I love shopping for clothes and do so fairly often. I enjoy trendy apparel, but rather than totally buying into the latest popular look, I mix it with classic pieces to avoid being a fashion victim and you should too.
Remember Don Johnson’s pastel linen wardrobe in Miami Vice or how about MC Hammer’s harem pants. People who dressed exactly like these two are known as fashion victims and it’s not a good thing. Wearing these looks past the expiration date equates to a Halloween costume and would look foolish the other 364 days of the year.
If you want to avoid becoming a victim of fashion, follow these 10 steps
1. Obviously, the first thing would stay up-to-date with the current styles by reading fashion magazines, but do not buy into every trend. Trust your gut.
2. Next, stick with designers you like. Let’s say you are A Ralph Lauren aficionado, probably going to get more bang for your buck by staying with Lauren. However, it is totally acceptable to introduce updated pieces such as skinny ties and bolder colored pocket squares from bolder designers into the mix.
3. Accept your body and know what looks good on you. If you are a heavy guy, darker colors are going be your best friend. You are going to want to avoid tight fitting garments, but don’t go too big as that only covers you up like a tent. If you’re a thinner guy, layers will work for your frame. Sweaters, scarves and big wool jackets are good for winter and for summer cotton sweater over tee’s will work out nicely.
4. Only allocate so much money per month for clothing. This will make you more conscious of what you are buying and you will be less likely to buy trendy pieces – this is good in theory, but does not always work.
5. Choose clothes with style and don’t be a label snob. Sure Dolce & Gabanna might be a trendy couple of designers, but if the clothing is not functional, best to buy some off brand that is more your style. Again, you may choose pieces from a designer that work with your vanilla taste in clothing.
6. Make up your own trend. For myself, I have been pairing jeans with dress shirts, ties, sports coats and dress shoes for years. It has become mainstream, but I was doing it prior to the fad.
7. Not every trend looks good on everyone – get your best friend’s opinion before you invest. If you’re not comfortable with a trend you will either stick it in your closet and wait for the “proper occasion” to wear it (which equals never) or you will feel awkward wearing the item(s) and it will show, believe me.
8. No head to toe logos. Let’s say you’re a Sean Jean wearer, do not buy pieces with logos – sunglasses being the exception. You don’t want to be a walking advertisement for a certain brand. As long as you feel good, there is no need to tell the world what you are wearing.
9. If you must follow trends and fads, the appropriate ages to do so are 13 to 25 and even that is stretching it.
10. Remember, just because it costs a lot, that doesn’t mean high quality. In fact, more often than not, trendy clothing is sold in smaller stores and the quality is extremely poor as they often use polyester and rayon. So, always choose quality over quantity.
Follow these rules and you will never be a fashion victim.
Main image credit: Photo by Ashim D’Silva on Unsplash
