Sales of Womens Clothes Bleak - Shocker!

I had a similar reaction as Rachel Lucas did when I read this article yesterday about the decline in sales of womens clothing at department stores this season. From the NY Times:

"Sales of women’s clothing, a traditional pillar of the holiday shopping season, are unusually bleak so far this year, according to a major credit card company, an ominous sign for the retail industry.  From high-end dresses to bargain coats, spending on women’s apparel dropped nearly 6 percent during the first half of the Christmas season, compared with the same period last year..."

"...Analysts blamed a rough economy, which has discouraged women — and mothers, in particular — from splurging on clothing for themselves and a lack of compelling fashions this winter. "

What rough economy?  The one with a 4.7% unemployment rate?  The latter explanation - lack of compelling fashions - begins to explain the decline in sales.

Women's clothing in malls and department stores is mostly hideous and apparently designed for 16-year old shameless hussies.  Why on earth would normal women buy them?  Everything is sized to be extremely form-fitting with necklines plunging down to one's xiphoid process.  The quality is poor.  Colors are either murky browns and mustards or psychedelic pinks and oranges.  Yuckkk!  As Rachel says, "Retarded monkeys are apparently in charge of designing women’s clothing."

Designers and manufacturers: Try designing clothes that are attractive, flattering and modest, and you'll sell a ton of clothes.

P.S. Yes, modest clothing is more flattering for most women's bodies.  Leaving something to the imagination has always been more alluring than letting it all hang out, and that's as true now as ever. 

Comments

[Anna]

Boy, do I agree with you! In October I was ready to hit the stores for the cute fall/winter merchandise - well, it never came. And it still hasn't showed up.
They want to blame a sluggish economy for weak clothing sales? Hah. Why don't they make clothing that people can actually wear. I think the worst mistake they made this year is offering thin, short sleeve shirts and spaghetti-strap blouses for winter wear. Who wants to wear that when it's 20 degrees outside?