5 Winter 2014/15 Trends That Could Cost You Nothing

1. Unbalanced Earrings: Now you know what you can do with the single earring you kept after losing the other! The 2014 winter single big earring trend has morphed into two unrelated earrings for spring 2015. I still believe you need something that brings an element of similarity between the two and you can achieve it asymmetrically. As you scroll through the photos on the Harper's Bazaar post, you will see that several designers featured a related-ness albeit in an unbalanced fashion. I too have suggested the asymmetrical look back in a post about jewellery trends for the winter of 2014. In the photo on the previous post I specifically designed the asymmetrical "Keys to My Heart" earrings and in the photo on this post, I recreated one of the vintage clip earrings into a long dangle for a friend in Victoria, B.C. You can easily pull off this look with what you finda in your stash of earrings, doubles or singles. 

Vintage earrings reworked by JoyD

to create an asymmetrical pair. Photo by JoyD.

2. Multiple Ring Trend: A ring on every finger or multiple rings on one finger can be a no cost trend this winter. Collect all that you have and then play at mixing and matching. If you have several rings in the same colour tone, all the better. Even the ones that no longer fit can be worn below the finger joint or on the thumb. I've never worn rings as a fashion accessory so therefore this one would cost me.

Photo Source: Vogue

3. Hair Trends: Clicking through the photos on the UK Glamour site hair appears to be pulled back and off the face, whether parted down the middle or sides or pulled straight back . . . the better to show off your asymmetrical earrings. Of course there are foreheads covered with swooped strands and messy tendrils front, side and back but the most of the looks are flat and slicked back.

4. Alpine/Nordic Sweaters: Sweaters are often "keepers" in our closets. Almost everyone I know in Canada has one of these sweaters packed away somewhere. We can't bear to get rid of them and luckily they can be considered classics or at the very least they come back as focused trends every few winters. Elle tells us that this is one of those winters. If you did donate yours to Goodwill, you just might have to buy another one and stash it (or wear regardless) in the off years.

5. Ponchos, Capes, Blanket Wraps, Shawls: Like the Nordic sweater, somewhere in your closet or closets you probably have something akin in this category. The Vogue "Under Wraps" post  illustrates a range of looks that you probably can mimic with something you already have, if not in your closet, perhaps on your couch.

Oversized Camel Cashmere Shawl.
Photo taken by ShirleyB while
in Bergerac, France.

(It is November 10th and this photo still reflects the weather in France. For my Canadian friends, I will be joining you soon in the snowy minus temperatures.)

The next time you peruse a fashion trend blog, think about . . ."In what ways can I adopt the look so that it costs me nothing?"

Biker Chic . . . Again . . .

How many times can one live through the style description, "biker chic" or is that "chick"? In my fashion-conscious lifetime and hey, I'm not that old (relatively speaking), it has recurred at least every three years. So here we go again . . .

With its history, I believe the leather motorcycle/aviator jacket could be considered a classic since it has recurred every three years or so over the past 30. It's 2013 and Holt Renfrew in Canada has illustrated "the fall's hottest trend, a leather motorcycle inspired jacket". I saw it through the 70s in high school, the 80s in university, the 90s while I was developing a career and now, that I am officially "retired", it is 2013 and the "leather motorcycle inspired jacket" is still here and there. That smacks of being a classic. Of the jackets featured on the Holt Renfrew site, the Rag & Bone and the Helmut Helmut Lang are my favourites.

Helmut Lang. Photo Source: Holt Renfrew

Rag & Bone. Photo Source: Holt Renfrew 

I have never owned a leather jacket of this style. I guess I always thought that they were too trendy and so opted for a more classic cut. I also preferred longer jackets and so although I have tried on a few, I have never purchased one. As I study the Helmut Lang jacket, I think to myself that perhaps it's time - this would be a NICE one for me.