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Trendy vs Current

Transcona Shannon

Veteran

I have found over the past 1-2 years, I am more interested in being current with my style versus being trendy (and I do think there is a difference). I am wanting items that have some staying power/longevity to them and am thinking along the lines of Deborah's recent post regarding the 5 Piece French wardrobe http://youlookfab.com/welookfa.....h-wardrobe.

I used to want and buy several trendy items per season and would find that I either a) got sick of them quickly; b) bought into a trend that didn't really feel like "me"; c) found a trendy item that became a closet orphan due to its inability to work with what I already had; d) had to buy something else to go with the trendy item (see point c above).

Now I'm more interested in cultivating my own style which may not be considered trendy. Don't get me wrong - I don't want to look out of date or like I'm wearing something from 10 years ago. But I'm wanting to wear what suits ME, not the store mannequin. I'm thinking these thoughts tie in with the simplicity search I've been on/exploring for the last year or two (remember that series of posts?).

Would be interested to hear if anyone else is feeling this way? Is it age related do you think?

Shopping

52 replies

Latest reply was from Transcona Shannon

Word Lily

Veteran

I definitely feel this way! It's not age-related, at least for me; I've been feeling this way for a very long time. It's really being aware of the new items and trends, but really evaluating if they fit your style (which you must know deeply) before taking the plunge.

Anonymous

I agree with you 100%. I don't want to look dowdy or dated but also don't need to be on the cutting edge. Trends come slowly, if at all, to my area. If I see a trend that would be fab for my body, style and life, I do like to join in early to get as much wear as possible out of it before it is time to move on. I'm also thinking more in terms of using accessories or single pieces with classic ones for keeping current, which could include a trendy piece.

Transcona Shannon

Veteran

Word Lily - you are right that you need to know your style before purchasing. I think that may have been my problem in earlier years and why there purchasing mistakes.

Joy - that's it exactly! Using a single piece with classics to keep the outfit looking current. And accessories could definitely be the trendier piece in the outfit.

Astrid

Veteran

Yes, I feel that way too. I can honestly say that being trendy is not something that factors in my shopping decisions anymore.

Maneera

(website)

Veteran

Nice topic!

As far as I can tell you, it's not age related. I've never been trendy.....I add quite a few pieces to my existing wardrobe every season, but just to complement my classic pieces so that the overall look is 'current'. For example - I will buy a bag in a trending colour. I also added a few sandals to my collection this season - low block heel (1-1.5inch) with ankle straps. When worn with my classic dresses and skirts, they make the whole outfit look current.

This wasn't always the same. I did wear a lot of palazzo pants last year. I bought several pairs and cropped tops to go with them. I am not loving the look at all this season though, and all but one pair have been purged. Maybe some trends do date very fast?!

In any case, I've realized that my wardrobe workhorses - like jeans, dress pants, button down shirts, peplums, wrap front blouses, pencil skirts and structured dresses do not date. All of them suit me and really flatter my body type. I feel just as happy wearing them today as I did 3-4 years back. If I chose a classic silhouette in a color that really flatters me, I don't get bored of it. Even when my sister calls me 'boring' and exclaims that I look like an 'old lady', I don't care much because I'm happy in my clothes.

Going forward, I will concentrate on buying such pieces. Thanks for starting this conversation...I wrote all this and again reinforced the idea that I should wear what suits me - regardless of whether it's trendy or not.

Transcona Shannon

Veteran

Astrid - trendy used to be something I aspired to and somehow that has shifted. And maybe not being overly trendy is what results in someone having a signature style?

Transcona Shannon

Veteran

Maneera - I think you are absolutely spot on in that some trends date faster than others. This is what I'm wanting to avoid for sure. I don't really have the kind of wardrobe budget that allows me to simply stop wearing the majority of what I purchased last season, you know? I'm looking to just add a couple of pieces not start with a new wardrobe. Thanks for your thoughts

Nebraskim

Veteran

Truth! I sort of joke how my pieces are so classic that they are never fully in or out of style. I might use a trendy color or piece to augment or freshen, but my style basically remains a current version of my rubric: classic, preppy, collegiate, sporty. I have never veered into trendy, which I think can skew way young and not-professional looking.

