by Nissa Hanna
When the recession butted its ugly head into the closet, consumers developed a more finicky relationship with fashion, sending purchases into a freefall. But there’s one style staple that’s starting to bounce back: shoes.
According to the New York Times, footwear has been “selling well” the past few months (11.5.09). That news is no surprise to Iconoculture’s Fashion team. We’ve had shoes on our bright-spot watchlist throughout the year.
As fellow footwear fans and cultural style observers, we understand why consumers are putting their best feet forward. Factors like cost per wear, outfit flexibility and the ease of inexpensively adding interest to a lethargic wardrobe make shoes a sensible purchase for these practical times.
But there’s more to it than that: Footwear is a feel-good purchase. Unlike clothing (we’re looking at you, jeans), heels rarely make the shopper feel fat; strapped into sandals or zipped into boots, she feels sexy, stylish and confident.
The footwear frenzy is going strong. This month, British stylistas queued for 14 hours to snag cheaper Jimmy Choos, courtesy of the brand’s partnership with H&M (DailyMail.co.uk 11.16.09). In California, DecadesTwo popped up a designer heels discount shop at Post 26, and a line of eager shoppers extended to the parking lot (LA.Racked.com 11.16.09). Even in these penny-pinching times, consumers are finding savvy ways to get their kicks.
