Wigs: Why are wigs going to make a comeback? Well.. regardless of your ethnic background, getting your hair done is expensive- in most cities a cut starts at $20, relaxers and blow outs at $40, and weavers and braids $100 and up. Women are already starting to cut back on beauty services and opting for at-home-beauty-products. Wigs offer an easy, cost effective alternative to frequent trips to the beauty salon and, unlike coloring your own hair, requires little to no hair care skills. Plus top celebrities like Tyra Banks, Oprah Winfrey, Gwen Stefani and Jessica Simpson have been wearing lace front wigs, for years.

Plus Size Fashion: According to Women Wear Daily, plus size is one of just a handful of market segments that offers growth for the retail industry, which makes sense, as a poor diet often correlates to those with a low to middle economic status. In addition, many people will turn to comfort food as they look for ways to cope with financial and personal challenges.

Even “thin friendly” segments of the fashion industry are embracing the trend. Anna Wintour, Editor in Chief of American Vogue, recently praised the red carpet fashion of plus size grammy winner Adele, leading many to believe that a full figured model could make an appearance on the cover of Vogue this year. And the final hint that plus size is a major trend? Forever 21 is launching a plus size line this spring.

Garage Sales: While online auction sites, like eBay and Bonanzle, continue to thrive, so do old school garage sales. There’s been an increase in the number of weekend merchants, who often partner with their neighbors for community-wide sales and skip newspaper advertisement for free services like craigslist.

In New York, where space is limited, some women are talking it a step further, opening up their own closets to shoppers (Wall Street Journal). While clothing swaps continue to be a hot (for tips on how to hold a clothing swap, pick up a copy of my book “How to be Budget”).
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Update on a few of the predictions featured in January’s Lessons from the Sales Rack

- Prediction: Michelle Obama will redefine fashion and the role of African American women (and moms) in fashion and in the media. Within the last month, the first lady has appeared on the covers of People, Vogue (only the 4th black woman and 2nd first lady in history) and is the first person to share a cover with Oprah Winfrey on April’s O magazine.

- Wal-Mart will be the top store to watch as it will be the only store to successful address the challenges facing middle (and coastal) American families. According to Business Week, Wal-Mart posted a 5.1% increase in same-store sales, for February, while Target fell 4.1%. Furthermore, the publication notes that “same-store sales tallys by the International Council of Shopping Centers and Goldman Sachs was down 0.1 percent for February; excluding Wal-Mart, it fell 4.3 percent.” Anecdotally we’ve noticed quite a few Zipcars in the parking lot of the Secaucus, NJ Wal-Mart.