Astrid

Veteran

Shannon, I think you can have a very distinctive personal style and be trendy, but I would think it's very difficult to find incarnations of new trends that are also your style at the same time, all the time. If you give yourself the permission to ditch "trendy" and look for pieces that feel like your style instead it's much easier to get to a point where your clothes all form a cohesive look.

Kimberley

Veteran

Hi Shannon,

Well, I totally relate to your post! I am right there with you on points a) to d)...

For me, my age/stage of life has a lot to do with this shift in thinking. I have reached a point where I want to a) embrace the best things in life, and b) cut out all the BS that wastes my time. I just not interested in fussing and I realize that a lot of wardrobe fussing happens when I wear things that aren't right for me, as in reasons a) to d). Embracing my own personal style and cultivating a current wardrobe that feels like me is a huge part of that.

Janet

(website)

Veteran

I can relate. I'm avoiding jumping on something "trendy" unless it's already in line with my style and what I already love. And I'm being more cautious about anything that I think might look "so 2015" two years from now, especially if it's not a bargain deal, and I'm not totally confident I'll get a decent amount of wear and/or enjoyment out of it. Of course, this involves some guesswork about what's going to look dated in a year or so, but it's making me slow down when I'm considering a purchase.

I also think this is a result of getting more confident and secure in my own style and having learned over the last five years what works for me, my body, and my style. I have also come around to feeling more like I want to be *current* in a signature-to-me style, rather than be perceived as being on the cutting edge. Quite honestly, in my geographical area and my age bracket, I'm probably more trendy than 90% of the 50-year-old women I know anyway.

For instance, last year backpack purses started trending, and I got the cobalt blue one that I really love. I use it a lot, and it gets lots of compliments. I hope it might be the kind of signature piece that still looks relevant to my style even after the trend dies down. This will be something I keep in mind when I am looking at new trends.

Author Linda

Veteran

I believe being aware of trends is what informs a person's style and keeps it current, as opposed to dated. For example, I can't wear certain colors next to my face, but if they are trending I will pick them up in accessories. Because I'm older, I find subdued versions of some trends work best for me. Big bold floral tops and dresses made me look like my grandmother's sofa, but I found a delicate floral pattern on a pretty silk top that fit the bill. When I wear it, I feel I look current.

For the most part, I dress in classic clothes and every season I pick up a piece or two that reflects a more current look. I just bought a Vince sweater at the NAS that I hope will give my look a little edge this season, along with a couple of very clearly classic items I know suit me perfectly. It's not necessary for me to look current at all in my world; I do it for myself. Why should the kids have all the fun?

Transcona Shannon

Veteran

Astrid - "If you give yourself the permission to ditch "trendy" and look for
pieces that feel like your style instead it's much easier to get to a
point where your clothes all form a cohesive look." Brilliant comment!

Kimberley - "I just not interested in fussing and I realize that a lot of wardrobe
fussing happens when I wear things that aren't right for me". Exactly!

Janet - "I also think this is a result of getting more confident and secure in my
own style and having learned over the last five years what works for
me, my body, and my style. I have also come around to feeling more like I
want to be *current* in a signature-to-me style, rather than be
perceived as being on the cutting edge". I couldn't have said it any better. Current in my signature-to-me style - that's what I'm looking for too.

Author Linda - subdued versions of trends is a great idea.

I want to thank you for these insightful comments. And please note that I am not saying trendy is wrong. And I admire those of you who rock new trends and dress in a cutting edge style with such ease and panache. I'm just speaking of myself personally in this regard.

Elizabeth P

Veteran

I have also never been "trendy", but have always updated my wardrobe with current shoes, if nothing else. I never paid much attention, just got what I liked, when I needed things.

So I don't even know HOW to be trendy :). But current... yes.... I would like to keep up with current. I think that's a bit hard to avoid when you hang out here - your eye adjusts to new cuts/fits/tucks... so you incorporate it as a way to mix things up, or is part of what you look for in your new clothes. And then combine this with the core wardrobe that truly suits YOU... your colouring, style, body shape, etc, and Bob's your Uncle!

