How do people realise that something is a trend and start wearing it?

[mustlovegin]

Also, how do trends start and who starts them?

For instance, Veja trainers. One day I saw everyone wearing them all of a sudden, no other brands in sight

Or lately I've been spotting several young women wearing overalls at trendy places (but they were not working IYSWIM). Have they become a trend?

I agree re denim jackets. I have one from about six years ago which is mid/dark denim, fairly fitted, and sits just on my hips. I also have one from maybe three years ago in pale blue denim, very over-sized, and slightly longer. Both are from Topshop and both look good, but the light, oversized one looks far more current.

@FrauleinSchweiger

Aargh - I hate that Cerulean blue speech with a passion!!!

I choose colours that I love and many that have been a trend lately are ones that I loathe eg mustard. I would never wear anything mustard in a million years regardless of how 'on trend' it is because it doesn't suit my colouring and it reminds me of baby poo!!. Apologies to those who love it.

I hate the fact that colours, particularly, are trend lead, because I feel that they are so individual in terms of what suits you and makes you feel good.

Sorry to rant but as I say, every time I hear that speech I want to punch Meryl Streep in the face (and I'm a very placid person normally)

Yes, but you can only buy what is available to you. The whole point is that everyone is forced to follow fashion to some extent. There are people whose job is dating dead bodies based on their clothes. I'm not sure how many long-dead bodies still have clothes intact, but I read about this in the Guardian so I presume it's true and they can do it even for supposedly unfashionable people.

@Judystilldreamsofhorses

I agree re denim jackets. I have one from about six years ago which is mid/dark denim, fairly fitted, and sits just on my hips. I also have one from maybe three years ago in pale blue denim, very over-sized, and slightly longer. Both are from Topshop and both look good, but the light, oversized one looks far more current.

Whereas for me the small fitted one would look better because I haven't got used to bigger ones yet. It would look very 90s to me.

My Vejas are 5 years old

Someone came on here once and explained micro and maxi trends.

Vejas aside, I'm not a particularly early adopter, but I do like watching fashion and follow a lot of fashion accounts on instagram. I remember buying the autumn Vogue each year.

@Boysofsummerhavegone

I think magazines used to drive the trends a great deal, as pp said upthread. I vividly remember the switch from short to long skirts right at the very beginning of the 90s, because I was about 12 and an avid reader of fashion magazines (Vogue, Elle etc.), but I had only seen the long skirt trend in them and not in real life. Then one day I remember being utterly delighted on my way into town to see a woman wearing a long black skirt with a split — which looked very odd in person!

Six months later long skirts were the only thing in the shops and they didn’t leave for ten years or more.

Now I think it’s a mixture of social media advertising and email advertising and so on. I now watch almost no TV and read no magazines, but I get advertised to on social media all the time and magically I seem to know what the new trends are…

I was delighted by the return of the long skirt trend, I have to say 😂

I wore long skirts as a student in France in 1997 and the French people I met thought I was dressed as a Victorian or something.

I think it’s like a Rubik’s cube and a square changes each time. So for example, first simple white trainers were everywhere, then they started getting bigger or higher, so now the massive trainers look good and the slim plimsoll look is a bit passe. By then the whole world was wearing simple white trainers so the younger ones needed something ‘cooler’. Then with big trainers a slightly cropped trouser look is fresher and hasn’t been done for a while, so then trouser hems start going up. Then tops get a bit slouchy until there are leather blazers you could fit three of you in. Then inevitably with all that fabric on trend the trousers start getting wider and flarier.

I can’t do it anymore. My eye won’t adjust properly! The only good thing about all the oversized clothing is I’m now an 8.

Someone came on here once and explained micro and maxi trends

I'll search for the thread. Sounds interesting

My Vejas are 5 years old

Glad you've seen the thread

Why does everyone seem to like Vejas so much?

The Autumn magazines used to be the best thing ever. I used to buy them at the beginning of August to read on the plane to somewhere hot, whilst excitedly considering boots/crushed velvet/capes/tartan/whatever.

