The following is a magazine article assignment for a writing class. I received a 99% on it. I am really inspired to write more thought-out feature articles for the blog, too! Enjoy.

Fashion blogs booming in a once tech-driven World Wide Web, music waves broadcasting designer mania with a radio station’s “Pick Your Purse” contest, in all seasons of 2005, “fashion” is the new pink. It’s been a year since Carrie Bradshaw’s Sex and the City craze over “pure poetry” dresses and Manolo Blahniks went off the air, but the nation’s interest in such subjects is growing by the minute.

The sell of apparel was the number 1 booster of the growing economy across our nation for November, 2005. “It Bags” (the most coveted designer handbags) sell out from stores in minutes and generate long waiting lists. These are not inexpensive items by any means, but the populous is buying them.

“It wasn’t that long ago that high style was only available to the very rich, but I think there have been many changes within the industry that have caused high fashion to become more mainstream, making it more accessible to the average person,” pointed out fashion blogger, Mallory Road, of the handbag blog, “Pursed Lips.” “The event of national chain stores, such as Target, signing contracts with designers such as Cynthia Rowley, Mossimo and Isaac Mizrahi, has shown that [consumers] don’t have to sacrifice style just because [stores are] lowering the prices.” Target’s deals with these designers started in 1998 with architect and housewares designer, Michael Graves, but really boomed with Mizrahi, whose commercials for the store last year seemed to create a whole new route for fashion to turn–and indeed created a lot of buzz.

Now, even Wal-Mart attempts to cash in on “stylish” marketing attempts, which include celebrity endorsements and a very large advertising deal with Vogue, the magazine known as some women’s “fashion bible.” But Wal-Mart has higher priorities than style, and focuses on supplying low-cost toys and electronics. The chain remains out of the loop in this industry, while their fashions remain lacking in quality and design.

Mallory pointed out other supportive means to the fashion industry, “Also, shopping-oriented magazines such as Lucky and Shop Etc. have made it easier for fashion-challenged individuals, because these magazines take runway style and adapt it to fit the everyday person’s lifestyle.

“Of course, with people becoming more interested in fashion, the development of fashion-oriented shows, such as ‘What Not To Wear’ and ‘Project Runway,’ continue to feed the fashion frenzy.” These two reality series inspired their own knock offs on other respective stations, and there is even a whole network, “Style,” devoted to design, completely.

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Categories : Fashion, Handbags, Muses, Shopping, Trends

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