Trends, to follow or not to follow, that is the question I get asked all the time…
I’m not into following trends. I don’t think most of you who read my blog are either, correct me if I’m wrong?
Trends come and go and I don’t advocate being a slave to them, I’m more about finding your own style, and wearing what you feel comfortable in.
As art historian Alexander Nagel says:
“ I think style is the state in which one feels the least separation between their character and their body”
However, it keeps your fashion headspace fresh to have an understanding of what’s trending each season. It’s good to shake up your wardrobe a little sometimes; to push yourself out of your comfort zone, just a little, and to realise that actually you can rock those pants that you thought ‘weren’t you’.
You can also use trends to give you inspiration on how to wear what you already have. And as much as I like to focus on having a functional, capsule-type wardrobe, there’s something to be said for adding a few on-trend seasonal pieces, to keep one’s creative juices flowing when you get dressed each day 🙂
The key factor to consider when looking at which trends you want to incorporate into your wardrobe, is their longevity and how wearable they are. So for example, I’m not sure if you recall the luminous trend that made a comeback about 6 years ago? Well it was definitely one of those that wouldn’t last because most of those colours just aren’t pretty, nor are they easy to wear. I remember buying a necklace in luminous yellow that I probably wore about 3 times, bad price-per-wear purchase that was. It was cheap as chips at the time so it’s ok – in that I didn’t waste too much money, but to be honest I don’t like buying ‘cheap as chips’ anymore. It doesn’t make me feel good, on so many levels – but that’s for another post.
Let’s look at the culotte trend. It was big in summer and it’s still big this winter. I personally love this trend, it has that 70’s feel. Culottes are actually so flattering on a lot of figure shapes, particularly us pears who struggle to find pants to fit well. The wide leg culotte can be your best friend girls.
I posted a pic on Instagram of me wearing my pair and I got a majorly positive response so I think I can rock them now 😉
I custom-made these by the way, they were actually long length wide leg pants bought at KlukCGDT (well fancy, I know). They were beautiful and made such a statement, but I was wearing them like twice a year, *about that price-per-wear thing*. I just didn’t have enough occasions to wear them, we don’t go anywhere fancy anymore – life with small kids.. you know the drill.
So I tried wearing them in the day but the length made them tricky to walk in, I kept tripping myself up so I’d have to hitch them up when I was walking up and down stairs – not an easy task when you inevitably have a child on your hip and you’re carrying two bags while simultaneously trying to eat toast in a mad rush to get out the door. So then earlier this year I had a “brainwave” (I’m very intelligent you know), and decided to cut them into culottes.
Man I am loving them and wearing them like crazy, getting that PPW ratio on point! PPW = price-per-wear, you keeping up?
I’ve styled them just two ways here – playing with proportions a little. One is super casual for every day and I’m wearing a cropped jersey. The other is a little smarter for if I had to go to a meeting with an important person or something, and I’m wearing a long-length jersey-coat.
I’d also easily wear these out at night with a pair of peep toes and a leather jacket. What do u think? Are you into the culottes trend?
