How Much is That Tank Top in the Window?
On city streets, clothing stores make great use of their front window displays to draw in shoppers. Of course, many suburban shoppers – either because of time, money or proximity – don’t have the chance to browse in a great metropolis.
Their city streets are often in shopping malls. I decided to wander through one such mecca recently, to see how their retailers called out to shoppers strolling by.
I chose the Natick Mall, about 30 minutes west of Boston. This location is a good one to test the city street concept, since its going under an extensive renovation to become a “streetscaped…shopping and entertainment destination,” with not only more and more upscale stores (like Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus) but luxury condominiums as well.
What, I wondered, would these storefronts tell me about the fashion trends for spring?
If dELiA*s window is to be believed, call Pat Benatar, because its 1982 again. The tween-targeting retailer featured long-striped shirts, leggings and wide belts. Personally, I’m waiting for the circa-1984 Cyndi Lauper look to come back in vogue, because day-glo hair looks good no matter how old you are, and I used to enjoy wearing all my jewelry at once. Seriously.
Of course, across the mall Brooks Brothers showed that the trend is to dress like, well, like you shop at Brooks Brothers. It’s good to know that there’s something besides death and taxes that is a sure thing, and that Muffy and Brent will always have a place to shop for togs to wear to the club.
But what’s trendy? Black and white, apparently, judging by the monochrome displays in Ann Taylor, Ann Taylor Loft and The Limited. After all that B&W, the earth tones at Banana Republic seemed positively cutting edge.
As I walked around, I realized I hadn’t really taken a good luck at a mannequin since Andrew McCarthy romanced Kim Cattrall.
The child sized dolls in the window of Limited Too had the creepy spaced-out look of the characters from “The Polar Express.” Of course, at least they had heads, unlike the decapitated plastic wonders in many storefronts.
Made in Brazil’s mannequins had a comforting old school look that was eurotrashy in a way I can’t quite describe, but it was Chico’s that had the best clothes-bots in the mall. Their mannequins had stylized painted faces full of personality, and actually looked like they were enjoying the casual wear they wore.
And at least those mannequins were rated G. The front of Victoria’s Secret resembled nothing short of a Pussycat Dolls video set, with plastic ladies stretched out like they were working in a Bourbon Street strip club.
But while the window of Victoria’s was a little intimidating, it wasn’t desperate. “Desperate Housewives,” that is. That honor goes to several other retailers. The clothes in the window of Caché would look great – if you were built like Eva Longoria. Then you had bebe, which plied wares suitable for Nicolette Sheridan and Rampage, which looked perfect for Teri Hatcher. Nothing for the sublime Felicity Huffman jumped out, but I’d say J. Jill might be her speed.
So what did I learn in the mall?
- Black and white is the new black and white.
- Mannequins are creepy
- It will soon again be appropriate to dance down the street singing “Love is a Battlefield.” Life is good.
