How much does being current matter to you? - YouLookFab Forum

Category

Dressing

How much does being current matter to you?

Fruitful

Veteran

I was reading Greenglove's post http://youlookfab.com/welookfa.....e-they-out and seeing how people had felt when something they like is no longer in, as well as suggestions for getting away with wearing such a garment.

I honestly (seriously, I'm not being critical, it just doesn't compute in my head) am finding it hard to see the problem. In my life, most people don't have a clue what is current, and I think I encounter a fair cross section of people. I am usually the one providing them with knowledge about trends (even if I'm not wearing them), not the other way around.

Therefore I adopt trends only when I like them and they suit me. Not doing so would have zero impact on the people around me.

I was under the impression most YLFers are the most fashion forward people in their own worlds too, that's why many of us enjoy the camaraderie of this site.

So, how and why does currency matter to you? Do you feel pressure to drop looks you like that are no longer in? Who is this for? People in real life, people online, or just your own inner standards? Do you simply enjoy the feeling of keeping your look fresh and up-to-date?

Dressing

27 replies

Latest reply was from T-Rex

Anonymous

Hmmm -- I would say for me, being current isn't the goal. I actually first joined the site because I had no clue about fashion, and well, as an anthropologist I figured participant-observation was the way to go. I love seeing the range of looks and discussions on this board. I feel much more knowledgeable about trends, even if I have no desire to follow some (most?) of them.

I have discovered over the course of this year a style that feels like me and works for me, and I don't think it will be changing too radically. I was a late adopter to trends before YLF, and even now I only participate in the trends which resonate with me, not just whatever is au courant.

ironkurtin

Veteran

It bothers me in terms of cut. I have definitely felt like some styles of shoulders or lapel or pants rise have passed their prime when I put them on. I also feel like certain silhouettes or styles pass a certain threshold and get "old."

In terms of fabric or color, not at all.

Anonymous

ditto to everything you said. I've lived in several cities across Canada and haven't known anyone that specifically saught out trends. My own wardrobe has a decent smount of current trends only because I bought almost everything in it in the past three months. If I don't like a trend and/or it doesn't flatter my figure the way I want, then I don't buy it. It's just not my personality type to go with flow for the sake of fitting in or staying current.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Great question! I've missed you, Kieran.

I think that the crux of the matter here is the difference between fashion and style. Something can no longer be as on trend or directional, but still very stylish. E.g. the tailored cropped jackets Jean was talking about in her thread.

I don't find dated items stylish - as Dana said, some styles pass a certain threshold and look old, while others don't. And on that note, I personally believe that a stylish look has an element of NOW in it. But as I said in my post this morning - a trend can be five years old and still look current. In fact, skinnies are an 8 year old trend and as current as ever.

And classics need to be updated - full stop.

To answer your question, I'm in the fashion industry (21 years straight) and love to refresh my look with the trends. I enjoy the changes and have fun along the way. It's a hobby and my bread and butter. But in the same breath - I also don't fix what feels fabulous. I wear three styles of top and that's it! Perhaps you read this recent post on that:

http://youlookfab.com/2013/05/.....nt-fix-it/

And lastly, as someone in the fashion industry, there are SO many trends I don't wear - like high heeled footwear. Do I feel inferior and less hip than other fashion professionals who wear hot off the press trends all the time? No. I'm almost 43 years old and more set in my style ways than ever - especially when it comes to the feet!

Lastly, wearing trends is all about filtering the ones that appeal and work for you. THAT is what creates a stylish look.

Peri

Veteran

It matters to me a lot. I'm always wondering what is dated and what is frumpy. I guess that is coming from a fear direction...what I don't want...instead of an excitement direction...what's cool and new. So I don't think that's ideal, to be fear based.

But I work with kids. It's a given they think I'm an old lady...53 might as well be 103. But I at least want them to think I'm not a clueless stuck in the past old lady. I want to seem current and like I'm an active participant in the present.

I won't follow trends I don't like (skinny everything) but I really really want to not be dated.

Caro in Oz

Veteran

I couldn't put it any better than Angie's last sentence:)

I had the realisation that the older I get the more "current" I like my look to be for some reason. I think it shows that I'm aware & participating in society even before I speak. I can do this in other ways to but not without having a conversation.

Transcona Shannon

Veteran

I absolutely want to be current, but I'm not all over every trend. I'm learning to pick and choose what of the trends work for me, my style and my body. And I think you can take classic items and make them more current by adding a trendy element.

Like Caro, this is strangely becoming more important to me as I get older. I already have grey hair (which I'm proud of) and do not want to look any older than I am. Keeping my hair cut in a current style and wearing some trendy items makes me feel like I'm "keeping up", you know?

CocoLion

(website)

Veteran

I have always loved fashion -- trends, shopping, dressing, self-expression. But my interest in fashion is at a peak now that I am a participating, active member of YLF.

I love being an early adaptor of trends but I can't afford to be first; I have to wait for lower-priced versions of trends become available. If I had unlimited income, I would certainly be more fashion-forward.

