Choosing the Trend for You

Trendy Choices

Fashion is a social agreement — the result of a consensus of a large group of people.

- Stella Blum

    

Closet Content Analysis: Trend Critique

You decide what's  NICE         NO THANKS         NOTE-WORTHY        NEED       NEW

A recent perusal through a 2012 spring fashion magazine found an article identifying trends to include in your wardrobe. The "orange" trend was supported in that magazine and not recommended in another, where red is the colour. In a third magazine, on one page, neon lime green is touted as a have-to colour. Turn the pages of the same magazine and mint green is advocated as the new spring green in 2012. In a democratic approach another promotes any neon or pastel colour blocking. One says silver is the metallic for 2012, another gold. Hmmm? 

If these magazines are fickle about colors, others seem indeterminate about design. A page, focused on "the waistline", illustrated crop tops, drop waists and peplums and suggested that these are all ways to look trendy this spring and summer. Yet another says maxis are good, minis are good but forget the midi. The trendsetter writing the "waistline" column is very pragmatic since those three "waist" designs will hit a variety of body types and allow you to choose some item of clothing relative to proportion. 

One, of the magazines reviewed, quantified the trends to 30. With this much choice across such a wide spectrum of colour and design, most ages, body types, professions and personality types should be able to include something from the spring and summer 2012 trends. 

And it continues in the "retro" category - a variety of proposals exist: the 20s, the 50s, the 60s and the 70s and one says the "retro" thing is "blurred". "Blurred" is a good word. 

I won't even bother starting on shoes. the video on shoe trends put out by the Fashion Institute presents a four minute cross-section to give you an idea of what's happening for the spring and summer of 2012.

So what's a woman to do when she reads about 30 different fashion trends for one season? First, determine which ones are relevant for your age. If you remember the "tube top", you shouldn't be doing the summer 2012 "crop top bandeau". Once is enough. Rather than trying to include all 30 trends, picking a trend in each of the categories of colour, design, texture and accessories or combining them would be the easiest way to adopt a spring and summer 2012 look. 

The goal I seek is to have people refine their style through my clothing without having them become victims of fashion.

- Giorgio Armani

JoyD's Fashion Trends 2012 Closet Planner Chart: You can try this at home when you're analyzing your closet or the next time you go shopping; it is not dangerous; and you might be pleasantly introduced to a new look for the spring and summer. My attempts at complete inclusion may fall short but it certainly is a valid start in an organized sort of way. Use the horizontal grid information as a guide relative to the vertical colour grid and then write down what you have or are buying in the co-ordinating vertical/horizontal grid box.

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JoyD's Fashion Trends 2012 Closet Planner Chart

Colour	Basics	Specific 2012 Trends
	Classic Pieces (with trendy suggestions): Blouses Shirts T-shirts Pants (wide leg) Jeans Capris Shorts Skirts (pencil, mini, airy maxi) Dresses (floral prints, lace) Blazers/jackets (fitted; tuxedo-style) Suits	Clothing Trend Design: Crop Top bandeaus Drop Waist Peplum Maxis Minis  Baroque textured fabrics Petal/floral appliqués for 3D effect on fabric Clashing prints Gatsby-inspired Minimalist athletic	Accessories and Jewelry: Stacked bracelets, bangles and cuffs Large retro 60s earrings Ankle socks (with heels) Over-sized hats Tribal; ethnic Under-water inspired (mermaid) Teardrop earrings  Wood Multi-layer necklaces Genuine stones	Shoes Studded or riveted sandals Woven or braided materials  Platform wedges Pointed toes Colour blocking within the shoe Buckles, beads, crystals or other such decoration Cut away open work Transparent inlays Lacing and tie-ups
The colour names indicated in this chart were retrieved from the Panetone website on April 6, 2012.
Tangerine Tango (orange)
Bellflower (mauve/bluey-purple)
Solar Power (Yellow)
Cabaret (Rosey-red)
Sodalite Blue (Navy)
Cockatoo (Turquoise)
Margarita (Lime green)
Sweet Lilac (pastel pinky-purple)
Driftwood (taupe-y-greyish beige)
Starfish (dark beige)
Make a copy for your personal use but remember copyright applies to  JoyD's Fashion Trends 2012 Closet Planner Chart created for the Closet Fashion Content Analysis blog by JoyD, April, 2012 and it is illegal to reprint it for use commercially in any way except with the permission of the author. Contact JoyDCreations@gmail.com

Needless to say, clashing prints, ankle socks with heels and bandeau tops are for quite another particular age that is a lot less particular than mine. Remember the next two quotes when you do go shopping.

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Fashion is made to become unfashionable.

- Coco Chanel

To be a fashionable woman is to know yourself, know what you represent, and know what works for you. To be "in fashion" could be disaster on 90% of women. You are not a page out of Vogue.

- Author Unknown  

 And I'll give Gilda Radner the last word on this fashion trend post:

I base most of my fashion sense on what doesn’t itch.

When you comment, tell us how your trendy shopping experience went?