Planning to be Unfashionable? - YouLookFab Forum

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Outfits Ensembles Trends Advice

Planning to be Unfashionable?

FlorenceFearne

I'm wondering if anyone else fully intends to wear a trend long after it's quit being fashionable. Or maybe if anyone already does.

I don't mean things that are classic, or are always around in one iteration or another, like pencil skirts, or safari dresses, or even denim jackets. I'm thinking more like neon, flatforms, or hi-lo hemlines.

I ask because I absolutely love skulls/skeletons, bugs, bats, snakes, victoriana, basically anything a little creepy or gothic. This stuff has been trending the last few years, and I'm buying it up as fast as I can afford to but it already seems to be tapering off. Pretty soon skulls will probably be "so passe" and I'll still have them printed on everything I own. I'm still happily wearing my bug brooches from when that trend peaked, too. So, will anyone else be doing something similar?

Dressing

26 replies

Latest reply was from rae

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

I don't think patterns are ever really passe.

Of course, some are forever fashionable - like a stripe or check, and some are very on trend - like digital prints and conversational patterns at the moment. But I really don't think that patterns date. So wear your bugs and skulls with pride no matter what.

L'Abeille

Veteran

Isn't this where signature style comes in? And stocking up when it just happens to be trendy?

As for me, I expect I will continue wearing nautical stripes and menswear fabrics long after they depart from trendiness. (Although fortunately for me, some element of each of these reappears almost every year, So I can just upgrade when I see something better, or more current in shape, than what I already own.)

Echo

Veteran

I rarely partake in colour trends because I like the colours I like and I don't like the colours I don't, regardless of trend. I almost invariably choose straight leg jean regardless of whether skinny or boot cuts are trending.

As for skull prints, I adore my Alexander McQueen scarves and generally buy a new one each season. They were very popular for a while and widely copied, and many people now think the skull trend is over. Well, like you, I never felt it was a trend for me in the first place, and I just love the print and the scarves, so I won't stop wearing them.

Creepy and gothic edges to a person's style are rarely trendy, but they are never "out", either. If that is who you are, then buy things when you find them and wear them forever.

shedev

Veteran

I won't stop wearing studs, skulls, patterned pants any time soon. I've worn them since my teens. I have a bit of post punk in my soul.

DonnaF

Veteran

Clunky, rocker soled shoes. My right foot doesn't bend much now, and when the toe bone gets fused sometime in the future it won't bend at all. So much for refined shoes with bendy soles! I'm trying to embrace the f'ugly and my new $uper $pendy (at least for me) Fly London sandals: http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/fl.....n=wishlist

kkards

Veteran

I like navy, a lot. The past few seasons, it's really been a fashion color, but I wear it in fashion or , out of fashion. I just hoarded it when it's available.

Marley

Veteran

I thought that skulls were classic. Aren't they? I will always love my skulls and wear them. Also - I love metallics - they're still on-trend, but I have some left over from about 15 years ago when they were on trend then - and I continued to wear them all these years until they came back around! I also like distressed leather - I know its not as on-trend as it was a few years ago, but I plan on continuing to wear it. I figure if I mix these not so fresh looks with more current items that I'll still look and feel like me.

Caro in Oz

Veteran

Have been wearing my whole life & will continue to do so even when "unfashionable"
Birkies (in casual situations only & not the really clumpy ones)
navy blue
flat shoes

JulieJohn

Veteran

Neon colors. They are timeless and beautiful. Thanks for making me realize I better get on the stick before they disappear again.

annagybe

(website)

Veteran

For record I used to be a goth.
So I think goth is it's own little subculture that will never go away. As long as your style is more Alexander McQueen or Rick Owens rather than Hot Topic you'll be fine.

Deborah

Veteran

Wear what you want, when you want I say. As Anna says goth is a little sub culture of it's own and in some respects is never in and never out (to my way of thinking) and I think what you are really describing is perhaps your signature.

ironkurtin

Veteran

I'm still wearing Helmut Lang and Jil Sander from the 90s. So I'm the wrong person to ask.

Gaylene

Veteran

I suspect that I'm guilty of this all the time because I'm a late adopter of most trends. That said, I think, like most of the people have said, if I like something, I'll continue to wear it as long as it makes me happy to do so.

But, then, I'm not the trendiest dresser in the world and I'm always a bit bemused when something I've liked for years somehow becomes the newest "it" thing. I've worn a tiny silver skull (with a hinged jaw, no less!) on a chain since the 70s because it reminds me of the Día de Muertos celebrations I attended in Mexico. I've also worn enamel pins of snakes, bugs, lizards, mummies, and other weird things ever since I visited William Spears' shop in Juneau in the early 90s. https://wmspear.com/catalog.php His designs were so intriguing and so much fun that I bought a bunch of pins to wear on my jackets when I was teaching my classes. Along with my Fluevog shoes, it was my way of having fun with my conservative teaching wardrobe. But I'm the furthest thing from a goth that you could imagine, so it's strange to think I could now somehow be associated with that subculture.

