Fashion is fickle. While a trend may be the hot topic today, tomorrow the same trend could end up on the “worst dressed” list. So many factors in fashion make trends extremely difficult to keep up with. Trying to stay as fashionable and on-trend as possible can feel like running a relay race where you’re always one step behind your competition; finally investing in that feathery jacket just as the trend leaves the mainstream. The key to staying on top of fashion trends is to stay ahead of them. If you’re already a true fashion fan, chances are you already watch the reality shows about the fashion world, flip through fashion magazines, and follow your style icons on social media. Even after doing all of this, you still may feel like you’re playing catch-up with the trends. While it may seem like a hopeless mission, there are methods to help you learn how to keep up on fashion trends.
Read the industry magazines
Try subscribing to the popular industry magazines. This doesn’t necessarily mean subscribe to magazines following the lives of the fashion models, as these will be more about the social lives of fashion celebrities than up-and-coming fashion looks. Instead, try to subscribe to the fashion magazines that industry professionals are reading. Imagine you’re a designer looking for inspiration for your next design. Learn more about patterns and materials that might be big in the following fashion season and keep an eye out for when you see those trends begin to emerge. With the inside scoop that, for example, pastel chiffon, is the up-and-coming trend, you’ll know to scoop up those products as soon as they hit stores—before the masses get to them. This way you set yourself up to be a trendsetter by getting in on the styles a season in advance—just like your favorite designers.
Stay up-to-date on fashion blogs
Fashion blogs are the new way to get all the best and freshest fashion inside scoops. Blogs can be updated multiple times a day if they have enough content to put out. This can feel overwhelming as a consumer to try to keep up with every blog post from every popular fashion blog. Instead of running yourself down trying to read every blog on the entire web, do some digging to find a handful of bloggers whose style you really like. Pick people who seem to embrace similar tastes (and budgets) as you so you can weed out any unrealistic or not-your-style advice. Once you find some bloggers you trust to be up on the fashion trends—even before they hit—subscribe to them and check their new blogs often. These types of blogs are great for a before-bed read once the kids are in bed.
Check trendy online store stocks often
There are so many fun online stores that stay super up-to-date on every little trend that hits the fashion scene. Check in with your favorite online boutiques every so often to see what new products they seem to be promoting the most. These can keep you very up-to-date since many watch the trends closely to make sure they’re never outdated. Simply going into the featured pages or checking out a “what’s new” tab on a few of your preferred online boutiques can make a big difference when you’re working to keep ahead of the fads. These can be quick, periodic checks whenever you’ve got a free moment or are feeling curious about new clothing.
Watch trendsetting celebrities
Some celebrities just “get” fashion. They’re all over magazines, filling up the “best-dressed” pages. Try to emulate those you can relate to who fit this mold of fashion trendsetter. So many fashion trends in popular culture stem from what the “it” girls are wearing. Supermodels are fitting celebrities to keep an eye out for since they usually have the best inside scoop on what’s up-and-coming in the fashion world; after all, they model the clothes before they’re even released. Pick out a few celebrities whose style you want to mimic and set up alerts for their names on social media so you’re always in the loop on their latest outfits and obsessions. For example, if you find one of your favorite celebrities is constantly wearing new and trendy women’s boho tops, you may want to explore those options for yourself since it may signify an up-and-coming trend.
Follow influencers and top stylists on social media
Utilize the free resource that is social media. You can follow fashion influencers and consume any and all content you want about what they’re wearing and how they’re wearing it all from the comfort of your home, office, kid’s baseball practice, or anywhere. Following the influencers is one great way to start getting into trends before they hit the public marketplace. Following the stylists to the stars is another way to get a sneak peek at upcoming trends and fads entering fashion. Use your social media and scroll through the feeds whenever you have a free moment. This is a rather simple task to add to your routine because most people carry their phones most of the time. Feel free to follow your favorite stores and interact with their content on social media. You may just get some inside info on new product releases and clothing trends hitting the retail scene.
Tune in to essential industry events
Not that anyone needs a reason to tune in to the Oscars, Met Gala, or check the trends at Coachella, but fashion-trend searching is a great one. Watching these events as celebrities don their finest fashion items can help you figure out what will and won’t be making it to the mainstream from those bold choices. This might seem a tad unrealistic—most people don’t have a ton of reasons to wear elegant ball gowns adorned with diamonds. From the gowns, however, you can pay attention to the materials and color trends that seem to be a theme across the most influential fashion trendsetters on the red carpet. For example, if you see a noteworthy amount of velvet purses, it might be worth researching if velvet might be a trend coming up soon.
Go shopping
Shop till you drop! Browsing stores is a great way to get a good sense of what’s in right now and what might be up-and-coming. Call it window-shopping or try on some of the trends. Peruse online and in-store for styles that stand out to you, which you like and haven’t seen before, or simply draw you in. Shopping is a great way to explore what trends look like and how they fit in with your style, budget, and comfort zone. When it comes to trends, don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone a bit and be daring, but make sure you’ll feel confident in whatever you decide to give a shot. Confidence is all it takes to make any trend look amazing.
