Calling things 'dated' is......dated.

[Pheasantlysurprised]

I see it a lot on here; if something isn't trending on instagram or god forbid if it was relevant more than a year ago - then it must be dated.

What even defines dated anyway?
Who or what decides?
And who out of all of us, has the qualification to announce it?

It seems to be yet another, insidious way to put a person down. A pair of long boots is dated because it was trending a few yrs back. If there isn't a glut of it on the cheap end of the market, it must be dated. Whether it is the height of a boot, the length of a dress, a brand of trainers or a hair parting, there will always be several declarations about how dated the thing is, so that the poster slinks off in shame.

And what does it achieve? Probably a lot more waste. It certainly doesn't support current ethical or environmental concerns. If we live in fear of an item being considered dated then we are blindly following trends, at the mercy of marketing, overspending, contributing to landfill and excessive consumption (along with the ethical, human and animal issues integral to that).

It is such an odd thing to repeat on a forum that otherwise supports and encourages mindful consumption and women's self confidence (debatable sometimes ).
I can just about handle mumsy, frumpy, etc - they are pretty dire but have connotations many of us sadly grew up with. But 'dated' only ever comes off as a put down. It rarely offers advice or constructive ideas.
And let's be honest, as soon as an item becomes less desirable, it will cycle back around and hit the top of the chart again very soon. Who even fucking cares?

I'm not suggesting getting dressed with your eyes shut, l love clothes. But it does seem a little bit desperate and insecure to parrot this weird terror of 'yesterday's papers' so frequently that it seems like inventing pointless rules and restrictions for the sake of it.
I love my docs, i have worn them for over 5 yrs (also did as a teen), and they seem to have made a resurgence in recent years - everyone championing them on MN for instance like a rule of law - but when they recede a bit and the next goddamn trend boot arrives, people will jump into place and obey the bullshit.

I think we need to make our own rules, waste less and actually have the nous and confidence to do what the hell we like. I'd encourage us all to quit rolling over and being led by the nose (or wallet) so easily. Creativity can't be that dead, surely?

@Pheasantlysurprised Well said! 👏

Fair enough but this is Style and Beauty and many posters here are interested in fashion, and fashion is transient.

I get what you’re saying and I’m certainly not at the cutting edge myself, nor do I want to be. But the idea that people should just jettison the whole idea of styles being in or out of fashion is a bit unrealistic. Many people really enjoy following fashion and part of that is welcoming in new trends and identifying ones that have passed.

Sorry for saying “fashion” so many times

I pretty much agree. Fashion brands and the constant updating can play on our fears of 'getting it wrong' that we hang onto from our teenage years.
Not everyone is confident in the way they look or the clothes they wear, so they want 'rules'. How much of that lack of confidence is down to the bombardment of marketing - of only you had or did this, then this be good enough.
A lot to think about.

Seeing styles come an go does interest me though. Especially now I have the confidence to ignore or adopt as I feel like it.

@Pheasantlysurprised I agree, very well put.

I love this post!

I also love clothes and find fashion interesting to a degree.

Fair enough but this is Style and Beauty and many posters here are interested in fashion, and fashion is transient

that is fair, too, yes. I hadnt looked at it like that. I need to get a cup of tea

we're not one huge homogenous gloop, i know. It just seems to be popping up under everything lately. Kind of doesnt allow fo anyone to enjoy or get creative. I mean, tall boots, their importance comes and goes, always, but trends dictate what to pair with them, i guess. We could do with being more flexible and less nose led though.

Fair enough but this is Style and Beauty and many posters here are interested in fashion, and fashion is transient

Just what I was going to say. I mean... it is the very nature of fashion. I imagine people have been embracing the new look and disdaining the old one since they were wearing animal skins and drawing outfits on cave walls rather than putting them on Instagram. I think it's a bit optimistic (and perhaps a bit po-faced) to expect fashion (and therefore also things being out of fashion) to ever stop!

Worth bearing in mind that trends don't exist only in fashion meaning clothes, but also within the wider umbrella encompassing make-up, hair, and glasses - things that are more easily changeable without waste or large extra spend.

They also exist in food, alcohol, interiors, music, film, books... I think it evidences that human nature seeks out something different and gets bored with the same thing after a while and once things reach saturation point.

Trends in general are not a problem in my opinion, they will always exist and they keep things exciting, fresh, and different, you can still consume consciously and participate in trends, most trend cycles last years or a decades, a similar life to an item of clothing. Micro-trends are a problem, and encouraging over-consumption is a problem.

Totally agree. It's often used as a put down on here, along with 'my teenage daughter and her friends wouldn't been dead in that'.

MN and the fashion pages have been declaring skinny jeans as over for so long they'll probably come back in before many of us have let go, which is absolutely fine. Women tend to know instinctively what suits them.

Heels too, dated apparently. I wonder, when I hit London for my work night out in December will all the ladies be sporting white trainers and black creeper boots? Will they heck.

I get where you’re coming from OP and maybe it’s just our understanding of the word dated.

To me dated means a style which overall hasn’t stood the test of time or hasn’t been on trend for many a year. So when it’s pulled out, it doesn’t have a vibe that is either fresh or fashionable or classic. It doesn’t fit into either current style or classic style. So it does by its nature feel a little behind the times.

Ultimately yeah you should wear whatever the hell YOU like, but if it you’re going to ask a fashion board for opinions it’s worth considering that they’re going to be mostly interested in current or classic trends.

I’d rather be called dated than frumpy!

