The Evolution of Fashion Journalism
Dec 9th
Photo Courtesy of Google Images
For the past ten years, Los Angeles Times fashion critic Booth Moore has been covering fashion shows in New York, Paris, and Milan. But at fashion week in New York this year, she noticed that something was different. “Bloggers were the flavor of the month this season,” she says, noting the overwhelming presence of these hyper-intense fashion fans.
Known for their role behind computer screens, bloggers upgraded this year to front row seats at once-exclusive runway shows like Dolce & Gabbana and Rodarte. These trendsetting, influential, and style-conscious members of Gen Y seized the role of fashion editor, with the Internet as their stage.
The number of colorful blogs and fashion forums has exceeded ten thousand, providing some stiff competition for traditional fashion magazines like Vogue and Elle. Fashionistas rely on daily visits to these sites in order to keep up with the dynamic fashion industry.
“The Internet has really allowed for the democratization of fashion,” says Moore . “Now everyone can participate in the discussion of clothing and designers.” Read the rest of this entry »
How Generation Y Is Transforming Fashion Now
Dec 9th
Raymond Chu, a 20-year-old NYU student, doesn’t follow fashion trends. He preferred military jackets and three-piece suits a la Indiana Jones and Fred Astaire in high school, and was always considered overdressed. Now, instead of mockery he receives praise from friends and strangers alike. Repeatedly featured on street-style photography blog The Sartorialist, and chosen as a 2008 finalist for Esquire’s Best Dressed Real Man, Chu feels flattered by the recognition, posting these photographs online for his 1,000 Facebook friends to view.
From Facebook to Twitter to blogging, Generation Y live their lives online—and nowhere more so than in fashion. In this public celebration, camera-loving Gen Yers post outfits, clothing and inspiration on the Internet, using this platform as a way for the fashion-minded to share ideas. With the unlimited possibility of the web, Generation Y has made fashion more influential, more accessible, and certainly more global.
“Fashion is no longer a one-way street to consumers, but now a two-way street,” says Susan Cernek, senior fashion editor for Glamour.com, the online counterpart to the magazine.
The Internet has drastically shortened connection time, and communication is now instantaneous around the globe. If traditional print magazines rejected online components, they would be far behind the times. Still, with the never-ending flow of online outlets, many readers look elsewhere to find their daily dose of fashion.
Affordable Luxury for the Gen Y Woman
Dec 8th
NYU junior Mary Williamson hasn’t been to Fifth Avenue’s Henri Bendel, where the girls at the headband counter used to greet her by name, all semester. Though she no longer hands over $150 for a Jennifer Behr headband, visions of the pricey accessories run through her head.
Williamson has limited her food purchases, walked the mile and a half to class instead of taking the subway, and skipped going out to bars and clubs in order to save up for her beloved Lululemon yoga pants and a new pair of designer jeans.
She, and other Gen Y women have grown up on brands just as they came of age with Nick at Nite, Beanie Babies, and slap bracelets. They sought out designer goods as early as middle school, first with $150 Kate Spade bags, soon after with $80 Juicy sweatpants and finally with $160 designer jeans. Over the years, Gen Y has become hyperaware of designer labels.
Although the recession has hurt premium apparel brands, they continue to find favor among fashion-conscious, Gen Y women who, so long as companies tailor their marketing strategies appropriately, are buying into affordable luxury. Read the rest of this entry »
Punk v. Professional: Gen Y’s Culture Clash Over Corporate Dress
Nov 24th
Journalism major Eddie Ebbert, 21, recently sported a mohawk to his interview for an internship at Esquire. His mother had suggested that he get a new, more conventional haircut, but he refused. “If you’re not going to hire me because of my hair, I’m not going to work there,” he said.
Three interviews later, no one mentioned his hair, and he got the position. The first day of the internship, Ebbert, with his Mohawk still intact, showed up in a button-down shirt and pressed pants, following the example of his 35-year-old boss.
Generation “Be Yourself”
Since Gen Y entered the workforce, conflict over casual or self-expressive dress has been a major issue for older management, for whom the depoliticized mohawk might still appear countercultural. Millennials may bring creativity and enthusiasm to the office, according to experts, but they also show up in flip flops, jeans and “extreme” hair.
Millennials value self-expression at work more than any generation before them, according to psychologist Nicole Lipkin, who co-authored “Y in the Workplace”. “This generation has been taught to express themselves no matter what,” she said.
However, Lipkin said that self-expression through clothes or hair shouldn’t overshadow the dress code at work. “The people who are going to be successful are those who respect the culture at the corporation,” she said. “In the creative industries, it’s a different story, but in more formal industries, there are presentation standards that need to remain in place. It’s hard to trust someone who looks like a punk.”