Hand-Me-Down Fashion Dreams
Millenials spend the most on apparel, then GenX. Boomers liked fashion...and still do. And under-25 would spend more on apparel...if they could afford to.
All generations have other important priorities, such as housing, food, transportation, and health. However, as a former owner/full-time operator of a 2800 sq. ft. European-influenced fashion boutique, I love fashion, even during Pandemic relative isolation. Here’s why:
It’s a form of artistic self-expression that makes me feel good.
It’s a way to portray myself to others…and to myself.
It appeals to both my visual and tactile ways of experiencing life.
Mary Jacobsen, author of Hand-Me-Down Dreams, said, “We all know that hand-me-downs are often comfortable and easy to put on, but we are rarely happy in something--a jacket or a job--that we didn't choose.” In the following scenerio, I dreamt about, and created, hand-me-down fashions.
Turning Hand-Me-Down Fashion Dreams into Reality
For most of my mid and later life, my wardrobe consisted primarily of black, grey, and cream/white, with a touch of red, mostly in accessories. Black is elegant, secure, mysterious, impressive. It flatters a changing figure, makes a good first impression, saves time and money, doesn’t take up much space when traveling, everything goes together. Red brings to mind love, power, and warmth. It symbolizes Valentines Day (and other holidays) and the heart. In China, Japan, and India, red symbolizes good luck. In Brazil, red is a passion color. Grey and cream/white coordinates with and brightens up black.
However, this color scheme became boring after a while. I needed a change. So I looked into my husband’s closet.
Delving into His Closet
Formerly a redhead, over the past 30+ years, Bob has kept a minimal wardrobe of mostly earthtones, such as khaki, brown, rust, and tan. He’s still in great shape, but his waist has expanded a couple inches over the years, so most of his pants with belt loops don’t fit him now. But they do fit me, though I’m nearly a foot shorter than him, and 1980s and 90s men’s pants, with pleated front, are in style now. So I took five pairs of his pants to a super tailor, recommended by my local fashion retailer. The tailor cut the legs of each pair of pants about six inches, sewed down pleats (for the really baggy pants), and tapered them to the ankle. With the addition of s couple of earthtone sweatshirts and sweaters, my wardrobe changed drastically from basic black, grey and cream/white to warmer sunset and earth tones.
A Few Benefits of Turning 80s & 90s Men’s Pleated Trousers into Women’s Pants
Deeper front pockets and buttoned back pocket (don’t need a handbag)
Quality of fabric +
Leftover material that can be used for other purposes
Save memories
I am sharing this opportunity with onsite and online fashion retailers, and under-25ers, on-up, those who live independently or in eldercare communities, younger adults, and high school students, who are into fashion.
Suggested Activities
Under 25 on up: Hold or contribute to yard sales, resale shops, on-line and on-site at exchange parties
Elder communities: Schedule inter-generational exchange get-togethers (younger generations love the older generation’s hand-me-downs)
On-site contemporary fashion retailers: This is an opporunity for you! Hold an inter-generational swap meet in your shop. 10% of your business is responsible for 90% of your sales. Cultivate and expand your client database!
My next tailor transformation: Converting my husband’s pullover sweaters into pullover vests by cutting off the sleeves and seaming up the shoulders, which drop about halfway down my upper arm, leaving plenty of breathable space through the armhole. Is this a contemporary fashion, or what?
My latest tailor transformation: Converting Bob’s 30-year-old, long-sleeve tailored shirts into Nehru-collar, dropped shoulder, 3/4 sleeve tunics for me. The collars were worn, so I turned them inward and made the neckband a stand-up collar.
Only drawback – Bob like his re-fashioned shirts so much, that he reclaimed them.
More to come…