Sequins &Stilettos

C.L. Blackburn CNW Contributor

Ifyou’re a fashion, lover like me you are probably still clutching your pearls at some of the liberties the youth have taken, take, and most probably will continue to do. It’s their time. Clearly, there are major distinctions in the world of fashion that separate the youth from their predecessors. Those who grew up on the glamour of the big screen featuring the likes of Marilyn Monroe, Betty Davis, Katherine Hepburn, Dorothy Dandridge, Lena Horne, Dianna Carrol and so many more who dawned the screen with their fabulous couture attire and perfectly coiffed hair, and make-up to look lady-like and natural, until the Babyboomers through caution to the wind and burned their bras.

Today young women have changed their thinking to an “in your face” attitude. They are making bold statements that a woman can dress as she pleases and flaunt her physique and not be wanton. ‘Shaming women based on the way she dresses ’ is under attack and shunned by the GenXer,’s the X generation, and the Millennials as it should be. Women are not allowing the male perspective to determine their self-expression or haughty women for that matter.

So, women wear anything from fabric shoes to plastic with rhinestones, pearls, and crystals. It’s all about the blink made popular by the Rap and Hip Hop generation which flooded society to rock the flashy bling. From the diamond and gold plated teeth to the heavy gold chains gracing the neck of rappers are not as current as the memory remains around many a neck as a throwback to when it was hip and now! You know that they had impacted the world when Karl Lagerfeld incorporated the signature big link gold chains into Chanel.

But the leftover is ‘Shine.’ Yeah, it’s taking over. It’s all about incorporating glitter into day-to-day wear yet not feeling ‘over the top.’ So how do you pull off sequins during the day when it’s been noted that they are definitely a night sort of fabric? Everybody wears sequins for night entertainment. However, today’s youth are making a statement about their lifestyle. They have no corporate culture to abide by. They are the new work world. And they want to wear what their money can buy. Further what used to be led by French and Italian designers is now led by the young wealthy who are setting the standards influencing the designers. It’s huge because there’s enough of the 6 figure salary youth in sports, entertainment, and tech worlds that drive the market. As we’d say . . .”They got it like that.” Their fans follow suit and the trends of the nouveau rich have overtaken the subdued conservative quaint ladylike and gentlemanly style to gangster, to athletic casual wear to transgender cross-clothing. Billy Porter is a leading influencer in self-expressed gender-bending style.

Everyone else scrabbles to get ‘the look, ‘so they buy the knock-off. Instead of purchasing Bagley Mischka’s stilettos, they buy the Steve Madden version of the popular rhinestone double bow pump if they can’t afford the costly designer price. Or they can purchase for example the SILVER CRYSTAL exposed arms wearing a sleeveless dress? exposed arms wearing a sleeveless dress?

Rope

SANDAL that Rhianna wore and broke the internet on credit in interest-free installments and or go to a fabulous consignment shop and buy used although. I’ve bought new Jimmy Choos at a consignment shop. The point is that there are choices now. There are high-end consignment shops in each city, with a steady wealthy clientele who sell their wares so that you can buy them slightly worn.

This new fashion trend and exposure to the best that wealth can buy have literally changed how people shop. Further, the exposure to the accomplished who set their own trends has impacted the fashion world in an entirely different way because of social media. Influencers have a place in this fashion cogwheel.

Who will dare forget when Michelle Obama sat with her bare legs crossed and

Well, after that, women in the corporate world tossed ‘their suits and chose dresses, donning their bare legs and arms. That impacted the stockings industry in a big way.

I’m telling you . . . it’s a thang.’ The fashion world is led by the youth of today until it’s not, so it’s sequins and athletic shoes to the office or whatever they darn well please for now!

Who will dare forget when Michelle Obama sat with her bare legs crossed and

Well, after that, women in the corporate world tossed ‘their suits and chose dresses, donning their bare legs and arms. That impacted the stockings industry in a big way.

I’m telling you . . . it’s a thang.’ The fashion world is led by the youth of today until it’s not, so it’s sequins and athletic shoes to the office or whatever they darn well please for now!