Saturday, July 18, 2009

pete and repeat

i know it's not just me, because i've had this discussion with a couple fred shoppers recently: what's going on lately with milwaukee fashion? maybe it's the fact that temperatures were a record low the last couple days, or maybe we're just thinking about things other than shopping...which i have been guilty of lately myself, but it seems like everyone is dressing the same. am i crazy? perhaps. but i feel like we're all uninspired lately. i haven't seen anything special on anyone. everyone, including myself, seems to have this ho-hum attitude about getting dressed. i've been guilty of repeating outfits lately, which i never do...and i haven't cared. is it the weather? excess boozing at all the festivals leaving us listless and sloppy? i don't know. whatever the case, i'm really trying to get inspired. all my pre-fall mags are rolling in and even though i don't want to imagine summer ending, it's inevitable. i'm forced to look at all the trends on their way in--more rocker chic, edgy, leather, studs, fringe...and i think, yeah, so what? been there done that last fall/winter. ugh. maybe i'm in a fashion slump. i need to break out. i think it's just mildly premature to think about fall fashion. so i don't even want to write about it yet. but it feels like fall right now, so i guess i should be all about it. i'm trying to shake it off, but i'm struggling. i will say that the new hot color combo trend, tangerine and khaki is new and refreshing to me. i love it:

i guess that's a tiny pic. we just had in the best handbag...khaki with bright tangerine detailing. loved it. scooped up by a stylish chick within two days of arrival. i've always been a big fan of surprising color combos...chocolate brown and baby blue, purple and green, royal and yellow...anything that pops. and this new tangerine and khaki look is cool. sorta militant, sorta safari...but definitely new and appealing.

i have been seeing a lot of 80s inspired looks on people lately. am i a fan? no. hate all 80s. big hair, gross, music, cheesy...everything is off to me. i'm not opposed to retro style in general, but i'm sorry, bright neon, stone washed, flashdance-y styles will never do it for me. but i guess it must be trying to make a comeback...probably with the people who didn't do it the first time around. well, fine, enjoy it, but don't say i didn't warn you when years from now, you're revisiting your pictures in your 80s junque, and just the sight of that costume-like attire sends you crawling into a hole. eh, see, i'm being negative nancy again. i can't get out of this fashion funk. usually i'm inspired by the small things and nothing lately is cutting it.

on the bright side, fred is getting in tons of cute stuff lately. dresses for any occassion, a great brand called ya that fits everyone perfectly, and tons more on the way in within the next couple weeks. we have a fashion show at cans on thursday the 23rd that we're stoked about. we'll showcase all our new dresses. we also have a bunch of new jewelry, with more coming in mid-week. even if i'm in a rut, i guarantee you'll find some gems at fred.

i don't want to leave this blog on such a gloom and doom note, but i'm hoping you can help. comment on what you think is great about fashion lately, what you've seen and liked, or just comment on what you think my problem is. just kidding. but if you are in the same boat as me lately, let me know i'm not the only one. we're giving away a gift certificate to a random blog commenter, so your thoughts will count. let me know what you're thinking. can't wait to hear.

don't forget about fred's ladies night, the last thursday of the month from 5-10pm. take advantage of the buy a dress, get the second at half off special. i'll talk to you soon. hopefully with a list of all the things that inspire me and my new obsessions and must haves!


Knock It Off

3 comments:

LVMKE said...

Hi Danielle,

Love the knock it off this week - I so should have tried on that dress!

I just got my August copy of Vogue, found it overall uninspiring. I agree with you, this whole "80s are back" movement is so tiresome. It might work on a 16 yr old in New York, but not for most of us. I try to find inspiration and look cute, but we all suffer from laziness. The economy isn't helping. But thanks for the call out, we all need a push to step it up!

jamie @ [kreyv] said...

Danielle,

I'm with you. Just yesterday, I kept trying different things on then off. I finally settled for a shirt I wasn't even that excited about but just left the house anyway. I've got to blame the weather. It in itself is completely uninspiring. Is it hot, is it cold? Who knows. Anyway, just wanted to let you know, you're not alone!

Jamie

sarahjn8 said...

Danielle,

Hi from a Fred regular! While I do notice a rut in style around town, I'm finding that I'm not having trouble being inspired at all. Okay, I know the trend of using statement jewelry to spice up an outfit has been around for a few seasons now, but I'm having a blast using new and unique pieces bringing some of my classic pieces back to life. Especially my dresses. I am a sucker for a cute, summery dress. They brighten up any day in my mind! I am also inspired by a recent purchase I had there a few weeks ago. It's a magenta v-neck dress with pretty origami-like flowers along the bottom. In these tough economic times, sometimes it's sweet and unexpected details like that that can make all the difference!