Are fashion trends a thing of the past? Let’s discuss!

Are fashion trends a thing of the past? I posed this question in last week’s subscriber newsletter after reading this article by Leandra Medine.

Leandra is an incredible US fashion writer who I’ve been following since the very early days of blogging. Her blog is now a media empire of its own. New York Fashion Week has just happened and Leandra was stumped to “identify any single new trend” – except perhaps the overarching notion of  “uniform styling”.  And do you know what? I’m totally here for that.

Firstly, there are rarely any new trends – trends if identified are usually re-hashed versions of something we’ve worn many times over. Secondly, this concept of uniform styling is not unlike what I’ve long talked about in terms of building wardrobes from quality basics and then styling those basics with a sprinkling of show-pony or “peacock” pieces, shoes and accessories. Creating your own everyday style uniform needn’t be boring and safe but that’s often the way this way of dressing or crafting a uniform wardrobe is perceived.

When you open your wardrobe each day and everything in it offers a blank canvas of possibilities, then that IS exciting. It means that you can combine and wear pieces to suit your mood or what you have ahead of you that day. And it means you’ve always got something to wear that feels effortlessly you. To me, that’s says more about your personal style than any need to follow a so-called trend.

Yet still, one of the most searched-for and asked-for questions each fashion season is around trends. This was definitely the case ahead of hosting my seasonal style workshop at Toowong Village last weekend. 

Sussan hair clips | Sussan dress

Many of those attending were keen to hear just what trends they should be looking out for when updating their wardrobe. It’s a thing that we’ve been conditioned to expect, that the fashion industry dictates to us how we should freshen our looks, that what is on the International catwalks trickles down to our favourite stores. 

I think what’s happened in recent years is a combination of one fashion season melding into another without any great “newness”, the rise of street-style fashion and I know, for me, it’s been more a case of really understanding what styles work for my shape, my style personalities and lifestyle. 

Planning and dressing for those three factors will always trump any trends, I say. Because when you nail those, it’s impossible not to feel confident in what you’re wearing.

Choosing clothes to feature on two models (@stace_mcgregs and @what_brooke_wore) and myself for the Toowong workshop did help me to look at what is in store right now for spring-summer 2019 with an eye for the women I was dressing. And in doing so I uncovered some some key directions in colour and shapes for the season ahead.

Spring-summer 2019 key fashion trends

Colours: muted tones, rust, khaki, mustard, soft pinks … brights to come

Clothing shapes: cropped pant, jumpsuits, playsuits, pleated mid skirts

Themes: ‘70s, natural textures/fibre, tropical, florals, animal print, checks

Accessories: hair clips, cross-body bags, sneakers

Spring-summer 2019 colours

The muted tones in store now are transitioning us out of hibernation from winter. This is perfect as it warms up but allows for a bit of seasonal wardrobe mixing when some days may still be cool/cold. 

Kmart top and pants

Key shapes

None of the above key clothing shapes are new but they are still very much dominating the selections in store. 

Kmart playsuit

Themes

The 1970s influence still reigns, particularly when it comes to the incorporation of natural textures into clothes and accessories. Print-wise, you’ll find all the usual suspects for spring, including a lighter take on animal print.

Blue Illusion top and pants

Trenery dress + Kmart belt and sneakers

Accessories

I love that you can update an existing wardrobe look simply by changing up your accessories or shoes. This season, the least expensive update is wearing hair clips (and preferably more than one at a time). Cross-body bags act like statement necklaces and sneakers go back with everything.

Country Road dress and bag

I know I’ve contradicted myself by talking about the death of fashion trends by then going on to reflect on the direction in stores right now, but that’s fashion for you. Always a contradiction. Never serious. 

My only rule, which never goes out of style is: Don’t buy it unless you LOVE it.