Fashion Victim, Trends Slave - Why It Is Bad And How You Can Avoid The Pitfalls Of Seasonal Fads



As a fashion blogger, I am (or should be) really accepting of people going overboard with 'style', but I have to say, I am guilty of laughing at "don't" photos of Glamour magazine - People with their eyes hidden behind a black rectangle, totally unaware of how uncool and funny (not in a good way) they look!  I think Oscar de la Renta must be thinking of such people when he coined the term 'Fashion Victim' that is used to define a person who is unable to identify commonly recognized boundaries of style.  Fashion victims are victims because they are vulnerable to faddishness (intense but short lived fashion trends) and materialism and consequently are at the mercy of society's prejudices or of the commercial interest of the fashion industry, or of both. I have a another word for a situation like this - 'Trends Slave' - when we forget the style and only focus on whats new. We are actually susceptible of of getting something new without making sure that it looks good on us. And society's prejudices aside, being slave to 'trends' has some other downfalls too-

1.Trends slaves work with the latest fashion, not with their own body

Hence the black rectangle over the eyes!! I f I wear something that is all the rage, but doesn't make me look good - its not for me! The trend should fit my body, not the vice versa. You will never feel beautiful or stylish if you 'judge' yourself with clothes/hair/beauty products made for other people's body. 

2.Trends slaves shop more than they should (yes, shopping should have a budget limit! Its not like its 2006 y'all!)

When the trends slaves try to catch up with ALL the new trends, they make retailers very happy, but spend more of their hard earned money on another pair of shoes they may not wear after this fall. EVER. Debt on young shoulders is a scary thing.

3.Trends slaves neglect the existing good pieces in their wardrobe 

Because they are so busy buying the latest IT things, they seldom realize the worth of existing great pieces. Blindsided by the latest style, they forget that they have 3 other, better fitting outfits hanging in the back of the closet!
4.Trends slaves lose their style identity

Trends slaves forget what is unique about their own style and just blindly follow the latest IN thing! Versace had once said, "When a woman alters her look too much from season to season, she becomes a fashion victim". You know why after decades, we still remember Grace Kelley and Audrey Hepburn as style icons - they did not change with fashion, they changed fashion with them!
5.Trends slaves have messy closets

And for obvious reasons! If you collect 'things' because 'some people' are saying these are the 'must haves', chances are you collect junk too - Ain't Hoarders a REALITY show??? And Most regular people don't have Kardashian Kloset space!! (ughh, i had sworn I will never mention those Kitches* on my blog!)

But not being the trends slave doesn't mean you can not keep up with whats hot. Invest some time to figure out what works best for you, what is needed NOW and what can wait, what is smart and what is not! Its as simple as going to a buffet and eat what you really love and what makes you fell good! All you can eat is not really ALL you can eat!!

Here is how not to be trends slave (while rocking the newest trends!)-

Know your body - Wide leg pants on a super petite frame might not be a good idea, even though the celeb picture in magazine screams at you to buy it.

Know your style - Follow the trends that make you feel comfortable in your own skin. From personal experience - I know I have a more conservative style, and I LOVE seeing other people pushing out of their comfort zone.  But If I am not comfortable enough to wear something with total confidence, Its not for me - even if its the number one trend this season!

Know your environment - A traditional office environment demands a different closet than say, a trendy boutique PR firm. Whats new doesn't make it fit for all the occasions/places.

Know your logistics - What is your budget, how much closet space do you have, If you need or have storage space needed for not-in-use items - answer these question before you make a buying decision - unless its something you really need and can work with it even with logistical constraints.

Now I have a question for you - How do you decide if you want that latest "must have"?