Last summer I read an interesting article in my local paper about food shopping trends during the recession. It noted that people were “trading down,” ie people who used to eat at restaurants now bought dinner at grocery store delis, people who previously shopped at delis were now making meals from scratch. The article noted that while grocery store sales were down in almost every category, sales of staples like flour and sugar were actually up.
I’ve been noodling on this ever since and thinking that this “trading down” must apply to apparel as well. Perhaps people who used to shop designer are now shopping discount retailers, Ross and TJ Maxxers must now be shopping second hand stores, and the second handers are simply repairing and redesigning what they’ve already got. And so, when I picked up the March 2010 copy of Outside magazine and turned to the “Style” page, I thought AHA! I knew it! Quote as follows:
“People are getting into mending who’ve never been interested in it before, says Lorraine Schuchart, a spokeswoman for Jo-Ann Fabric, who says the company has ntoiced a ‘dramatic increase’ in the sales of iron-on patches.”
Which led me to think about all those nay-sayers who say that us TGAADers are contributing to the recession and further hurting the economy. To them I say this: Au contraire–we are not hurting the economy, we are just re-defining it!
And to all you day traders and entrepreneurs, I say this: now’s the time to invest in Jo-Ann, Michael’s and other do-it-yourself craft and fabric supply stores. I wish I had!
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Love this… The trading down thing makes SO much sens. I definitely see that trend in the way I shop for food (no eating out, all store brands at the grocery store now, less meat & cheaper cuts of it, focusing on sale items only, etc.) AND with my thoughts about clothing. I was the TJ Maxx/Marshalls gal who’s now planning to focus on second-hand places first. Thanks for the post… and the investment tip!
People used to spend a lot of time and effort into making things of great quality to last them a good long while. We had craftsmen, carpenters, tailors and seamstresses, farmers, artisans, specialised people.
As times changed and we could mass produce goods and products, lowering quality and prices, it seemed like a great idea to get more things and at cheaper prices. This has been bolstered by trying to make the greatest amount of profit with the least cost, which doesn’t add up unless our environment/labour is shortchanged so we can benefit. It’s getting to the critical point of mass consumption creating huge damage and mass waste.
Finally people all over the world are realising we need to start ’slow living’ again – like the slow food movement, buying and eating local, reduce, reuse and recycling.
I hope for a return to quality of life and social and environmental conscience – we just need to find our willpower to choose the life we want to lead.
Love this quote. Our group is just a reflection of society in general. Call it zeitgeist!