I follow fashion and trends because it is my passion; not to fit in. I don't; if I wanted to fit in, I would wear boot cut jeans and fitted tees. Or gear and sneakers. Most people don't even wear skinny jeans, let alone boyfriend jeans here. And the oversized tops trends has not hit here yet.

shedev

Veteran

I can't say that being current is that Important to me but I do think it's fun to see if I can adopt trends in a way that is true to myself. I dont wear orange or mint as clothes but I do like them as nail polish. I dont feel comfortable in slouchy looks but am wearing looser for me clothes lately. One trend I wont be adopting is pointy toed footwear because I need toe room and I just dont like the way they look. I still wear fitted jackets because they are me.

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

Although I do have a few friends that appreciate what I wear, I can't think of anyone who is particularly aware of trends or is fashionable in that sense. For me it is all about what Angie said above: filtering what appeals and works for me. That is very fun for me (similar fun to going to a thrift store and picking out the good stuff for me or someone else actually).

DonnaF

Veteran

Being current in terms of fashion has never mattered to me. at. all. But turning 60 and letting my hair go gray has made me feel like I can no longer afford to be completely clueless. That being said, figure flattery is a high priority for me and I am very self-conscious about my very short, stocky legs. Skinnies don't go over my legs, and the crops and ankle pants all over the stores make me look like I am walking on my knees since heels bother me, so no thank you.

Since joining YLF, I am at least learning what is directional and/or on trend, whether I choose to buy in that direction or not. And since joining YLF, I got rid of a lot of my wardrobe that was 10, 15, and 20 years old, not that I was wearing all those items much, but a definite hazard if one's weight doesn't fluctuate too much. I definitely don't want to be guilty of holding onto clothes again for that long!

My environmental norm is pretty frumptastic leaning toward gear, so I am feeling a bit of pressure to dial it back a bit, even though I veer toward the frumpy by YLF standards. Politically incorrect and all that. But when I attended a weekend religious workshop recently, a (fantastically stylish) minister (wearing shiny red Tildon pointy flats) said she liked my style, so maybe it isn't all bad?

Mary Beth (formerly LBD)

(website)

Veteran

I don't worry about the trends, just for the sake of being 'current'. If something piques my interest and it works for me, then I keep it until the day I don't love it anymore - regardless of whether or not it is 'out'. Right now, I still work the fetish and the flamenco trends, because I really enjoy those, and because I am part of a flamenco dance company, which means, happily, I can do double-duty with some of my clothesand accessories. I dress for myself, in clothes that feel luxurious and nice on my skin, and that I feel beautiful in. I dress for my own happiness, not for anyone else.

I aim for sleek, fitted, well-groomed, and a little sultry when possible. I don't ever feel that I'm not 'current' - except when my friends turn up wearing clubwear (cue eyeroll here). My kind of bodycon is pencil skirts at or just below the knee, and very fitted tops or sweaters, not these crazy tunic-looking things with a banded bottom that pass for minidresses...

Gaylene

Veteran

Other than going to a religious retreat, I could have written DonnaF's comment as my own. I love talking and learning about trends, styles, and fashion because it helps me decide on what to add (and what to avoid!) when I'm in the shops. But figure flattery and appropriateness are far more important to me than currency.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

I could have said what Caro said. Being current seems more important to me as I age - which is surprising to me! But it's not about fitting in. If I wanted to fit in to my environment, I'd be wearing gear all the time.

At the same time, I'd like to make a distinction (as Angie did) between being current and following all the trends. It's possible to be current without slavishly adopting every new thing that comes out. Picking and choosing is key - to match figure flattery and style persona goals. Some trends I just won't be wearing, no matter what, though I may enjoy them on others.

Mo

(website)

Veteran

Thought I would answer first, and then read responses. For me, being current, and more importantly appropriate came to the forefront after 40. Before that I was happy to wear what I thought was cute and flattered me.
Coming here led me down a road of discovery beyond just what 'after 40' should wear.
Now I like to be current to the point of not looking like I don't know what's going on. But . . . I don't adopt most trends that I've seen these last years of my 'awakening' lol. I'd die before I wore a chambray shirt with floral jeans, for instance. I do get a kick when things I put together I also find are in following with current trends.

shoegirl

The word "current" is used to mean slightly different things in this context. One meaning (current (1)) is about adopting the current season's fleeting trends. But the other commonly used idea of current in this context is *not so out as to be noticeably so* or *hasn't given up and got stuck in a dated style* (current (2)). The same thing happens with makeup style -- some older women fail to notice that the way they do their makeup hasn't been "in" for decades, and thus, their makeup ages/dates them.

Being current (2) doesn't imply that you are or need be current (1).

I definitely don't go crazy with fleeting trends (though I do like to include one or two -- those that appeal to me) but I do not want to look dated so I do want to be current (2).

Adopting a seasonal trend or two is not necessarily enough to turn a dated outfit into a current one, because many details change over time. We wear things differently from how we wore them 20 years ago.

