Retail Diary: Fashion 🌀 Spiral: 2023 Fashion & Retail Top Hits, 2024 Predictions and My Personal Resources
Off the top of my head, these are my favorite 2023 fashion and retail industry moments, what I'm watching for 2024 and sharing as a year end gift, my media diet.
Fashion 🌀 Spiral = It's when you spot a style trend, and the more you dive into it, the more it unravels—connecting dots, history, and surprises along the way!
Looking Back at 2023
Fashion & Retail Trends and Events that defined 2023
Prada and Miu Miu trend defining moments on the runway (no pants! sweatshirts under blazers, over stuffed and accessorized handbags) Catch up on Prada news with my previous Fashion Spiral here.
Phoebe Philo’s long awaited return
Sarah Burton’s exit from Alexander McQueen
Quiet Luxury - notable Succession and Gwyneth Paltrow Ski Trial
Rise of the Fashion Detective. Everyone having accessibility (at a price) to fashion sourcers like Gab Waller and Front Row Live.
Year of Girlhood - Barbie and the concerts that defined 2023 - Beyoncé and Taylor Swift
Fashion & Retail books - The Kingdom of Prep (see my Retail Book Club here) and Glossy (see my Retail Book Club here) and CBK.
Images via Bookshop.org, The Independent, The NYTimes, Phoebe Philo and Taylor Swift
2024 Predictions 🔮
Retail industry trends to keep and eye on
Inspired by
Back Row Predictions (check them out here) I wanted to ponder my own for 2024.Travel and experiences - continuing to go on adventures (Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour continues Internationally! If you haven’t figured out yet, yes I’m a Swiftie.)
2024 is an election year. Consumer spending is challenging leading up to an election typically as consumers are anxious and feeling unstable. Post election the certainty of what is next tends to drive discretionary spending back up.
GLP-1 drugs and the impact to the industry (we will see this in Fashion but also in Wellness, Healthcare, CPG (food & beverages) etc.)
Fashion service retailers - I’m thinking Nuuly, Rent the Runway and secondhand like The RealReal, Thredup, Vestiare, Poshmark, etc. Based on possible impacts from consumers on GLP-1 drugs and how bodies change, people’s dressing changes etc. I think we will see adjustments and impacts to these types of business.
AI and the retail industry - I’m really enjoying exploring AI tools and can’t wait to see the industry embrace it more. This quote really says it all, “AI won’t take your job, but someone who can use it might.”
Continuing to keep an eye on these retailers/brands:
Farfetch
Shein IPO
Skims
What happens at Gap with Richard Dickson at the helm
Luxury Retailers
Beauty!
American Sportswear trend continuing with more return to office looks. Check out my Fashion Spiral on American Sportswear here. Especially keeping an eye on all the brands I captured in that edition.
I’m excited for Lauren Sherman and Chantal Fernandez’s book Selling Sexy: Victoria’s Secret and the Unraveling of an American Icon (I’ve pre-ordered my copy.)
Excited to see what Chioma Nnadi will bring as the Head of Vogue UK.
All the collabs - hoping for some innovative and fun ones to pop up.
Substack!!! Both what comes next on this platform but also how I can grow Retail Diary - thanks for being on this journey with me.
2023 Favorite Resources
Sharing resources that enter my feed and I devour. Many you can probably guess based on what I tag the most. 😉 An edited list of favorites.
Old School Media
WSJ
NYTimes
Washington Post - specifically Rachel Tashjian
As of late, Amanda Mull for The Atlantic
Retail & Fashion Focused
The Line Sheet - I’m obsessed with Lauren Sherman - love her writing, her blunt takes and respect for the retail industry as a whole.
Business of Fashion
Women’s Wear Daily
Glossy
Vogue Magazine
Bazaar Magazine
Opulent Tips by Rachel Tashjian (she sends out personally)
Weekly I like to check out Retail Dive, Vogue.com, Retail Brew
Podcasts
Note - I listen at 1.5 speed and often have on in the background during walks, commuting time etc.
Second Life and Who What Wear with
- - Work Appropriate earlier this year and now Culture Study
- Articles of Interest
Most episodes of Modern Retail and Glossy Podcasts
I like a lot of Retail Therapy with Sunday Scaries
Many Betches podcasts 1
Substacks
Sara Spruch-Feiner wrote an article for Glossy about how vibrant the Fashion community is on Substack. Agree! 2024 will bring even more to this space.
- The Love List
- 5 Things You Should Buy
- Back Row
- Earl Earl
- Magasin
- Hi Everyone with Hillary Kerr
There are so many others but I’m trying to edit here. 2 If you are super curious please check out the list of Substacks I follow in the app.
Miscellaneous - Instagram, TikTok, Blogs etc.
I’ve cut back on my Instagram and Tiktok usage in a big way. I removed the apps from my phone on 10/7/23 and have only gone back on for work related projects or less than 5 minutes of scrolling for Retail Diary posting. But (!!) a few accounts I really enjoy and wanted to share:
Allison Bornstein. I think subscribing to her Instagram channel is totally worth it. It is spot on for great advice and her approach to fashion and wellness feels good.
- So Many Thoughts - I love her instagram and SMTs for Royal Dressing and the meaning behind the choices and looks. She was a WSJ journalist and that is where I first found and appreciated her POV.
Keep it Chic blog
I love
blog Le CatchI Deserve Couture Instagram
Style Not Com Instagram
Eva Chen Instagram
Enjoying Girl Boss Town on TikTok and her predictions
For lifestyle:
Cup of Jo has long been a favorite - I love her Friday round-up posts and “4 Fun Things” I’m also enjoying her Substack. The Stripe is another one I’ve followed for a long time and enjoy her weekend round-ups from her blog. Her book recs are top notch and she just created a Book Club broadcast channel on Instagram.
I also read a lot of books (almost 40 for this calendar year) and use a Kindle (easier to tote around) and mostly borrow books via the Libby app.3
If anyone from Betches Media reads this, y’all are fabulous and you should have a consistent shopping and retail podcast. Could be a great listen and also a strong revenue stream with partnerships and collabs.
Reading the subscriber chats are such a wonderful way to engage with this community and a big reason that I’m loving Substack.
wrote a great piece about this here. It’s like the newsletters in substack are the first layer but the chats are the next layer where the party is.No, I don’t get enough sleep. Personal goal for 2024.
Thank you!!! <3
I loved this list! I’m a big fan of the no pants, micro everything trend, can’t see it going any where for 2024. Although I think midi skirts and office core are making a come back from what I see. I’m working on a jewelry trends of 2023 Substack. I gotta hurry 😩