HOW DO FASHION TRENDS START?
Ever wondered how do fashion trends start in the first place? Who’s responsible for setting a trend and dictating what goes and what doesn’t?
Well, back in the day things were a little different. Fashion magazines would come out on newsstands, where it clearly states – these are the trends for the upcoming season, go buy such and such. And that was it. The trend has been set in motion and the masses were out on the streets, parading the trendy new pieces. In a way, it was somewhat easier to know for sure whether your style or what you’re wearing is on trend.
Nowadays, it’s mayhem! It’s actually unclear who sets the trend and decides the rules of fashion, but there are certainly a few factors at play that determine the newest and hottest trends.
CELEBRITY TREND SETTERS
First, you’ve got celebrities flaunting outfits and interesting looks, that become trends literally overnight. Obviously, these people are in the public eye and they’ve captured our attention. We watch them closely and a lot of times accept what they wear as a trend. I mean if Kim put on a pair of bike shorts with a pair of heels, then it must be it… (whether you like it or not). And for the record, personally, I’m not crazy about these 80s inspired biker shorts.
FROM RUNWAYS TO THE STREET
Then you’ve got runway shows where fashion designers come out with the latest looks and then the rest of us, including some mainstream brands follow suit and produce clothing lines influenced by the high-end designers. Designers – setting the trend is actually what’s familiar to us. That’s how we knew about trends in the first place. They are at the forefront of what’s in. Every designer has their own vision and they all express it in their own unique way. So, when we see runway shows or coverage of these shows on social media and in magazines, we tend to trust these designers and their vision.
INFLUENCERS AND BLOGGERS SET THE SCENE
Next, you’ve got social media influencers and style bloggers, who often not only further promote the established trends through collaboration deals, but also set the trends themselves, having earned a well-deserved trust of their audiences. Influencers is an interesting breed of people. They’ve established a certain credibility in a specific domain, area or industry and have the ability to skillfully persuade their audience to do something or believe in something. Which is why many influencers are credited with the trendsetting.
STREET STYLE ON TRENDS
And then of course, we’ve got street style – the everyday looks that you and I see all around us on the streets of Toronto, or any other city you live in, in the malls, on other parents at your kids’ schools, in cafes and any other public space. Street style, definitely has a huge impact on what’s hot and what’s relevant in fashion. There is however an age-old debate about who has a bigger influence on who: is it the runway fashion that affects the street style or that street style is now influencing what shows up on runways. Personally, I think it’s hard to differentiate at this point and I feel that these two are very much inter-connected. Regardless of who deserves the credit for setting the trends, one thing for sure – people pay attention to street style when determining what fashion trends are in.
MAKING FASHION TRENDS YOUR OWN
I’m a huge believer in taking fashion trends and making them your own, putting your own spin on them, your unique twist – instead of simply getting on board with a particular trend. Following and adapting fashion trends is one of my favorite things to do because I feel there is so much freedom in getting to decide what goes with what; what trends make sense for your body and which don’t; which you should completely ignore and which to accept with open arms.
In a way, you are kind of your own trend setter. How much fun is that?!