TheWorldJournal.com

Buy Now, Wear Now
By Julia Gabriel, TheWorldJournal.com

A growing number of retail chains offer clothes more in sync with the climate, a change from the decades-old policy of stocking winter clothes in July and summer clothes in January. That means consumers will find more lightweight clothes and sandals through August not a rehash of spring and summer styles, but new fall products that can be worn now.

We used to put off buying clothes until needed. These times are over. There are many more consumers frustrated with stores' traditional fashion calendar. Worried about the economy, they can't afford to invest in merchandise they don't need for the next few months. Unusual weather patterns have intensified the problem last year, a warmer-than-usual fall left stores with mounds of bulky sweaters that were leftovers from July. And this summer, which was unusually wet and cold until mid-July in parts of the country, resulted in weak sales of shorts and swimwear in April and May. Another factor for stores which cater to younger shoppers is that a growing number of children are going back to school earlier and need clothes that can be worn in warm weather.

These changes are part of a strategy which started several years ago when stores delivered fabrics that consumers could wear through several seasons. The challenge, of course, is to create merchandise that, while in sync with the climate, looks fresh. It may happen we will not see puffy parkas and heavy boots until first snow - but who needs them earlier, careless shopper say.

Of course, new fashion calendar will not affect well-heeled or young trendy customers who want to start a new season on time, without discounts and delays. There are two fall must-haves: high boots and a tweed cap. Who don't want to be among the first to wear new trends?

© August 24, 2003