Fads, trends and Fashion classics

Fads, trends and fashion classics, what do they all mean? What’s the difference?

Well a fad is simply a trend that comes in one season and will be out the next. It never stays around for long and floods the market while it’s in. For example: a current fad being peplums. But will the peplums rise up to become a trend? They are starting to be seen on the streets so it’s a matter of seeing whether they last more than the one season!

 

The peplum dates back to the 19th century where it trickled down from designers and was featured in Godey’s Lady’s Book. The early peplum was usually a separate piece that attached around the waist. Peplums have re-emerged a few times over the years but have taken on new ideas this season featuring trailed peplums, peplums flaring off a fitted top and jackets with long peplums.

 Trends are the current styles that are seen on the catwalks and streets, whether it is a fad or a fashion classic and they’ve lasted more than a brief sneak peek at a season. The trends then render what’s publicized in magazines, blogs and other forms of media viewed by the target audience. A current trend is bold, bright, block colours and prints. Inspired by street art, graphic and textile design, interiors and nature, prints have become a standout on catwalks making designers rangers creative and unique. Having trickled down from the catwalks, the celebrities took it to the streets and now it has become a serious trend.

 

Electric colours and bold prints are definitely part of the fashion cycle and have re-emerged from 60’s and 70’s fashion. When fluro brights came in and flower power was the rage, the trends bubbled up to the catwalks and was a major trend of the decades. The fashion has come around again, but prints have become digitally enabled and a lot more detailed, and bright colours in bold blocks.

A fashion classic however, is a style that has been around for years and is continuously in fashion. A fashion classic is lace. Seen virtually every season on catwalks it just re-emerges in a new exciting way. Valentino and Dolce & Gabbana certainly know how to do a beautiful lace dress!

 

Lace has been around forever and first originated in the late 15th and 16th centuries, and was an economically viable way for people to make a living by hand. Traditionally used in tablecloths and doilies, lace began bubbling up onto the catwalks and emerging as wedding dresses then onto everyday garments. Still used for many of the same purposes today, lace has also changed into many different prints and details. It is now encrusted with jewels and used as a digital print, but thankfully also kept as a simple timeless lace garment.