Three Makes it a Trend: Visible Tracks

Girl, never let them see you sweat and never let a track be exposed. These are golden rules of style, but during this holiday season stores embraced the visible cord look and let what was once unseemly wiring show.

But what's with this new aesthetic? What is it trying to say? Is this supposed to be industrial, minimal and exposed or disorderly and bohemian? Let's take a look

(GAP at Astor Place knows grey knit scarves need a little spotlighting to look bright and new and the rigging is a graphic distraction but I'd be tiffed if I was that obscured girl in the ad)

(Urban Outfitters in NoHo may wanna keep that dog from gnawing on the cords. We've all seen "Christmas Vacation")

(Aldo is a mishmash of one part old time radio with a healthy helping of "Lucky Star" Madonna and a dash of very Now detectable wiring and bedazzled mic. What a mix!)