Boots!
After I bought the boots pictured here, with my birthday money, I started searching the internet for comps. Apparently this knee-high boot super-cycle is very mature; shoppers searching for an elegant, classic pair will be paying bank. Or shopping thrift! That is the upside: when a trend is mature, it is usually abundantly available in thrift stores.
Here are some of the more tortured offerings to be found:
For more information about any of the pictured boots, click on the picture. Don’t let me dissuade you. They are all under $100. Except the ones I bought; unfortunately, they are no longer available.
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What to Wear to the Office Christmas Party
The number one search term cluster leading googlers to this site is indicated by the title above. And the number one choice of most American women for the evening holiday party is the LBD, aka Little Boring Dress. So I challenged myself to produce a list of color alternatives. If I were Great, Grand Fashionplate, the gathering would look like a Christmas tree; each woman would be an ornament.
Color possibilities:
- white
- metallic
- one of many reds
- purple
- midnight blue
- forest green
- teal
- royal blue
- cobalt
On a scale of one to ten, identify your preference: blending in or standing out?
If your preference is strongly “blending in” AND you look good in black, by all means wear it. PLEASE — no cleavage and no thighs! Oh, and strapless only works if it stays solidly in place.
Click on picture for more info about any of the dresses pictured. The first one is only plus size. Most of them are on sale!
Btw, the hero caught me building this post and offered to buy the paisley one for me for Christmas. 
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Sarah Palin’s Legs?
Recently I was checking my referral stats, something I haven’t done in well over a year, and noticed a rather surprising cluster of search terms - having to do with Sarah Palin, and specifically her legs. Riddle me this: what do googlers expect to find here when they click on over from that search?
(Since I get the majority of my news from internet and radio, I confess I had not noticed the resemblance between Christine O’Donnell and Sarah Palin. Nor do I make much of it. IMO, they are both sporting a look which works for their physicality, their personality, and their politicality. lol)
I confess, I have wondered who Sarah Palin’s stylist was and what her wardrobe philosophy might be. So I looked it up.
Forbes published an article last December, which included the following advice from stylist Lisa Kline:
Edit Your Closet
The first thing Kline does is go through a new client’s existing wardrobe to see what’s worth keeping. “I look for quality rather than quantity,” she says. Get rid of “anything that looks worn–anything with pulls or pilling,” Kline says. Dump poor-quality pieces, too. Hang on to good basics, such as tops in solid colors or simple prints, cashmere sweaters and “fine suiting, even if it’s not in style right now,” Kline says. “You can fix it with tailoring.”
Of even greater interest is the NYTimes article which explains, from the stylist’s point of view, how the “wardrobegate” incident unfolded. Please, before you leave any politically-charged comments here, read the article. Then consider the following question:
How prepared could you be in three days to look respectable in the national spotlight?
“The campaign advisers realized the kids, everybody, needed to be dressed,” Ms. Kline said. “This was a family that was about to stand before the world, and they just came with their everyday-life clothes.”
With less than 24 hours before the Palins’ national debut on the tarmac, it was decided that the luxury retailer Neiman Marcus, which has a store in Minneapolis, offered the best available selection for the circumstances. Arrangements were made for a private early-morning trip.
Neiman Marcus opened for Ms. Kline and her assistant at 7 a.m. on Wednesday, she said, and the two split up and spent a rushed 90 minutes or so gathering what they needed. Ms. Palin and her family were not there; nor was anyone from the campaign. Instead, the two stylists relied on a couple of salesclerks and a store manager.
“There was no conversation. There was no chitchat. It was just, ‘We need two pairs of pants in size yadada,’ ”
The previous year’s NYtimes article included comments by stylist-to-the-stars Leslie Fremar indicating that the fee charged for stylist and other services, including tailoring and an assistant, was not out of line.
“At first glance, it seems high,” Ms. Fremar said. “I think most people don’t realize what it costs for an independent contractor to do these services. They think it’s just clothes.”
Hopefully, this gives Sarah Palin stalkers something to look at. No pictures though.
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How to Tell Whether Your Outfit Works
Fool-proof sign your outfit does not work:
On first sight, your courteous family member, friend, or acquaintance cannot keep their eyes from straying to an area other than your face. Then they don’t say anything. I generally discover the draw to be a point of greater contrast than that present in my natural coloring.
