Why you shouldn’t follow trends and what you can do instead
Photo by Cleo Vermij on Unsplash
Fashion and trends has almost become words that has more or less the same meaning. We think of fashion in terms of fast fashion where being fashionable means following current trends. We think about trends and see them as a part of fashion. One can’t exist without the other. But surely, using clothes as way to express one self, show social status or belonging has been a part of human culture for centuries. And even a few hundred years ago trends might have been there but who set them and how fast did they run was surely not related to fast fashion. That is a modern innovation and the faster the launches of the new collection has been the faster and more difficult is it to follow trends. We don’t know about you, but personally we feel that trends these days are so blur and mixed that you don’t even know what is trendy before it is not trendy any more. Someone mentioned wide jeans á la the 70s and suddenly you find people looking like they lived in the 90s then someone mentioned color and we should all dress like the 80s. Maybe it is the end of trend cycles or are we just not considering how far human imagination and willingness to follow the lead can go?
Trends normally comes with colors, shapes, decades reused, icons, idols, category of clothes, materials and other influences. They are normally taken from the high-end brands new collections, presented on the catwalks. A fashion magazine might summerise that this spring is all about Purple, Metallic, Big Sunglasses and Oversized bags. Then referring to where you can buy these trends to a cheaper price. The problem with trends is that they are encouraging consumptions of clothes you might not need, use or even like. Trends are telling us that in order to be socially approved we have to follow them otherwise we are not a part of the society. Trends makes us insecure on what we truly like to wear. They create social hierarchies and exclude people who can’t afford to follow it. Trends make us forget what makes us comfortable and who we are.
What about those of us who like to change their style and try on new items? Where can we find inspiration and how can we play with fashion if not following trends?
Of course if you are a person confident in your style, you can look for inspiration on the catwalks - maybe there are a few things you would like to pick up and others you know for certain is not your thing? You can always renew your closet or style in circular ways such as renting, borrowing from a friend or buy second handed. There are plenty of already produced clothes out there waiting for a new owner, sadly enough!
Here are our tips on how you can renew your style without following trends:
Try out a different colour or colour mix
Photo by Calvin Lupiya on Unsplash in Denim material
2. Try out a different material or material mix
Photo by Victoria Krivchenkova on Unsplash, inspired by the 90s
Be inspired by a different decade and go all in
A final word, we don’t need the high end fashion collections or fashion magazine telling us about trends in order to have fun and creative and specially not to tell you what you should wear. Be brave, ditch the trends and start your own journey to explore what feels right for you.