Empty pockets inspire men's retro trend

Forbes.com reported designers are harking back to a time when men felt a bit more lucrative, citing Ralph Lauren's John Lennon sunglasses and Lacoste's classic polo shirt. The idea is guys will wanna buy it, since theoretically they remember having more dough when it was chic to tie a sweater around their neck.

It'd be one thing if these heyday fashions were discounted, like maybe the Lacoste polo should have a vintage price, too. But those Lennon-esque shades are no steal at $350, and Lanvin's knock-off Converse high-tops are $1,830. I don't care how rich you were in the '80s, a pair of polka-dotted Bermuda shorts aren't going to put that cash back in the bank, and at $100 a pop, your spending a pretty penny just to look like you haven't been shopping in 20 years.

Find any of these items at a resale shop? Then we'll talk about nostalgia.

Snuggies defy economic trend, outperform actual clothing

Barney's New York is only worth about half what it was two years ago, Hart Schaffner Marx (Barack Obama's favorite suit maker) filed for Chapter 11, but there's a waiting list for Snuggies. Seriously, more than 4 million of these things have sold. And that doesn't include the knockoff, the Slanket. Am I the only one who thinks wearing your bathrobe backwards will achieve the same, really odd, look? And come on, that material has to make your hair a staticky mess.

It would be one thing if people were just wearing these things in the privacy of their own homes--by all means, let your family deal with you looking like a fleecy Tibetan Monk--but people are flaunting them in public. Here's an article reporting a woman wore her Snuggie at the presidential inauguration ceremony.

Granted, two Snuggies for $19.95 is a heck of a lot more affordable than a $5,000 suit or a $500 pair of sunglasses. But still!

There she is, Miss America

No word yet on who designed Katie Stam's really sexy '80s wedding gown-looking pageant dress. What is it with the bride look lately, anyway? She did win with a cold, though, so bridal gown or not, I'm still impressed.

Born in Seymour and a University of Indianapolis alumna, Stam became the first Hoosier in history to don the Miss America crown. She also won the "lifestyle and fitness," aka hot body award on the first night of the competition.

There are plenty of photos available including crown and obnoxiously large bouquet of roses, but this one shows the dress better. Plus, we already know she won.

Does this match?

The media has praised our new first lady for her choices in custom clothiers, both for their junior status and their international backgrounds. Her inaugural ball gown, for example was done by Asian American designer Jason Wu and her inauguration ceremony suit was by Cuban American Isabel Toledo. But apparently, not everyone is so charmed. New York magazine's "The Cut" quoted former runway model and Black Artists Association cofounder Amnau Eele as saying,

“It’s one thing to look at the world without color but she had seven slots to wear designer clothes. Why wasn’t she wearing the clothes of a black designer? That was our moment.”

Well, that's one way to look at it. Local designer Nikki Blaine, who had two gowns floating around official balls on inauguration night, thinks Michelle Obama is using her clothing choices as a diplomatic tool. "The Obamas have proven they do everything for a reason and I think Michelle has chosen designers with multiracial backgrounds as a way to indirectly reach out to those countries," Blaine said.

Blaine, herself an African American, doesn't agree Michelle is obligated to use a black designer, necessarily. "She's still finding herself as the first lady, and still searching for that perfect look. I'm confident she'll continue to choose American designers to dress her, and it doesn't matter what color they are," she said.

Kicking and screaming

Tantrum on Mass Ave will close its doors Jan. 31. Where, oh where will we get our Casette jeans now?

Of course, they'll go out in style though, with a Belvedere vodka-sponsored party on Jan. 30 from 7-11 p.m. DJ Orion is presiding along with 80 percent markdowns.

The brainchild of former model Jaimie Rae, it's obvious someone with a fashion background has been behind the edgy merchandise. As it turns out, she says she kinda misses being around more people like that, so she plans to move to New York some time in the next year. We haven't heard the last of Rae though, since she plans to launch an online store, indentitystreetwear.com, by mid-February. "An online store will give me more freedom with my merchandise," she said. "I've figured out my taste is too edgy for Indianapolis."

The boutique opened just a little more than a year ago in Oct. of 2007. Since then it contributed actively on the Indy fashion scene, hosting several fashion shows and spearheading the "Grey Market," an occasional sale event at Talbot Street. Good bye, Tantrum, you will be missed.

A roof over your...arm

I've been a Hoosier for nearly six years and never set foot in the RCA Dome before last month's demolition. I'm sure to some this makes me a disloyal Indianapolis resident, but today I'll have a chance to redeem myself.

Sakura Urban on Mass Ave is selling wallets ($40) , clutches ($80) and messenger bags ($250) made from the dome's roof material.
Part of an initiative by People for Urban Progress, proceeds from bag sales will go toward using up the rest of the fabric (about 12 acres) in productive ways.

The ones is the photo are all white, but some feature bits of the roof's colored panels. There's also a panel made from recycled plastic bottles stitched to the inside, silk screened with the story of how the bags came to be.