Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!news.media.mit.edu!americast.com!americast.com!usa-post Newsgroups: usa-today.trends,americast.usa-today.trends From: usa-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: usa-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: trends Thu, Sep 17 1992 Date: Thu, 17 Sep 92 04:53:17 EDT Message-ID: 09-17 0000 DECISIONLINE: Trends & Marketing USA TODAY Update Sept. 17, 1992 Source: USA TODAY:Gannett National Information Network WOMEN RISING POLITICALLY: Statistics show women running in record numbers, winning primary elections in record numbers, and rolling up campaign funds as never before. The ascendance of women "is not a changing hemline, it's not this year's version of political chic," says Democratic consultant Ann Lewis. "It is because the world is changing." WAVE IS HEAVILY DEMOCRATIC: This year's wave of women is heavily Democratic: Only one of 11 women Senate nominees and 36 of 105 House nominees are Republican. Handicappers say female candidates could snag as many as 30 new seats in the House and four in the Senate, respectively doubling and tripling their numbers. Even a more conservative estimate shows women gaining two seats in the Senate and 20 in the House. JEANS ARE GETTING ROOMIER: The generation that grew up in blue jeans is growing out of them, but manufacturers are producing roomier jeans to provide some breathing room. The Lee Co. introduced advertisements to that effect during the summer Olympics. "Our bodies do spread a little bit," says Mike Robertson at Lee Apparel. "Plus we don't want to wear those tight-fitting jeans as we did when we were youngsters." (For more, see special Jeans package below.) CELLULAR USERS GROWING: While other forms of wireless telecommunications promise increasing competition, cellular phones continue to grow fast. In June 1989, there were 2.7 million cellular subscribers, according to the Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association. Since then, the number of subscribers has gone up at least 1.5 million per year. In June 1992, there were 8.9 million subscribers. TREND HARD TO SWALLOW: Just when people have mastered the wine list, it's time to bone up on water. A growing number of restaurants are serving their own private-label bottled waters. It's good business. Bottled water has seen triple-digit growth in restaurants over the past five years. But it might soak your wallet - a 10-ounce bottle averages around $3. CONSUMERS `WOK' THROUGH TIME: That Chinese stir-fry pan - mainstream during the decade of "Saturday Night Fever" - went the way of leisure suits in the '80s. No more. Wok sales have jumped 25% in the past two years. That's because Wok cooking is fast, healthy and cheap. "Instead of getting takeout or going out, people are staying home and trying stir-fry," says Gary Fonzi of Taylor and Ng, a wok maker. ALCOHOL-FREE WINE COMING OUT: The buzz in the wine world is wine without the buzz. Sutter Home Winery in California's Napa Valley is rolling out its alcohol-free white zinfandel and chardonnay next month. Sutter Home isn't the first company to market a non-alcoholic wine but it's the biggest. They're going after diet-conscious consumers - it's half the calories of regular wine. SOME READY TO VOTE, SOME NOT: The percentage of eligible voters who are registered is decreasing. That's according to figures from the Committee for the Study of the American Electorate. In 1964, voter registration was at nearly 70%. The latest figures show voter registration is down to 64%. STARS `PLUGGING' ALBUMS: Bruce Springsteen is following in the footsteps of Eric Clapton, Mariah Carey and Paul McCartney. He's going to perform on "MTV Unplugged." It's a rare appearance for The Boss. Insiders say Springsteen will release the "Unplugged" performance as an album like the others. SPECIAL PACKAGE ON JEANS: LEE TARGETS AGING BOOMERS: With styles like its Easy Riders and Relaxed Riders, Lee is targeting an aging baby boomer audience with jeans that offer a little more leeway in the waist, hips and thighs. It happens that roomy is "in" these days - and not just for the aging baby boomer. Baggy is in for kids' clothes and roomy is a growing consideration for senior fashions. JEANS GET HARDER TO BUTTON: Roomier jeans are "definitely part of this effort to address the question of bigger waistlines and aging boomers," says Norman Karr, executive director of Jeanswear Communications, a division of the Men's Fashion Association. While people attach great sentiment to old jeans, there comes a day when comfort outweighs nostalgia. "It gets harder and harder to button that top button," Karr says. LOOSE NOT JUST FOR FATTIES: Baby boomer demographics played a part in looser-fitting jeans, says Jill Novack, a spokeswoman at Levi Strauss and Co. "Some of them can't fit into their snugger-fitting jeans any longer," she says. But Novack says fat isn't the only reason for the fit. The extra room might be necessary to accommodate the pumped-up thighs of boomers who are physically fit. TREND STARTED IN EUROPE: Levi's makes room with 550 jeans, a "relaxed fit" that's looser in the seat and thigh and tapered to the ankle. The newer 560 jeans are a "loose fit" from seat to ankle. But Novack says just plain fashion is another factor in the new fits. In Europe, people have been cutting loose for a while. "Baggy was very very popular in Europe two to three years ago," she says. MAGS JUMP ON BANDWAGON: The first issue of Dirt, for teen-age guys, featured a photo shoot with clothes so baggy that a contortionist modeled them. At sister publication, Sassy staffer Mary Clarke, describes the look: "Low-slung baggy jeans worn really, really long." JC Penney's catalog collection of Easy Dressing Fashions for the "50-plus woman" features elasticized waistbands and Velcro closures. (End of package.) Trends & Marketing Editor: Michele Coleman. (1-919-855-3491) Making copies of USA TODAY Update (Copyright, 1992) for further distribution violates federal law. This article is copyright 1992 Gannett News Service. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM