Trendspotting in Atlanta

Three to four times a year, I make the trek to the apparel show to network, learn, and buy for the shop. As big as the retail world is, it is still a rather small community, so coming to Atlanta is always like visiting old friends.

One of my favorite parts of coming to market is getting a look at the upcoming trends for the seasons to come.  They won’t all make sense for the Roost, but I do love seeing what’s coming down the pipeline.

In all honesty, the most useful tool a retailer could have would be a crystal ball.  At every turn, we’re guessing and taking a chance on what the “next big thing” may be. But since crystal balls only exist in fiction, attending market is our best chance of looking into the future.

I mean, if you had told me when we first started seeing jumpsuits that they would still be here, I would have doubted you.  But here we are, still loving jumpsuits for all occasions.

The August market is interesting because I’m buying for both fall and the early spring launches…two very different categories.

Luckily, I’m a spreadsheet nerd, so I keep up with the back-and-forth orders with my trusty Google Doc. I can remember my first solo show thinking I would be able to keep track of all my order writing in my head…not the case. So, I’ve resorted to technology and spreadsheets to keep me in line.

Ok, back to the trends: for all you Fall and cold weather lovers, don’t worry…I saw sweaters, sweaters and more sweaters. Most were oversized and cozy and they were shown in lots of fun neutrals. I saw several “cabin chic” looks for this upcoming season. So, even if you don’t hit the slopes, you can look cute in the lodge.

I was also glad to see the return of some glitz for the holidays. I think it’s safe to say that we’re all ready to get dressed up and celebrate the holidays again.

For Resort and Spring, I repeatedly saw two things…color and florals. If you all know me, you know I’m generally the queen of the neutral wardrobe. However, this past year I have been starting to embrace color and pattern (other than my beloved stripes). That means, you’ll be seeing tons of fun colors and patterns at the Roost next year!

This was just my cliff’s notes version of market. Make sure to check out the “Apparel Market” highlight on our Instagram page HERE to see some more behind-the-scenes action from my trip.