Style Advice: Should you wear trends? | Alexandra Stylist | Personal Wardrobe Stylist
Style TRUTHS

Should you wear trends?

By | October 20th, 2018 | Style TRUTHS

It’s 1995 and I am at the Copely plaza in Boston. I’m in college and I decide it’s time for some more professional attire for my wardrobe. (I was always feeling older than my age.)

Alexandra during her university days in a better fitting blazer.

I’m in a store looking at a pink plaid suit with 3/4 length sleeves.

The sales girl is telling me that these 3/4 length sleeves are ALL the rage on the Paris runways and that everyone will be sporting them soon.

I think why not and purchase the skirt suit even though I have a niggly little feeling in the back of my gut saying…..”I don’t know about these sleeves”.

I was excited never the less.

And then I got the pink skirt suit home and tried to wear it out for an interview.

But every top I tried with it looked weird because of the sleeves and it just never looked right.

I think I wore the skirt a few times but then forgot about it.

When I gave it away a few years later during a big clean out, I thought to myself, ‘well that was a lesson learned about trends’.

I should have listened to my gut. Lesson learned: I should have avoided that trend.

It was around that time that dressing myself was very important and I was beginning to realize that what was good on one person may not be universally good on everyone. Just two years later I would get certified in color and shape analysis and was able to crack my own code to wearing clothing and accessories that suit me, specifically me.

Unlocking this world was huge and allowed me to stop feeling like such a dork or geek in the world.

NOTE: There are women who I have dressed in my styling work where a 3/4 sleeve is flattering, it’s just not every woman.

So my stance on fashion trends is you don’t have to wear them if they don’t flatter you.

The business of fashion where new styles come out at alarming speeds is hurting our environment and women and children working in terrible conditions.

But as a consumer you can do something.

What you can do:

  • Look at trends from a ‘is this for me’ perspective
  • Before you buy something you can ask yourself, ”is this my color and shape? Do I need it? Will I wear it? Will it work with other items in my closet?”
  • Buy from companies who provide fair wages and safe working environments
  • Buy less and higher quality clothing
  • Buy second hand or vintage clothing
  • Become a more conscious consumer and only buy only things that you will love and wear. (This applies to all purchases)
  • Learn about your body and what styles and colors best suit it

A personal stylist such as myself can help you with this last one so that you wear 80%+ of your closet and not the average of 10%.

Want more information, apply for a style call with me here. 

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