I love trendspotting. It’s like your 7-years-old again, it’s grade 2, and you envy the kid who has the newest pair of light up L.A. Gear shoes before anyone else (I swear I had them second!). The only difference as a grown up? Well, the egos are bigger and the food portions are smaller.
Its frivolous fun aside, trendspotting is at the root of bad fashion. Why? Its breads justification, not discretion.
Let’s go back to mid-2005. It was a time when Sienna Miller was still a Fashion Icon, Jessica Simpson still possessed somewhat of a career, and boho was all the rage. Fashion magazines were inundated with pictures of flowy skirts and navel-grazing necklaces. What happened? Girls ended up looking like they were in the streets of Romania peddling wooden beads, not style-forward North American women. But suggest they tone it done and these fashion victims would serve up XXXXX magazine with a “Boho is in! Can’t you read!” attitude. I mean, there’s only so much you can argue?
Is this responsible Trend spotting?
Now all I read about is a return to the 80′s with leggings and ankle boots. This conjures up images of Eric Prydz’s “Call on Me” video, complete with the neo-fluorescent leggings. Yes, there is a conscious return to the 80′s, but the idea is that we’ve had enough practice with it the first time around to know what worked and what didn’t and frankly, the head-to-toe workout gear-thing didn’t. I admit, I posted a lime green Trend Report, though I have faith in my readers to be analytical. That said, would you have faith in the viewer’s of MSNBC’s Today show to isolate the good 80′s from the plain old crap? Sure, they give some general rules about not wearing this trend the 2nd time around or doing it all at once. But c’mon now, do those models look like they were born in the 1990′s? Didn’t think so.
What am I saying? For one, trendspotters, particularly “mass” trendspotters, be cautious of what we “spot”. Secondly, fashion lovers, use your discretion and judgment. Be fashion literature.
As usual, I agree with everything you said. The timing of this MSNBC trendspotting thing rubs me wrong too. Leggings have been big for like two full years now (or more?) and they put out a story on how to do 80′s fashion now. hmm…
p.s. I got your comment and I’m going to email you shortly!
don’t forget this is a nation wide channel. i’ve never expected nbc or the others to start reporting on balenciaga futuristic collection and how next spring all girls need to wear is sharp edges vests and plastic sunglasses.
I can’t help but think of Demetri Martin.
wika wika wika *TRENDS*