https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/has-anyone-else-noticed Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Fri, 15 May 2026 15:48:58 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/has-anyone-else-noticed#post-414437 Thu, 01 Sep 2011 11:18:31 +0000 Lisa 414437@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I've noticed a store never has any "extras" in their supply room. The answer is always "what we have is out." In the past I could always find the smaller size in a stock room or on a mannequin. Even the mannequins are wearing a larger size lately. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/has-anyone-else-noticed#post-414347 Thu, 01 Sep 2011 03:38:12 +0000 Aziraphale 414347@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I don't blame the retailers. No one wants loads of inventory they can't shift. And I am happy to pay full price for an item IF I think it's a reasonable price. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/has-anyone-else-noticed#post-414341 Thu, 01 Sep 2011 03:27:47 +0000 MNsara 414341@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I think so many retailers suffered in 2008 and 2009, and after those massive sales and major discounts, they are trying to recapture shoppers in new ways. Back then, there were discussions about how high-end consumers had now become acquainted with discounts and how would they ever be willing to pay full retail price again.</p> <p>I have to think that 'scarcity' is a tactic (supply vs. demand), as well as, none of the retailers ever want to be caught with that much inventory again in our still unstable economy. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/has-anyone-else-noticed#post-414325 Thu, 01 Sep 2011 02:53:50 +0000 DressLover 414325@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Hey, I don't mind! I started the tangent. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/has-anyone-else-noticed#post-414289 Thu, 01 Sep 2011 02:03:06 +0000 Elly 414289@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Apologies as well--- and I agree I have seen an increase in how few items are being sold online. Sometimes it almost seems as though they are trying to create a buying frenzy. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/has-anyone-else-noticed#post-414287 Thu, 01 Sep 2011 02:01:47 +0000 Elly 414287@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Taking into account what Elisabeth said, I will say my community is very mixed. Ours is kinda tricky, because we have a large number of people working blue collar jobs that are making a lot of money--- working on a well rig is working on a well rig, but the pay can be very decent. Then there are a huge cohort of people that have moved in from other places to be the specialists and bosses in the high dollar industries of tourism and mineral extraction or just have the money from a past life to live high on the hog. Then there is a good portion of the community that still works in ag or in service industries and lives between the poverty line or below (for the area) and maybe 30-40k more than the poverty limit. We had kids who personally owned two cars or drove a hummer to school in the same school as kids that were homeless and fending for themselves. There was a clear hierarchy of inequalities. On the other hand, I have one friend who had more money than he knew what do do with take another friend in who had lost his home after his father had been jailed. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/has-anyone-else-noticed#post-414286 Thu, 01 Sep 2011 01:56:55 +0000 Aziraphale 414286@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Oops, Dresslover, sorry....I just re-read the above and realized that not only did I ramble on for half a page, but I went way off topic. Sorry about that.</p> <p>As for clothes selling out before you can snag one in your size -- welcome to my hell. This happens all the time for me! Angie did a blog post once on why they don't stock many small sizes, and it's true. They don't. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/has-anyone-else-noticed#post-414275 Thu, 01 Sep 2011 01:44:35 +0000 Aziraphale 414275@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>When it comes to kids with plenty of spending money, I think it comes down to what neighbourhood you live in. I've worked at schools where most kids come from families with two working white-collar parents, and those kids tend to have a lot of pocket money to throw around. I've also worked at blue collar schools, and many of those kids disappeared after school to go help their parents. Most of those kids didn't even get to spend the money they earned; it all went toward rent.</p> <p>On top of that, there's a definite tendency for white-collar, double-income families to have only one or two kids, which means the parents can afford more for each kid. </p> <p>I've even noticed a tendency, among parents in my own neighbourhood, to shower their very young children with piles and piles of toys, despite the fact that the net household incomes are not all that high. We've struggled against this accumulation of cheap plastic crap (which is what a lot of toys are) since our kids were babies. I'm not sure why parents do this. When we were kids, we certainly had a lot fewer toys than our own kids do (even though my parents could have afforded more), yet our kids seem to have far fewer toys than so many of their friends. It's crazy. And I think it contributes to the 'more more more' mentality that spills over into adolescence, with the kids expecting all this stuff.</p> <p>One of the many reasons we only wanted two kids was so that we could afford more for each child -- but by more, I don't mean piles of crappy toys. I mean that we can afford a moderately-sized but nice house in the suburbs, and soccer, and violin lessons, and fun summer camps, and the occasional family holiday or ski trip -- and even at that, we're cutting it pretty tight. Vancouver is an expensive city. It bothers me a little that we turn our kids into such massive consumers at such a young age. I'm really trying to teach my kids to value their belongings, and to appreciate quality, and to not get into the more more more rut. (We'll see how that works out in ten years' time). </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/has-anyone-else-noticed#post-414238 Thu, 01 Sep 2011 00:31:28 +0000 Aida 414238@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Elly, that sounds so odd to me! I worked during high school as well, mostly with family but still minimum wage; it was my only income (no allowance for us), and I spent nearly all of my money on my computer, music equipment, and concerts but certainly in calculated, limited quantities. I feel like I shouldn't be old enough to say "back when I was a kid we worked hard but earned little and spent wisely" at only 30 </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/has-anyone-else-noticed#post-414237 Thu, 01 Sep 2011 00:31:24 +0000 taylor 414237@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I noticed this a couple of years ago when I worked for Ann Taylor when the economy really took a hit.<br /> When items sold out they didn't ship us more...they actually told us...these items are limited in number...designed to sell out. It keeps their inventory low!!