I think it might be maturity related, but not age related.

annagybe

(website)

Veteran

Shannon, I think your current love of Eileen Fisher is more telling. Their stuff is outside of trends. You probably won't see photographed outside the fashion shows. It is definitely current but a look unto itself.
See also Grace Coddington, she is the creative director of Vogue, so is probably up to her eyeballs in trends. But she definitely has her own look. I feel she's closer to you than the strict look of Anna Wintour, who is photographed more.

Transcona Shannon

Veteran

Elizabeth - I agree that being on YLF probably steers us to trends almost subconsciously.

Anna - oh I was soooo hoping you would chime in. You are one of my idols for someone who dresses the trends and looks spectacular doing it! I agree that my current love of EF is what seems to be driving my style at the moment. I still love to combine drape with structure though. And although EF is somewhat outside the trends, it does participate to a degree. For example, they are showing quite a few culottes in their Fall Lookbook which I consider to be a trendier item. Although maybe culottes are becoming more mainstream? EF is definitely a distinctive style though. So to your keen style eye and someone who understands fashion far more than I ever will, do you think I can maintain a look that is current if I continue on my EF path?

unfrumped

Veteran

A lot is in wordplay, no?

"Trendy" often carries the negative baggage of frivlousness, impetuous "jumping on bandwagon", maybe lack of discernment, and perhaps adopting a trend that is not flattering or appropriate in some way. So I agree with all of that as not being a good way to go, except there is the category of JFE, which may be an intentional choice to add an element of "trend," even if it is not one of your very best personal looks.

Yet "current" can't be current, and different from 10 years ago, unless it somehow incorporates things that have trended in a different direction over time.

It might also mean, "new"--as in the idea that, loafers you bought 10 years ago won't be current but loafers you buy today will be. That also is quite a challenge, to determine when and why you would replace an item that still fits you and fits your style, but you have discerned that a new version looks "modern" and you desire more to move with that trend more than saving the $$ and planet resources and wearing the same item. Great personal style has a knack for identifying which items most benefit from the "update" even if still perfectly usable and flattering in isolation but not in a modern look, and which items should be saved precisely because they help create personal style. That's a skill I'd love to have more of.

catgirl

Veteran

Shannon, I feel the same and I also feel like I'm tending to repeat items when I purchase (like the Dres are just another BF jean). Part of it for me is that I've now been at YLF long enough to see lots of trends and have experimented ad nauseum and picked those I like best for me. Skinnies, oversized tops, tunics, ankle boots, drape, etc. Those styles have stayed consistent for me even when the trend has moved on, and as long as they are not dated, I'm happy. I know new things always come along, but lately they are versions of things I've tried before, so I'm okay with letting them go if I don't love them.

approprio

(website)

Veteran

You've nailed something important in the difference between "current" and "trendy". I'm always slightly peeved at the idea that I'm supposed to jump on some sort of bandwagon every season, but I do like to watch things develop and hopefully grow along with them myself.

I think years of sewing for myself and later investing in pieces that (I hope) I'll want to keep have made me very particular about finding the right items. I've also become far more aware of what works on my body shape, so the keepers in my closet tend to be things that I like enough to want to style year after year. I try to keep things fresh by varying the styling rather than buying into this year's must-have items.

Being quite eclectic in my tastes, I don't think I have a signature style, but I do have certain style signatures, which seem to be mostly related to details, proportions and practical requirements. This is an awareness that came with age. I know what I like, what suits me and I have more confidence in my choices. So I'm much more likely to ask myself how I want to look this year than what trend I'm going to be running after. The things which have the most longevity, by and large, are those things which I can honestly say I love and that love me back enough for me to want to keep wearing.

All that said, sometimes an item just ends up looking tired and dated. I honestly don't know how that happens or how to avoid it. I have a few things benched here that I don't think I'm done with yet, but somehow they don't feel so relevant right now. These things I have no idea what to do with.

approprio

(website)

Veteran

Just thought of something else - didn't Angie once say that distinctively avant-gard pieces are less likely to date? There's a lot of truth in this - while they can be harder to wear, the right pieces can go on for years.

kkards

Veteran

its been my goal since I joined YLF to be current....and to me that means more than just what you wear, often, more importantly, it can mean how you wear it...pushing up sleeves, rolling bottoms, wearing shirttails out, layering pieces etc.

