Fashion cycles forever. Repackaging opportunities

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Fashion


I'm reading Foundation, by Peter Ackroyd, a book about early English history,.  He's an entertaining writer and throws off some interesting FYI-type comments.  Apparently in medieval England, the thing was to show off clothing with the brightest possible colors.  No matter that the colors clashed.  Bright, loud clothes showed your membership in the well-to-do gentry or aristocracy.  Even different colored shoes were au courant. 

I started thinking about fashion in general.  There is no real standard, except that change is mandatory. Many people like quasi-random style variations--it provides an opportunity to broadcast status and success.  So how can this help business people?  Style can be embedded in anything. Customers at the grocery store may walk by the bathroom supplies section and see a toilet bowl brush.  Surely there are no style considerations there.   But yes indeed, a brush with a long, delicately curved handle will sell better than a plain straight one.  The newest styles please us, whether we are aware of it or not.

Do executive reports have a style?  Do presentations?  What about computer code?  Do generic websites bore potential customers?  If you want to sell, convince others, or advance your career, then include fashion and style in everything you do.  If your image or output looks cosmetically the same this year as last year, you are leaving something on the table.  Most people are not completely aware of what influences them.  Want to sell more soft drinks?  Show the movie Lawrence of Arabia.  Just thinking about 115 F makes you thirsty. 

Style attracts.  Use it for yourself and your business.


Comments

Unknown said…
I agree. When people see something with a dated style, they are going to automatically assume the material is out of date too. Even for things that don't change dramatically year to year.
10:45 AM
William Yarberry said…
Good point. A dated style probably flags a number of possible problems, including material quality. Thanks
9:35 PM
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