Fashion has always been a fast-moving industry, with its biannual rotation of trends that change with the season. The birth of the internet, and subsequent arrival of social media, has sent this process into overdrive, with some trends coming and going within the space of a month, if not less. Honestly, it would leave anyone feeling out of breath with the effort of keeping up with it all.
There’s nothing inherently wrong with embracing the flavour of the moment, especially if you’re just experimenting with pieces that are already in your wardrobe. However, there is a risk that we end up buying things we quickly fall out of love with, or we miss out on fashion gems because they are declared to be “out.” After a discussion with my fellow editors, we could think of a long list of pieces that we love, and were once ubiquitous, but were swept away by the tide of a new season.
Just think of 2019’s slip-skirt trend, specifically that Topshop style that could not stay in stock for more than a few hours. Or the humble biker jacket and skinny jeans, which were both noughties staples before being ousted by the shacket and mom jeans. I acknowledge that this will hardly be a hot take for some people who have never been lured in by the shiny appeal of seasonal trends, but for those of us who enjoy fashion and its innovations, it can be all too easy to get swept up in newness. So in celebration of trends that have been sidelined, each editor has chosen one item that they stand by, regardless of whether it is “in” or not. All together now: Long live the anti-trend.
