by BR Tabatha
Style trends are a curious thing. Some come and go in a flash, others hang around for a while only to fade away and be forgotten, while some trends become embedded in our world and eventually become considered a classic. What interests me, though, is how a trend starts. Who kicks it off? Who decides it's a thing? And who has the power to see it out the door? The first question is easily answered, with fashion designers, the runway, celebrities, bloggers/YouTubers/TikTokkers and the like creating and showcasing looks to us, the public. Which makes me wonder....
Does that mean the real power behind a trend is... we the people? Are we the ultimate deciders? The chosen ones with the ability to make or break a fad?
Which brings me to this week's poll. Are you a trend follower or a trend ignorer? Do you embrace the power of change or prefer to forego it for what's considered classic style? Will you rock a pink fluffy tutu combined with a bright yellow blush, or are you a capsule collection, muted toned makeup maven? And what are the pros and cons of being a follower or ignorer?
By following trends you have the ability to elevate a moment in time. To take a mood and showcase it to the world. You can show the people around you who you are now, and your photo roll will look all the more interesting for it.
Alternatively, by following trends do we contribute to the ever growing piles of rubbish in this world? Buying and discarding products on a whim? Because, let's be honest, while keeping everything would be great a la Carrie Bradshaw with her fabulous storage space, it's not always viable. And while giving clothing to charity is an excellent idea, if you're no longer wanting a fluorescent green crop top that was hot in 2021, there's a good chance no one else will either. As for makeup? It's not wise to gift a good chunk of it due to bacteria, so that too can end in the tip.
But what does it mean to not follow trends?
On one hand it could be considered that a person who doesn't follow trends is simply a person who believes in keeping things classic, keeping things simple. You're the person who has three basic T-shirts, a white shirt, a good pair of jeans, a black suit that can be mixed and matched with your other pieces, and a couple pairs of shoes that can be mixed in with said clothing. Your makeup kit can fit in a small makeup bag, and it's colours that can see you through the year and will look natural while enhancing your features.
Yes, you're no doubt saving the environment, not to mention money, but does keeping it classic mean you fall into a style rut? Could you blend into the crowd? (Heck, you might want to, and there's nothing wrong with that!). Could you look back one day and wish you'd mixed it up a little? Or does stability mean that much to you that you're fine with keeping it classic?
Of course, perhaps you're the unicorn of the bunch. You don't follow trends and you don't stick to the classics - you do you. Taking elements of fashion and makeup and mixing them up as you see fit. The person who, when they walk down the street, turns other people's heads because you look like no one else, and are all the more fabulous for it.
Which leads me to... Question time...
My lovelies, are you a trend follower? A trend ignorer? Do you go next level and set the trends? Would you say you're a bit of all of the above? Or a touch of one here and a touch of another there? And what trends do you love? What would you like to see go? Or come back? Get chatting below!
I think a bit of both but mostly classic it's fun to know about new trends but I'm not the first to go out and try something new unless it's a brand or something I love