2009 Anthem Redux

HEADLINE on CNN Money: Retailers That Survive Can Expect A $20 Billion-Plus Boost In Sales. (Article is no longer available, but the headline says it all.) That is the upside of recessions.

HIP - not the body part

When did over-used 60's lingo that I think of as a body part become a design style? Just noticed it on Portfolio.com, and have been hearing the word bantered around the industry ad nauseum.

I hope that it is not a case of my being a fuddy-duddy. In the 70's when the design studio where I worked divvied up design styles for a marketing campaign, I knew that I didn't want French Provincial or Mediterranean, someone else claimed Contemporary and Early American. I had to think fast and announced I would be doing "Country." I got lots of quizzical looks and the question: "What is Country?"

So dare I ask: "What is hip style?" Someone please help me out, as I am usually pretty on top of this type of stuff.

I did convince the others that "Country" was indeed a style and went about my task of finding products to create the look. The year was 1974 and Mary Emmerling's defining book "American Country" was published in 1980, so finding product was a real challenge. Yes, I figured it out - but this "hip style" has me a little confused. Please send pictures!

Only The Strong Survive --- Jerry Butler

Happy 2009! An anthem for the upcoming year.