Oh hello darling and welcome back to fashion month, today I want to talk to you about one of the supposed holy grails of fashion; Trends. Trends are a fashion world buzzword, that for most consumers is the all-consuming goal of the true fashionista.
Trends are a forward-moving direction of change, in terms of fashion, this is the seasonal rotation of items that have perceived higher social currency than other items. Trends have a dangerous edge because they imply that every six months we have to start over, and all that has come before is OUT. The impact that just one pair of jeans has on the environment is sobering enough to not need a new pair every year.
Trends are fun, please don’t think they don’t have a place in modern fashion, because they make a lot of money which is important to the longevity of the fashion industry. Dressing head to toe trend is not a bad thing, but it’s easy to get lost in trends.
As a fashion critic, when I used to see head to toe trend wearers posing for the street style photographers at LFW, I always thought that people were being worn by the garments. It was always hard to see who they were. Trends say nothing about the wearer, other than that they have an internet connection and a credit card.
The opposite of ‘on trend’ is classic pieces. These are the things that are supposed to be in all our collections, that we can rely on season after season. Things like trench coats, tailored black trousers, and a nude court shoe. Classic pieces are useful, but in this context, they come across a little dull. It is also limiting in terms of personal style.
Instead of chasing trends, or living in a timeless classic cocoon, I like to think about evergreen style choices. This is a personal pursuit, that is a true reflection of your own style, that can reference trend and classic pieces, but places you in the centre. This moves you out of the fashion cycle and puts you onto a more tailored trajectory that makes it more about joy and less about mindless consumption.
Take dungarees, for example, they are a year-round obsession of mine, so season after season I will turn to these trusty staples, applying different pieces from my wardrobe to them is what will update them for the evolution of my personal style. I am eternally grateful to Lucy & Yak for their existence in my wardrobe, and I am in love with this iris hued pair.
Trends are fun, but they are not rules for you to abide strictly. Instead of fashion ruling your choices, you should say jump and fashion should say how high. You’re in charge, and you wear the trousers in this relationship, so to be on-trend really isn’t a big deal. Thank you for joining me today, I will be back next week to continue Fashion Month!
Shot by Rachel Pechey
Dungarees in this post are a #prproduct from Lucy & Yak
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