How do trends get started?
The fall trends are here long before fall comes - in fact, they get shown
on runways up to a whole year early. How do these trends come about, and
how do fashion designers know what will be popular?
Well, in the old days, the designer's word was it. If important people
(celebrities and big names) loved their work, they were golden. Then the
effect eventually trickled down to the average consumer in big department
stores. By the time something came out in a regular store, the fashion was
often gone.
Now things have changed. You can check online to see what's going to be
hot for spring and buy it now. You can decide if you're going to spend
money on that new accessory and be right with the trendy crowd, or if
you're going to be ahead of them (of course, lots of others will be too!).
The trends start with the key people. These days, the designers and stores
offer previews and preview catalogs. Go to a preview show or catalog,
decide what you like, and they'll stock more of what got rave reviews. If
something gets booed, it gets kicked back behind the classics. So, who
decides what the trends are? The people who buy the clothes.
Of course, there are other trends, too: the TV star who suddenly
decides to wear her name on a necklace (Sex in the City), a musician who
dresses in menswear (Madonna), Oscar-goers who wear vintage dresses.
And then there are the trends that start small: teens in school who
decide to carry vintage lunchboxes. College students who picked up on a
brand of bags. Surfers who wear board shorts everywhere.
Ultimately, trends start with the consumers. People who buy and wear the
clothes decide what's cool. Usually, the people who are daring and willing
to wear what they want, and who can influence others around them, are the
ones who start it all. They tell their friends, who tell their friends,
and the daring bit of experimentation becomes a real trend. The trick is
in finding something that others will latch on to, and spreading the trend
rapidly by word of mouth.
What can you do to keep up? Read avidly. The best way to keep up with
trends is to read the fashion magazines and browse the fashion show websites. Take a trip to the library or
local bookstore to spend a while browsing. See what the common threads
(no pun intended) are. Put the trends into action before they hit the
shelves, if you can.
How can you avoid being a trend victim? Stick to one trendy item each
season. Then pair it with the things you already own - basic jeans, black
pants, white shirts, as well as with things that you know fit you. If the
trend is extra long skirts and you're petite, know you'll have to skip
that trend, or find a length that suits you. And when the trend dies (ie
you can find it on the clearance rack), give it up, or stow it for future
generations.
How can you set your own trends? You'll have to have courage. Pick something old to wear, or something to wear in a new way, something that is offbeat and new. If you want
to try out wearing one-shoulder tops, go ahead. Tell your friends, or buy
them similar tops. Get the word out. Send one to a celebrity, then hope it
catches on.
But if it doesn't, don't be dismayed. Hold your head high and wear what
you love. It's not trendy, it's just good fashion sense.