Lyn D.

Veteran

I do want to be current- nothing is worse than keeping the same hairstyle for decades- but not so current that it is 'try-hard' or MDAL!

Deborah

Veteran

I relate to Caro's response here. As I become older it does become important to be current, but it is also important to me to have a strong signature, something that transcends trends and what's fashionable but hopefully signifies style.

Deborah

Veteran

Thinking about it a bit further, I realise that I can actually feel conspicuous and uncomfortable if I dress in a manner that is too current or trendy. I think it's because in doing so I feel I loose a bit of myself?

rachylou

Veteran

Being trendy is important to me, I must say. I don't worry about being *out if it.* What I feel is a very strong need to be where *it's happening.* When I do history, it's history that's playing out in the future/present, if that makes any sense.

Although, I do my own thing a lot too. I guess the one thing I don't do is the sort of fashion that marches steadily on no matter what's in the way.

annagybe

(website)

Veteran

I love being trendy. It is important to me.

Adelfa

Veteran

I wouldn't say I have a fashion forward style. But I do like to update my classics, to toss dated styles, and to consistently incorporate a few current items into my look.

Why?

1. Compensating for a frumpy childhood and young adulthood.
2. As a 52-year-old woman in the work force, I don't want to dress in a way that could lead to my being more easily dismissed.
3. It is really fun.

Eliza

Veteran

I like to be up on what is "now", so that I can do as Angie mentioned and choose what would work for me and be fun to wear. Thanks YLF!

As I approach 60, I am both more set in my ways and more open- minded than ever about fashion. I want to respect my age when I dress, but also express my enthusiasm and appreciation for being here to participate. At times, I enjoy fashion as artistic vision, completely unrelated to anything I could or would actually wear and at times I feel privileged to own something with thoughtful design or workmanship. Like many here, being current is one component of my fashion thinking, but not the only one. I like learning about fashion history, as well as trends. I think it's becoming a hobby, now that the kids are raised and I can think more about self expression in general.

Great topic- enjoying all the perspectives.

kkards

Veteran

Hmm. Well I see being current as different than being trendy. To me, being current is being with the times. Trendy is being of the moment. I want to be current because I want to show that I am connected to what is going on in the world. I'm not trendy, I don't need or want to be an early adopter.

Ingunn

(website)

Veteran

I have to agree with those who says that beig current is more important as I get older. I'm almost 45 and work in an environment of teens (high school). Thus, I want to project that I'm still ON, but I don't need to be an early adopter. Being stylish is my main goal, but current has a lot to do with that.

T-Rex

Veteran

I so rarely look at an item in my wardrobe and think "is this current? does it look dated?" I just kind of instinctively stop wearing some items, while continuing to wear others. And, I will incorporate new versions of styles that I like. I am far more likely to look at myself in the mirror after getting dressed and asking "does this work?" I don't know if that question is actually that different from the "dated" question, but it feels different to me.

There are so many vintage items in my closet that I've either inherited from relatives, or thrifted, or accepted as hand-me-downs from friends or family. I also have a few retro items, although I'm not drawn to them nearly as much as the real thing. So the idea of caring whether I am current feels a little weird to me.

There are a few styles that I have deemed dated, but they are almost always clothing that I wore when I was younger, had less money, and most definitely had less of an idea of what worked with my body proportions and my sense of style. For instance, shoulder pads that overwhelmed my petite frame. Or pants and jeans with a high waist, which were almost always proportioned for a smaller waisted person, so that the pants were baggy in back in order to get them to fasten around my waist. Or dresses that were similarly proportioned. Rigid fabric with a tight waist, which just made the bust too big and the shoulders droopy.

Items that were fashionable during my childhood are often OK, assuming they are proportioned to fit me. Items that were in style during eras before I was born are almost always coveted by me, and cherished if I can find them in good shape and in my size.

With all that said, I am a definite packrat and I rarely get rid of my old clothes. So sometimes when something becomes current again, I often find that I have a previous version already in my closet. Other times, the item has come back into fashion but in a slightly different version. The proportions may be different, or it may be worn in a different way. Whether or not I pull out my old version and wear it again is, once again, an instinctive decision for me. Either it feels right, or it doesn't.

I feel like my response was all over the place. Hopefully, it makes sense. I have no idea if my approach is similar to any of the others on the forum, or if I'm an anomaly. I'm curious to find out.

T-Rex

Veteran

I had another thought which may explain (at least to me) my apparent lack of concern with being current.

If I were sane, and kept my wardrobe pared down, I would imagine that I would eventually just grow bored with some pieces, some of which may also become dated. But because I have so many (too many) clothes, I never become bored. There is always something in my wardrobe that I haven't worn in a long time (or ever), so I'm not as aware of whether or not a particular piece still works for me.

Honestly, of all the possible reasons that people come here to this forum, learning to work with less is the one that I need to pay attention to. However, I find it far more fun to just look at everyone else's outfits and give kudos or advice.