In Defense of Trends

In Defense of Trends


Unless you’re a magazine editor (or, indeed, a blogger), you are unlikely to use the word ‘trend’ in a positive context: everybody knows that trends only matter to feebleminded people with no ability to think for themselves. Trends are by default ridiculous and unnecessary.

Devil Wears Prada’s famous cerulean sweater scene made the excellent point that most of us are influenced by trends, consciously or not, and its naive to assume otherwise. This is of course true and I will not attempt to better Meryl Streep, just watch the thing. But despite its genius, it doesn’t actually prove that trends have something positive to contribute – this influence, no doubt real, could equally well be a nefarious one!

The reason I like trends is that they are the mechanisms of the new. Trends disseminate innovations, new ways of doing things. I am completely fascinated by how they work, why some things become trends in the first place and why some transcend the trend status and become lasting influences on us. Why did the 8-year-old me eventually succumb, after having refused to wear the fashionable scrunchie for months? (In hindsight, I should have kept on resisting.)

Essentially, trend as a concept is neutral. It could denote something you believe is completely ridiculous (and I refuse to use harem pants as an example as seems to be the norm – they are comfortable and can look amazing) or something beautiful and/or beneficial. Women wearing trousers were once trendy, as was not wearing a corset or having a shorter skirt than to the knee. All positive developments, in my totally-non-humble opinion.

Why I personally find trends thrilling – in addition to the sociological aspect – is that they make me see things in a new way, to try things I would not have considered otherwise. Of course, there is the consumerist aspect and one has to be conscious of that. We don’t need things simply because they are trendy. But I know perfectly well what suits me and if left to my own devices, I’d wear fitted shift dresses, v-neck sweaters and column gowns for the rest of my life. For the rest of my very boring life.

Because trends of course occur everywhere, not just in fashion, and they make life more interesting. They are inspirations, not prescriptions. So people should relax and try some.

5 Comments

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  1. 1
    tafkav

    Yeah, but tights are never pants, as fashionable as it may seem (luckily this trend seems to be taking its last breaths). 😀 And please-please could we get over the see-through things now, thank you very much. 🙂

  2. 4
    tafkav

    Well, I can also tolerate tights as pants, also these see-through as long as I don’t have to stare other people’s undergarments (so they need to stay in safe distance from me, but I also have the choise of looking away – as it is said how jews avoid getting hurt if their religious feelings are mocked).
    Colours and crazy outfits are quite another thing, for example if discussing Tilda Swinton or Meryl Streep – one can’t stay that things they wear are mostly “beautiful”, but these outfits are still stylish as hell (mostly) and also batsh*t crazy. 😀

    • 5
      Ykkinna

      I couldn’t agree more with your choice of role models. Tilda is just perfect, whatever she wears or does. And Meryl Streep is Meryl Streep. Enough said.

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