Fall Fashion Economic Indicator

It's back to school time and I am busily refreshing the wardrobes of two teenaged girls. This is challenging, when style is comatose and the color palate is absolutely dead. I have been scouring malls and boutiques for the past two weeks, from high end to low end. There is absolutely nothing new or exciting on the racks. Literally. Palates are limited to grey and black, with a one muted color thrown in, depending on the line. J. Crew"s offerings followed the trend, with two mustard yellow pieces and a few pale heather pieces. The lines reflected design paralysis and depression. Even the attempt at infusing a lift through the use magenta by Anne Taylor Loft fell flat. Only the use of a lovely plum served to entice interest in a suit I saw in Lord & Taylor at the Westchester Mall.

Another noticeable trend was limited inventory. Vendors seem to be anticipating a market of unwilling buyers who will purchase only items that are absolutely needed. Interestingly, the shoe inventory seems to differ. The Aeresoles store was chock full of new designs and an array of fall colors. Thank heaven; we'll need a lift from drab grey. My survey has been entirely unscientific, but my impression is that retailers do not look forward to a successful season and are cutting their losses. If the tenor of the retail fashion market is correct, we are in for a bleak winter. Hopefully, we will see more positive signs in the spring.