Staying on Trend the Sustainable Fashion Way
If it isn’t the latest trend, it’s the newest aesthetic, fad, or - as of late - “-core”. It feels like keeping up with the Kardashians is easy in comparison to keeping up with today’s neverending trend cycle, which has reached a breakneck pace due to increased interdependence between social media and fast fashion.This year alone we have seen dozens of new trend movements, including barbiecore, preppy grunge, and the coastal grandmother aesthetic.
Living more sustainably and staying on trend can feel like they are forever at odds with each other. And, there is truth to this: buying into every trend that comes along, wearing it a few times, and then moving on is not a sustainable approach to fashion. But, at Indyx we also believe that fashion *should* be fun - and that there is a way to conscientiously experiment with trends in a way that is mindful of the planet and your wallet, using them as a tool to creatively explore and define your own personal style rather than to simply “keep up”.
The Difference Between Trend and Style
But first, it’s important that we understand the difference between trend and style. Trends are all about reflecting what is popular amongst others in a specific moment in time. Style is the exact opposite: it is pure self-expression, showing to the world what *you* find to be beautiful. Trends are temporal, while style is timeless.
While you can categorize styles into general archetypes, an individual's personal style is a unique perspective on fashion curated over many years. To be clear: you don’t need to be on trend to be stylish. The late Karl Lagerfeld -Creative Director of Chanel, Fendi and his own eponymous brand - was a lifelong proponent of style over trend. There is definitely something to be learned from someone who put tweed blazers on the runway for decades while other designers scrambled to continuously reinvent the white tee shirt.
Fashion is a form of creative expression, it allows you to play with different facets of yourself. Fashion is fun, and experimenting with trends can be an important part of finding your true personal style. Sustainability campaigns can sometimes strip fashion of its joy and inadvertently alienate people from their cause. On the other hand, fashion brands are guilty of using yet another trend to push new items on a weekly basis. There is a balance to be found. The key is that experimenting with trends should be led by your own curiosity and creativity, not the fashion marketing machine. And, you don’t need to spend money to experiment, all you need is Indyx.
Here are few ideas to consider when evaluating whether it is worthwhile for you to participate in a certain trend and how you can do so more sustainably:
1. It’s okay to admire something without taking it as your own
Remember: fashion is art! We go to museums and galleries to appreciate art for its own beauty without the thought that we should take it home ever crossing our mind. Similarly, it is completely okay to admire a trend or a specific piece for its aesthetic value without needing to have it in your own closet.
Evaluate honestly if the trend or item fits your style. Low rise jeans fit in with Bella Hadid’s overall look, and bedazzled Birkenstocks are completely on-brand for Sarah Jessica Parker. But while they can build several outfits around those items, the same isn’t true for everyone. Notice that they themselves have been selective about which trends they adopt, choosing only the ones that fit into their established personal style - and you should do the same!
You can better visualize if it fits your style by asking the age old mom question: can you wear it with at least three things in your closet? While it’s well intentioned advice, it was difficult to put into practice before Indyx. If you fall in love with a certain item, upload it to your digital wardrobe and play around with building outfits. If the item really gets your creative juices flowing and you can’t stop making outfits with it, then you’re on the right track.
2. Adopt the overall impression of the trend, rather than specific pieces
It’s easy to get hyper-fixated on specific new pieces that become commercially emblematic of a trend. But likely what you are most attracted to is the feeling of the overall aesthetic. Buying the specific pieces is just the quickest way to get there without much creativity. Often, it is possible to participate in an aesthetic using items you already have but by combining them in new ways.
Let’s say you have Classic style - think Ralph Lauren and J. Crew - but you love the preppy grunge trend coming from Miu Miu and Prada. You don’t necessarily have to go out and buy a tank top and pleated mini skirt. If you already have a different preppy skirt - say, a straight plaid mini skirt - you can combine that with a more casual, grungy tee to achieve a very similar overall impression to the trending outfit.
Hair, makeup, and accessories can also be transformative in creating a look, especially when the “base” of your wardrobe is more versatile. For example, we can achieve the preppy grunge look with dark eyeliner, poppy pink lipstick and straight “messy” hair. When in doubt take a look at the runway shows that created the trend you are looking for and take inspiration from their hair and makeup.
When you start to look at trends as inspiration to view your wardrobe through a new lens rather than a demand to buy something new, keeping up with fashion suddenly feels like an exciting creative outlet.
3. Try it on in a store
Not everyone looks their best in specific trending items - I learned this hard lesson myself when I was personally victimized by a fedora hat trend a few years ago. But when ordering online, you’ll end up learning that lesson after you’ve already bought three fedora hats in three slightly different shades of brown. The ease of online shopping has made it convenient to buy things without giving it too much thought, but how many of us have brand new clothes with tags hanging in our closet? And remember: even if you return the item, that has an environmental cost: you have just shipped an item two-ways, and we are learning that many returned items don’t go back into the store’s inventory - they are sold off to liquidators, and worst case end up directly in landfill.
So, online shopping is best for old standby items that you’re more familiar with. When it comes to trying something completely new, we recommend doing it in store. Even if the exact piece you want isn’t available to try near you, you’ll be able to see how the color, silhouette or other defining characteristics of the item suits you.
4. Buy vintage or borrow from a friend
If you ultimately do want to try a new trend, let’s say, a fuschia pink dress, the first place to try is looking in your friend's closet. While taking a quick trip over doesn’t hurt, you could also take a virtual glance of your friends wardrobe on Indyx.
If you can’t find it for “free” in your friend’s closet, the best option is to buy secondhand. Buying second hand can give an immediate vote of confidence in the trend, as clearly it's already been in style before, and so it will likely return again. Take a look at our Indyx resale platform and you might find a trend you’ve been wanting to wear.
5. Budget yourself
Even if your personal finances don’t require you to have a specific clothing budget, it can still be a helpful mechanism to make sure you’re buying with intention. If you can only buy a limited number of clothing items each season, you’ll give more thought to each piece and will also invest in more quality items. While it may initially feel restrictive, over time you’ll find freedom in realizing you are wearing everything in your closet. Your heightened scrutiny will naturally transform into more refined taste.
Fashion brands are constantly putting out new trends to keep consumers on an endless cycle of buying the next thing. Following trends should be a fun way to further develop your sense of personal style. Be picky, take your time, and enjoy the process of trying on new trends in store, borrowing from your friends or styling your virtual wardrobe. It will only help you define a uniquely personal style that is uniquely yours while caring for the planet and your wallet.
Read more from our co-founder, Devon, about the Indyx approach to sustainable fashion. Hint: it’s not something you buy.
Rebecca is a fashion stylist and writer, recently graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, and currently living in London. She enjoys reading, skiing and having people cook for her.
