Do you follow fashion trends?

Hi,
how are you all doing? Do you buy clothes that are currently in style, or is fashion for you just about what you like and what fits?
For example, I’m a fan of flared pants—I don’t really care if they’re “in” right now or what others think about them. I think this style of pants suits me best. Every now and then they come back into style, and when they do, I stock up right away :-)
If a certain color is trending, I might buy something because I like the color—not because it’s trendy.
I also wear clothes for a very long time, and when they’re no longer suitable for work or other occasions, I wear them at home.
Since I often can’t find what I’m looking for anyway, I thought, “Why not make it yourself?” So I started crocheting, and I always find great patterns here at CP for tunics, tops, and jackets.
I also don’t like it when everyone dresses the same. Back in the ’80s, when I was a teenager, there were so many unique styles—punks, poppers… I thought that was cooler.

I have to agree with you there, Ahimsa. I often think that when I’m standing at our bus station—there’s C&A, H&M, KIK—but everything looks kind of uniform; there’s no individuality to be seen anymore. Since I sew all my own clothes, I always stand out a bit :-) and have often been asked where I bought this or that piece; when I say I sewed it myself, I immediately add, “I don’t sew for strangers—it’s too much stress, and I’m not putting myself through that anymore.” Because no matter how detailed I made the order form, none of what was written there was true—despite the client’s signature. Since then, I’ve called it quits; I don’t need it anymore, and I don’t want it anymore. I’ve never let fashion dictate to me—I’ve always preferred my own style.

Best regards, Inge

I think it’s great when someone does their own thing without worrying about what others might think. I also always loved the Kelly Family—partly because they just had their own style.
My grandma used to sew a lot for us, and so did my mom.

I wear whatever fits me and is casual, since I’ve gained a little weight.  
I can also get clothes in stores; with men’s fashion, it doesn’t matter when it comes to T-shirts.

Hi, bell-bottom fan — I’m one too. Back then, the motto was “the wider, the better,” but that doesn’t have to be the case anymore.

Fashion trends sometimes do look good, but not on me. I wear what I like and what suits my figure. Walking around looking like a sausage in its casing — that’s not for me. I once said to a friend, “Didn’t they have that sweater in your size?” Boy, was she angry, but it looked awful with her “love handles” in that tight thing.

When it came to trendy colors, I thought I needed a pair of purple pants too, because I liked the color. I wore them once for Carnival, all in purple, as “the last attempt.”
For a while, I had everything in black and white. Now I’ve added a few more colors, but bright, flashy colors aren’t really my thing either.

Best regards, Marlies

Awesome—another bell-bottom fan :-) You don’t see that very often. These days, everyone squeezes into those skinny jeans even though they don’t necessarily suit everyone—the main thing is just keeping up with the trend.

Sometimes you really wonder how they get in and out of those tight clothes.

@ Sometimes you really wonder how they get in and out of those tight things.

Ever heard of shoehorns and lubricating oil, Marlies? HAHAHAHAHAHAHA :-) :-) :-)

Best regards, Inge

Ahimsa, I’m absolutely delighted about this thread. And I’m realizing that I’m not alone in my habits. Great, I love that!

I’m also a fan of flared pants—back then and now. And I’m just as much a fan of the Kelly Family. I saw them live at Lake Constance in the ’90s. That was a real experience. Back then, Angelo was still a cute blond curly-haired angel. Today he has his own family, whom I also enjoy listening to, by the way.

I’m a huge fan of recycling. I almost don’t want to say it, but I have things in my closet—jackets, for example—that I’ve been wearing for almost 20 years. Simply because I still like them. It’s the same with shoes. Last year, I had my 10-year-old boots resoled at our old cobbler’s. I love them because they’re so wonderfully comfortable. With new shoes, I often have the problem that they don’t fit properly.

As a teenager, I always paid attention to fashion, but I haven’t cared about that for a very long time. The only thing that matters to me is that I like it and that it’s comfortable.

