DALLAS, Jun 12, 2013/ — Coco Chanel once said, “Fashion passes, style remains”. And in an era of fast retailing and fast fashion, this axiom has become more relevant.
When it comes to clothes, women used to dress for four seasons – spring, summer, fall and winter. Today, you almost have to update your wardrobe every other month because fashion houses and designers have added pre-Spring, pre-Fall, Holiday, Resort and Cruise collections into the mix.
Now, when you add the accessories – shoes, handbags, jewelry and scarves among others, the answer to the question, “what is in, what is out?” becomes mindboggling.
So, perhaps, that is not the question that the modern woman has to answer. The question “What is trendy; what is classic?” is more relevant, and quite frankly easier to answer.
So, how do you identify a trend? Very easy – all the fashion magazines and websites, even social media sites like Tumblr, Instagram and Twitter identify them. Just look for phrases like: “(name a color) is the new black, on trend, straight from the catwalk…
Still, there is an easy way to spot a trend – just check out what the celebrities are wearing. They are on top of the fashion food chain. Dressed by their stylists, celebrities usually wear clothes that are just off the showroom and getting ready to hit the store shelves.
Classic looks and styles are easier to identify. The famed Chanel suit is a good example. A black and white Chanel suit that your grandmother wore is still as relevant today as it was 50 years ago. Calvin Klein’s minimalist looks that shaped Christy Turlington’s career as a model during the 1980s are still a big part of the signature Calvin Klein Collection silhouettes that Francisco Costa, current Artistic Director for the brand designs.
And my favorite – Diane von Furstenberg’s wrap dress that she invented and perfected during the 1970s remains a “go to” style even by hardcore fashionistas.
But, we don’t have to stick with designer labels to find the perfect classic style. Case in point is the Punjabi suit.
Tracing its roots from India’s Punjab region (hence the name), the Punjabi suit has transcended from being identified as an ethnic attire to become part of high street fashion. In fact, today, Punjabi suits are worn in the streets of the world’s fashion capitals like New York to London.
When it comes to fashion, one has to think outside the box to be noticed. So, whether you go for “trendy” or “classic”, the ultimate goal is to look good and feel good with whatever you are wearing. When you achieve that, everything will just fall into place.
