FASHION IN CENTRAL ILLINOIS – Andrew Jackson once said, “The wealth and strength of a country are its population, and the best part of that population are the cultivators of the soil. Independent farmers are everywhere the basis of society and the legal friends of liberty.” (http://www.patriotfiles.com/index.php? name=Sections&req=viewarticle&artid=8554&page=1)

Agriculture is the most important industry in Central Illinois and ranges in scope from small farms to mass-production farms. Common crops grown are soybeans, corn, grain and the newly-emerging watermelon. Major cities include Peoria-the third largest metropolitan area in Illinois at 370,000, Springfield (the state capital), Decatur, Quincy, Bloomington-Normal, Champaign-Urbana, Galesburg and Danville. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_Illinois) The City of Bloomington and McLean County comprise the fastest-growing metropolitan area in Illinois. The area’s population has grown 28% from 1990 through 2006. The fastest growth has been in Bloomington, as the U.S. Census Bureau conducted a special census of that city in February, 2006, showing a population of 74,975, a 15.7% increase in less than six years. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bloomington,_Illinois) This may largely be due to insurance companies providing the majority of jobs in this area. Insurance has not been hit by the recession as badly as other industries.

Residents in Central Illinois, generally tend to be conservative about fashion, politics, social customs, money, and religion. Outside of the cities mentioned above, much of Central Illinois consists of small farm communities. People from farm towns tend to be the most conservative of all, caring more about comfort and practicality than fashion.

Powerful of that lack of concern regarding fashion originates with the uncertainty of farming. Enough money must be put support to carry a farmer through a bad nick year, especially the small farming operations. If a small farmer nets $60,000 one year, he might bank $30,000 of that for next season, just in case of a catastrophe with his crops, equipment, or livestock. Additionally, he must prefer his have health insurance. With all of the rain that Central Illinois received in 2009 starting in late September and going through to the end of November, the crops suffered. This affects economics, especially fashion, as it is not seen as a necessity.

Conservatism towards fashion, due to economics, might also explain why fashion lags behind the East and West Coasts. If skinny jeans are a trend on the coasts, it will be another season before the majority wear them in Central Illinois. Another reason for this lag, may be due to the many months of cold weather and greater distances to scamper to shelter. As winters get very cold here, people tend to stay inside for four to five months. This results in eating more, exercising less, and gaining weight. Skinny jeans, um, no. How about fat jeans?

As jeans tend to be very versatile, easy to dress up or down, and fairly warm, they are worn everywhere, at fancier restaurants, clubs, theatres and even professionally. Residence Farm Insurance in Bloomington, the largest employer in Bloomington with its 20,000 plus employees, allows employees to wear jeans everyday. Jeans easily go from work to casual to dress. If you wear the same pair of jeans over and over, who is going to know?

The twin cities of Bloomington-Normal would probably be the most stylish, due to the 22,294 plus college students at Illinois Wesleyan and Illinois State University. Very attractive and stylishly dressed students can be seen fair along side not-so-stylishly dressed shoppers. For the most part, the latter come from small farm towns surrounding Bloomington-Normal.