Now, I don't really care about what's 'on trend' but I still like looking what people are wearing what the shops are pushing and picking or choosing whether to adapt or ignore.

I think the poster who can explain trends is @arseinthecoopwindow I may have spelt that wrong and I don't normally @ posters but I hope she won't mind as she really knows her stuff!

I'd guess usually fashion magazines or fashion companies ect

I wonder with Vejas it's because they manage to be nice to look at, not a huge departure from the 'flat, white trainer' trend, comfortable, just expensive enough to be aspirational and ethically on trend all at the same time. Some times a product comes along at the right moment, is marketed in the right way and just catches fire.

@Gwenhwyfar I spent most of the 90s looking like an escapee from a Victorian asylum for distressed young ladies. Button boots, long tea dress, velvet hat, long wild hair - the works 😂😂😂

I had this knack as a teenager but not since.

I started wearing skirts over trousers wayyyy before they became a thing!

@BrilliantBetty

I feel like Meryl Streep explains it in The Devil Wears Prada

I was going to say this

On the veja trainers brands are a short cut to acceptance and buying into a trend. There is a book about it that I read which explained it very well but I can't remember the title
As a PP said there are trend predictors who suggest things, and then these get pulled into retail slowly

@mustlovegin

Someone came on here once and explained micro and maxi trends

I'll search for the thread. Sounds interesting

If you find it please link 🙏🏻

Some times a product comes along at the right moment, is marketed in the right way and just catches fire

Seems likely yes.

Perhaps the reason I was taken aback so much this year had to do with lockdown. Streets were deserted for months on end, and the minute we were out I started to see women of all ages wearing long 'Liberty' pattern dresses, denim jackets and Vejas. It was quite surreal so it made me wonder about the whole trends issue again and how could they possibly have known

Veja trainers have been popular fir a long time with people. I like them because they are simple , reasonably affordable ( for me) and a sustainable ethical brand. I’m in my 60s very into fashion and subscribe to Red and Grazia. I read blogs and look at Instagram and Pinterest. I hardly ever leave the house so am only influenced by the media snd what us available. Even something like a denim jacket though changes year on year. So there’s always a new colour, shape, length.

And to add, I do buy into trends but try to get items that will last so am avoiding overly ‘puffy’ dresses and blouses this year as I don’t think they will last and I aim for 30 wears minimum.

I find Vejas too uncomfortable.

Interesting thread though. I’m in London at the moment and recall in the late 80s coming down to Camden market specifically to buy 2nd hand Levi 501s. How did we know
where to come? I read magazines voraciously then so I guess influenced by that

@OverByYer

I find Vejas too uncomfortable.

Interesting thread though. I’m in London at the moment and recall in the late 80s coming down to Camden market specifically to buy 2nd hand Levi 501s. How did we know
where to come? I read magazines voraciously then so I guess influenced by that

Yup, me too though in the late 70s. Camden lock market was the best!

@mustlovegin

Some times a product comes along at the right moment, is marketed in the right way and just catches fire

Seems likely yes.

Perhaps the reason I was taken aback so much this year had to do with lockdown. Streets were deserted for months on end, and the minute we were out I started to see women of all ages wearing long 'Liberty' pattern dresses, denim jackets and Vejas. It was quite surreal so it made me wonder about the whole trends issue again and how could they possibly have known

It switched a year or a bit before though for the fashion types - I bought several long patterned skirts from Hush plus trainers in about 2019-2020; and then everyone had got them during lockdown!

(Not that I’m a fashion type I hasten to add - I just liked how comfortable it was!)

I find this very interesting. I keep trying to cut back on the amount of clothes I buy, then something comes along and I have to have it. Having decided I really don't need anything new this autumn (or ever gain given my great age) I found myself searching for a high neck, navy, sleeveless jumper. Also a black quilted coat (non shiny if any of you know what I don't).
I feel like I should join clothes anonymous or something. But to get back to Op's point, why these things and why now?