STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

sephorablue · Marc Jacobs

trend frustration

Rica · Kenneth Cole

Totally, completely understand what you're saying. The trick is to pick up on the trend very early so by the time everyone else is wearing it, you're sick of it and already moving on to the next big thing. It's being fashion forward and it allows you to revel in trends without being a sheep.

jj · Kate Spade

That stinks. It really frustrates me when I find something cute then see it coming and going on the street. I remember when jean jackets made their comeback, my husband and I counted 42 girls wearing them during a 4 BLOCK WALK in NYC!!

This really killed me: a coworker went to India in 2003 and I asked her to bring me some of the cute tunic topics she wore. I just about DIED when tunics then started popping up everywhere! So I put them on a hiatus and may bring them back in a while.

Now I just buy things because I love them and try to ignore the masses.

sephorablue · Marc Jacobs

yeah. i should clarify--I don't look down on people who do wear trends, and I don't think they do it just because everyone else is; I'm just saying that a look that gets to be ubiquitous makes me want to avoid it, even if I like it. Which is a bummer.

Chic · Marc Jacobs

This reminds me of a quote from Kate Hudson talking about turquoise, she said that she is glad that it isn't popular anymore so she can wear it again.

Then something else struck me funny, a picture of another Kate, Kate Moss wearing cut off jean shorts just like Jessica Simpson....I always thought of Kate being ahead of the pack, not a follower.

I also agree that it seems more no days that one thing becomes huge and everyone jumps on it, I guess it was easier when not as many people cared about fashion.

atlgirl · Gucci

she said that she is glad that it isn't popular anymore so she can wear it again

I totally agree. I *like* to be different than what everyone else is wearing - I don't own a shrug and was never really inclined to, even when they first came out. They don't (usually) suit my body type and I HATE to be wearing the "item of the moment". Not dissing all of you who are into them - it's a personal thing for me.

When turquoise gets hot, I put away my turquoise jewelry for a bit; same thing with anything else that's trendy. It frustrates me to no end when a look I like becomes "popular", because I don't want to look like I'm a trend whore. Not that there aren't larger, more important issues in the world to address, but this is just an irritation of mine. ~sighs~

Misty · Dooney & Bourke

I completely understand your frustration. I know one of the trends is dressing western, but I live in Dallas, and honestly, no one dresses like that here. It's pretty cosmopolitan actually. Oh I'm sure people will dress like that now bec. most Dallasites are trend-whores (seriously, go out to a bar/club and every girl looks the same). I don't mean to insult anyone, but I live here, and so I see all the cloning. I like to participate in trends, but in my own way. For example, last weekend I wore a cowboy hat (one that you wear to the beach bec. it is unstructured), a drapey top w/ties at shoulders, a wide brown belt, jeans and open toed heels, and carried a clutch. you should have seen all the looks i got and you could almost hear those wheels turning. it's okay though bec. i wore it first. i got compliments from both guys and girls. i mainly wore the hat bec. i didn't want to fix my hair but it ended up being a pretty cool accessory. i have some pink vintage cowboy boots i might wear this season, but it will be more rock-n-roll than western.

Maddie · Coach

I hate trends and I'm especially bitter about the boho/western thing. I've been dressing like that for YEARS! Flowy skirts, cowboy hats and boots, ethnic jewelery. This was totally my look, and now I have to change so I don't look like a trend whore. I also just went to India and I can't wear any of the stuff I bought there cause it looks like I picked it up at Target. Ugh.

laken1 · Hermes

I also hate this. It's so funny how the trends flow from place to place though - my sister lives not that far from me, but they aren't very fashion forward. The other day we were on the phone & she said "I can't believe that flats are going to be in & those ugly ballet flats like we wore when we were kids." I laughed my butt off & told her I have 4 pair of those ugly ballet flats that i've had since January - pick up a fashion magazine already!!!!! (note the "are going to be in" comment- HELLO)

That being said - I feel this way about the wedges. I didn't even buy any new wedges because i had tons in my closet - I bought up nearly every pair i could find before they were "in" - the only good thing about it is that you can find your favorite things more easily / cheaply.

-- Edited by laken1 at 17:48, 2005-08-31

jlear · Kenneth Cole

I understand where you are coming from. Living in Iowa is great for the simple fact that not too many people here wear the trends until they have died down everywhere else. Even when I'm in Chicago, it seems like it's much slower to hit than on the coasts.

Try to make sure you have accessories that no one else will have- maybe vintage pendants and handbags, or a unique pair of earrings. At least that way, even though you may be wearing a trendy item, something stands out and is different.

honey · Gucci

i agree with everything that's been said. i like trends to a certain extent b/c it's good to update your wardrobe periodically so you don't look like that lady who got stuck in the 80's (or 90's-- we've all seen her). but it can be frustrating sometimes when something reaches a critical mass and it seems like EVERYONE is wearing it. ultimately i buy things b/c i like them so it's sad to think i have to stop wearing them b/c they're popular. not that i necessarily do this, but the thought has crossed my mind. not to plug myself, but i do try to keep this when i write articles and come up with outfit ideas that are current, but won't make you look like a sheep.

kenzie · Chanel

jlear wrote:

I understand where you are coming from. Living in Iowa is great for the simple fact that not too many people here wear the trends until they have died down everywhere else. Even when I'm in Chicago, it seems like it's much slower to hit than on the coasts.Try to make sure you have accessories that no one else will have- maybe vintage pendants and handbags, or a unique pair of earrings. At least that way, even though you may be wearing a trendy item, something stands out and is different.

