What’s Hot: Old is New Again

By Nanette Wiser

EVERYTHING OLD IS NEW AGAIN

RETROCHIC: Grand Millennial Style is this fall’s hottest design trend. Young adults are returning to vintage styles, embracing traditional designs and mixing them with modern looks. Hot right now are wicker and rattan pieces, skirted and bow bedecked furnishings (tables, beds, vanities), china and china cabinets, classic floral/chintz wallpaper and upholstery and setting a nice table for entertaining. “Grand millennial style is a generational rebellion against the sleek minimalism of midcentury modern design,” says Rebecca Breslin, senior design manager for Wayfair Professional. It’s also a fashion “thing,” from vintage crochet sweaters to eyeglass chains.  Expect to see this and eco-design styles flourish, from sustainable materials for clothes and bedding (bamboo, cotton) such as those we found at downtown’s trufulla eco boutique and Belleair’s Illume Apparel.

THRIFTING & GENTLY USED: The resale revolution is here, and it’s not just about local consignment or resale shops such as Designer Consigner, Designer Exchange, CASA, Wendy’s Closet, Revolve Clothing Exchange, RETreat, Goodwill and other thrift boutiques. According to a recent ThredUp report, the secondhand market is expected to double to $77 billion by 2025. That big number, plus the low overhead of a peer-to-peer platform, is attractive.  Retailers are hopping on the bandwagon as well. Retailers such as URBN (parent to Anthropologie, Free People, Urban Outfitters, BHLDN, and Terrain) invite their customers to sell used apparel on Nuuly Thrift, a peer-to-peer platform. While eBay and Amazon also offer gently used clothes to buy (or sell), this trend is good for the planet and trumps fast fashion, reducing our individual carbon footprint. 

BORROW, NOT BUY: Your local library is full of treasures, and many offer more than books, audio and videos to borrow. Around the U.S., there are libraries that lend tools, ukuleles (https://pplc.us/ukulele-program/) and sporting goods. Seed sharing programs are blossoming, especially local flowers, veggies and plants. One unique program pairs students and mentors, a sort of rent-an-expert.  Locally, you can join book, Scrabble, mah jong and writing clubs, take tech classes or watch films. The Clearwater Public Library System’s Maker Studios offers hands-on learning and experimentation spaces where community members can design, prototype, and create works. Visit one of the 15 Pinellas County libraries or go here: https://pplc.us/

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