Never rely on compliments to establish whether a piece or an ensemble is flattering. The reason? For some odd reason, when people notice something that really grabs their attention way they tend to pop off with a compliment, whether they really like it or not. In other words, kind words about your appearance could mean anything from, “I wish I looked that great!” to “What was she thinking?!?”
lol. Merry Christmas!
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Investment Strategies
For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
Luke 12:34
So that’s why when I made myself smile at people I didn’t like in junior high, my feelings toward them always improved.
Sometimes I worry (ugh! not supposed to worry) that I have too much invested in my wardrobe in terms of affection. But here are some practical ways that I can make my wardrobe bow down to my greater priorities:
- When I dress myself according to universal artistic principles, I am recognizing God’s wisdom above the worldly wisdom of the fashion industry.
- I consider the influence my clothing choices have on others.
- I love to share!
Sharing, however, can get complicated. Life with people is messy. If I loan you something, it is just a temporal item. A pile of threads. If it is ruined in the course of life, oh well.
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Strategies to Avoid Being “Out of Style”
Most women, I believe, care little about keeping up with every passing fad. What we DON’T want is to be “out” of style, right? Recently I’ve been ruminating on two common strategies:
One: Buy only timeless styles.
Two: Buy new styles that really work for you.
As you can see, these two approaches are not dichotomous, but can easily be combined into a blend specific to your own idiom.
Two additional thoughts that I have written about in the past:
- Flattering clothes have greater staying power.
- Getting in on the front of a flattering trend is frugal.
One other thought concerning timeless styles: we have, in our household wardrobe-building philosophy, a concept I call “the permanent wardrobe”. Even true wardrobe classics cycle to a degree; that is, there is an ebb and flow to their popularity. Since I don’t know which way is “ebb” and which is “flow”, allow me to suggest simply that a classic piece which is also flattering and in good condition is a good candidate for exception to the “if you haven’t worn it in a year” rule.
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Celebrate Wendy Day
This coming Thursday, December 16th, would have been Wendy Buckner’s birthday. Unfortunately, her life was tragically cut short on June 19th by a heart attack. She left her last comment here on June 18th. Although we never met face-to-face, I considered Wendy a true friend. She openly shared with me what she had: opinion, encouragement, expertise, and her stunning photographs.
Wendy’s signature accessory was the brooch; she wore them regularly on her blazers. Won’t you join me in celebrating Wendy’s life of grace and style this December 16th by the simple wearing of a beautiful brooch on your blazer or coat?
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The Theory of Homophily
Are you a homophiliac?
Homophily theory predicts that people are more likely to interact with individuals similar to themselves in respect to a variety of qualities and characteristics (McPherson, Smith-Lovin, & Cook, 2001; Monge & Contractor, 2003). In particular, extensive research has been done to investigate how homophily in age, gender, race, education, occupation, and values, for instance, influences the formation of network ties in communities, voluntary organizations, private businesses, etc. (see McPherson, et al., 2001 for a comprehensive review). Overall, the theory has received widespread support in diverse contexts.
In other words, people really do like similar others more.
By whom do you wish to be liked? And what do they wear?
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The Serendipity of Limiting Your Colors
Green is a great red alternative, when it comes to holiday dressing. Again this week I experienced the serendipity of the limited color palette.
The university I attend is on the quarter system; therefore, I am nearly finished. Yesterday I was able to hit Value Village for their Monday 99 cent tag sale, which worked out really well for dd, whose university is on the semester system. She is still in “crunch” mode, and in need of a costume for her acting class (for the Sally Field part in Steel Magnolias).
While shopping for her ’80s sweater, and whatever else I might happen to find, I found myself a dress. A green sweater dress, to be exact, something for which I’ve been half-heartedly looking for a couple of years. (If I had the budget to just decide what I want and go buy it, I could have bought this cotton/silk/cashmere blend dress at Banana Republic in Fall of ‘08.) Finding a sweater dress for under $25 when one does not do acrylic falls nearly into the realm of the impossible. I spent $10.
Here, though, is the serendipity part: when I got home I pulled out a box in my closet containing a green belt (pictured, albeit not well, with shorts and blazer for a spring semi-casual event) and a pair of green & red paisley pumps. They match each other, but nothing else in my wardrobe. That is, until now. ha ha! Unbelievably, the belt is the exact same color as the dress. Not only that, but I have exactly ONE silk scarf (not outerwear type) left from about twenty years ago, and it also has the exact same green in it.
Rejoice with me! Or not.
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