There has been a lot of talk about recession indicators as of late, with the most random of fashion trends being flagged as a signal of an upcoming recession. Blazers, boho skirts, peplums and indie sleaze skinny scarves (à la Timothee Chalamet) aren’t just cyclical trends but instead a sign of an incoming economic slump (according to TikTok). But with fashion trends coming in and out of fashion every few years, and many of these trends being rooted in late y2k nostalgia (hi 2008 recession normcore), it did make me ask if we are simply following along our pre-set trend cycle trajectory or are these actually signals of a shift in our economic situation.
I’m not an economist, but I’m going to do my best here: unlike GDP or inflation, which move more slowly, consumer confidence fluctuates quickly and more directly …
