David Bowie | Despite the parachute pants, Bowie nearly always refuses to comment on his financial affairs. In 1997, a British business magazine named him the world's richest musician, with an estimated worth of $900 million dollars. If true, this fortune would certainly not be from just his musical releases, but is likely to include savvy financial investments. | Photo: Aaron Stipkovich | Related: David Bowie, Parachute pants, music

Fashion has come a long way throughout the years. We have gone from flare jeans and parachute pants in the early 2000's, onto bright colors and hippie style clothing in 2003-2005, and now, in 2012, we find ourselves surrounded by sequence, fur, floral patterns, and vibrant colors. However, fashion is not the only thing that has been changing, the economy is just as dramatic as new fashion trends. It seems as though just as America is adapting to such risqué, glamorous, and new trends, the U.S. economy is going downhill, thus affecting the way us Americans go shopping.

Although the big name brand companies are almost guaranteed sales because of their highly known reputation, more and more shoppers everyday are choosing discounted stores over the big name brands. Stores like Forever 21 and Love Culture have been capturing all of the department stores' usual shoppers because of their great deals on styles similar to the big name brands. Fur, which I stated earlier, has traveled high on the list of growing trends for this year; a trend in which many big name brands have adapted and are selling for no less than $100 dollars. However, one may be able to find this fur vest look-alike for around $30 at any Forever 21. Although the quality of these replica styles is no match against the expensive name brands, people are leaning more toward these discounted stores in

As America is adapting to risqué, glamorous, and new trends, the U.S. economy is going downill

order to keep up with the constant changing fashion trends without breaking the bank. Also, this new competition has forced brand names, that we know to never have sales, to start competing with these discount stores with some discounted prices of their own. It is interesting to see how only a few years ago, sale signs were nowhere to be found on these brand name items, and now, some brands are giving up to thirty percent off on their items; and yes, this is a big deal!

Regardless of money troubles, people in the past have always found a way to stay fashionable with the popular and expensive name brands because they had no other choice; however, what we are seeing today is that shoppers who are on a low budget now have the option of choosing look-alike trends with a cheaper price tag in all these discounted stores; it is comforting to know that our country's fashion can continue to grow as fast as the economy changes.