Fall/Winter ‘08 Spring/Summer ‘08 Fall/Winter ‘09 Spring/Summer ‘09

STYLE: -Sculpted, architectural shapes -Simplistic, minimalist looks -Masculine styles -1980’s-shoulder pads, sheer
Women -Sequins -Ethereal and romantic themes -Animal prints fabrics, big accessories
-Half sleeves -Hippie and Americana style -Bold shoulders -Mix-matched styling, clashing
-Late 50’s/early 60’s inspired style -Layered sheers and transparent -One-shoulder toga dresses and colors
-Tuxedo style and boxy biker jackets chiffon low necklines -Lots of layering
-Pencil skirts -Jumpsuits -Texture: brocade, velvet, -Ruffles and frills
-Fitted and form-fitting pieces -Military safari style leather, lace, fur, chiffon -Zipper accents and sequins
-High-waisted pants -Waist-belted tops, dresses -Skin-tight bold colored leather -Embellished boho style
-Structured black suits -Baggy pants, wide trousers, flare trousers, cigarette pants, narrow- -Pastel suits
-Russian Doll Folklore trend legs leg satin suit trousers -Jumpsuits, harem pants, and
-Grunge looks -Volume in pants, skirts, and -Wintry bandage dresses peplum waists
dresses -Artsy, folk, neo-hippie prints -Sporty chic
STYLE: -Modest, conservative looks -Laid-back and casual style -Eco-friendly, organic clothing -Organic, gentle fabrics that are
Kids -Bright tunics and dresses over -Modern—didn’t have obvious -Leggings and skinny jeans lightweight and breathe
leggings references to earlier eras -Buttoned henleys and raglan -Styles resembling adult trends
-Camouflage -Ocean looks--light, gauzy shapes baseball tees -Floral, animal, and ABC prints and
-Puffy sleeves and baby doll tops in shades of blue -Fleece hoodies and hooded patterns
-Leaner pants for boys -Vintage, distressed look T-shirts sweaters -Light tunic dresses, lengthened
-Embellished shirts and denim -Military styles for boys -Ruffles and short slim skirts vests, or loose fitting tops over
-Layered-look polo shirts -Loose A-line and empire waist -Thermal underlayers leggings
-Minimalist looks dresses -Terry cloth athletic wear -Overalls and pants with wider
-Country style—plaid -Rock & Roll and vintage inspired legs/looser fits and
-Trench coats tees practical/functional pockets
COLOR: -Rich, elegant, vibrant hues -Lots of pastel colors -Dismal hues that will age well -Vibrant, hopeful hues
Women/Men -Cool hues with bright, exciting -Metallics -Jade -Sophisticated, grounded tones
undertones -Splashes of bright hues paired -Reds and rosy pinks that flatter with lively, bright shades
-Purples and blues with classic, versatile neutrals all skin tones -Black-on-white prints
-Brown undertones (esp. in pink, -Cheerful, inviting pink tones -Timeless neutrals -Luminous, clean, cool, calm shades
orange, and yellow) -Sweet and warm melon hues -Less bright colors -Powerful, robust and exciting
-Silver gray and light/muted gray -Subtle pops of color paired with -Romantic, feminine, flirty hues
neutrals -Navy, cerise, lilac and lime clashing
-Metallics together
-Regal purple -Overall optimistic and bright
COLOR: -Rich, saturated hues paired with dark
Kids basics
-Plum and wine shades
-Grays and charcoal
-Retro earthy tones
-Shades of red and chocolate brown
-Cream and taupe
-Golds and mustards
RAISE We saw a lot of very sculpted,
QUESTIONS structured looks as well as styles that
could flatter many figures—nipped in
waists, high-waisted pants, half
sleeves, etc. We started to see some
precursors to the masculine trend, in
tuxedo style outfits and boxy biker
jackets. Colors were typical autumn
shades this season, with little
surprising tones in response to
changes in society like we saw in
2009. Perhaps the implications of our
economy had not been fully
considered at this time.
SOCIAL MOOD When it’s positive:
We found that when the social mood
was more positive colors tended to be
brighter and more hopeful. Trends
also tended to be more risky and
extreme, with more unique clothing
styles.
-Black and white combinations
-More sophisticated and subdued
hues
-Shades of blue
-Warm brown undertones to pink
-White/gold/silver pairings with
strong colors like black or fuchsia
-Gray/brown added to lilac
-Light blue, cream, olive, and other
neutral colors for boys
Quite different from Fall, we saw
looser, breezier styles in ethereal
and romantic themes. The hippie
trend was big, as were simple,
minimalistic looks. Colors were
sweet and inviting, with lots of
pastels and metallics. Pants,
dresses, and skirts gained volume
and we saw baggy pants, wide
trousers, and flare leg jeans. There
seems to be a trend of flowier
styles and baggier clothing for S/S
seasons and of tighter, structured
clothing for F/W seasons.
When it’s negative:
We found that when the social
mood is negative colors tend to be
more dismal and subdued. Trends
in apparel are more focused on
timeless, sophisticated looks that
can stand the test of time.
-Dusty rose and earth tones
-Deep, rich hues
-Diluted color effects
-Gray and foggy shades
-Solid and cold tones
-Clean and earthy colors
-Deeper shades of scarlet
-Purple for girls
Earthy tones reflected the eco-
friendly trend that is prevalent in
children’s apparel for 2009, while
dismal hues reflected tough
economic times and pessimism.
This lack of optimism led to lots
of timeless, sophisticated looks
and color trends so that pieces
will last because people have less
disposable income for clothing.
We saw a lot of texture as well as
a lot of tighter, fitted apparel
trends, and the masculine trend
became extremely popular.
-Calm classic colors with classic
patterns and occasional drop of
color in shoes or accessories
-Mixing traditional bright kids
colors with classic white, grey, and
black
-Crazy color. Very fun and full of life
approach of mixing every possible
bright color into one outfit
-Khaki, green, orange, beige for
boys
-Beige, olive, fuchsia, pink, yellow
for girls
In a shift from Fall, we saw more
hopeful and optimistic attitudes in
color and style trends. Colors were
more vibrant and bright and we
saw riskier trends (shoulder pads,
mix-matched styling, etc.),
reflecting a more hopeful point of
view and expectations for the
future of our economy. There was
also a move towards looser
clothing from Fall, with boys’ pants
getting wider again (after being
leaner in 2008) and lots of flowy
dresses and tops for women.