</p> <p>Before the back room seemed packed with what seemed like a limitless supply of the current hot sellers...and the Christmas shipment lasted forever...now most backrooms are barebones and no replenishing of items!</p> <p>The red pencil midi that both Angie and I wanted is a perfect example...when it's gone..it is really gone ...no more shipment coming in:( </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/has-anyone-else-noticed#post-414233 Thu, 01 Sep 2011 00:22:12 +0000 Elly 414233@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Aida-- while I was also a teen without a disposable income, it is really common these days. My younger brother who is 19 makes good money because he works doing hard labor (and did in the summers and on weekends even when he was younger), but even he can't keep up with the amount of money many of his friends have. I think it is a mix of parents that provide it and in some cases, jobs where kids are friends of the family or something and are being paid over their qualifications or way more than entry level. I also think that babysitting has gotten ridiculous expensive-- I know kids that make between 14 and 20 dollars an hour. Good childcare is important, but I can promise that these teens aren't worth triple or quadruple minimum wage-- I would expect a responsible adult with alot of experience and all the courses or an older teen or college student with good qualifications for that. But, for the most part I think it is the parents.</p> <p>I certainly missed out on many social activities and friendships in high school (not that looking back I would have wanted them) because most of the teens I went to high school with always had lots of expensive new things and the money to go out to the movies every weekend-- where I was lucky to have 7 nicer (non-boys) shirts at any one time and drove one of only a couple beater cars. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/has-anyone-else-noticed#post-414205 Wed, 31 Aug 2011 23:25:58 +0000 Aida 414205@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Who are all these teens with disposable income anyway? I sure didn't have any back then </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/has-anyone-else-noticed#post-414194 Wed, 31 Aug 2011 23:13:17 +0000 DressLover 414194@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I realize I was a little unclear. In addition to particular designers, I also many any label of clothing such as Nordstrom house brand Halogen to J.Crew to online boutique brands. It seems if it isn't aimed at teens with all disposable income, it isn't as widely available anymore. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/has-anyone-else-noticed#post-414188 Wed, 31 Aug 2011 23:01:53 +0000 nicoleb 414188@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Well i hadn't really noticed but i honestly have only recently started paying attention to higher name brands. I will say that in the past i've found the Nordstrom Rack here pretty uninspiring but went just last weekend and had amaaaaaaaaaaazing success. So much it's now going to be the first store i hit up before going anywhere else at MOA. </p> <p>But that's a bummer when something you save up for or want to take time thinking about sells out so fast! I have that problem a lot. ;_; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/has-anyone-else-noticed#post-414177 Wed, 31 Aug 2011 22:48:42 +0000 ironkurtin 414177@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I'm between jobs, you ask, I'll go look. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/has-anyone-else-noticed#post-413945 Wed, 31 Aug 2011 18:05:41 +0000 rachylou 413945@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Oh, yes. I think it's been a fashion wasteland for quite a few years. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/has-anyone-else-noticed#post-413934 Wed, 31 Aug 2011 17:53:28 +0000 DressLover 413934@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Thank you for weighing in, Angie! It is extremely frustrating that this is becoming more common, even in online shopping. I just don't understand the effort behind shooting photos for a handbag there are only 5 of or a dress in only 3 of each size. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/has-anyone-else-noticed#post-413924 Wed, 31 Aug 2011 17:44:25 +0000 Angie 413924@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>The recession has definitely caused fashion buyers to re-allocate their OTB (open to buy budget that is allocated to them by the retailer). </p> <p>DL, I have found that some brands are becoming more exclusive, while others are becoming less exclusive as the supply increases - like DVF and Marc Jacobs. I also find it VERY regional. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/has-anyone-else-noticed#post-413905 Wed, 31 Aug 2011 17:24:01 +0000 DressLover 413905@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Ironkurtin, you may have to do some shopping for me. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/has-anyone-else-noticed#post-413898 Wed, 31 Aug 2011 17:18:35 +0000 ironkurtin 413898@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>The Rack here is pretty full of goodies, but I think that may be because my taste is NYC and this is Austin. Maybe it depends on locale? </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/has-anyone-else-noticed#post-413876 Wed, 31 Aug 2011 16:42:34 +0000 rae 413876@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Yikes. Maybe I'd better save up for that pair of shoes I'd been eyeing sooner rather than later... </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/has-anyone-else-noticed#post-413866 Wed, 31 Aug 2011 16:32:29 +0000 Carole 413866@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I guess this makes sense in a way. Perhaps with the economy, stores are left with loads of unsold merchandise and left to drastically reduce prices to make room for the new season. Too bad for us, </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/has-anyone-else-noticed#post-413856 Wed, 31 Aug 2011 16:17:21 +0000 DressLover 413856@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>that designers and labels aren't producing as many items and/or that retailers aren't purchasing as many items? </p> <p>I've been noticing this trend growing worse over the past few seasons. I first noticed this trend when certain designers that once flooded Nordstrom Rack, Off Fifth, Last Call, Outlets, etc. were no longer to be found. Instead of consistent good deals on quality items, discounted items were becoming merchandise specifically purchased for the discount store and heavily used or damaged returns. </p> <p>Then I began noticing that while almost everything would go on sale at some point, more and more items were selling out before they reached sales. Some research revealed that retailers used to order 10+ of an item per size, they were now ordering 3-5 and in some cases just 1!</p> <p>Case in point - I had a list of 5-6 items I was seriously considering for fall. These items haven't been available for even a month and already all of them except for ONE have sold out! </p> <p>I wasn't necessarily waiting for a sale; I just wanted to make an informed and thoughtful purchase. Now I have to stalk for returns, a behavior previously reserved for heavily discounted items, just to get an item at full price!</p> <p>Meanwhile, it seems like fast fashion retailers can't make enough of anything. *sigh* Times are changing... </p>