Why am I always so behind the trends?!

Peri

After the giant purge of most of my winter closet, I'm finding that the sweaters I'm craving are long, fluid tunic types.

So guess what I'm seeing so much of? Cropped. Of course, the classic hip length banded type also, that's no surprise...but why do I finally decide I want tunics right as things are getting shorter?

I am always this way...late late late!

12 years ago

General

29 replies

Latest reply was from gryffin

minimalist

Veteran

Late adoption is better than never, if a given trend works for you. Means you have your pick of high-end consignment goodies, right?

I'd love to hear about the psychology of trend-adoption timing.

Peri, are you like this with other trends as well, or specifically for clothing?

12 years ago

catgirl

Veteran

There are still lots of tunics around too! And who cares about a trend if you don't love it?

12 years ago

Caro in Oz

Veteran

I agree with AG. Wear what you love is my motto

12 years ago

claire

Active Member

I'm right there with you! I've been searching for fluid tunic type sweaters and haven't found anything in my price range. I've been coveting the asymmetrical Joie tunic that you and Alaskagirl have, but it's out of stock everywhere since it went on sale. My search continues....maybe it's the need to be cozy in this weather?

12 years ago

Linda

Active Member

I feel your frustration, Peri. Check out some of Victoria's Secret's things. I have been hunting tunics this whole year I think -- I like them with leggings and belts. I had found zippo, until by total happenstance, I browsed around on VS's site (okay, to be honest, I heard their sports bras were the bomb!). I found velour cowl necks that I am loving a lot!

I'm a late adopter on some things, when I'm not sure they are right for me, I think. Others I latch onto fast, but again, it's because I think they are "me." I took a long time to try leather jackets. I hadn't seen any that felt quite right, and also, I'm against wearing leather on principle. The pleathers I found this year are rave-worthy, though. I have a light colored moto and a black moto with cable-knit sleeves, and am getting a ton of wear out of them. On the other hand, I suspect I am going to pass on the camo trend. I am just not thrilled with the idea. It looks great on lots of people, but I don't get it, for me.

12 years ago

unfrumped

Veteran

I would focus on what works for your figure type and lifestyle as the basic " uniform", or silhouette, and update that with other trending items or colors or a slightly different TYPE of tunic.

Which is nothing more than a re- statement of Angie's modern classics type of approach, or even the recent postvon adding edginess.

So if you look great in tunic sweaters, then wear them! But find your updated outfit sweet spot.

I agree that one's favorite silhouettes or colors or even fabrics can be in short supply when not the hot item du jour.

12 years ago

catgirl

Veteran

Look! http://www.shopbop.com/tambrel.....rg-2178999

12 years ago

claire

Active Member

Thanks AG, but I'm pretty sure I need a large....

12 years ago

catgirl

Veteran

They are out there! Look on Shopstyle. It runs big - I had to size down.

12 years ago

Peri

Veteran

Good question Amy K. I think I tend to be behind on everything! Yes, this would be an interesting psychological study.

I only started wearing scarves last year. I love them, but realize they were super trendy 4-5 years ago. At that time I wondered why women would want to wear them indoors. I think with clothes I have to see something for awhile before I accept the look. But there is one thing I'm fashion forward on actually...flare leg pants are my favorite. Unfortunately, not really that much for fashion reasons, and I don't wear them "the right way".

Technology too...I only got on Facebook last year, right when it was becoming a bit passé. It took me a long time to get a smart phone. I don't use Twitter or Instagram at all.

And I may be the only person who has not seen a single episode of Downton Abbey.

But yay for the tunic love from you all. So what if I'm late. I like them! If I didn't already have enough cashmere for my climate I would jump on the Joie Alaskagirl found! And Linda, hmmm..I never looked at VS for clothes. I'll take a peek.

12 years ago

karymk

Veteran

Peri, I am always late too. Because I need time to digest the trends and see the different ways they can be done before I commit!

Don't worry about it. I don't .

12 years ago

shemarie

Active Member

I'm right with you on the slow trend-adopting, Peri. I adore tunics and have always worn them and think that I always will, regardless of their "instyle-ness" or "out-of-style-ness!" For me, they drape well on my IT shoulders, balance out my high/nonexistent waist and play up my height, so that's my rationale and I'm sticking to it! Good luck in your search...that Joie is phenomenal, but I have little need/justification for much cashmere in my climate, so I'm currently seeking other alternatives as well and hoping to find some as spring collections hit the stores.

12 years ago

CocoLion

(website)

Veteran

If you wait to adopt trends you have less chance of looking foolish. I have tended to be an earlier to middle of the game trend adopter. If I look back at some of my outfits, it was the proverbial WWIT?!

12 years ago

Suz

(website)

Veteran

I think it is probably related to personality and also to exposure.

My hunch is that the less fashion educated introverts among us may be slower to adopt trends. But that hunch can easily be proved wrong. Take Diana, for example. She says she is an introvert and she embraces new trends. However, she does so selectively and within the context of her very unique personal eclectic style -- not as a "trend follower" per se.

I never even knew what the trends were before YLF! Well, except for the most obvious ones in my university town, like Ugg boots and skinnies. But I couldn't figure out what scrunch was all about. Hunh? Why are they wearing their pants too long? And then there was the whole bootie thing. Took me ages to get on board with that.

Now I am adopting trends relatively quickly IF I think they'll work well for me and feel good on.

Angie says that some people's eyes just take time to adjust. Nothing wrong with that.

12 years ago

Anonymous

I adapt late too, so don't feel bad. Angie says it takes all types!

