In today’s world, we are surrounded by trends; in fashion, interior design, technology, automotives, and so on……there is always something new being introduced, trying to grab our attention and of course our wallets.
Fashion is by nature cyclical, reinventing itself season after season, year after year. It is one of the industries most affected by trends – in fact trends are what propel the fashion scene.
First things first; what is a fashion trend?
It is what is popular at any given point in time, in other words “en vogue”. It is the illustration of the current direction of the industry.
What this also means is that the “in” styles of today will no doubt go “out” of style in a not so distant future.
A trend can range from a clothing cut (wide-legged pants, puffy sleeves, low-waisted pants) to a style (grunge, power dressing) and even a color (see the numerous shades of yellow this season).
Why do fashion trends exist?
They are the vehicle for designers’ creativity and talent. They keep the fashion scene alive and vibrant, and believe it or not they create possibilities for us wearers.
Trends offer us an opportunity to express ourselves, to reinvent ourselves, to keep our style interesting, to reflect on the outside what may be happening on the inside. They provide for variety, creativity and fun in our daily lives.
Admittedly trends can be confusing. Some people think there are too many at any given time, and are overwhelmed by the choices. This can lead them to either shy away from them altogether or just go and buy the latest fad because they’ve seen it look great on a model in a magazine.
How do you make trends work for you and even have fun with them?
To answer this, I’ve put my French hat on, because I think the French girl masters this skill particularly well. What’s her secret? Firstly, she is confident and comfortable with her sense of style and what flatters her. Secondly, she is discerning and not afraid to say no.
Choosing the right trends for you
My suggestion is that you start by really discovering what works for you and your fashion personality.
Which colors are most flattering to you? What shape is your silhouette and which cuts most enhance it? Which styles best reflect your personality?
Once you’ve mastered this, then all you need to do is apply this criteria to the current trends. Why? Because if they work for you, they’ll integrate seamlessly into your wardrobe, and if not, they’ll likely stick out like a sore thumb.
Let’s take the puffy sleeve for instance. On the one hand, it’s fun. On the other, it adds volume to the upper part of the body – this may be advantageous to smaller frames but may not be most flattering to a more generously blessed torso.
The same applies to color. This season abounds with yellow. If this suits your complexion then go for it! If not, then perhaps adding it as a slight accent is a more favorable way to go; maybe a touch of yellow in a print, or a yellow handbag which won’t clash with your skin-coloring.
Buying trends wisely
To my previous point, trends are likely to fade away with time, so be kind to your wallet when choosing them. These are fun additions, rather than investment pieces. Reserve bigger purchase tags for your high quality staples and make full use of fast fashion for your trends.
What I’m encouraging you to do is treat trends like any other clothes purchases; with discernment. If a trend doesn’t work for your complexion, silhouette or personality, then it’s very simple, disregard that particular trend.
A few last words
For each fashion season there are a multitude of trends to pick from. Keep it simple, if one trend doesn’t work for you, gravitate towards one that does.
I encourage you to pull on your inner French girl’s “no” (or yes for that matter), it’s empowering and liberating!
Trends are there for you to have fun with. They are the spice and pizazz that complement your wardrobe staples.
With this, I invite you to get a little creative – experiment and add those touches that will add some “va-va-voom!” to your outfits.
Happy styling!