If you lived through the early 2000s, you remember how terrible an era it was for fashion. Women plucked their eyebrows into nonexistence, jeans sat dangerously low on the hips, and the Juicy Couture Tracksuit was everywhere.
These trends didn’t really look good on anybody. That’s because being trendy is very different from being stylish. Style is timeless while trends respond to a moment in time. But, sometimes the urge to take on new trends is strong, even if you know they aren’t flattering on you. So what do you do?
First, you have to know your style.
"Fashion is about dressing according to what’s fashionable. Style is more about being yourself." —Oscar de la Renta
Your style is totally personal, and everybody’s is different. If you aren’t sure what your own personal style is, ask yourself the following questions:
What’s my go-to outfit when I need to feel my best?
Are there any pieces I’ve had in my wardrobe for years that I never get tired of?
What do I always gravitate toward while shopping?
It’s important to have a sense of who you are and what you want to represent with fashion. Your clothes are an extension of you – they should make you feel comfortable.
Fashion offers all of us the opportunity to show the world who we are, what we care about, and how we feel about ourselves. It makes a statement. Know your statement, and own it.
Understand why you want to be trendy.
"Trendy is the last stage before tacky." —Karl Lagerfeld
Trends come and go. But what’s constant is the desire to fit in and to be current. Ask yourself, with each trend that you’re tempted to shell out your hard-earned money for, the following questions.
What is it about this particular style that speaks to me right now?
How does this fit into my current wardrobe?
What will this actually look like on my body?
Once you’ve considered those, you can decide whether or not you should be buying the item of the moment. There are a lot of ways to achieve your fashion goals other than buying cheap items that you’ll only wear for one season.
On top of that, you don’t want to buy something trendy that will require you to buy three other items just so you can style it properly. Most trends are a whole combined look, and if you already aren’t sure about one piece, don’t get suckered into buying several.
Assess the whole look and take what works for you.
"Fashions fade, style is eternal." —Yves Saint Laurent
What you can do is assess the overall look that’s in style, and see how you can incorporate the aesthetic into your wardrobe now in a way that feels true to who you are.
You don’t have to go out and buy a new wardrobe every season to keep your wardrobe fresh and current. Take note of the silhouettes, not just the pieces, that are in style. Can you emulate those silhouettes with what you have? What about the patterns? Can you bring those patterns into your wardrobe in a way that feels authentic?
Make note of the accessories, too. Can you accessorize in a way that feels youthful- like stacking your favorite necklaces, when you might usually only wear one? What about layering on your rings? These are easy ways to use what you have creatively to achieve the look of the moment.
Accessories, too, are easy to fit into your wardrobe. They can change the tone of the whole look, so they’re a fun way to play with trends without fully diving into them.
Trust the cycle of fashion.
"Don't be into trends. Don't make fashion own you, but you decide what you are, what you want to express by the way you dress and the way to live." —Gianni Versace
The biggest predictor of trendiness is time. Things always come back in style. Fashion is a big cycle. If you’re patient and shop smart, you’ll see the items you once cherished come back, and then you can say that you were ahead of the curve.
If your clothes don’t fit, or they’re stained or ripped, of course you should get rid of them. But, if you buy pieces that last and fit your body right, and it seems like they’ve fallen out of style, you should hold onto them if you have the space in your closet.
And this goes back to the main point, always prioritize buying clothes that fit you, that make you feel your best, and that are made to last. Don’t waste your money on items that make you feel like somebody else, and on things that won’t survive longer than one season.
If you invest in the right pieces, they truly won’t go out of style. They’ll be versatile enough to support the looks that you want to achieve throughout your life, and that’s what matters.
The best way to feel youthful is to wear clothes that are right for you, that allow you to shine. Looking and feeling your best will never go out of style.
When you shop Affordable Chic, every item is selected with the woman in mind. You can confidently pick out pieces that are good quality, that flatter your body, and that will make you feel like a million dollars (for less than $100).
If you need a wardrobe refresh, you should look at our catalogue and see how you can give yourself a style update that’s true to you. Affordable Chic has curated the best, most affordable pieces that are timeless yet of the moment. What could be better than that?