TOW #5: Like apparel are we headed for ultra-casual? by Jerry Epperson

In the October issue of the magazine Furniture Today, well-respected furniture critic Jerry Epperson wrote his usual opinion piece. However, in Like apparel, are we headed for ultra-casual?, he barely mentions furniture at all. Instead, he begins with describing how people used to dress nicely in general. Then, he goes on to tell his experience and observations when he went to eight different department stores. Epperson mentions furniture only once, saying, “I decided to go shopping and look at today’s styles in apparel, which is often a leading indicator of what is about to occur in home furnishings” (Epperson). For most of the piece, Epperson seems to be merely griping about the latest fashion trends. However, like the title states, his purpose is for the readers, mostly people who are literate in the furniture world, to take caution about new trends in fashion, because they may carry over into the furniture world.

Epperson does not achieve his purpose flawlessly. He writes, “My observations included:” and then proceeds to list what he observed at the department stores he visited (Epperson). Epperson does not take an objective stance on his observations, throwing in comments like: “Wearing exercise clothing has no requirement that the wearer exercise, evidently” (Epperson). This detracts from his purpose because he spends the majority of his piece throwing in lines like this instead of telling the reader how this could affect new furniture styles directly. Epperson seems to air more on the criticizing than analyzing side.

Not only does his list full of snarky comments detract from his argument, but Epperson’s rhetorical questions do not serve his purpose either. At the end of his piece, Epperson writes: “Will everything all blend together in one neutral style that is ultra-casual? Is that our fate?” (Epperson). He closes with this sweeping statement, but instead of enforcing the fear and caution Epperson set out to do, he makes a sweeping statement that readers can easily argue with. Besides complaining about people’s clothing style, Epperson offers no evidence of these styles carrying into the furniture world. Therefore, these questions, intended to strike fear in the furniture business, do absolutely nothing.

This furniture set up looks pretty put-together to me

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