The trickle-up effect in the fashion field, also known as bubble-up pattern, is an innovative fashion theory first described by Paul Blumberg in the 1970s. This effect describes when new trends are found on the streets, showing how innovation flows from the lower class to upper class. [1] It is in contrast with classical theories of fashion consumption, such as those of Georg Simmel and Thorstein Veblen, who theorize that the upper classes are the ones who dictate the fashion flow. [2]
The trickle-down effect can be seen as the antithesis of the trickle-up effect. Although the trickle-down effect itself has only first appeared in the 1950s, the concept can be traced back to sociologist Georg Simmel and economist Thorstein Veblen.[ citation needed ] Trickle-down theory describes the inability of the lower social classes to develop fashion style of their own, leaving only the upper social classes to influence the fashion trend. Lower social classes are therefore left to imitate the fashion trend of the rich. In contrast to this, the trickle-up effect describes an upward diffusion in which fashion styles from lower classes are adopted by the upper classes. [2]
In opposition to the downward diffusion of fashion in earlier years, we now encounter a phenomenon in which trends are more likely to be defined by the lower social strata.[ citation needed ] It was first described by Paul Blumberg during the 1970s in the United States: "[...] there has been in the last decade more percolating up from the bottom than trickling down from the top". [1] Blumberg elaborates on this by stating that a variety of standards in fashion have been set by the déclassé and anti-class youth by using new styles, like long hair or a shabby chic, to not only tease the status symbols of higher classes but also spreading their styles into the fashion elite. [1]
The T-shirt, from the Middle Age to the early 19th century, had traditionally been considered as a piece of undergarment worn by sailors and blue-collar workers. [3] [4]
American actors Marlon Brando and James Dean helped shift the perception of the T-shirt, thanks to their appearance with the garment in popular movies. Brando and Dean helped redefine the T-shirt as legitimate outerwear and a deliberately rebellious fashion statement. [5] The T-shirt appears in collections of both low and high-end brands, due to its versatility and the ease of imposing messages on it. A significant example of the t-shirt as messenger is the "anti-nuclear" T-shirt worn by designer Katharine Hamnett during a meeting with Margaret Thatcher or the piece "We all should be feminists" presented at Dior Fashion show in 2016. [6] [7]
Initially, Levi Strauss' jeans were simply sturdy trousers worn by factory workers, miners, farmers, and cattlemen throughout the North American West. [8] [9] After James Dean popularized them in the movie Rebel Without a Cause , wearing jeans became a symbol of youth rebellion during the 1950s. [10] [11] During the 1960s the wearing of jeans became more acceptable, and by the 1970s it had become general fashion in the United States for casual wear. [12]
Examples of intentional denim distressing strictly to make them more fashionable can be seen as early as 1935 in Vogue's June issue. [13] Michael Belluomo, editor of Sportswear International Magazine, Oct/Nov 1987, P. 45, wrote that in 1965, Limbo, a boutique in the New York East Village, was "the first retailer to wash a new pair of jeans to get a used, worn effect, and the idea became a hit." He continued, "[Limbo] hired East Village artists to embellish the jeans with patches, decals, and other touches, and sold them for $200." In the early 1980s the denim industry introduced the stone-washing technique developed by GWG also known as "Great Western Garment Co." Donald Freeland of Edmonton, Alberta pioneered the method, [14] which helped to bring denim to a larger and more versatile market. Acceptance of jeans continued through the 1980s and 1990s. Originally an esoteric fashion choice, in the 2010s jeans may be seen being worn by men and women of all ages. [15]
Punk subculture appeared for the first time in the UK in the 1970s. Punk style started as a youth movement, in which the concept of "anti-fashion" [16] was a main feature, due to its origin in the lower classes. Vivienne Westwood was the first designer who used this concept in her collections, which gave her the title "The Mother of Punk". [17] She opened a popular shop in London, [18] which was loved by the celebrities and music stars of the time, including punk band Sex Pistols. Studded chokers, tattoos, chains and ripped jeans [18] were the main features of the punk aesthetic. In 1977, this style started to be widely appreciated thanks to Zandra Rhodes' designs, that added punk elements on elegant gowns: punk chic was born. [16]
Born in the 1970s, the hippie style shifted from being just worn by the lower and middle-class alternative youth [19] to a widespread trend. From 2012 it had a huge comeback with looks made of flow-y-tops and skirts paired with knit shrugs. An example is Ralph Lauren's spring collection (2011), which presented skirts with higher waist with the flow-y details towards the bottom. [20] Hippie fashion, today also known as boho-chic, has entered the popular imagination as a trendy style thanks to popular figures like actress Vanessa Hudgens, and themed events like the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. [21]
Another example of trickling-up in fashion is given by the revival of some iconic 1980s yuppie-inspired pieces of clothing like kitten heels, pastel colors, white commuter sneakers, power shoulder and high waisted pants with skinny belts by major fashion houses like Ralph Lauren, Tory Burch, Dr. Martens, and Tibi. [22] [23]
