How To Be Current Without Being Trendy
In our current landscape of constantly being plugged in, we are always being sold to. Influencers, the news, your favorite podcast, your niece - everyone has an idea of what you absolutely have to have. Sometimes we can find amazing new products or brands this way. Sometimes, it just makes us feel like we don’t have enough, even though our closets and homes are packed full. If you feel the clutter closing in yet still feel like you have nothing to wear when you get dressed, this becomes a huge problem.
While it’s great to be current with your style, it’s a fine line to walk with being overly trendy. Overall, trends are problematic. It confuses your sense of style. When you’re told that this is the must-have bag, the only dress you should be wearing this summer, the number one essential shoe, it can feel like you have no choice but to purchase said trend. It’s a condescending narrative that leaves you feeling like you don’t know what looks good, and you’re obviously missing out if you haven’t bought this yet. Having a clear sense of your own personal style is one of the best ways to feel great about how you look. Trends have you chasing after something whose very nature is to be outdated in a short period of time.
When seasons change, it’s standard for there to be a rush of marketing pushing the must-haves and top trends. If you buy into this every season, that adds up to a cluttered closet and a growing clothing budget. Trends can be a great guide for color, patterns, fabric, and fit, but the issue I see most with clients is when they buy so many trendy pieces that their wardrobe feels stale as soon as the next season arrives. Something trendy can look dated very quickly, and your hard earned money is sitting in your closet with nowhere to go. If you’re always buying what you’re told looks good, you lose the ability to make that decision for yourself. Understanding what you love is the key to great style, not chasing trends.
Here are some tips on how to be current without being trendy:
Stay in line with current colors, while staying true to your colors. If the color of the season is in the green family but it washes you out, try it in other ways such as accessories or nail polish.
Notice the balance of the trends. Are the looks you’re seeing military inspired, are they oversized, is it a more feminine season? Bring those elements into your outfits with your own spin. If you don’t want to rock camo, try a trenchcoat, or options in khaki, chocolate or olive. If feminine looks are not your style, try daintier jewelry options and lighter nail colors.
If you’re unsure of a trend but are intrigued enough to try it, here are two ways to test it out before making a full commitment:
Test the waters by buying an option from a lower priced store. I don’t normally push fast fashion, but if you really want to try a trend that you know you might be sick of in 3 months, this is a smarter use of your money. If you try it, love it, & want more of it, then you can confidently buy a higher quality piece.
Rent. Utilize a subscription service such as Rent The Runway, where you can either rent monthly or as a one time thing. This is a commitment-free way to try colors, fits, and fabrics that you wouldn’t normally buy, and then you have a better sense of what you want more of in your wardrobe.
A few questions to ask yourself to figure out if a trend is worth your money:
If this becomes outdated, will I still be glad that I purchased it? Sometimes there’s a trend that’s really cute and you love it, and that is when it’s a good idea to buy it. When it confuses your own sense of style, that’s when it’s a waste of money and time. If it doesn’t feel like you or won’t go with anything you own (therefore you can’t actually wear it), it’s a waste of time and money. It will even waste more of your time because you’ll be trying to fit it in with options that it just won’t work with.
At the end of this season, am I going to be glad that I invested money on this piece? Ask yourself how often you plan on wearing it. Cost per wear can be a huge factor. It’s important to be aware of the cost out of your wallet, the cost on the environment, and the cost on your mental health. How will you feel when you have all these options that don’t feel like you, that no longer are relevant because they’re a passing trend that now feels dated, or if you get discouraged with yourself because you continue to buy pieces that don’t last in your wardrobe?
And finally, ask yourself if you’re buying it out of desire, or out of fomo or lack. Are you thinking about buying it because you love it, or because someone (an influencer, a friend, a brand) told you that you need to buy it because it’s a must-have item?
I’d like to challenge you to get to know yourself, get to know what you love to wear, get to know your shopping habits and your outfit patterns and pay attention to what you spend your money on. Do the same styles always sit in your closet unworn? You should know that, and then feel no desire to purchase when you see it on a rack. All it takes is training your eye and honing in on your own personal style to have the willpower not to fall for the next hottest thing. That knowledge will also serve you well when a trend pops up and you know right away it’s something you’ll love and will be happy to own.
Here’s a challenge for you:
Set a timer for 15 minutes. Go through your closet and drawers, and write down on your phone or a piece of paper all of the pieces you own that you always skip over. The ones where you can always find an excuse for why you shouldn’t/can’t/won’t wear it.
When the time is up, look over the list. How many items are on there? What do they have in common? Are they a color you keep buying but don’t actually like? Are they a silhouette that you’re not actually comfortable in? Are they pieces from a time in your life when your style was different? Look for the patterns, and then keep that in mind next time you’re shopping or when you’re editing your closet. Decide if any of these pieces should stay in your wardrobe, or if you’re ready to move on. It can feel very challenging to let pieces go, but it will save you so much time and will help avoid anxiety when getting dressed.
If you’d like to take it a step further, you can take all of those pieces out of your closet and put them somewhere you won’t see them. Set a reminder on your phone for 30 days from now; if you haven’t thought of them or gone looking for them in that timeframe, let them go.
Too many pieces in your closet will lead to decision overwhelm and you’ll continue to fall back on the same options you always wear. Challenge yourself to let go of what no longer works for you, and pay attention to your patterns and habits. Getting to know yourself and your habits will only help you improve your style. Have any questions? Come send me a DM, I’m always happy to help!