Tagged: Fashion

We may associate canes with old age and physical decline, but 150 years ago the cane held a much more dashing and flamboyant place among the fashionable elite. Wildly decorated and splendidly diverse, canes were associated with prestige, power, and youth, and were extremely trendy. The demand for canes made of allspice wood nearly drove the West Indian trees into extinction. Here to discuss the 19th century version of twenty-two inch rims is Wayne Curtis, a freelance journalist who has written for The Atlantic, Preservation, and Down East magazines. We found his recent article, “Pimp My Walk” on The Smart Set blog.

The high heel—ever the fashion accessory—has always attracted attention. Turns out (insert astonishment here) that they make the wearer more attractive and more feminine. 

In honor of this not quite surprising research, here are our top scientific no-brainers inspired by the Ig Nobel prizes for thoughtful, humorous and sometimes absurd research.

Part 1: The Awesomeness of Procrastination/Fashion Trucks

The fashion world runs on new trends and we discovered one that’s  a little more practical than 5-inch heels – fashion trucks. Like the fleets of food trucks now selling everything from gourmet tacos to artisanal soft serve, ‘fashion trucks’ capitalize on the ability to move to where their customers are. Producer Britta Conroy-Randall visited a mobile boutique for a peek  at what could be the next big thing in the fast-moving fashion industry.

Have you ever suspected that your taste and style decisions are being manipulated without you even realizing it? Turns out that the trends all around us are the result of lots of money and research aimed at molding our opinions and desires. It’s called trend forecasting, and it’s a multi billion dollar industry. Reporter Britta Conroy-Randall visited some trend forecasters and found out about the mysterious world of cool hunting.

Part 1: Trophy Wives/Old Lady Style

In those gin-soaked days of yesteryear, a beautiful woman on the arm was an executive’s secret weapon for landing the deal.  A young knock-out by your side signaled power, style, and proof that you had it all. Just ask all those Mad Men...That was then.