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I think the demise of department stores is only partially related to ecommerce. 50+ years ago people dressed like their parents and there was much less consume
by helsinkiandrew 5y ago
I think the demise of department stores is only partially related to ecommerce.
50+ years ago people dressed like their parents and there was much less consumer choice so that you could go to a department store and find everything you needed. Now fashion is much more tribal and there are speciality stores for specific goods that give better prices, choice and service.
The only department stores that seem to be thriving have a niche - very good food hall, high end fashion, or discount.
- albertgoeswoof 5y ago> 50+ years ago people dressed like their parents huh? I think teenagers in the 70s would not agree..
- julian55 5y agoQuite. Even back in the 70s most department stores seemed old fashioned.
- parenthesis 5y agoMany department stores catered to the middle market, which post-war become very large. But people now seem to want either very cheap or very fancy. Hence, in the UK, the death of stores like BHS, while, for example, Primark (bricks-and-mortar cheap fashion) and M&S food (fancy groceries) have thrived.
- lotsofpulp 5y ago> But people now seem to want either very cheap or very fancy. Perhaps because that reflects what they can afford, due to widening income/wealth gaps.
- deleted 5y ago[deleted]
- beardyw 5y agoSorry, but I remember 1971, 50 years ago. People in the UK most certainly didn't dress anything like their parents. My mum didn't wear hot pants and my dad didn't wear yellow and green striped flares like me! I would say now parents dress more like their adult children.
- dghughes 5y agoOr as some of the people on fashion channels say "cover". When you dress you have a purpose but covering is just putting cloth on your body no thought to its look. Many people now just cover themselves. They mindlessly throw on a t-shirt, shorts, hoodie, most often if not always it's sports-type clothing. And sneakers not shoes. It's hard to tell the 10 year-old people from the 40 year-old people these days just going by clothing.
- helsinkiandrew 5y agoPerhaps I should have said 60+ years ago, but even in the 1970s just about everybody was wearing the clothes that the 70s is remembered for or the clothes of their parents. If you looked back at todays street/everyday fashions in 50 years time there are hundreds of different styles.