What looks current now?

[LaRevolution]

I'm not really one for yearly trends - most of my stuff is ancient/well-loved and fairly timeless - but I've just got my big bag of summer stuff out and it's weird how some of it is starting to look a bit off, somehow.

My denim jacket needs retiring for a while, I think - I put it on and it looked weirdly early 2000s, which has never bothered me before! I think a much wider silhouette for trousers is common now, but you'll have to pry my tapered linen cigarette pants from my cold dead hands. I also love simple mid-thigh shorts with pockets, and I still like how those look, but I'm a bit lost skirts and dresses-wise - don't really know what I want to wear this year in that regard. I could also do with a new casual jacket - maybe a sort of cropped chore jacket style with two front pockets. I'll have a look on Vinted.

What are you buying for spring/summer and what are you still wearing after 10/15 years?

Denim jackets are everywhere rn. It's the twenty year thing. Wish I'd kept some of mine!

Wide legged trousers make me look bigger, I’m sticking to slim legs

Funnily enough I remember getting rid of my beloved Gap one in about 2007, and wishing I'd kept that when I bought my current one about 6 years ago 🤣

I know what you mean @DustyLee123 but for me I think it's about the tailoring and cut around the backside area - I have some wide legs that are really flattering and I think it's due to this. The ones that are slightly baggier around the bottom (and hips) don't look so flattering for me! I have a great pair of 7/8 wide-leg jeans that I'm wearing at the mo, but haven't yet found a more summery equivalent

Do you never, ever browse clothes shops online, @LaRevolution? Or glimpse fashion articles in newspapers online? To say nothing of the entire output of instagram, etc? I ask because - although I aim to buy clothes that will last me a long time - it would be impossible for me not to know (pretty much week by week) what’s available in dozens of shops which are ‘fashionable’ by default.

This is an excellent source for information on what’s current. Interesting curation from supermarket to couture prices.

https://www.collagerie.com/en-gb/

Bit of a strange response @Bailiwitch! Yes, I use Instagram and read fashion pages online, plus couple of blogs I've read for years.

This is Style and Beauty though - it's specifically a topic for discussing those things (isn't it?!), and I don't think a question about what S&Bers think currently looks stylish or up-to-date (regardless of what's actually in shops, or is being promoted on Insta) is that much of an anomaly, to be honest.

It's interesting to me what average people on Mumsnet think looks stylish at the moment - is that not literally why we're all on S&B?

Maybe I need to rephrase the thread title: "What looks current now, to you, because I'm nosy about what other people think?"?

Thanks for the link, that looks like it might be good for inspiration. It looks like a shopping site founded by Lucinda Chambers, linking to brands they're presumably getting affiliate commission for though, so I guess they very much have an agenda. Same problem with literally everyone on Insta, of course! I'm interested to know what your average Mumsnetter thinks looks current now - essentially to know what's filtered down to the high st/normal people (the cerulean blue line of thinking, I guess).

I’ve just got my denim jacket out the loft ready for summer , then saw a meme saying something along the lines of ‘ don’t worry the denim jacket and white trainer mums are here ‘ and then a load of photos of middle aged women wearing long dresses white trainers and a denim jacket. I’ve out it to the back of the wardrobe 😢 that was my summer uniform !

I must've read the same thing. I am ignoring though!! Have just washed my Gap denim jacket, bought in 2000, and found my white adidas nizzas in the back of my cupboard!

Bright coloured adidas, worn under basically anything. Very 90s.

I saw that white trainer and denim jacket mum meme. I like that look, and I’m happy to be a middle aged mum. It shouldn’t be an insult (which obviously, it’s intended to be).

I don’t follow trends, I just wear whatever takes my fancy. I seem to go through phases of wearing certain things (I’m just coming out of a head to toe red phase 🤦‍♀️ and now going into a Japanese designer shirt phase it seems 🤷‍♀️). But I’m also aware that where I live (Shoreditch) probably subconsciously influences my tastes as I’m surrounded by ‘hip young things’ and I do enjoy fashion (a couple of friends are designers) so what takes my fancy often seems to become more mainstream usually a year later. I guess I’m an accidental early adopter. 🤦‍♀️

I offloaded some of my cast-offs on to a close friend’s 19 year old daughter earlier this week and she was delighted. I am apparently “cool” 😂🤷‍♀️😂

Yes it's exceptionally irritating when that's used as an insult isn't it.

I love this approach, although I think you're right in that you're perhaps being a bit subconsciously influenced in terms of what you like by what's around you. I mean, everyone is, I guess, but in your case it's Shoreditch cool rather than mine, which is very definitely not 🤣

Tell me more about Japanese designer shirts!

Tell me more about Japanese designer shirts!

