Trends and how to make them work for you

Trends and How to Make Them Work For You
Written by Heather Allen

A few times a year most women receive novel-sized magazines that are meant to serve as a guide to the current season’s trends. These “guides” serve to alert the diligent consumer of all the “musts” to add to one’s closet. While fun, trends can be rather confusing. Strong PR and marketing budgets create the desire for us to purchase these items. But trends are fleeting. To survive in this fashion climate, one must determine what image they need to project and develop a style all their own. Remember, trends are meant to add to the basics already provided in one’s closet. The other thing to consider when purchasing a “trend item” is if it flatters your unique coloring and figure.

So the real question here is how you can make the trends of the season work for you. Trends typically fall into a few categories you will see trends in colors, cuts, fabrics, and types of styles i.e. rocker, western, geometric. Some of these trends will appeal to you while others may not be your thing. For this articles purpose, I ask that you to examine the trends that appeal to you.

Be sure to work with your style. One mistake that many people make is to see a model in a look they like and proceed to mimic the style from head to toe. This sort of shopping will lead you to a closet that represents “fashion schizophrenia”. Therefore, it is key to maintain your general style while shopping. Now let’s look at some Spring 2009 trends.

Nudes are it this season as far as colors are concerned. These colors are meant to more or less mimic your skin tone thus giving you a soft almost nude look. If you are uncomfortable with the nude look you might want to look at colors that have a pinkish hue? Tanned? Grayed? Look to see what colors really make your skin look healthy as opposed to which make your complexion dull. The colors that make you look healthy are best for you and are where you should put your money.


Another look you will see that prevails this season is geometric cuts. This ranges from anything in the cut that represents a strong shape to a geometric pattern. This means an asymmetrical hem to boxy shaped shoulders on a jacket. For someone who already possesses broad shoulders, a broad shouldered jacket may not be your best look; however a pattern with strong graphic references that draws the eyes in from the shoulders could prove quite flattering.

Trends are fun to add to your closet. However, I do suggest spending your real money on investment pieces and keeping costs on trends to a minimum. Sure sometimes a trend can become somewhat “timeless” when on the simpler side. Many companies, such as H&M, Wetseal, and Express, specialize in creating trends quickly and inexpensively.

I hope this miniature guide has offered you some insight. Please do contact me if you have questions on what works best for you. I can be reached at lvstyleconsultant@gmail.com.