Organic by John Patrick

It's official. Style.com is calling it "depression chic". Hmmm. Something about that just doesn't sit right with me. Don't get me wrong. I have no problem with someone drawing inspiration from the era. It had an aesthetic that no other era has had and I'm certainly drawn to it, but something about the fashion glamazons over at Vogue dubbing it "chic" and turning it into something luxe and expensive just makes my stomach turn a bit. Perhaps that's me being a reverse snob? It reminds me of the early 90s when grunge hit the runway and suddenly became something it was never intended to be. It also begs the age old question of "which came first?" I've been reading about depression era fashion for months on blogs. So... did the blog world influence this trend or were the blogs simply picking up on the trend earlier than most people?

Either way, as much as the idea of $800 depression-inspired designer dresses makes me cringe, I have to admit that I'm drawn to the Organic collection by John Patrick. He states that his spring collection was about "dust-bowl" creativity and points out that the era was about "crazy resourcefulness." I think the collection also appeals to me because seventy percent of the line is made entirely from sustainable materials. That sort of resourcefulness seems to echo the attitude of the original era. Or maybe I'm just a sucker for a gingham print mini dress.