Elly

Veteran

I think there is a difference between trendy and shopping what is available without going to brands that are marketed to people stuck in time. I think there is a huge difference between timeless (some really high quality designer stuff) and stuck in time. I mostly get my trend fix by shopping my own personal style from what is available to me season after season. This year I will add another pair of bootcut of flare jeans since they fit my personal aesthetic, but at the same time I will look more current for it. Same with colors (flame) and shapes and other details. I rarely experiment with trends that don't fit "me" -- I instantly feel so uncomfortable. Plus, there is always a way to make a trend your own. I don't do ruffles, pleats, and gathers but I do do drape and moderate volume. I don't do overtly feminine dresses and skirts, but I do wear t-shirt dresses, wrap dresses, architectural stuff, and straight skirts paired with footwear like boots and sneakers. I'm allergic to most pattern, but I do love plaids, stripes, certain graphics, and texture.

Gaylene

Veteran

I think, for many of us, there is an ebb and flow in our desire to keep up with what is trending. It's a balancing act. Stay in one place too long and our wardrobes look dated and boring. Overhaul our wardrobes with new trends and shapes every season, and we start gasping at our credit cards and piles of donated clothing. Spending too long at either end of the spectrum usually drives us to re-evaluate our relationship with fashion and our wardrobes.

I'm not sure moving to the middle has as much to do with age or style maturity as it has to do with the realization the middle ground just works for most of us.

Transcona Shannon

Veteran

Such incredible wisdom on this forum!

unfrumped - unfortunately it can be true that the word "trendy" has a negative connotation.

Una - wouldn't it be interesting to look back and see how many of the trends we've seen on YLF we've actually participated in???

approprio - "So I'm much more likely to ask myself how I want to look this year than what trend I'm going to be running after." What an excellent way to look at it! I need to think on this some more... And I agree that the true avant-gard pieces can be worn for years. But I consider avant-gard different than trendy.

kkards - pure brilliance! I didn't even give that consideration. The details of how we wear something or even how we put an ensemble together can make it more current without the actual items being new. For example, I often wear a black classic blazer but now I scrunch the sleeve or pop the collar which gives it a new look.

Elly - hmmmm....food for thought here...

Gaylene - so my mother was right? Everything in moderation?

I truly appreciate your thoughts and comments here ladies

Laura (rhubarbgirl)

(website)

Veteran

I think it's a bit of a language issue because what one person means by trendy another person would call current. I suspect that all members of YLF are more aware of trends than the average person on the street, whether or not they like them or participate in them. So that might shape our conversations more than we suspect.

I've actually become more interested in looking trendy/current as I've gotten older. In my 20s I had a bit of an alternative, punk-rock esque approach where I didn't want to buy into the dominant styles. By the time I got to YLF in my mid-30s I looked bad - not edgy or alternative, just blah and unfocused. As I near my 40s I guess I want to avoid looking like I've given up, especially since I'm a larger size. Maybe in a decade it'll seem shallow or 'mutton dressed as lamb' but for now I want to look like I know what's going on with fashion and trends.

always trying

Veteran

I am not clear as to what is a trend or current.

viva

Veteran

I am nodding at Laura -- "I want to look like I know what is going on in fashion." I am not a slave to trends, and there are a lot of trends that I let pass by (wedge sneakers anyone?) but I am very interested in looking at what's around everywhere -- streetstyle, mainly (I'm not at all interested in being cutting edge). Still, I like my personal style to reflect modernity in a very fresh way, and that often means trying trends. It's actually more fun now that I am over 50.

Cropped jeans? Booties? Cullottes? Yes. And now, I really want to find a midi dress -- I really love that whole look, and it is nothing I have ever worn before. My style is not avant garde in the slightest (although I really appreciate it on others!) -- but fashion is a place I like to play, and for me, some trend-trying is definitely a part of that.

Sal

Veteran

What I love about YLF is that we have a variety of different tastes here, naming a few here but please don't feel excluded...

Deborah with her signature layering and draped looks
Approprio with her avant garden and vintage pieces and variety of signature looks
E with her gamine vintage looks and wonderful accessories
Viva with modern fashionable classy looks

I appreciate the forum members who are more cutting edge to those who know what they love and what loves them back. I aspire for longevity in my new pieces too....I don't feel I am as far along the signature style continuum as some others, but I think I am getting there slowly....

viva

Veteran

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