Grunge fashion, characterized by oversized plaid flannel shirts, ripped jeans, combat boots, choker necklaces, and dark colored sheer tights, was a consequence of the huge success of bands such as Nirvana and Soundgarden. [19] The idea of wearing clothes that seemed inexpensive and already worn was re-proposed in the 1993 Spring collections by avant-garde designers like Marc Jacobs, Christian Francis Roth, and Anna Sui, causing disarray in the fashion industry. [24]
Military-inspired clothing first appeared after World War II when lower and middle-class young people started to buy pea jackets and khaki pants as a sign of independence and protest against war. The trend survived, as Chanel, Balmain, Marc Jacobs, Celine, Hermes, Lanvin, D&G and Burberry are some of the fashion houses that from 2010 proposed military-inspired collections. [25] Combat boots, leather studded bracelets, and double-breasted jackets with rows of buttons are pieces that can be easily found both in luxury runaways and in fast fashion chains. [26]
While influencing the fashion industry was out of reach for an ordinary consumer, social media started to change this former two-dimensional, one-sided industry. Social media networks formed platforms which gave new possibilities to people with a special interest in fashion; influencers meanwhile play an important role in agencies' and brands' marketing strategies. Social media fashion icons can be seen as an example of the trickle-up effect in fashion, as they are able to form trends and influence fashion by presenting their own fashion taste on free platforms like Instagram or Facebook. [27] [28] An example is Italian influencer Chiara Ferragni, who started with a small blog and became a fashion icon who runs a fashion business. [29] [30]
Fashion is currently a two-way route due to web digital space. Before the digital era people had to go physically to Fashion weeks, but after digitalization people interested in fashion can participate through social media platforms. Social media has carried diversity to the industry, as anyone can present themselves and follow those who relate to them in body or lifestyle. Hashtags like #winterscarves, #millennials, or #winterfashion allow users to easily find virtually any trend. [27] [28]
Veblen's trickle-down theory was related to 19th and 20th century society's desire to climb the social ladder by imitating the style of the rich. The advent and spread of social media made it possible for people not on the top of the social scale to be noticed and gave them the ability to express their style from anywhere. Designers now have online stores as main sales channels and maintain an active social media presence. Digital space is now a key place for brands to showcase collections, and to develop personalities and relationships with customers. The history of trickle-up fashion and the influence of the digital world brought an evolution to the fashion industry. As particular styles began to draw attention on the streets and digital space trends, top designers incorporated them into their collections: an example is Gucci's collaboration with a famous graffiti artist, or retailers such as Urban Outfitters, where street fashion is sold at high-end prices. [31] [32]
Fashion is a form of self-expression with a specific context, such as time, place and purpose. Example of these are clothing, footwear, lifestyle, accessories, makeup, hairstyle, and body posture. The term implies a look defined by the fashion industry as that which is trending. Everything that is considered fashion is available and popularized by the fashion system.
Jeans are a type of pants or trousers made from denim or dungaree cloth. Often the term "jeans" refers to a particular style of trousers, called "blue jeans", with copper-riveted pockets which were invented by Jacob W. Davis in 1871 and patented by Jacob W. Davis and Levi Strauss on May 20, 1873. Prior to the patent, the term "blue jeans" had been long in use for various garments, constructed from blue-colored denim.
Punk fashion is the clothing, hairstyles, cosmetics, jewellery, and body modifications of the punk counterculture. Punk fashion varies widely, ranging from Vivienne Westwood designs to styles modeled on bands like The Exploited to the dressed-down look of North American hardcore. The distinct social dress of other subcultures and art movements, including glam rock, skinheads, greasers, and mods have influenced punk fashion. Punk fashion has likewise influenced the styles of these groups, as well as those of popular culture. Many punks use clothing as a way of making a statement.
The trickle-down effect is a model of product adoption in marketing that affects many consumer goods and services.
Casual wear is a Western dress code that is relaxed, occasional, spontaneous and suited for everyday use. Casual wear became popular in the Western world following the counterculture of the 1960s. When emphasising casual wear's comfort, it may be referred to as leisurewear or loungewear.
Streetwear is a style of casual clothing which became global in the 1990s. It grew from New York hip hop fashion and Californian surf culture to encompass elements of sportswear, punk, skateboarding and Japanese street fashion. Eventually haute couture became an influence. It commonly centers on casual, comfortable pieces such as jeans, T-shirts, baseball caps, and sneakers, and exclusivity through intentional product scarcity. Enthusiasts follow particular brands and try to obtain limited edition releases.