@LaRevolution Have a look at Yacco Maricard pintuck shirts. I’m in love with them especially the asymmetric ones and have already acquired a small collection that are getting lots of compliments from people. Add that to my existing Pleats Please addiction (that’s been going on for years) and it appears that I’m in a Japanese phase. Actually I’m in an ‘avoiding ironing’ phase 😂 but the results are the same. 😛

I’m also wearing a lot of cropped trousers from Rew and trainers from Walsh, both of which form part of my ‘handmade in the UK by small independent businesses’ phase. I love a phase. 😂

I’ve looked at Walsh trainers because I don’t want a very trendy trainer that’s going to be out of fashion next year. There was also a brand called Stepney Workers Club… do you know them @HundredMilesAnHour

I think the key for me looking modern is some contrast in the individual items so either a High / Low mix or a variety in the volume. So a slim trouser I would pair with a big oversized shirt. The problem with the denim jacket , dress, trainer look for me is everything is so “mid”. If something shrinks, something grows and the trainers are coloured it would look modern. I have actually lost weight so I’m back in a denim jacket from the 90’s which is skinny and high necked and I wear it with some oversized trousers from Studio Nicholson. ( I only have one pair of these trousers because this brand is expensive but I do love them). I haven’t tried it with skirts yet but I have a couple of long ones I might try it with. Other than than I like wide pleated trousers, cropped jackets and flats… that’s my look.

@Divebar2021 Yeah I tried Stepney Workers Club when they first started but I found them a bit uncomfortable / hard so sold mine on pretty quickly.

I’m quite picky about fabrics, fit etc. I guess I’m showing my middle age 😂 as I insist everything is comfortable AND well made. Saying that, I’ve always been obsessed about well made as my parents brought me up to buy the best quality you can afford (and then really look after it). My tastes have just got more expensive / demanding as my salary has increased. 😜 I don’t like things that are ubiquitous so you’ll never see a post from me asking “what’s in?” (🤮 and also, MN is not the place to ask this - if it’s reached MN, it’s mainstream so probably already out) and I’ve never set foot in a Primark in my life. I just wear what I damn well like and what fits me well. I guess you could say I’m a selfish dresser. 😛 I dress for myself and no-one else. Quite often that’s a combination of treasured old (dug out from the back of my wardrobe from 20 years ago - which goes back to buy quality things and look after them), new (usually from sample sales / designer friends) and secondhand bargains (Vinted, yay!).

Double or even triple denim is in. Get the denim jacket out and wear it with any type of jeans or wide leg trousers.

Overall I think trousers are having a moment, which might be a kick back against the endless floral dresses of a few years back. Or just because they tend to be more utilitarian and unisex.

Shirts are more fashionable than dresses, midi ones worn with a short sleeved jumper.

I think you're right about volume and contrast at the moment, @Divebar2021 - a slim silhouette all over feels a bit weird to me now. I've been wearing barrel-leg style jeans for a while and in theory that shape would go well with my denim jacket, but I can't bring myself to do double denim, whatever @TheOGCCL says 🤣

I struggle most with casual evening dressing - nights out with friends at the pub, restaurants, gigs etc (rather than ocassionwear-type evening dressing).

I get you! I’m getting myself a few new things after doing ‘buy no new clothes for a year’. By missing a year everything seems to have moved on massively. Two summers ago I great in all many floral summer dresses. Now I’m slightly bemused! Of course I will keep wearing the dresses I like but nice to have a few current things … I lot of the silhouette I like seems to be wide trousers but with a very fitted ribbed vest top. The skin tight top won’t really work post kids but I’m not sure baggy trousers plus baggy top is gonna make me feel a million dollars either!

I know what you mean @NoWayRose. I like wide-legged trousers with a sort of triangle-ish shape top - sort of boxy/a tiny bit cropped, but with some volume. Will try to find a picture of what I mean!

I'm struggling with skirts - not feeling the love for denim skirts at the mo, and linen creases so easily. I used it have a beautiful white cord skirt that worked really well for summer - God knows what happened to it - and am pining after it now. I quite like a voluminous Kemi Telford style, but other than that I'm feeling under-inspired.

@LaRevolution I have a Gap one. Bought it years ago for £3 in a charity shop. I've worn it a lot. It might have been yours!

My take, for what it's worth, and happy to be corrected:
Barrel leg jeans & trousers
Coloured and flat trainers like Puma Speedcat
Lace skirts
Chocolate brown
Bubble hem skirts and dresses
Waistcoats worn with nothing underneath
Butter yellow
Knee-length wide shorts with long chunky boots (difficult to describe as it sounds ridiculous)
Blazers that are cinched in at the waist
Short-sleeved jumpers (preferably cashmere)
Mesh ballet flats
Suede bags

Any more??

@Stillwearingskinnies - this is just the kind of thing I mean! Some of those have crossed my path (waistcoats, lace skirts, barrel legs) but some I'm more confused by (the wide-leg shorts and chunky boots 😁).

I've seen loads of mesh ballet flats, in fact I'm keeping an eye out for some sort-of-mesh Mary Janes although I'm a bit suspicious of mesh as footwear generally...

Coloured trainers are everywhere, definitely, and I like them. Butter yellow I'm not sure about, will look into!

I’ve just bought an oversized denim jacket off Vinted 🤣