How to Keep up With Fashion Trends, on a Budget
Fashion trends can be fun! Something different, something to look forward to, a change of scenery, a form of creative play or expression, or a celebration of an older style forgotten.
However, it can also be exhausting, expensive, and not to mention, more clutter and garbage, also contributing to more waste!
Not saying that you should not indulge and enjoy trends, but here is some insight on how to think smarter and navigate them. Especially when on a budget or when you trying to be smart with your spending.
Two professional and experienced stylists weigh in on the conversation and offer their point of view.
Maya, a creative, and professional stylist with over 10 years of experience in the fashion industry from Paris to San Francisco, gives us her honest take.
As does Nejla, one of the top NYC based fashion stylists and image consultants, who helps her clients feel confident and guides them to find their style.
both stylists agree that fashion trends are:
“Vital part of fashion” - Maya
“Keeps it interesting and fresh” - Maya
“Fun to explore” - Nejla
BUT
They both also agree that
“Not every trend is for everyone” - Nejla
“It’s not reasonable to expect to buy and wear every single new thing on the market” - Maya
“Some of it is…not worth it” - Maya
So how do you decide which trend is for you?
Maya suggests thinking of it like this: “If…you are in love with a piece you can consider buying it…as long as you answer yes to the question ‘will I wear it more than a few times?’”.
Nejla offers another interesting perspective saying that she thinks of one’s wardrobe as “70% staples and more of an ‘investment’ and 30% trends”. This seems like a reasonable ratio!
Image: Clem Onojeghuo
Controlling impulse buys
Just like most things, it’s a subjective decision and it’s not one-size-fits-all. However, you want to hold off impulse buying, in general. Maya highlights that “This is common, and we all experience it”, and as Nejla reminds, the only “‘mistakes’ are not being authentic and [a] poor fit”. Nejla also advises to wait a couple of weeks and “hold off your curiosity until you are sure the trend has staying power”.
Maya says “Brands will always package the goodies to look shiny, new and bright! The fashion market can be confusing as it’s so saturated and every day we are bombarded with new merchandise.”
Things to consider before spending on a trend
“Depends on your budget” - Maya
“Where you live or spend your time most of the year” - Maya
“Consider your lifestyle” - Maya
Make “sure the trend has staying power” - Nejla
“If a trend speaks to you” - Nejla
How to budget for an on-trend item?
“Set a very firm budget on how much per season [to spend] on trendy pieces” - Maya
“we all know that’s a hard one to keep!”
“Consider reselling any old items you no longer wear, to fund the next selection” - Maya
If you don’t have the time or the know-how, Maya suggests professionals like her, or online stores, can do the leg work for you.
Things to avoid (spending unwisely) on trend-based items
“Buying something just because the salesperson or friend is telling you…think about what you really want and feel” - Maya
When shopping online “once you fill that cart, do something else for 15 minutes…come back to it, if you are not as excited about [the pieces in the cart] anymore, don’t buy it.” - Maya
Buying one item that you like in different sizes and/or colors. “If this shirt looks good on me in green, I’m going to buy in in the other 3 colors…not only is that boring but also a huge waste of money” Nejla highlights.