I was going to post something to this effect. For me, accessories are so important. They really do individualize an outfit. And also, I like wearing trendy pieces in a way that no one else is really wearing them. Instead of buying the skirt, cami, shrug and cowboy boots, I'll break up the pieces and wear them with different things. I like to put my own spin on things. And if it doesn't work for my body, I don't buy it. I like to incorporate current trends into my wardrobe, but you won't catch me wearing them all at once.

Chic · Marc Jacobs

You know what is funny too....I am finally out! My preppy pink and green is now back to being mine, no longer in Target!

theotherjess · Chanel

Chic wrote:

You know what is funny too....I am finally out! My preppy pink and green is now back to being mine, no longer in Target!

I was talking about colors the other day and I mentioned pink and green. This girl who I don't really like pointed out that "green and pink are SOOOO played out." Whatever. 1. How can a color scheme be "played out"? and 2. Who cares if it's "out"?

Chic · Marc Jacobs

I am glad that I am out!

Cortney1982 · Chanel

I always get an idea to buy something but wait to long, and then it becomes a big trend. This is why I decided not to boy cowboy style boots. Then I was going to get these flat boots, but now I'm seeing them everywhere. If you see all these types of things in the juniors section of department stores, you know they are overdone!

kenzie · Chanel

Chic wrote:

You know what is funny too....I am finally out! My preppy pink and green is now back to being mine, no longer in Target!

I hope this happens soon with pink and brown!! I liked it long before it was all over the stores!

shopgirl82 · Chanel

recently i went out to dinner with some girls from work (BCBG, not hospital) and we were discussing why certain things were selling, and why certain things weren't. ok, besides prices which holds a lot of people back, we realized that our customers who are used to the prices, seem to be buying the more classic pieces, and not as much of the trendy pieces. i was telling them that my theory is that Target, and places like that, are becoming MUCH faster (while still not right on top of the trends, they're not as far behind as they used to be) with producing the trendy items, and in much better quality than they recently have. that being said, i feel like they are reaching the populations in larger quanities and faster than they used to. i mean, i'm a consumer too, and we had a knit semi-tiered skirt that maybe came out two months before Target came out with one almost exactly the same (the one that all you ladies love), and i would definitely have purchased it at Target for the price. Before it seemed like it would be one whole season before things would hit those kind of stores. Granted, that BCBG is not a "leader" of the trends kind of store, but they have always been much more ahead of stores like Target. I think stores like Target have really been trend watching, and producing much better quality than recently and at a much quicker rate (someone deserves a raise!).

My other theories include society seems more fashion oriented (at least the younger generations) so there's always that race to be the first to be wearing the hottest new looks. also, our generation are definitely celebrity watchers, so we always want to emulate their styles (maybe not all the ladies on this board). we all read the same fashion magazines, so we're all looking at the same resources to get ideas, and to predict the trends. basically, we're all reading the same fashion bibles (Glamour, Lucky), so we're all going to be wearing the same things. also, why shouldn't stores create the trendy items. that's what people want. you see a lot of stores ditching their signature looks, to add more trendy items to their palette, who can blame them?

my personal philosophy is that for me, i just have to/want to sit some of them out. i bought some cowboy boots over a year ago (i still have $150 store credit because of it), and returned them cuz it wasn't me. it just wasn't natural for me. i do admire people who can pull it off, and i do find it great on some people, but sometimes i see it and it just looks forced. for me, i buy what i like, and what looks good on me. sometimes i do trendy items, but only trends that are me. i don't try to copy i try to make it my own.

that's just my two cents.

kenzie · Chanel

shopgirl82 wrote:

recently i went out to dinner with some girls from work (BCBG, not hospital) and we were discussing why certain things were selling, and why certain things weren't. ok, besides prices which holds a lot of people back, we realized that our customers who are used to the prices, seem to be buying the more classic pieces, and not as much of the trendy pieces. i was telling them that my theory is that Target, and places like that, are becoming MUCH faster (while still not right on top of the trends, they're not as far behind as they used to be) with producing the trendy items, and in much better quality than they recently have. that being said, i feel like they are reaching the populations in larger quanities and faster than they used to. i mean, i'm a consumer too, and we had a knit semi-tiered skirt that maybe came out two months before Target came out with one almost exactly the same (the one that all you ladies love), and i would definitely have purchased it at Target for the price. Before it seemed like it would be one whole season before things would hit those kind of stores. Granted, that BCBG is not a "leader" of the trends kind of store, but they have always been much more ahead of stores like Target. I think stores like Target have really been trend watching, and producing much better quality than recently and at a much quicker rate (someone deserves a raise!).

I think this is a great theory. And it's not just Target that's producing trends at warp speed. It's other chains too, like Charlotte Russe, Forever 21 and Wet Seal. I've seen things in those stores right after I saw them in a magazine or on the runway.

These retailers are knocking things off within a current seasons. The reason that this seems to be happening faster now is that retailers (specifically the kind mentioned above) are flipping their merchandise faster than ever. Instead of having say, 8 major floor moves/merchandise changes a year, these stores are doing 12-16, which means that merchandise is produced faster and trends hit the stores more quickly. So, essentially, there is new merchandise (and lots of it) in these stores at least once a month, if not more frequently.

shopgirl82 · Chanel

NylaBelle wrote:

I think this is a great theory. And it's not just Target that's producing trends at warp speed. It's other chains too, like Charlotte Russe, Forever 21 and Wet Seal.

hehehe. i know. but i think those other chains are kind of known as trendy stores, whereas, until recently you would never go to Target to look for less expensive version of trendy items. i just kind of used Target as an all-encompassing example. what's funny is that BCBG only has two sales a year, and for the first year they offered a $100 off $300 purchase, and started the sale early, and had a mini-sale early and i think it's because all those other stores are keeping BCBG on their toes. it's a good thing.