Keeping Up With The Trends: 2021
Ella Werdell '23 News Editor
Fashion is constantly changing and evolving with time. Trends are influenced by social media, anywhere from TikTok influencers to Pinterest boards. Trends are important to creating an individual style, which can be a grueling task, but not impossible.
A recent trend is the resurfacing of retro fashion from the 80’s, 90’s and early 2000’s. This includes lots of denim, leather, boot cut jeans, cargo pants and layering. This also includes very small crop tops and baggy pants, which is currently one of my favorite styles. Retro fashion is one of the coolest trends right now. I believe that when bringing back old trends, it is vital to modernize it. The difference between an outdated outfit and a cute, vintage one comes down to how well one incorporates new trends into these retro-inspired outfits. Modernizing outfits can seem overwhelming, but it can easily be achieved with the addition of one small thing: a small bag or a plain pastel accessory.
Accessorizing with jewelry like layered necklaces, rings or belts is another way to modernize vintage looks and add a personal twist. Accessories are the best way to add personal style to any outfit. Shoes are vital. Any plain or simple outfit can be revamped with the addition of a pair of funky shoes.
From low-rise to high-rise, boot-cut to skinny, ripped to un-ripped, how can I find the right style of jeans? Styling jeans can be a very difficult process, especially since the popular style is constantly changing. High-waisted jeans are a big trend right now and personally, I love it. I think high-rise can be flattering on anyone, especially when wearing crop tops. My favorite style of jeans is straight leg or boyfriend. These are tighter at the top but get looser towards the bottom without having such a drastic change as bootcut or flare jeans. Skinny jeans can look good, but they are tougher to style because a balance needs to be found. This means that wearing a tight top with these tight jeans is the wrong way to go. Currently, mom jeans and baggy pants are very popular, in part because of the remix of retro fashion. This style tends to be more flattering on taller people or people with long legs due to the amount of fabric. Lastly, I think that ripped jeans are always a must have. Ripped jeans have a way of making any outfit more interesting and fun. Unlike ripped jeans, un-ripped jeans provide a cleaner and more professional look. It is entirely up to you what style you think is best!
A recent trend is the resurfacing of retro fashion from the 80’s, 90’s and early 2000’s. This includes lots of denim, leather, boot cut jeans, cargo pants and layering. This also includes very small crop tops and baggy pants, which is currently one of my favorite styles. Retro fashion is one of the coolest trends right now. I believe that when bringing back old trends, it is vital to modernize it. The difference between an outdated outfit and a cute, vintage one comes down to how well one incorporates new trends into these retro-inspired outfits. Modernizing outfits can seem overwhelming, but it can easily be achieved with the addition of one small thing: a small bag or a plain pastel accessory.
Accessorizing with jewelry like layered necklaces, rings or belts is another way to modernize vintage looks and add a personal twist. Accessories are the best way to add personal style to any outfit. Shoes are vital. Any plain or simple outfit can be revamped with the addition of a pair of funky shoes.
From low-rise to high-rise, boot-cut to skinny, ripped to un-ripped, how can I find the right style of jeans? Styling jeans can be a very difficult process, especially since the popular style is constantly changing. High-waisted jeans are a big trend right now and personally, I love it. I think high-rise can be flattering on anyone, especially when wearing crop tops. My favorite style of jeans is straight leg or boyfriend. These are tighter at the top but get looser towards the bottom without having such a drastic change as bootcut or flare jeans. Skinny jeans can look good, but they are tougher to style because a balance needs to be found. This means that wearing a tight top with these tight jeans is the wrong way to go. Currently, mom jeans and baggy pants are very popular, in part because of the remix of retro fashion. This style tends to be more flattering on taller people or people with long legs due to the amount of fabric. Lastly, I think that ripped jeans are always a must have. Ripped jeans have a way of making any outfit more interesting and fun. Unlike ripped jeans, un-ripped jeans provide a cleaner and more professional look. It is entirely up to you what style you think is best!
