The Current State Of Fashion

I went to the mall in San Francisco this afternoon to help my girlfriend pick out some outfits for work and was surprised at what Nordstroms is putting on mannequins these days.  What is going through retailer’s minds when they dress these mannequins?  Do retailers think this is what people want to buy and wear, or is their strategy simply a marketing gimmick?  The outfit on the right is half decent, but what is going on with the one on the left?

Even though outfits put on display can be outrageous, what people are actually buying these days tends to be pretty tame.  This topic led to an entire discussion on what the current state of fashion really is.  I think we are living in a time where people really do have a good sense of fashion, and I’d actually say people are dressing more “normal” than any point in the last 30 years.  I know we really can’t define normal but in 20 years if we look back at fashion’s current state will we be able to define it?  How would you describe our current state of fashion?

The Art & Science of the Email Signature

Everyone these days has their own email signature.  Email signatures are what the email tool of your choice leave at the bottom of every email, most of the time being your name and contact information.  The folks over at Smashing Magazine have a great article about the science behind the signature which I think everyone should take a look at if you are a geek like me who likes to see and analyze those different styles.

Renovating American Infrastructure

 Roads, Bridges & Trains Paul Wootton

I was talking with Scott at lunch yesterday about our normal random things and somehow we got on the subject of America’s infrastructure.  I was telling him I recently read a great article from Popular Science about renovating America’s infrastructure and wanted to share with everyone as well.  The following is an excerpt: “Chicago road crews are scrambling to fill 67,000 potholes a month. Communities in Pennsylvania rely on 100-year-old water pipes made of wood. Squirrels still cause widespread blackouts. The country’s 600,000 bridges, four million miles of roads, and 30,000 wastewater plants desperately need attention. The solution isn’t patches, it’s an overhaul. Soon roads and power lines will fix themselves, and we’ll mine energy from sewage. America’s 21st-century tune-up won’t happen overnight, but we could start reaping the benefits (faster broadband! cleaner water!) within the next few years.”  >> Read the full article