Traci

Veteran

I think I'll always wear chunkier footwear. In part because I developed my sense of personal style in the 90's when chunky shoes were the norm, but also because I feel like chunkier shoes fit my form better. Very dainty and ladylike styles just feel like they highlight that I'm neither dainty, nor ladylike.

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

I have thought about this is in a more tame way - I am gorging on crossover tops and what if they go out - not just not trendy but look hopelessly dated? Well I hope to be sick of them by then. I would not hesitate to wear skulls and bugs if they were my thing, but they aren't!

Hil

(website)

Veteran

I think I agree with the others in that some things are just part of your signature look... I agree with Ceit and the clunky shoe thing... and I definitely get the goth thing! In fact not that long ago one of my kids told me that I was a little bit goth I didn't even know that they knew the term. But being an alternative, slightly goth girl is just part of my soul and I guess it may always come through a little.

Diana

Veteran

I'm hoping that today's blog post means we'll start seeing some trumpet skirts in stores soon. And you can bet when they show up, I'll be buying them up so that I'll have them for the next five years when there won't be any.

I am wearing a trumpet skirt today that's probably at least 8 years old, back from when they were in style last time. I never stopped wearing it. I have this one and one other from back then; I'd have kept more, but I gained weight and no longer fit into the woven ones, so all I have left are the stretchy jersey ones.

I'll always wear chunky shoes and floral prints, and my favorite colors whether or not they're in style.

Anonymous

I buy what I love and what suits me, so it matters not if WIW goes out of style. When I feel the need to update, I will; but it will be based on what I love and what works for me and my lifestyle. Also, my fussy feet will only tolerate certain types of footwear, and I refuse to be uncomfortable.

I have a niece who says she only wears solids because she's convinced that prints look dated after a while. My thoughts on this is that wearing only solids takes the joy out of life. Spend my life wearing only solid colors--no prints whatsoever? Never!

rachylou

Veteran

I read hi-lo skirts have been moved to the Out column. I intend to keep on wearing my dress.

AnnieMouse

Veteran

*raises hand*

As a "recovering" goth, you can have my skulls, bats, and bugs when you pry them out of my cold dead hands! I have two cardigans that I appliqued bats and skulls on several years ago, and I often wear them on the weekends. In fact, I'm not ashamed I've not been wearing them because they are trendy, and I want them to be less prevelant! (They are appliqued in silver vinyl, and the skullie is wearing a pink chiffon bow - I was quite distraught when skulls in bows became a "thing," as it was my thing for ages!)

There will always been room for the darkly inclined, I suspect, thanks be to Siouxsie!

catgirl

Veteran

I'm in. Snapping up camo while it lasts. In fact, I was just thinking about how this is the difference between fashion and style. I will always love oversized/slouch, chunky shoes and boots, camo and snake print, black... I'm in a moment of clinging to what I love rather than experimenting with anything new. I just hope I'm able to recognize when I'm dated or stagnant.

FlorenceFearne

Well, this has been really encouraging. I guess sometimes it feels like everyone else is always on top of the latest trends, and I'm the only one still clinging to something that went out of style 5 years ago. Ha ha.

But now I'm wondering, what's really the difference between wearing things that are no longer trendy and thus looking dated or unfashionable, vs wearing items that are no longer trendy but are part of your personal style? I mean, I assume that you're not wearing a sign that says, "I know this shirt is no longer on trend, but it's totally part of my signature look." So what's the line?

AnnieMouse

Veteran

I think a lot comes out in how you wear it. Like, a lot of people thrive on vintage wear, but they update with something current. To me, it only looks outdated when there is nothing fresh about the look. Wear a McQueen blouse, but update with more current pieces for pants/ shoes/ arm candy. Wear an older pant line, but update the blouse and topper.

I'm not the best person to answer this, though, since I'm still wearing my Docs from 1993 :"> (In fairness, I'm not wearing them with a floral minidress or overalls, though... :P)

Lisa

Veteran

It sounds like you have elements of your style persona honed in and that is always "in"

Andrea W

Veteran

I love the detailing/patterns you describe too. Basically I don't think it matters whether someone declares a trend passe - if you love the item then why shouldn't you wear it.

Think about how the trends are cyclical - they'll be round again before you know it and you'll already be ahead of the game!!

rae

(website)

Veteran

I am trying to do the same with cat prints (though I can't say I love every print made) - total crazy cat lady here, and I'll never stop wearing them. Have also never stopped wearing ripped jeans, flannel, and combat boots... they went out for a good while but are thankfully having a moment again.

I think that if you generally dress in a current/modern and flattering way, you can get away with a lot of stuff that is technically "out."