Patterns are an easy way to make a bold statement, without adding too much to the outfit. My favorite patterns tend to be very abstract and bold, like waves or cute dinosaurs. I also really love grandpa-style sweaters which tend to have duller colors like brown and navy, and more common patterns, like geometric shapes and argyle. Senior Uzo Iloayna’s favorite patterns are “fun and psychedelic.” Psychedelic patterns are very bright and abstract. They are a bold statement that is balanced out with simple bottoms. These patterns can also be a sort of optical illusion that will catch anyone's eye. This can be anything from bright flowers and mushrooms to a mixture of geometric designs. Patterns can be easily incorporated into everyday outfits by being matched with similar colored solids. Another way is to match bright colored patterns with dark or neutral colors, which makes the pattern pop and be the main aspect of the outfit.
One perfect trend for the upcoming winter and fall seasons is sweaters! Senior Austin Jain loves to wear sweater vests and crewnecks. Layering sweaters on top of collared or mock-neck shirts is a super cute and easy way to stay warm this fall. The best sweaters for the winter season are chunky knit. These are super warm and can be worn with everything. The chunkier the better! One of my favorite styles of sweaters to wear in the fall is turtleneck sweaters. These are so cute and perfect to achieve a fall aesthetic. The perfect fit for sweaters is oversized, which allows them to be paired with leggings or skirts. With jeans, cropped sweaters are the way to go! This balance of length really helps flatter anyone. Sweaters can be found anywhere, but the best way to buy is secondhand which can be done through any thrift store, consignment shops or even by upcycling old clothes.
While trends are important to creating a unique style, they are not the only thing that goes into it. It can be difficult to break the barrier between just following trends, and having a completely original style. Inspiration is everywhere; taking that inspiration and recreating it can lead to a more specific style sense. “Just look around you, probably try to find inspiration websites or shops. Even like TikTok, like Pinterest, places like that, they have a lot of people who are very fashionable,” Jain states. Using inspiration from other styles is an amazing way to begin to understand the personal likes and dislikes of one’s individual style. On top of that it is important to understand that it won’t just happen all at once. Iloanya states, “Go at your own pace, know that it takes time to truly develop your style.” Finally, staying out of your comfort zone is part of the experience and the best way to truly understand what kinds of clothes to wear. It’s also important to understand that style is based on opinion, everyone has different tastes. Remember: Being bold and confident is never bad when it comes to style.
One perfect trend for the upcoming winter and fall seasons is sweaters! Senior Austin Jain loves to wear sweater vests and crewnecks. Layering sweaters on top of collared or mock-neck shirts is a super cute and easy way to stay warm this fall. The best sweaters for the winter season are chunky knit. These are super warm and can be worn with everything. The chunkier the better! One of my favorite styles of sweaters to wear in the fall is turtleneck sweaters. These are so cute and perfect to achieve a fall aesthetic. The perfect fit for sweaters is oversized, which allows them to be paired with leggings or skirts. With jeans, cropped sweaters are the way to go! This balance of length really helps flatter anyone. Sweaters can be found anywhere, but the best way to buy is secondhand which can be done through any thrift store, consignment shops or even by upcycling old clothes.
While trends are important to creating a unique style, they are not the only thing that goes into it. It can be difficult to break the barrier between just following trends, and having a completely original style. Inspiration is everywhere; taking that inspiration and recreating it can lead to a more specific style sense. “Just look around you, probably try to find inspiration websites or shops. Even like TikTok, like Pinterest, places like that, they have a lot of people who are very fashionable,” Jain states. Using inspiration from other styles is an amazing way to begin to understand the personal likes and dislikes of one’s individual style. On top of that it is important to understand that it won’t just happen all at once. Iloanya states, “Go at your own pace, know that it takes time to truly develop your style.” Finally, staying out of your comfort zone is part of the experience and the best way to truly understand what kinds of clothes to wear. It’s also important to understand that style is based on opinion, everyone has different tastes. Remember: Being bold and confident is never bad when it comes to style.