I agree, mostly because I detest "fast fashion." Fashions change so more consumables can be churned out, and I desperately hope that changes.

This is how we evolve - if people were happy with things as they are, the human race would still be living in caves. Change is exciting and spurs is on to make improvements.
That said, it’s okay to opt out of ‘fashion’ and wear what you like/ what suits you. I don’t think the word dated is always meant disparagingly, more to pull people out of a rut and encourage experiment.

I get where you're coming from OP and I do agree, but at the same time...some things just DO look dated.

If I saw someone out wearing ugg boots, jeggings, and some sort of neoprene tight top in a psychedelic print with poker straight flat ironed hair and frosty blue eyeshadow...I don't know how else I'd describe their look other than dated!

Yes, some looks are very much ‘of a time’ as posters have said but I think the way it’s used on here is often on a very trend focussed way (see skinny jeans).

Realistically I do see that posters on these boards are interested in fashion but I think a better use of time and energy is in pursuit of understanding style, tailoring, fabrics and aesthetics to understand what is always going to look and feel good, what will last well and be worth investment.

I think a lot of people who think skinny jeans are dated didnt like them anyway, me included. I loved the look but wasnt comfortable wearing them, regardless being slim. No particular body type has to love a thing, it depends on personal comfort.

Perhaps it all goes much deeper, as we really want to dress in a way that makes us feel at home with ourselves. Sometimes, fashion trends fall in our favour.

I stand by my main points, but it has been interesting reading other views, thanks!

I've always said this, it's basically capitalism, needing to keep the selling machine going, playing on our fears and insecurities to keep buying more stuff.

We've grown up with women's magazines telling us flat shoes were in fashion one month and then sneering at them (and those who wore them) the next, making us feel insecure and "out of date", arbitrarily changing the shape of items "just because". I've long stopped paying attention to "trends" and only wear what i want these days.

I've always said this, it's basically capitalism, needing to keep the selling machine going, playing on our fears and insecurities to keep buying more stuff

And whilst men are obviously similarly subject to trends and opening their wallet, they are not quite as manipulated via clothing fads. Always some decent stuff, less regularly turned over, in the men's section of both primark and H&M

I’m not sure I understand micro / macro fashions that are referenced on here occasionally or what they really refer to. I know that some trends are super hot and run their course quite quickly and some are slow burners. What I would consider dated is something that was super hot ( absolutely everywhere) like cold shoulder tops which are no longer popular. Something like knee boots are more classic and are currently on the up as are mini skirts. I hope knee boots don’t become too hot because I’ve just bought a pair. I think a lot of people want to look modern so will adopt some of the new trends to a greater or lesser extent. Finding a style which is separate from what is trending is not necessarily all that easy… you tend to absorb the messages about fashion even if you’re not aware of it at the time. I would say the general leaning of the S&B board is about consumption of new fashion and very often steering towards cheaper fast fashion. I know if I’ve commented about “ do you need another one of those…. Insert item” or “ maybe buy it preloved “ it can be met with with a sense that I’m pissing on the parade or not part of the “you go girl” gang. I’m definitely an over consumer myself of clothes but I do largely buy preloved which makes me feel a bit better. We could probably help if we discussed styling our current clothes a bit more rather than concentrating on new purchases. A while ago I was on a plus size fashion thread where we did a style challenge on a Saturday… it was pretty fun. What are the different ways you can wear an item. Magazines and influencers are driven by advertising but there’s no reason we have to perpetuate that.

And on that note:

In the closest H&M to me, likewise other highstreet stores, the women's clothing section takes up 3/4 of the shop.

How could anyone deny that we are pushed to over consume more than men?
Why are men not shamed and prompted to alternate wildly each month?

Clothing has been loved and created by both men and women for centuries, there is no difference in our need to dress ourselves. It absolutely is all a giant con. This is not to say that people who love following fashion are fickle. I am just curious why.....us?

Here here! Buy/wear what makes you happy. Sod the trends.

I get what you mean OP, it also seems a bit tied up with the ageism you see on here in a lot of threads in regard to fashion. Nobody is calling skinny jeans, or long boots, or vans trainers on a beautiful and cool 18 year old 'dated' are they? It's always aimed at women over 40.

Fashion is definitely transient but I also don't think 'fashion' really reflects what I see people actually wearing a lot of the time. I see people all the time in heels, skinny jeans, long boots so even though they are 'dated', you're not going to look noteworthy by wearing them.

@Pheasantlysurprised

And on that note:

In the closest H&M to me, likewise other highstreet stores, the women's clothing section takes up 3/4 of the shop.

How could anyone deny that we are pushed to over consume more than men?
Why are men not shamed and prompted to alternate wildly each month?

Clothing has been loved and created by both men and women for centuries, there is no difference in our need to dress ourselves. It absolutely is all a giant con. This is not to say that people who love following fashion are fickle. I am just curious why.....us?

Women have been targeted ever since we started working. I read in the Beauty Myth by Naomi Wolf that ever since women first became independent (in the 1920s) they started being targeted for ads in the paper for fashion, makeup and the latest fashion styles. And also targeted for their weight too. The skinny obsession began then too (flappers) - it was a way to bring women down for being independent. We are an easy target I guess because women have always through centuries been valued for looks, from Greek mythologies to brothers grimm etc to present day. We have internalised that judgement and so are easily pushed to spend money if it'll make us look better.

not forgetting being targeted for home and interiors too.
that said, i love them all!