12 years ago

Alassë

Veteran

I haven't seen Downton Abbey either.

12 years ago

MRL

Veteran

I am another one who always seems to be a little late to the party but I am getting better. What I have found helpful is 1) reading fashion blogs to find out what is trending, that way when I see a new look in stores/being worn my eye is expecting it. 2) sometimes going a little outside of my comfort zone fashionwise (and that's hard for me) 3. paying attention to someone I know who always seems to be ahead of the curve, for me it is my sister.

I do love tunics, though!

12 years ago

Gigi

Veteran

What's Downton Abbey? :^)

I'm a late adopter too. And I am just starting to warm up to tunics as well! Can't find any in my size, though. I think people assume petites don't want to wear tunics!

One of my goals in 2014 is to try to adopt some new trends. I wonder if maybe I try them out regardless of whether I think they're "me," maybe I would gain some style flexibility. And sometimes I think maybe experiencing the trend is really the way we discover if it's truly "us" or not. We'll see!

12 years ago

annagybe

(website)

Veteran

I have to disagree with introverts being trend adverse. I'm actually have a pretty strong introvert streak.

12 years ago

Carla

Veteran

Can we be a club? Late on skinnies (my trousers are still more straight leg then true skinny), animal print, chambray shirt, and leather jacket (first tries all this year!).

12 years ago

Beth Ann

Veteran

In my opinion, developing a strong sense of personal style, with an emphasis on quality and fit, and just a bit of attention to modern looks yields fabulous results.

A bit of modern can be expressed in a silhouette choice, or a color, an updated fit, or an accessory, and is far better than chasing what's "in."

BTW --- I see a lot of tunics in high-end lines like Donna Karan. Also in more moderate lines like Eileen Fisher and Karen Kane. I think of these looks as "arty" or "updated Georgia O'Keefe." An "artistic classic" look would be perfect for you.

12 years ago

Peri

Veteran

Oh, yay, I'm glad to have a club! Yes, Runcaria and all of you can join! And we can start watching Downton Abbey in the meetings and then we will know what everyone is talking about.

And Beth Ann, interesting...I have been using Casual Arty Classic as my style words. I was thinking about dropping the Classic because I realized that what I think of as a classic look...blazers, blouses, fitted sweaters, pumps...are not found anywhere in my closet. I started to wonder why I picked that word at all, except to ground the casual and arty and keep those from getting too boho. But maybe I do need it in there after all.

The introverted idea is interesting, but as Annagybe points out, not the full answer. People are strange and complicated! I read Quiet, but she didn't talk about fashion!

12 years ago

MsMaven

Veteran

Oh oh. I just started buying tunics this summer. Maybe I'm so far behind I'm ahead.

I did start Downton Abbey last winter--watched the first three seasons so I'm up to date on something.

12 years ago

Anonymous

I'm pretty late on trends too.

I'm also an introvert (reading Quiet right now!), so there might be something to that. With me, it's not so much that I'm scared of trends as that I just don't flag something as a bona fide trend rather than as a random outlier until the market is pretty saturated, then it takes a while after that before I figure out whether I even like it and still more time to figure out whether there's any way it could work for my body and style. But I don't mind wearing things that strike me as unusual if I like them, so, who knows, maybe someday I'll be an early adopter for something without even realizing it. And one of the things I like about YLF is that I can piggyback a bit on those who are quicker to identify trends and figure out how they can work for them.

I've totally been keeping up with Downton Abbey, at least, although I'm apparently the only one who's never seen Game of Thrones.

12 years ago

Firecracker (Sharan)

Veteran

I'm a pretty late adopter, too, with a lot of fashion. But then when I read your response about late adoption on other things, I had to laugh! I have watched all of Downton Abbey so far. But . . . I don't have a smartphone!

12 years ago

Peri

Veteran

Ms Maven, Aubergine and Firecracker...for the longest time I thought it was Downtown Abbey. And isn't an abbey where nuns live? So I thought it was a show about a group of nuns in the middle of London!! At least I knew it was British.

And I have not seen Game of Thrones either! I did try to start the books but couldn't get into them.

12 years ago

Hil

(website)

Veteran

I am definitely not a quick adopter of fashion... I have this huge fear of looking like a fashion victim so if things are too new or different, I tend to hold back.

Sometimes an item just speaks to me, and then I listen, regardless of whether it's in style or not. Very occasionaly, I've seen a new trend starting which I know will suit me and then I am happy to adopt.

12 years ago

Anonymous

Peri, that's hilarious! Now I want to see a show about a bunch of nuns hanging out in London!

As for Game of Thrones, I'm not big on fantasy, so I'll probably never get around to seeing it. I've gotten really good at smiling and pretending I know what people are talking about when they make "winter is coming" jokes, though.

12 years ago

gryffin

Veteran

Very interesting discussion. Did anyone catch the Time article on introverts vs extroverts? One of the things they disucss is extroverts (and this is a total generality) have a higher tolerance for taking risks than introverts. http://www.dooleykevin.com/introverts.time.12.pdf My husband and I identify as introverts but our son is a total extrovert and there is not question that he is the risk taker in the family!! I am often a late adapter but it depends on the trend. I was early on booties, leggings, tunics, long jackets long ago and my love has not changed. I don't think you can be accused of hopping on the trend the second time if you never abandoned it the first time!! I also have only seen the first season of Downton Abby and have never see Game of Thrones, but I'd like too!! I think I need to apply for admission in the club so I can catch up too!!

12 years ago

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