See those two women in the photo who are shopping and all smiley and happy? Now, close your eyes and remember this image, seal it to your memories, children. Because soon, the days of shopping sprees and enjoying mall trips will be long gone. OK, so we exaggerate a bit (we hope!), but you should be warned that clothing prices will probably increase. According to Women’s Wear Daily, many big retailers (the North Face, Seven for All Mankind, to name a few) are thinking about upping price points both because of inflation and rising costs of cotton and manufacturing. We remember a time about six or seven years ago when there was a marked shift in prices—especially at the luxury level—where for a time you could actually find something designer at Barneys for under $300, and suddenly things skyrocketed to the $500-plus range. That really sucked, but it was also when retailers like Forever 21 and Target were really stepping up their game. Still, we have to ask, this time around, how will we cope? The recession has certainly changed our money habits, but faced with increased expenses, we’re not sure whether we’ll change our brand loyalty completely or just become even more budget-savvy. If clothing prices start rising in the stores you frequent, how do you think you’ll react? (Just a suggestion: storming the mall with your gang of anarchist bandits usually only works in the movies.) [Glamour]
