“Since you work in fashion, can you tell us what we’ll be wearing this winter?” Ah yes, the dreaded question for anyone in the industry. It sneaks up on you when you least expect it, especially around this time of year. You can steer clear of gatherings of not-so-close friends (because your BFFs would never walk you into this one when you’re out letting your hair down on a Friday night).
You can dodge your aunt at least until after Halloween, or fake a coughing fit when the lawyer sitting next to you at a charity dinner asks you, in all good faith, for fashion insights. But eventually, your guard slips. Maybe at the bakery. And boom, all heads turn, expectantly waiting for the answer.
I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve tried to explain, without sounding preachy, that, thankfully, we no longer live in an era where trends are dictated top-down by brands and rubber-stamped by the press. That trends today are more like ideas, meant to be interpreted based on how we feel, who we are, and how we relate to our own bodies. To urge people to first ask themselves a question: does what I wear make me feel good?