To Trend Or Not To Trend
When you observe trends forming and changing around you, do you have an emotional reaction? Maybe you lived through the trend once (or twice) before and you will never go back. Maybe you are comfortable in your current silhouette and convinced fashion is moving in the absolute wrong direction for your body. Maybe you simply identify as having a classic style and you don’t need to evolve or change because your look is timeless.
I understand. I hear you and see you. If you feel great and confident in your presentation, I have no desire to change who you are or convince you to do anything other than what you are doing. But I will admit, I love change. I love the challenge of observing a fashion trend and, after deciding if it is something I am interested in trying, figuring out not only how to make it work for me, but how to accomplish the look in a way that fits into my budget.
Let the Runway Inspire Your Hunt
Personally, I have always had an affinity for vintage treasures. It is a budget conscious life hack that allows for a creative spin on runway fashion. There is something about that feeling of discovery. I love following my whimsy into a hole-in-the-wall thrift store or finding the best vintage stores when I’m visiting a new city. My adrenaline kicks in as I dart my eyes around to see if anyone else is attempting to beat me to the secret gem I’ve just uncovered. For me, staying aware of current trends informs ways to transform this passion for the old into fresh and modern fits. It also helps focus my hunt when perusing the endless racks of clothes. I keep a list in my phone of styles that I have observed and am curious to test.
Jumpsuits are a category that will always live on this list. They are comfortable, undeniably a conversation piece, and require little additional styling to complete the look. While traveling to visit family we took a trip to the usually dreadful pay-by-the-pound bins. I am not a fan of this labor intensive, messy way of thrifting and am always afraid of what I’m going to touch. And yet, sometimes, it is absolutely worth it: this sailor-inspired jumpsuit was waiting for me and I couldn’t believe my good luck.
Some trends that I’ve tried to make my own through repurposed finds are:
Oversized jackets
Jumpsuits
Vests
Men’s dress shirts
The way I choose to showcase the garments alters over time. When I first found this jacket it hit at my hip. As the rise of pants crept upward and I wanted to accentuate my high waist, I desired more cropped jackets in my closet. Instead of purchasing a new one, I had my tailor shorten the one I already owned.
There are various ways to style oversized men’s dress shirts. In this example I tied it at my waist. You can also leave it untucked, wear a cami or crop top under it, and only button one or two buttons in the center. Another styling option is to tuck only one half of the shirt, leaving the other half untucked.
Vests open up endless opportunities for expanding your style. There are leather ones from the 1970s, the colorful denim that was everywhere in the 1980s, and the ubiquitous sweater vest. Sweater vests with white button up shirts underneath left untucked is trending at the moment, but here is where you can make trends your own. Instead, pair it with a turtleneck and practice power clashing. Layer jackets over your vests to create dimension and play with different textures.
Reimagine your Closet Components
Following every trend can be a fashion pitfall as doing so is not necessary to keep your look fresh, and not every trend is appropriate for every phase of your life or authentic to your personal style. At the same time, I do strongly believe in staying aware of the fit and vibes of the moment so I can keep my clients looking current. When your styling starts to feel stagnant and uninspired, take notice of seasonal trends. Sometimes all it takes is reimagining the items in your closet and playing with new combinations and styling to reignite excitement in getting dressed.
Do you have any of these items in your closet?
Knee boots
Cropped pants with hem allowance
Button up shirts
Long Cardigans
When you first wore your knee boots, maybe you wore them over leggings or skinny jeans. Now, poke around your closet and see if you have any midi dresses or skirts. Marry those items to create a more flattering line for your midis and breathe new life into your knee boots.
Hemlines are getting longer. Save the cost of purchasing all new pants and first investigate the ones already in your closet. Do you have inches to spare at the hem? If so, having a tailor take them down is an easy way to update your look.
Necklines have been opening, in part to allow for the trend of stacked dainty chain necklaces. If you used to wear your button up shirts buttoned the whole way up, try unbuttoning the top three buttons. Add the necklaces or a small silk scarf for a fun new detail.
Long cardigans with leggings or skinny jeans were trending for quite some time and you probably still have them in your closet. If they are in good condition, think about having a tailor crop them to waist or mid thigh length. There is a bit of risk - knits don’t always respond to a cut and surge and can fray or pull apart. But you could embrace the frayed sweater trend and roll with it.
The possibilities living in your closet are endless. There are always ways to rediscover what’s inside. Sometimes a closet edit is the first step. Only after eliminating the distraction of the items no longer serving you, can you really see the value in your collection. Maybe this all sounds overwhelming to you and the idea of a personal stylist stepping in to guide the process sounds like a dream. If you live in the Pittsburgh area and want the trained eye of a fashion consultant to do the work for you, schedule a closet consultation today and let us help you reimagine your collection.