Trophy Jackets

Trend (n.)
: the general direction in which something tends to move.
: predominant tendency or inclination
: thing causing otherwise-reasonable women to purchase harem pants and fanny packs.

I'm not much for trends, mostly because I do pretty much all my shopping online or at the Sally Ann. I kid you not; retail shopping is exclusively an underwear/swimsuit venture for me now. Another reason, second only to my frugality, is that I loathe conformity for it's own sake. If jeans and T's are your staples, fine. There's nothing wrong with wearing 'classics' if they are in fact classics. Conventional items like bootcut jeans and Converse One Stars come and go with the coolness tide, but you get bonus points for credibility if you've been rockin' a pair of each for the past decade. When the time is right everyone will run out to buy new Levi's & Chuck Taylor's, but they won't look like yours, or feel like yours. Fashion trends are cyclical, and currently experiencing the same celeb-obsession that everything else is (check out the WhoWhatWear book, the gals break it down well).

So, I do trends like college kids vacation... in the off season. Doing either lets you avoid paying full price, fighting the crowds, and having the same photos as everyone else. So I had a little chuckle when I was researching Trophy Jackets and found this Vogue UK article that claims they are the 'it' item of Spring 2009. And, yes, Topshop has been cranking them out for a few years under Kate Moss's collab label and their own:

It's now Fall 2010 (in reality, Runwayland is stomping through Spring 2012 already). It's been a year since anyone called the Trophy Jacket a "must", "gottahaveit", or "go-to". Guess it's safe to go back in the water.

Love this streamlined black and gold version from Australian brand Willow. They do such glitzy & graphic stuff - if Cleopatra joined a biker gang stuff. Alas, it's, as Tony Soprano would say, two large (as in $2000, or the current Blue Book value of my car, or a year's worth of student loan repayment).

Instead, let's see what eBay has to offer in the Vtg (that's eBay truncation for 'Vintage') Beaded Jacket department:

eBay seller: Trendsetter Vintage

eBay seller: American Archive

eBay seller: Tin Roof Vintage

Verdict:
All super cute, a bit heavy (read: $$$) to ship, and apparently must be worn with daisy duke's short enough for Britney herself. Think I'll keep the Trophy Jacket on the back burner wish list, since I'm bound to get one of those infuriatingly cryptic "Dress Festive" invites over the holidays.