I don’t follow trends, I rarely buy anything new anymore, and when I sew, I don’t base my choices on whether something is currently in style.
I wouldn’t rule out the possibility that current fashion might influence me at some point, but more as inspiration—I’m not interested in how others perceive me.
I also don’t let any style rules dictate what I wear. For example, I actually prefer slim-fit pants, even though many people probably think you absolutely need a super-slender, straight figure to pull them off.
So as long as I feel comfortable, I’ll decide what suits me based purely on what I like.

That’s nice, dear Monika :-) I also have some really old ones in my closet that I don’t want to get rid of. I’m always looking for ways to repurpose old clothes—for example, I’ve come to like looser-fitting shirts because they’re just more comfortable. I had one in my closet with a waistband at the bottom. I like the top part, but not the hem. So I cut off the hem, crocheted a pretty border, and sewed it on. Voilà—a nice and comfortable T-shirt that I’m wearing again now.

Dear Notnadel, everyone should wear what they like and what makes them feel comfortable. My main point was that there’s no individuality left, especially among young people—they all look the same somehow. And all I ever see for sale these days are these tight jeans. Probably because everyone’s following that trend and nothing else is in demand. I should mention that I’m quite short and buy flared pants (when they’re even available) in children’s sizes; if I had to buy women’s sizes, I’d have to hem them so much that there wouldn’t be any flare left :-)
I have a coworker who pays a lot of attention to clothes and often comments that this or that doesn’t suit someone or that she’s too fat for it. That kind of thing annoys me, and I tell her every time that I don’t pay attention to that and that she doesn’t have to look if she doesn’t like it.

No, I don’t pay attention to mainstream fashion trends that would require me to buy a whole new wardrobe four times a year—I’ve never cared about that.
Then again, I’m a bit older now; back when I was a teenager, brand consciousness didn’t even exist yet—nobody really cared what clothes anyone else was wearing. Maybe that made it easier to develop enough self-confidence to find my own style—I don’t know.
Of course, it does influence me indirectly, because if I need a new pair of pants and my preferred cut isn’t available this season, then I just have to go with something that’s currently in style.
As for flared pants… back in the day, we used to sew wedges into them to make the flare bigger—I still do that sometimes today when skinny styles are the only thing available. For that, I save the legs from old jeans, and you can’t even tell.

Selected? Nope, sewn in! 

I’m thinking about sewing in wedges on some of my pants—some could be a little wider at the bottom. I used to have a favorite pair of pants that looked a bit like carpenter’s pants. Unfortunately, I don’t fit into them anymore :-) I think the whole carpenter’s outfit is great, actually.

Why don’t you add side stripes and then gussets at the bottom? I’d make the stripes look like the ones on sports pants - you see those all the time anyway.

Best regards, Inge

That’s a great idea too, Inge—I’ve also been thinking about crocheting a wedge and sewing it in.

My own ones, anyway… ;)

Oh yes, I was born in ’55 and was a teenager in the ’70s. There was nothing we didn’t try:
hot pants, midi-length cardigans, wedge heels, miniskirts (as short as possible)

Sometimes I’d get into big arguments with my mom. Back then, the rule was still, “What will the neighbors say?”

But it was great.

Over time, though, you find your own style, and once you reach a certain age, you stick to it. Today, I catch myself reaching for the same colors over and over again in stores. If I force myself to pick a different color, the item I bought often ends up unworn in the closet.

Hot pants—midi-length cardigans—wedge shoes—mini skirts (as short as possible)

Born in ’57—so that was my era, too. I cut off the legs of my jeans until I finally got some store-bought ones. Grandma relented. Today, cut-off jeans are in style.
I had a black faux-fur skirt—a real super-mini. My English teacher once asked me if my “belt” wasn’t a little too wide. That didn’t faze me at all. I also wore knitted skirts—knitted by me, of course—so they wouldn’t be too long.

Well, I don’t wear miniskirts anymore, but my love for flared pants has stuck with me.

Best regards, Marlies

My mom and my aunt (both born in 1951) used to wear great clothes—it’s a shame none of them are left.