Trendproof clothes?

[michaelmacrae]

My maxi dress thread got me thinking - which styles/cuts are completely trendproof?

Would be good to know, as I get older, I don't want to follow fashion any more but find my personal style - but I don't want to be very dated either! I'd like to buy clothes that I can still wear in 5 years time (or more!) and not worry that the 'cut' is wrong etc. Any suggestions?

I take it trendproof clothes aren't a thing for most!

Try Oska and similar brands

Start by deciding to be stylish, not fashionable.

Buy good quality clothes that will last (not necessarily the most expensive)

What sorts of clothes do you feel best in? That'll be the start of your building blocks

I reckon jeans and a t-shirt is pretty trend proof. The more extreme cuts are trendy (kick flares or super skinnies for example). But straight cut jeans and a plain t-shirt are classic

Trench coat, blazer, black heeled plain court shoes, cashmere jumper, white shirt, plain T shirt, straight leg jeans, knee length pencil skirt.

Barbour jackets?

buy clothes that I can still wear in 5 years time (or more!) and not worry that the 'cut' is wrong etc

The most likely way to achieve this is to learn what you like and think you look good in and stick to (trying to find) that, rather than bothering yourself about what's 'trendy' or not. Following trends because they're trends - as opposed to just seeing that something that's now new in a lot of shops looks good to you - is just letting other people dress you to their own preferences rather than following your own.

Buy decent quality clothes in fairly neutral colours that suit your shape and colouring. Avoid extremes that are likely to be only popular for a short time.

Look at photos of people you feel are stylish, and whether the style still looks good.

I tried this about 6 or 7 years ago, threw out so many of my clothes. But even classic clothes all have a cut, a length, a flare, a tuck, a collar that is of its time.

@Fuerza , not all of them. Something like a simple cashmere jumper won't really date. A classic shirt, pencil skirt, trench coat etc won't date.

I have jeans that are decades old and they look fine, they fit well and suit me. They aren't trendy. I wear a lot of classic clothing and think they are ok.

I have many clothes that are more than a decade old (I’ve got a leather jacket from the 90s). The things that last as the classics that were pretty dull fashion wise when I first got them. Straight leg jeans that I got at end of Mat leave with dc1, who’s now 13, crew neck cashmere jumpers with no detailing at all, plain one colour each from the range of colours I decided I liked and work well together. The summer jersey knee length dresses that Boden do well (and fashionable people don’t like) that wash and last. Couple of blazers. Some shirts.

when I haven’t been adventurous or interesting in my clothing choices, they’ve survived the various culls. But then generally if I’m spending a lot of money (like buying cashmere jumpers etc), I want things that will last so are drawn to “not fashionable”
things that will still be ok to put with something more fashionable in the future.

Oh yes, you do get longer out of clothes if you choose them with this in mind. I know I do. What I meant was, don't be surprised if you look at a classic jacket 5 years after you bought it and it looks dated!

I love tops with a nod to the forties. Puffed sleeves. Although that may have been fashionable at one point, it's a trend I have made a classic for me. Because it balances my hips so I think.

obviously - or not obviously depending on how you look at it - while avoiding fast fashion is great, this approach to shopping does mean you have to commit to staying the same size and shape.

Also be prepared to put things away that are good quality as trends often come round - eg today I’m wearing a Breton jumper that’s more than 6 years old, a few years ago the “striped top, skinny jeans” look was done to death and started to look dated, so I put them away, not thrown, and now seem fresh again.

I don't think you can go wrong with a trench coat, wool car coat, well cut blazer, straight dark denim jeans, cashmere crew neck jumpers, and good quality t-shirts.

I think that my classics are probably just too 'classic' to date.
I wear quirky things too.

Was discussing this with a friend earlier today. We both consider ourselves and each other to be stylish and trend proof. The overlap in our wardrobes is about 10%, mainly jumpers in natural fabrics and colours.

You have to analyse you. Your trousers, your coats, your colours, a nod to fashion and above all only buy things that will exit your house as rags.

I actually think very few clothes are trend proof. The ones that are are listed above - trench, blazer, Bretons and plain t shirts, flat black Chelsea boots

I have so many clothes it's outrageous (and I'm not proud of that). I've found that the best way to get use out of my clothes is having a notebook where I note what items would work with other items, and seasons/weather, etc. This way I can pair age-old items with new buys. I have such a mixture of clothing that there's always something that works. Tomorrow I'll be wearing a navy/pin-stripe Snob embroidered jacket that I've had for about 30 years with some noisy mae jeans, which I've had for about two years, and a t-shirt.

Oska, Toast, Cabbages and Roses, Palava, Pauw, Casey Casey, Eponine, Edina Ronay, Studio Nicholson, Max Mara, Batsheva (because it's so bonkers) things like the Dolce and Gabanna Year of the Rabbit dresses for the same reason, Meadows, The Vampire's Wife, High, Margaret Howell.

A lot of Hobbs and LK Bennett is fairly trend proof as well.

Oh and Samantha Sung.

Straight leg jeans to roll up
Basic black biker jacket
V neck slouchy black jumper
Black turtleneck jumper
Denim split front midi skirt
Fitted, slightly cropped denim jacket
Summer dresses - shirt waister dresses in cotton/borderie

White soft cotton broderie loose boho tops to wear with Levi shorts in summer

Community Clothing

I have a friend who has worn variations on the same outfit for the 30 years I have known her:
Crew neck jumper - lambswool when we were younger, cashmere now
White shirt
Straight leg jeans
Loafers
Argyle socks
Goretex jacket

The only thing that really changes is the styling of the white shirt.

That's the thing - you can invest in as many basics as you like but it's the cut of the item that will make it out of date. It's hard to decide, I guess I'm trying to future proof my purchases as much as possible because I don't buy as often as I used to.

Thanks for the suggestions! I'm going through them carefully

All the clothes that Sienna Milller's character is wearing on Anatomy of a Scandal.

Good quality, stylish clothes that are neither staid nor particularly fashionable.