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ambivalent about new trends?

greenglove

(website)

Veteran

Hi forum friends!!
I have been MIA for awhile due to family concerns and a crazy schedule, along with a much needed artist retreat,
I have been following the blog but not had any time to catch up on all the exciting action on the forum.
One thing I have noticed is that I am not that excited about any of the new trends that have come around the last few seasons with the exception of midi skirts and booties.
I still cannot find a below the knee sheath dress. It seems as if longer lengths have disappeared!
Oh, I do love over-sized jackets and sweaters.
I have an old levi leather jacket that I am glad I never threw out.
It is cropped and slouchy!
It is actually a good thing because I have started a clothing budget and need to buy less.
I love some of these styles on others but much out there is not for me.
It is fine, I still feel stylish and stick with cuts and colors that suit me.
Does anyone else feel this way?
it seems the older I get , the less compelled I feel to jump on new trends.
I will wait it out and save my money for a new style that I really love.
I am sure something will pop up soon.

General

20 replies

Latest reply was from Mander

Anonymous

So good to hear from you, Jean. You always look fabulous and have amazing style. There are styles I'm not thrilled about either and feel no compulsion to try.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Jean - so lovely to hear from you!! Do you have some pics to share? I always love your WIW -- and I don't care if they are trendy or not.

I think it's natural -- some trends won't appeal and that is okay. Especially when a person's wardrobe is in as good shape as yours is. In my case, it might leave me nearly naked if I refused ALL current trends.

I like many of the new trends and dislike many (for myself) and dislike a few (categorically). But that is okay, right? No need to buy into them all.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Jean, we miss you!

I think you were in some ways ahead of the curve and wearing what is now on trend before they became trendy :). You actually wear more trends than you think you do! For example, you have always been an advocate of "unstructured structure" - and that's just about the biggest change in directional fashion.

That said, style is about filtering trends - which is a skill that you have down you fab lady. There are many, many trends that I don't wear either. It's all good

Hope that you are okay sweet Jean, hubs and family too. I know things have been hard. xo

Kim

Veteran

I think you really nailed it when you said you would save your spending money for something you *loved* instead of just jumping on a trend for the sake of it.

I don't love the pastel trend this year (the stores look like an Easter egg on steroids right now so it's hard for me to want to go in! LOL) but I do know I LOVE black and white and have been wearing that combo for about 20 years! LOL I'll be stocking up on that and pointy toed flats and wearing them when it's no longer "trendy" but never without my own style!

I've seen your WIW and you certainly have plenty of that! Go your own way (and take pics for us!)

Spend on what you love!

greenglove

(website)

Veteran

Oh , thank you Angie, Suz and Joy!
I miss all of you, and am truly sorry that I have not had more time to devote to the forum.
This is such a special community.
I have gained so much confidence from being involved in such a stylish group, have learned and continue to learn so much from the blog and forum posts.
I hope to jump back on from time to time but it is a season my life right now that has not allowed much extra energy.
Thanks for the words of encouragement and love to all my fashion friends!

Carole

Veteran

I've missed you and your style, Jean! IKWYM and I should probably avoid some of the trends like I tried today (the slouchy track pant look). It takes time and effort (at least for me to shop, style and get used to some of the new trends but I think you have always looked super stylish and I've always loved how you use color to the best outcome. Good wishes to you and yours!

Gaylene

Veteran

An interesting observation, Jean, about the connection between age and trends. My own thinking is that being stylish and adopting trends are two quite different things. While both elements can obviously work together, I don't think every woman needs to go down that route.

Is it possible to be stylish without paying attention to current trends? I'm going to go out on a limb here and say "yes", although I know many might disagree with me. To my mind, choosing to ignore trends can be as legitimate a style choice as choosing to incorporate trends. The idea that ignoring trends leads to a dowdy wardrobe, to my mind, makes as much sense as the notion that adopting trends makes for a stylish wardrobe. I think, as we grow older, the clothing we choose becomes a form of self expression that does not need to be constantly re-invented every season. Knowing what works for your body and your lifestyle, what makes you happiest when you wear it, and what feels true to your own sense of self can lead to a strong personal style that stays constant regardless of what the fashion world might be promoting at any one time.

For what it's worth, Jean, I think you have such a distinctive, strong personal style that the notion of needing to "update" by incorporating seasonal trends is entirely dependent on whether or not the trend has any thing to offer your personal style. As long as YOU feel stylish in an outfit, I'd put my money that no one would ever see you as anything but a style icon.

cciele

Veteran

Hi Jean -- wanted to say "hi" and miss you around these parts!

I totally get where you are coming from. Although I have a knee-jerk reaction to jumping into trends, I'm finding that I'm moving toward a more minimal, pared down style, and spend money on high-quality items that will last for awhile. And you have such a great sense of color and style and what works for you -- so although you might not be "trendy" you will always be stylish.

rachylou

Veteran

Hi Jean! You know what they say about old friends: you can always pick up as if uninterrupted!

