Everything New is Old Again

BACK TO BASICS | by ROBIN AVNI and JANNA LUFKIN

WE’RE ENGAGING IN A BIT OF TIME TRAVEL THESE DAYS: Post-modern mid-century Mamas who adopt the glam Mad Men aesthetic; paging Jackie Kennedy. Steampunk Victorian Vixens who’ve taken dark repressiveness and tied it up in a sensual, twisted knot of lace; Morticia Adams would fit right in. Female farministas looking for their own Green Acres, whether it be flax-in-the-city or, gasp, going back from whence they came; witness the new Eva Gabor.

No big secret here: The tried and true are that for a reason — they work. They offer her comfort amid challenging times. A stylish coping mechanism, if you will.

But these period affectations are more than just an adoption of a “look,” or a posturing attitude. This isn’t the nostalgia of the past few years, a trip down memory lane with a wink and a nod to childhood memories wrapped in colorful kitsch. What is happening now is a total, heartfelt adoption of a lifestyle philosophy and all the accessories that come with it.

What is bound to come next? A period of innovation. Traditional elements work as the solid base from where she can imagine new ideas.

Mid-century interest forecasts the seeds of a new creative movement that challenges the status quo. Steampunk has deep connections with science fiction and fantasy, an outsider platform from which to dream and imagine future worlds within the realm of familiarity. And those farministas — well, how are you going to keep them downtown once they’ve experienced the farm?

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EXCERPTED FROM 10 INSIGHTS FOR 2010 by Lifestyle Insights.
For more information: robin@robinavni.com.

© 2009 robinavni | lifestyle topics, insights & trends llc and Janna Lufkin. All rights reserved. No part of this material may be duplicated or redistributed in any form without written permission.

Edited by MOLLY MARTIN; image source: iSTOCKPHOTO.