I think there are ways to nod to trends/fashion without going all out. A slimmer silhouette in the form of skinny jeans and trousers has been in for years and we’ve got so used to it, like low interest rates. And actually that silhouette has become a classic, it was in so long. But it was only a matter of time before the teenage girls and twenty somethings wanted to stop wearing the same clothes as their mothers and it was about time for a 90s revival (= baggy), itself a revival of the 70s. You are now more likely to see the mother in a floral midi dress with trainers and cross body bag and the daughter in low rise baggy trousers and crop top.
It’s accompanied by a more body positive movement where younger people often aren’t imo so worried about dressing for others. No bras, no worry about rolls of fat being exposed, no concern particularly for seeking out flattering clothing. Although too much visceral fat is bad for your health, I like the concept generally, its quite feminist in its origins and it makes me less concerned about the potential of social media to make people feel inadequate.
Its a bad time for baggier clothes to be in, however, because they take more fabric to produce, whilst at the same time production costs have gone up. So the garments end up being both baggy and poor quality. On the other hand there is less need to worry about fit with baggy clothes, a hand maiden style dress is very accommodating for different sizes. I tried a tshirt on the other day I could have bought in any of three sizes.
Since we know everything is oversized, one trick is to size down. Then, unless you are already a 4, you can take a smaller size and have a slightly looser feel without being swamped in fabric. The M&S website is full of reviews from people 40 up who say the item is too big (just size down). But more than that, I’ve given up getting bogged down with what size something says it is. It’s all over the place and it’s more do I like how this looks and feels. The other trick is to make sure your baggy pieces are combined with something more fitted, so a slim vest with a baggier over shirt, and making sure your slimmest points, your wrists, your ankles, your waist potentially, are not swamped in fabric and give some counter balance. I also agree with a pp that new shapes and styles always take a bit of getting used to. But my skinnies are starting to feel rather dated as my eye adjusts. Starting with one thing slightly outside your comfort zone and building from there is a good idea.
I recommend Esprit (online only in the UK) as a fairly middle of the road brand with nods to fashion. And M&S have upped their game as long as you pick carefully.