We all consume style and fashion, whether we like to admit it or not. Of course, we might not follow the big fashion shows in London and Milan, but those dresses online and that pair of new shoes we saw in the store all come from the fashion industry. Willingly or unwillingly, we‘re all slaves to the trends.
As we know, not every fashion trend looks good. The industry has come up with some complete stinkers over the years. This is where teaching yourself about what works and what doesn’t can come in handy.
If you are feeling creative, read on to find out about how you can teach yourself the dark arts of staying in fashion.
Read the Magazines
Look at the glossy fashion magazines in the shops and buy them. Pick up as many as you want. These will all have something to offer you. The first step is knowing about what’s popular right now. Look at what has worked and what has not.
This is called following. You are no longer drifting around aimlessly. You are getting an education on what’s ‘in’ right now.
Learn about the Designers
Delve deeper into the craft by finding out about the designers themselves. If you saw a skater dress you liked in a magazine, find out about the designer. See if you can find out what inspired them and what led them to this point.
They do not have to be famous designers. Independent designers can teach you just as much about the creative process as the leading fashion experts of the world.
The reason why you want to learn about the creative process is that it teaches you about why some things work and some things do not. Anyone can throw together a few fabrics and colours and call it innovative. Study the work of your favourite designers and find out how to make something that works.
The Evolution of Fashion
The present and future of women’s fashion is influenced by the past. Everything has to evolve from somewhere. The ladies/womens jackets of today all came from yesteryear. Spend some time looking at the fashions of a few years ago. Go back as far as you can and look at how things changed over time.
This will also help you to see the big fashion blunders and what mistakes were made. In terms of shopping for clothing, this will enable you to predict what is going to turn into a fashion disaster and what is going to turn into the next big thing.
It allows you a broader look at the industry in general and how things have changed over time.
How this Helps
Overall, knowing about fashion in general is not just something you should look at if you are someone looking to design clothing. It’s something every interested party can learn from. By knowing about fashion, you stop becoming a slave to the deals and promotional ads peddled by high-street stores. You become an informed consumer who can make better decisions on what they want to buy for their wardrobe.
Colin Armstrong
