It wasn’t always like this, but today I am honest enough with myself to completely ignore current trends and admit, for example, that I absolutely loathe booties and I will never wear them. I look good in baby-doll tops and I refuse to recycle my cowboy boots, despite them being supposedly passé. Yet I get plenty of compliments on the outfits I put together because they suit me, and possibly, because they’re a departure from the magazines and mannequins.
Having the courage to wear what you like and eschew what’s current makes an impact. Mixing vintage with new, expensive with cheap, or cheap with cheaper—any of it can work. The magazines just don’t want you to think that way.
And when it comes to questions like, say, “Are chandelier earrings out this summer?” you can safely rely on one source for an answer: yourself. If you love them, who cares if some fashion editor declared them so last season? The fashion industry is forever looking for the new “it” thing, because without it, designers don’t get press for their cutting-edge collections and fashion magazines don’t sell. Don’t fall for being marketed. Many of these trends are just a way to keep us interested in shopping and continuing to open up our wallets.
Fashion should be fun. So have fun with it. Dig deep and decide what you really enjoy in your wardrobe, and what makes you look your best. Ignore fashion advice from co-workers, friends, or media, and go with your gut. Go with your style.
Ultimately, if you’re unsure about an outfit—wondering if it’s hip enough, current enough—there’s one accessory you can add that will make it work. I swear, that accessory is (drumroll, please) confidence. You’ll never be at peace with your wardrobe and yourself until you stop listening to Vogue and D&G and start looking inward to find what you really like, and what works for YOU. So, redheads, wear pink. Ladies, pair black tights with blue heels. Slip on those so-last-season ballet flats. If you do it with an “I meant to do that” attitude, you can pull it off and you may even be viewed as a fashion pioneer. Who knows, the next new fashion trend might be the one you set yourself.
