How much of your wardrobe is based on trends?

[steeltoe]

Not much really. Maybe it's because I'm a guy, and trends for men more or less are the same season after season, but nevertheless, my closet's about 60% basics and 40% "interesting" pieces. The "interesting" ones aren't necessarily trendy items, though. They're there to keep my look different.

 

[Genie]

personally, i'm curious as to what the trends are and i'm always reading and looking at them.

but i really don't play into them all that much (i used to though). i'm very particular about what i buy now. i really do put a lot of thought into what it is i'm looking for now, just because i've wasted so much money on impulse buys or the "it" item that i never once wore. i think that when i tear myself away from the fashion magazines for a few days and really think about certain items, it widdles down the trendy items to the more classic items (for me at least). and when i'm in doubt, i call for reinforcements (aka my mother...she's brutally honest i love it).

 

[travolta]

its hard not to be influenced by trends...i think its more whats being stocked at the stores than the 'fault' of the consumer...its a matter of convenience and practicality. to go out of the way sometimes just takes too much effort, although i happily indulge in it. its good to keep in mind all this stuff is fleeting and wear what just feels good.

 

[allmyshoes]

i half agree. i love the part of fashion that is trends, but i hate following them.
very little of my wardrobe is actually up to date, although i long for lots of new "trend" items, i'd much rather just go out and buy loads of stuff that i find nice, that suit me and that go together - makes more sense to me that way. i hate this "in" and "out" business. makes me paranoid. lol.. but if someone wants to follow trends, more power to them. i just hope they have the cash to keep buying.

x

 

[snowqueen]

well I have clothes that would called "trendy" but I last wore them weeks ago. most of my clothes that I have had a while, are now classed as "trendy" by friends. Mind you my school is behind. I tend to express my self more with assesories then "trendy" clothes.
I have a basic walldrobe then i add "trendy" bits, then ditch them at the end of a season, or once more then 5 people i know have something simular.

 

[Fruchtzwerg]

well I don't think that I'm following much trends , I'm buying only clothes which fits me and in which I like to see myself . I hate uggs so much because I know that I will looks small and stupid in these boots Like these high waisted trousers seem to coming back but I know that I would looks stupid in them , so I definitely won't buy them because they are coming back. I have many basic items but also some interesting items which are tending to be more "trendy" but if I find a nice shirt , I could get it in 3 different colours because it fits so well. I have jeans and shirts which are maybe 4 years old but nobody would think that they are so old. Buying good basics which will last for a long time adding some nice accessoires and it will look good.

 

[Evvie]

I mostly buy what is interesting to me. Sometimes, it might be a trend item and sometimes not. Usually when the collections roll out each season, I pick and choose out any trends that I might want to try. I don't find that I am motivated to buy something that somebody else says I should, such as in the case of those what in/out type listings but I have seen things in magazines or ideas for outfits that I've gotten ideas from.

I don't like the trend driving that appears to be going on with the media in the sense that there seems to forever be a new hot jean - that's when I can tell I'm being manipulated by some publicist and I don't usually fall for it

 

[sophiedior]

my wardrobe is kind of not trendy. i have next to nothing basic either. um my basic clothes are to little for me now so i have to go shopping soon. i dont really get stuff becuase it's trendy, like i love cardigans *blush* and now they are everywhere but i had a couple before they were trendy and when i wear them i hate looking like i am trying ot be trendy.. so my wordrobe isnt based on trends.

 

[Arug]

I don't shop by trends. My accessories may be trendy, but I mostly stick to classic stuff and the things I like.. I'm not a fashion victm.

 

[utopia]

it's impossible to be completely distanced from the trends when you are shopping at places like topshop and h&m, which are the places that are within my price range. I do own some pieces that, if styled in such a way with the right accessories, would be trendy. but I don't style them to reflect the trends. I prefer to do my own thing, and accessorise with vintage or random four-seasons-ago-one-offs, for example. so I think it comes down more to styling and accessories that make something trendy or not... I also find most of the trends the shops are pushing for this season to be pretty grotesque, so nope, not too trendy this year.

 

[classic1908]

I definitely try to avoid trends. I am too old, too big and too strapped for cash to change wardrobes out every six months or so. I find what works for me and build on it.
It's interesting to see trends on other people, though.

 

[ShockTart55]

I dont really FOLLOW the trends, but if I'm out shopping and I see something I like, I won't necessarily stop myself from buying it just b/c it might be "hot" right now, but sometimes if a look is too common, I wont wear it for a while.

Right now, I'm waiting until the boho look disappears and distressed denim isn't cool anymore so I can wear it and not look like something Abercrombie threw up.

 

[Vans]

I try to buy classic pieces only, but I do buy trendy things like accessories once in a while. I prefer to dress up classic clothes with trendy pieces. If l like something, I'll buy it regardless of trends.

 

[shopsmuch]

on the other hand, i have a 'deep' understanding on the 'why's' and the 'how's' of the trend system, its so much more than meets the eye..

