trends and how to do them sustainably
maybe you wouldn’t expect me to say this but - i actually *like* fashion trends. hear me out. i think they have a lot of value and i think a lot of fashionable people have mastered the art of integrating trends *into* their authentic personal style.
what i see a lot lately is people saying they hate trends while simultaneously wearing a very trendy outfit and it always makes me laugh. i’m not sure why trends are looked down upon as a whole. they’re natural, they keep things fresh and exciting, and they’ll always be there and i think we can embrace them in a sustainable-ish way! i also think it’s really hard to ignore or be immune to them if you are into fashion at all, which im assuming you are if you are reading this, so let’s talk about it.
*caveat this is all just my personal opinion and i have no qualifications or actual expertise in fashion lmao
but first, basics
maybe this is counterintuitive but i actually think the key to having a closet that is sustainable, trendy, long-lasting, and that continues to feel fresh is one that has a good core of basics. what i mean by this is a good chunk, i’m talking like 75%+ of pieces that are pretty timeless and can stretch across many years of varying trends and seasons, but not necessarily all black and boring (color is key!). basics to me are things that are one or more of the following:
neutrals (black, white, brown)
a good range of colors you like to wear (reds, blues, greens, oranges, etc)
solids or neutral patterns/prints like stripes
types of clothing that are versatile (turtlenecks, t shirts, cardigans, sweaters, sweatshirts, many types of tops, some jeans and skirts and dresses in classic shapes)
good quality/natural materials
this is key because you can participate in so many trends with your core set of basics, either entirely made up of basics or styling trendier pieces with your basics.
this is also maybe a personal preference and just my opinion thing but i personally think the basics help to anchor trendier pieces and to incorporate some of your authentic and original personal style. i think many outfits that are like entirely trendy pieces can sometimes feel a little too forced and like they’re trying too hard. the trends you can participate in with clothes you already have and love look effortless because they are.
ways to participate in trends sustainably
first off, decide if a trend makes sense for *you*. not every trend is going to be for you and that’s how it should be because participating in every trend would be exhausting and unsustainable, not to mention it is usually indicative of not having a solid sense of personal style. this part can be hard if you struggle with your own personal style but one easy way to do this is just imagine you have that trendy piece in your closet. picture yourself wearing it, like actually wearing it, and think about how you would feel leaving the house with it on. how would you feel?
once you’ve decided you want to participate or try the trend, here are some questions to consider to do it more sustainably:
can you participate in the trend with things you already have? examples: dress over pants, pop of red, loose tee over loose pants, etc.
can you thrift or make the thing you want to wear? the beauty of trends is that they come back around so many things may be thriftable. sewing trendier pieces is also a good way to participate
does the trend require you to buy/obtain more than one new thing? it’s a red flag if you feel like you need to buy more than one thing to make the trend work.
some trends i tend to opt out of
print trends, especially animal print: for some reason i’ve just never loved animal print and tend to avoid any iteration of it that i see. it was cow print a couple of years ago and now it seems leopard print is making a comeback. i find that any super specific print tends to be short-lived and is really hard to wear for more than a year or two. same with camo print and checkered print!
things i don’t want to relive: the fun thing about getting older is that now i’m seeing trends come back around. and there are plenty that i don’t feel the need to do again like micro shoulder bags (i carry too much and they constantly fall off your shoulder) and sequin shorts (scratchy, made of plastics).
The beauty about trends are that you can pick and choose what works for you. I can also admire some trends on other people and opt out of them for myself. Things like grommet belts and big chains - I love seeing on others but don’t feel very me at this stage of my life, so I opt out of them. And that’s okay!
Current Trends
bows, pop of red, loose silhouettes, barrel pants, mid to low-rise jeans, long denim skirts, sweater vests, vests of any sort really, camo/hunting print, leopard print, color/lace tights, eclectic grandpa vibes, mini skirts, sequin shorts/skirts, boxer shorts, workwear, biker jackets, dresses over pants, cargo pants, mini bags, chains, charms, dad hats
let’s look at some examples:
here i am wearing a dress over pants, which just started popping up more and more on tiktok and pinterest. this was very in in the early to mid 2000’s and i think is fun because it’s practical (another way to wear dresses in colder months) and easy to do with items you already have! e.g. the dress and pants i’ve had for at least a couple of years, along with everything else im wearing! easy, sustainable, it feels fresh and fun, and helped me get excited about wearing dresses again without needing to buy anything.
“the trends you can participate in with clothes you already have and love look effortless because they are.”
this is another dress trend i wore last summer - pairing a feminine dress with a cap and sneakers! this dress was new but i could’ve done this same look with an existing dress I had, but the cap and sneakers are the key here and all items I already had (well the hat is cassidy’s)!
some pops of red I already have in my closet that I could play around with since this color has been trending since the Fall! If you don’t have much red in your closet but want to, accessories like socks or a bag may be a more sustainable way to participate than buying say, a new red knit sweater.
denim skirts were trending hard last summer and while this one is a little different than the popular one with a slit, i felt like this one i had thrifted in 2019 was close enough for me.
Trends on their way out
puff sleeves, corset tops, coastal grandma, quilted clothes, big collars on top of things, crop tops, high-waisted pants
I want to just briefly touch on when trends start making their way out. Anytime I happen upon a TikTok on what’s trending vs not, the comments are filled with people being mad and defensive about things they like that may not be the most current of trends.
Just because something is no longer trending, does not mean you need to stop wearing it immediately or that you aren’t fashionable if you still wear that thing.
This is where having that inner sense of style can be helpful because I really think the most fashionable folks are ones that thoughtfully participate in some trends, while thoughtfully also participating in things that aren’t trends or that are "older” trends. You gotta find your own balance and that’s why I think having that core set of basics in your closet is SO helpful in having some sort of consistency in your wardrobe as trends come and go, not to mention keeping that turnover as low as possible is the most sustainable thing we can do!
I will probably always hang on to my high-rise jeans, so ways I can make them a little more trendy is to not tuck in my tops and pair them with looser fitting items like this sweater pictured here.
How do you feel about trends? How do you know if you want to participate in a trend?