The Fashion Folk Want Us to Believe That Cheap Means “Style”
March 16, 2010 at 9:24 PM Leave a comment
Look at these screenshots of J.Jill’s homepage:
“Less structure, more style…”
“Less structure, more style” means clothes that are produced in the cheapest way possible: No buttons, no hems, no snaps, no zippers. “Rolled edges” on sweaters; forget ribbing. No collars. No cuffs. No yolks. No shoelaces or grommets (think Velcro). No clasps on bracelets or necklaces (ribbon ties are all the rage) and a nylon bag now costs as much as one made of leather. Oh, and remember the long-gone “feet” on handbags that kept the bottom from getting dirty? They’ve vanished. The sales pitch now is, “a nice flat bottom.”
NO structure, not “less structure.”
In other words, the people who sell us clothes are stripping away the details that cost a few cents to produce, but they’re not reducing their prices. In the end, “less structure” means a poorer product for you and me but more profit for you know who.
Bottom line? The cheap, sloppy, “less structured” look is something we’re supposed to love. It’s “style.”
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