But an interesting question! I have to agree, the trends have felt weak and watery to me. I wonder if it's because the biggest trend of all is *anything goes.*

harmonica

Veteran

Hi Jean and welcome back! I'm a bit on and off too due. And I second rachylou

Transcona Shannon

Veteran

Jean - how wonderful to hear from you. It sounds like you've definitely had other commitments taking up your time and energy. We miss you though!

Sounds very wise to me to sit out trends that aren't pulling at your heartstrings and saving your money for something that will really work for you. You have a fabulous wardrobe and always look so fantastic that I'm sure you will have no problem SYC'ing for some time.

Please take care and hope to see you when you're able

Caro in Oz

Veteran

I agree that trends for the sake of trends is not the way to great style.

We are much better off knowing what suits us & dressing for our bodies & personalities.

Having said that I feel that some element of the "new" whatever form that takes is important. Fashion changes because we change. I don't think this means we have to go out & buy lots of new things but I do think we need to make sure we look current especially as we get older.

unfrumped

Veteran

Hi there! Oh, I am surely the worst. I also like your point about picking only updates you "love" because I can see that is what is going to help me incorporate updates more successfully and "own" the result. It seems so obvious. Also "waiting them out" now means to me not just waiting forever on everything, but feeling okay to watch and see if something continues to appeal to me in an ongoing way, in versatile ways, and then get with it. And there is a use for that "hold" area for items that are still very appealing and will come back around.

Tanya

Veteran

I also wanted to say hi Jean! Miss you here!

The ladies have already pretty much said everything I was going to, but basically you have such a wonderful distinct style that I think of it as completely immune to trends. No need to buy something unless you find a piece you absolutely ove.

catgirl

Veteran

So good to see you! Your style to me is like Fluevogs - it's always in because it's always YOU and suits you perfectly. I hear you on the current trends - the colors in particular are not my cuppa, but you have your look down so well already I wouldn't worry about it.

Hope to see you posting more WIWs and that life is calming down for you.

rae

(website)

Veteran

I've missed your WIWs so much, glad to see you back here on the forum! Others have already said it, but your style is down pat. No need to experiment if you do not feel the call. I feel lucky that there are trends for me to take advantage of right now, but I know it won't last forever.

rute

Veteran

Hi!
I'm glad you are fine now!
I feel the opposite, I'm so in love with this new season! Love the white, the blush and all the soft colors, lower heel options, sandals, lots of dresses!

Ornella

(website)

Veteran

Jean, I so miss your red curls, WIWs, your musings and your fantastically educational comments about colors.

I hope family concerns are manageable, as much as those can be. As for retreat, I am sure it did you all sorts of good and I can only hope it was better and more enriching than you had expected it to be.

I would not say I am not thrilled with many of the new trends, for me it's more of a case I've never been trendy. At first I did not even understand trends, now it's a case of being, hopefully more, confident in selecting what is or is not for me - and why (I must know answers to "why" if at all possible).

YLF had given me tools to understand that I neither have to aim to incorporate many or any of the trends if I feel they are not for me, and it had also given me the platform to enjoy those very trends on others. Win - win situation in my book.

I must say it was you and Scarlet who around the same time, a while back, commented on some threads and said something along lines of stocking up on favorite colors or cuts or styles while they are in trend. It gave me a lot of food for thought and since then I was a lot happier, because I realized that the kind of appearance I want to portray is wearing what I love and feel good in, rather than what's latest IN thing. That's just me, sometimes even trend-averse, but I am very happy with where my style's at right now.

I hope this makes some sense.

Please take care of yourself and stop by when you can, you are greatly missed.

Molly L-R

Hello, Jean! Nice to meet you. Personal style is so important and following trends just because they're trendy can knock one's personal style out of kilter. I tend not to jump on trends that are too recognisable, mostly because I don't tend to like them (see the loose fit trend), but also because I can't stand looking dated. If a way-out trend is all over the shops in a big way, then in 12-18 months time anyone still wearing it is going to look hopelessly behind the curve. Interesting though, for all I don't like to look "recently dated", most of my prefereances for clothing are inspired by eras past (victorian to 1940's).

Mander

(website)

Veteran

I'm frequently ambivalent about trends -- I don't know if it's a part of getting older, or if I'm just generally cantankerous! The last few years just haven't been all that exciting to me, with a few exceptions. I have always loved high contrast black and white, so I'm pleased with that, and the bright colors, larger structured tote bags, moto jackets, and boots that have been popular lately have been great. I'm not such a fan of leggings and skinny jeans but I like the softer knit fabrications that have been available.

But on the other hand, there have been tons of styles and trends that other people on YLF can rock with impunity but which just don't appeal to me at all. I do worry that this is how the journey to frumpiness begins -- with frustration with current trends and a fondness for the things you wore when you were younger.