If you asked me to define fashion, I’d be hard-pressed for an explicit answer – but I would start by saying it will always and forever be complex, fabulous and most of all, completely unpredictable. I like to consider myself an experienced “trend forecaster” and honestly believe I could spell out what the next season will look like; yet every time, year after year, I (along with the rest of the world) am thrown for a loop. Crazy, quirky concepts catch on like wildfire; you could call them fads. Remember jelly shoes, shredded jeans and acid wash denim? No one could have predicted how the entire world would fall victim to those trendy train wrecks, and the same can be said today.
And with so much randomness, uncertainty and – at times – lack of “style” thrown at us, it’s only natural that the fashion would give up and take on a sharp sense of humor. Let’s start at the beginning, shall we? Ask yourself: where exactly did that omnipotent “hipster look” come from?
A cunning sense of tongue-in-cheek humor and unabashed sarcasm, of course.
Dorky glasses, grandpa sweaters, oxford shoes and buttoned-up blouses are hardly innovative or “chic” on their own, yet this lack of trendiness is what brought hipsterdom to world domination– like the antithesis of a fad. It’s saying “up yours” to traditional fashion rules, and this un-trendiness in turn become… a trend. (Are you confused yet?) To make it simpler, it’s the small, ironic details that count – a prim sequined collar here, a giant red heart there, maybe a sprinkling of colorful friendship bracelets: unpredictable, non-trendy and yes, totally adorable.
This unserious attitude has translated to countless runways, boutiques and major brand names. What’s personal style without attitude, anyways? It’s about time our personalities truly shaped our wardrobes. Now more than ever, it’s not just what (or who) you wear, but how you wear it, and in terms of what’s “fashionable” and what isn’t, we have more freedom and independence than ever before.
The pieces below perfectly exemplify this new tongue-in-cheek anti-trend trend that is shockingly easy and fun to wear. They demand a lighthearted attitude as well as a fondness for mixing; a girl who is chic, but doesn’t take fashion too seriously; who’s funny and appreciates teh contemporary; and whose personal style–not the sly fox on her sweater– makes a statement. Who would have thought studded mouse flats, Crayola-striped knits, emerald green rompers and clunky, grungy creeper platforms would come to define the fall season? Well…definitely not me.
{top row, from left: miu miu shirt, aurélie bidermann friendship bracelets, moschino cheap & chic sweater // second row: dannijo collar necklace, sonia by sonia rykiel sweater, marc by marc jacobs flats // third row: topshop romper, burberry creepers, aubin & wills intarsia sweater}
