Fashion, like time, is something that is constantly changing and doesn’t stop for anybody; among CHS students, fashion tastes are quite diverse, but there is usually one connective thread. Carley Lanham, employee at Kate Spade and senior, said she has noticed that upperclassmen at CHS have been attracted to more “casual luxury” brands such as Michael Kors and Tory Burch, since a lot more have jobs and a need for better-quality clothes with college on the horizon. According to a New York Times article from Dec. 2, 2014, the world is in a generational shift of luxury consumers because the young people have grown up with technology and access to luxury items, so when they are able to purchase more luxurious clothes, they opt to do so.

“The older and more mature we become, the more evolved our fashion taste is,” Lanham said. “Especially now since brands like Michael Kors and Marc Jacobs are seemingly more approachable to the younger crowd, those who have the money and necessity for something more substantial than just something from H&M tend to gravitate towards more luxurious brands. Personally, I’ve also seen a shift in trends with this rise in luxury for students as well.”

Even though Lanham was referring primarily to seniors in this shift toward more luxurious brands, Mary Caltrider, fashion forecaster on CHTV and junior, she said has seen a similar trend in her grade as well. According to her, the reason for the rise in popularity of brands like Marc Jacobs and Michael Kors is their increasingly simple yet elegant styles, which are very approachable for CHS students.

“To me, a lot of brands revolving around this preppy and classy trend have been on the rise at school. These ‘casual luxury’ brands like Marc Jacobs really allow someone to be both preppy and stylish,” Caltrider said. “People are gravitating toward better brands now because they are looking at quality over quantity. For example, if you get one good shirt from Michael Kors, it’s better than getting a lot of shirts from someplace cheaper like Forever 21. Also, since people are really getting into thrift shopping here at (CHS), you can still get a luxurious brand at a cheap price, which is always nice and in style.”

The same New York Times article points out that, especially in terms of social media, more luxurious brands such as Burberry are reaching out to their customers via social media, and younger crowds, such as CHS students who use social media, will have a more prominent drive and more pressure to gravitate towards more luxurious brands. The Internet has brought a rise in the popularity of more luxurious brands to CHS students, and it is  mainly through the presence of social media.

According to Karen Shumway, fashion and textiles teacher, many sophisticated students who have a tuned fashion sense gravitate towards brands like Marc Jacobs and Michael Kors.

“As a fashion teacher, I do get a lot of freshmen in my classes, and I think throughout the course of the year they get more in tune and connected with what the seniors are wearing and making,” Shumway said. “That to me is a daily inspiration of nicer fashion that the seniors give to the freshmen, and the freshmen have brands to look forward to in the future.”

According to Lanham, a preppy look that is based off lots of layering has been popular at CHS recently, and so is a bohemian chic look. With the rise of layering has come a shift into more substantial and nicer oversized sweaters, which Lanham said provides both comfort and the style of a nicer brand to CHS students.

Caltrider said she thinks that the nicer brands have also become simpler and more comfortable, which can easily be translated into a CHS student’s wardrobe.

Lanham said, “I think that freshman year everything is new and most students don’t have a lot of money to spend on clothes, so they go for cheaper places like Target and Kohl’s, but as we (CHS students) get older and closer to college, we want better quality items like Michael Kors and Kate Spade to last through college. Also, since a lot of the older people have jobs and more disposable incomes, they can focus their money on more luxurious items. Fashion tastes and styles are always changing and to me, everyone is always trying to catch up with the latest trend. The easiest way to do that now while still keeping your own preferences is through more sophisticated brands.”