Should Americans Use the Hemline Index To Gauge If Our Country Is In a Recession?

Fall is here and winter will soon follow. What this means to many fashion experts is that the hemlines will drop so legs will stay warm, right? Well, not necessarily, if the hemline index is to be believed. What? In all of the hoopla the network news has provided on the current state of economics in this country, you’ve never heard of a hemline index? Oh, do read more to become so much more enlightened.

The basic idea of the hemline index is that women’s hemlines rise and fall throughout the years based on the state of the economy, not any personal choice by designers or consumers. “Experts” point to the short skirts flappers wore in the 1920s, a time of great prosperity, followed by the long dresses of the depression-era 30s. They also point to the short go-go dancer look of the 1960s followed by longer skirt lines in the 70s.

Truth be told though, these experts could look at the trends in an exact opposite view, seeing the long poodle skirts of the 1950s representing a robust time in American history. And, this theory makes perfect sense, too, as long dresses and skirts often symbolize wealth because of the expensive cost of fabrics. So, those wearing the garments were assumed to be well-to-do.

Much like the groundhog predicting the weather, using hemlines to interpret the day’s economic climate is just as scientific. Instead, those interested in the country’s economic forecast should learn more about it at expert websites and through podcasts devoted to the topic and produced by economic professors. The knowledgeable people are the ones everyone should be getting their information from, not newscasters whose primary goal is to increase ratings.

For many months now, Americans have been watching prices at the grocery store skyrocket and gas prices following suit. The natural conclusion, that’s only reinforced by news media hysteria, is that the US is in the middle of a recession. While this MAY be the case, it also may not. People interested in the truth would be wise to go to this page to read what truly makes a recession and then consider for themselves if the US and truly the rest of the world is indeed smack dab in the middle of a recession after all.

The truly informed individual does more than just watch the 7:00 news. They do the research themselves and rely on true experts to guide their decision-making process.