Gator Biz Caught in Jaws of Recession

Bright colors spell optimism in troubled times

(NEWSER) - As economic woes plague the country, fashionistas are turning to bright, cheery colors—most notably hot pink, the Wall Street Journal reports. Even in New York, those who once wore only black are buying fuchsia ties and designing magenta kitchens. With men who might balk at the traditionally feminine hue, one hotel exec who planned a hot-pink restaurant calls the shade “mangenta.” More»

Pants provide 'affordable luxury'

(NEWSER) - The economy may be tight, but consumers aren’t cutting their pricey denim loose, the Los Angeles Times reports. Sales of premium brand jeans climbed 17% in 2008 and continued a smaller increase into this year—one of the few bits of good news for retailers. A new “focus on fit” and “women's never-ending quest for the perfect pair of jeans” means “the passion for denim is alive and well,” said an analyst. More»

As bankers fall out of fashion, so do their stodgy duds

(NEWSER) - To the list of casualties of the economic crisis, add the three-button power suit. And don't cry for the fashion industry—men are investing in replacements for their cookie-cutter wool security blankets, making men's clothing priced over $100 one of the few bright spots in the bleak retail landscape, reports the New York Times. "It’s the preppy chic these guys have been into, and they’re just refining it," says a Berdorf's exec. More»

(NEWSER) - The economy is in freefall, which makes it a good time to be blond, the Times of London reports. Flip through the latest Vogue, and you’ll see page after page of blond-haired, blue-eyed beauties—a shift from the “quirky” faces sought after in recent years to grab the consumer's attention. Modeling agencies say advertisers are clamoring for conventionally beautiful blonds, which they view as safe and reassuring. More»

In slump, simple pleasures are chic as traditional values gain

(NEWSER) - Reading about a Michigan family that shed modern excess in favor of a self-sufficient farm life didn't strike Peggy Noonan as shocking in these economic times. Her fellow New Yorkers have already begun responding to the same forces, causing Noonan to predict the rise of "a certain authenticity chic," she writes in the Wall Street Journal: More»