I did a project for school on this last year! It was so incredibly fascinating. I took the clothing trends of the decades from 1920-now and researched and analyzed why they existed in those decades and what they meant to the society and things like that..it was so fun and interesting. It gave me an even bigger appreciation of clothing.

Basically, I buy clothes out of a love and respect for their creativity, construction, all of that, to me clothes=beauty. I don't really know how to describe it. But I don't think I am too influenced by trends because I have known my style and taste in clothing since I was maybe 12. I love to see the shows every season because like I said above, I think it's so interesting to see clothing and how they refelct culture, etc at the time...plus I am fascinated with the quality construction and genius of designers, the beauty of great fabrics...all of that. So although I may know what is "in" in any given season, I still buy what I want. I guess a few pieces in my wardrobe right now might be considered trendy, but overall it is all worked into my closet to fit my style perfectly. I buy a lot of vintage clothing too...it's just, I buy what I like. And I admit that I sometimes store items too if they become to trendy at the moment...like, every other person and their dog is wearing it. Basically because I become so bored of it and seeing it everywhere and it starts to give me a headache just looking at it...

 

[northernsky]

i noticed lately how much i am influenced by what you may call trend. but i don't think it's an "orders to be followed"-game. that would mean there was an enumerable amount of instructions or sources, but there isn't. there are -of course- fashion designers and their shows, films, music, books, what the chain stores want to sell you, photographs of your grandparents you find in some family album, people you see in the street, some friend of yours, a ballett show you once saw, the way people dress in places you travel to --- it's like, uhm, free-floating inspiration.

so it's like every piece of clothing or a style as a whole has a certain connotation for everyone. (for example i always associate black leggings with my grandmother running around the house with curlers in her hair and so on.) other clothes have positive associations. (that even works to a certain degree for nude hoseries as i have once seen some very beautiful pictures in, uhm, vogue i think, where the model wore a pair of those. {fortunately i know i'm not a coarse-grained half-naked model laying on a baroque style chaiselongue all day and therefor don't need to be bothered wearing them.})

sure, there are influences shared by more people than others, so you could tell by the number of "followers" if it's a trend or not, but the definition of trend should be more than merely based on quantity, no? maybe i'm completely wrong about that, i'm getting slightly confused now.

[sorry about the bad english, but i'm afraid i'm not used to this language anymore.]

 

[orlem]

I'd say 5-10% of my wardrobe is stuff I won't wear for years and years, and I only have those things from when I get gifts and gift certificates.

 

[Melisande]

Your project sounds fascinating, Shopsmuch! Would you tell us some of what you wrote about?

When you really know your style, trends are a nuiscance whether when what you like is in, or out. For example, I've worn my trademark hippie/etherial/vintage/romantic style since the 80's but now I have to brave the trend out. On the other hand, UNLESS something is trendy it is often not even sold, especially shoes. For years I searched in *vain* worldwide for victorian lace-up boots, round-toed shoes, wedge soles; until the past few years...and then you get so put off... So I usually just make my own clothes, buy either vintage/thrift or very individualistic designer pieces...and keep forever searching for shoes.

 

[adorevintage]

... I do own some pieces that, if styled in such a way with the right accessories, would be trendy. but I don't style them to reflect the trends. I prefer to do my own thing, and accessorise with vintage or random four-seasons-ago-one-offs, for example. so I think it comes down more to styling and accessories that make something trendy or not...

I completely agree.

 

[Lakota]

Your project sounds fascinating, Shopsmuch! Would you tell us some of what you wrote about?

When you really know your style, trends are a nuiscance whether when what you like is in, or out. For example, I've worn my trademark hippie/etherial/vintage/romantic style since the 80's but now I have to brave the trend out. On the other hand, UNLESS something is trendy it is often not even sold, especially shoes. For years I searched in *vain* worldwide for victorian lace-up boots, round-toed shoes, wedge soles; until the past few years...and then you get so put off... So I usually just make my own clothes, buy either vintage/thrift or very individualistic designer pieces...and keep forever searching for shoes.

This is exactly what happens to me ALL the time! I search for something forever, and then once I move on, that item is in stores everywhere . I tend to buy a lot of vintage clothes and shoes too, since I hate seeing the exact piece of clothing I'm wearing on someone in the mall. But, I have to admit, I do follow trends to a certain degree because I'm so interested in fashion. I look at runway shows and read fashin magazines all the time, so it's hard to not be influenced by trends. It's also hard to find clothes that don't go along with current trends (since all the stores in my price range are super trendy).

 

[juliekitty]

I try not to buy into trends too much, I've learned my lesson - I want to be able to wear my clothes after the next season. If I do want something trendy, Forever 21 is good for that but ONLY before it becomes the dreaded "ubertrendy" (like peasant skirts & velour sweatsuits). Which reminds me, I need to clear my closet of some ugg boots, flouncy skirts, coach signature and boleros...

A good rule to go by is, if it's at Target already, it's over!