Trend Alert! Depression Chic

Spring collections from designers such as Alberta Ferretti, Bottega Veneta, and Burberry are all showcasing an interesting take on the current recession- they are bringing back the style from the Great Depression era. Now, some might find this offensive, but I think its quite brilliant. Designers are showing that there is beauty and intruigue in hard times.

"Depression Chic" as it has been named by fashion critics encompasses two key elements of the 1920's and 1930's- the flapper and the workman of Hooverville. For those of you who aren't familiar with the terms, here's a little review, courtesy of Encyclopedia Brittanica:

Flapper: "Having won the right to vote when the Nineteenth Amendment was ratified in 1920, the new “emancipated” woman, the flapper, demanded to be recognized as man’s equal in all areas. She adopted a masculine look, bobbing her hair and abandoning corsets; she drank and smoked in public; and she was more open about her sexuality."

Hooverville: he popular name for shanty towns built by homeless men during the Great Depression. Men often wore their work clothes in hopes of finding work for a few days.

Now we will look at designer examples of each trend:

Left "Flapper" by Alberta Ferretti
Right "Workman" by Botega Veneta

Now here are some pieces that are available right now from stores all over such as Express, Urban Outfitters, Charlotte Russe, Forever 21, Arden B, and more. I found SOOOO much. Each example below is under $50, most are under $25.

Keep these elements in mind when shopping for this look:

Flapper: tiered layering, frill, feathers, short dresses

Workman: stripes, collars, fedora and newspaper boy hats, button-ups

Flapper

Workman

Information and Photo Sources: "Flapper" and "Hooverville" Encyclopedia Brittani ca. 2007. Web.18 Apr 2009...."Depression Chic: Trend Alert." www.style.com. 05 Jan 2009. 18 Apr 2009