Fashion in the 1990s was defined by a return to minimalist fashion, in contrast to the more elaborate and flashy trends of the 1980s. One notable shift was the mainstream adoption of tattoos, body piercings aside from ear piercing and, to a much lesser extent, other forms of body modification such as branding.
Fashion of the 1980s was characterized by a rejection of 1970s fashion. Punk fashion began as a reaction against both the hippie movement of the past decades and the materialist values of the current decade. The first half of the decade was relatively tame in comparison to the second half, which was when apparel became very bright and vivid in appearance.
2000s fashion is often described as being a global mash up, where trends saw the fusion of vintage styles, global and ethnic clothing, as well as the fashions of numerous music-based subcultures. Hip-hop fashion generally was the most popular among young people of all sexes, followed by the retro inspired indie look later in the decade.
A denim skirt, sometimes referred to as a 'jean skirt' or 'jeans skirt', is a skirt made of denim, the same material as blue jeans. Denim skirts come in a variety of styles and lengths to suit different populations and occasions. For example, full-length denim skirts are commonly worn by women whose religious beliefs prohibit them from wearing trousers, including Orthodox Jews, some Muslims, Mennonites, and Pentecostals, among others. Shorter skirts made of denim are commonly worn by teenagers and young adults.
Workwear is clothing worn for work, especially work that involves manual labour. Often those employed within trade industries elect to be outfitted in workwear because it is built to provide durability and safety.
Stone washing is a textile manufacturing process used to give a newly manufactured cloth garment a worn appearance. The process became popular in the 1980's, as acid jeans gained popularity, however stone washing has roots going back to 1960's surfer apparel. Stone-washing also helps to increase the softness and flexibility of otherwise stiff and rigid fabrics such as canvas and denim. Although stone washing increases a fabrics flexibility, it shortens the life-span of the jeans. The process of Stone Washing can be costly, as freshly stone washed jeans must be washed many times in order to remove the grit from the process. Along with high production costs, stone washing can be detrimental to the environment, due to the excess grit that is removed as fabric is being stone washed. This leads many manufacturers to pursue other methods to achieve a distressed appearance.
The United States is the leading country in the fashion design industry, followed by France, Italy, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Japan. Apart from professional business attire, American fashion is eclectic and predominantly informal. While Americans' diverse cultural roots are reflected in their clothing, particularly those of recent immigrants, cowboy hats, boots, jeans, and leather motorcycle jackets are emblematic of specifically American styles.
Grunge fashion refers to the clothing, accessories and hairstyles of the grunge music genre. This subculture emerged in mid-1980s Seattle, and had reached wide popularity by the mid 1990s. Grunge fashion is characterized by durable and timeless thrift-store clothing, often worn in a loose, androgynous manner to de-emphasize the silhouette. The style was popularized by music bands Nirvana, Soundgarden and Pearl Jam.
Street style is fashion that is considered to have emerged not from studios, but from the grassroots. Street fashion is generally associated with youth culture, and is most often seen in major urban centers. Magazines and newspapers commonly feature candid photographs of individuals wearing urban, stylish clothing. Mainstream fashion often appropriates street fashion trends as influences. Most major youth subcultures have had an associated street fashion. Street style is different all around the globe.
Anti-fashion is an umbrella term for various styles of dress which are explicitly contrary to the fashion of the day. Anti-fashion styles may represent an attitude of indifference or may arise from political or practical goals which make fashion a secondary priority. The term is sometimes even used for styles championed by high-profile designers, when they encourage or create trends that do not follow the mainstream fashion of the time.
The 2010s were defined by hipster fashion, athleisure, a revival of austerity-era period pieces and alternative fashions, swag-inspired outfits, 1980s-style neon streetwear, and unisex 1990s-style elements influenced by grunge and skater fashions. The later years of the decade witnessed the growing importance in the western world of social media influencers paid to promote fast fashion brands on Pinterest and Instagram.
Chiara Ferragni is an Italian blogger, businesswoman, fashion designer and model who has collaborated with fashion and beauty brands through her blog The Blonde Salad.
Fashion and clothing in the Philippines refers to the way the people of the Philippine society generally dress up at home, at work, travelling and during special occasions.
The fashions of the 2020s represent a departure from 2010s fashion and a nostalgia for older aesthetics. They have been largely inspired by styles of the early to mid-2000s, late 1990s, 1980s, 1970s, and 1960s. Early in the decade, several publications noted the shortened trend and nostalgia cycle in 2020s fashion. The Face remarked: "We’re trapped in what might be called a revival spiral".
