Face it, every American realizes that the economy sucks right now.  People are spending far too much money on gasoline, the housing market has plummeted, and the unemployment rate is off the charts.  In the midst of this, the fashion industry is taking a beating.  Clothing prices have gone up, and the average fashion consumer isn’t looking to spend so much anymore.  So what can a person do in order to stay “fabulous” or “dapper”?  The answer is to find affordable one-of-a-kind fashionable clothing, and there’s no better place to find this than through independent and unknown designers as well as vintage and thrift stores. 

Prices on retail items in high-end stores have been escalating because these stores have been spending more money for their stock items.  The main culprit for the rise of expenses is the rise in gas prices, which ultimately means that shipping costs will go up…and they definitely have been rising.  Considering high-end stores mostly carry items from foreign designers, you should probably think twice about spending so much money right off the bat and instead wait for those major sales at the end of the season.

Shopping for Unique and Rare Clothing…Did I Mention Cheap?
Judging by this major rise in clothing prices, vintage and thrift store shopping is a much better option.  These shops offer many items that you won’t be able to find anywhere else, especially at an affordable price.  Trend setters and hipsters alike have been shopping vintage and thrift stores for as long as they can remember, but now this idea can very well become mainstream.  Vintage stores have been opening up all over the Echo Park and Silverlake area in Los Angeles and don’t seem to be losing business, but actually gaining it.  A lot of these stores even feature up-and-coming, independent, and affordable designer clothing lines.  I spoke with Stephanie Engel, a fashionista who works for French-based clothing label April 77 (www.april77.fr).  She explained that there is definitely a huge market right now with vintage clothing boutiques considering that these trend setters and hipsters don’t stop purchasing.  She actually plans on opening a boutique and vintage shop in downtown Los Angeles, which she says “is full of beautiful buildings and the rent is much cheaper.  Opportunities are endless.”  Stephanie has the idea to become a wholesaler and main distributor of April 77 clothing here in the western United States (some items can currently be found at Barneys New York). 

Downtown Los Angeles might very well be the right spot for this given that some of Los Angeles’ largest showrooms for wholesale are located nearby.  These showrooms would be the ones found at the New Mart and at the California Market Center.  Downtown Los Angeles has also been receiving a much-anticipated renovation on a $10 billion budget.  Lofts keep opening up all over downtown, and are even being marketed to individuals who have a taste for art, fashion, and music.  Some of these people have even been using their own lofts/living quarters as a showroom for their clothing labels.  So why not take advantage of settling in this city just before it becomes booming with art/fashion-loving yuppies, right?

DIY or Die!
While people have been scrounging up amazing clothing at vintage and thrift stores, the DIY mentality has also been on the rise.  It seems that the economy has only been affecting those that aren’t creative with their form of dress, because it seems that the ones that aren’t being affected are the ones who are into looking unique and want to stand apart from the rest of society.  Examples of these people are the girls that are constantly converting over-sized band logo t-shirts into dresses and the men who are slashing and dyeing everything in sight.  What better way to look unique than to add your own personal touch to your clothing?  Ultimately, it seems as though the recession is making people want to play the part of fashion designer and stylist.

photo courtesy of matadorytoros.com