How to Avoid Fleeting Fashion Styles

By eHow Fashion, Style & Personal Care Editor

Rate: (6 Ratings)

Though you don't have to avoid all fads, try not to be a slave.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

Women's Casual Tops
Women's Dress Coats
Women's Dress Pants
Women's Dress Shirts
Women's Dress Shoes
Women's Sandals
dresses and skirts

Step1

Develop and keep your own style. Trust your instincts about what looks best with your coloring, habits, personality and place in the world.

Step2

Adopt what you truly like, but recognize that it may not be the last word forever.

Step3

Understand the process. Be aware of why, as well as when, a trend is cooling. Fashion trends and fads can happen because a style is cool (heavy-soled shoes) or fun (temporary tattoos) or even shocking (lingerie as outerwear).

Step4

Adapt the style you want to adopt. For example, is everyone wearing short shorts but you just can't? Add a piece of fabric or ribbon to your hems so you can wear them short but not as short as everyone else.

Step5

Mix trendy pieces with classic ones.

Step6

Break some rules; bend others. If the fashion is large breasts, get a maximizer bra and avoid the more radical surgery route. If straight hair is in, use large rollers and blow-dry your hair before you chemically straighten your ringlets.

Step7

Develop confidence: Take a class, read fashion magazines, get a makeup lesson, get your colors done.

Step8

Learn about fashion, style, tips and tricks, then go out and make your own fashion news.

Tips & Warnings

Take a long look at yourself before you go on a shopping safari. Will those capris go with your voluptuous body type and your weakness for biker boots?
Realize that a stylish woman with purple hair can carry it off if she's confident.
Impulse buys are for gratification in haste and repentance at length.

Comments

Anonymous said

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on 1/30/2006 If it's something you honestly like and think you'll wear it even after it's fallen out of style, buy it. Dressing stylishly doesn't always mean wearing what's current. If it's something trendy that you're dying for, price it! I wanted a bohemian pair of earrings but didn't want to spend too much, so I waited and got this great pair for five bucks! Chances are that the knockoffs and copycats will be as good, or that they're so many of that kind of item you can find one at a lower price. For example, I have these great cowboy/biker boots that I got on sale for 25 dollars. They're trendy, but different enough that I'll wear them years from now.

Anonymous said

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on 11/22/2005 Definitely buy a lot of always-fashionable base clothing pieces and splurge your need for fads on accessories. They're much cheaper and way more versatile.

Anonymous said

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on 11/22/2005 Check out your local thrift store--please find one that supports a charity you would want to help--for trendy items someone else may have outgrown physically or emotionally. Set a reasonable plan (let's not use the word "budget") and stick with it.

Anonymous said

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on 11/22/2005 for trendy items. You should spend no more than 20% of your clothing budget on trends. This will keep you from kicking yourself because you spent $200 on animal prints pants that will never come back. Invest instead on classic items, in "safe colors". Like a nice pair of gray or black pants or dress shirts in a flattering fit.

Anonymous said

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on 11/22/2005 Knowing that trends will last for 2 seasons at best (hello, cargo pants) try to find trendy clothing in off-price stores, the less money you spend on trends, it will be easier on your conscious. I'd hate to pay designer prices for something that will be replicated everywhere in a matter of weeks.

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