bits and bobbins

it seems to me that one of the mainstays of the fashion world, and of the fashion blogging world is following and tracking trends.

what’s new? what’s now? what’s in? what’s out? who’s wearing what? who looks good? who looks bad?

it is interesting, yes.

but with some, it’s about rating, making judgments, making pronouncements, offering opinions of this sort:

-“i’m SO SICK OF SEEING _____ [fill in the proverbial blank], i could PUKE.”

-“everyone’s wearing that, it’s SO OUT NOW….[this new trend] is in now, people.”

-“i’m totally not wearing [that trend] anymore, everyone’s doing it, and i just don’t want to be associated with it anymore.”

what is that all about, really? i want to know…what is the psychology behind this?

-is it about wanting to be seen as au courant? is that really important? if so, how important?

-is it a defense of your personal style, not wanting to be “copied”?

-is “copying” offensive? is it inherently “wrong”?

-can you really prevent “copying” or the “copping of (a) style or look”?

-is new better? is original better than that which is ubiquitous?

-will the world end of someone cops your look? wears what you love?

i want to delve into this more…i yearn to know, to discuss this feeling, this push inside of us that makes us want the novel, the new, the original…

so many fashion movements of the past decades have had connections to the past…we are, as a culture, often looking back and finding inspiration in that which has come before. the bulk of designers look at what has happened, filter it through the lens of the present, and deliver something “new”, either on a conscious or subconscious level.

fashion is cyclical. what’s “now” today, will be “out” tomorrow. and give it some time, and it might be “in” again.

people in positions of power (magazine editors, fashion industry people, etc.) want things to change…they have a financial and personal stake in the trendmill. new styles equal new opportunities to make profit off the sale of the latest “look”. if the trend changes from season to season, year to year, they provide consumers with the motivation to purchase, lest those consumers appear “behind the times”. we live in a culture (in the west, primarily, but it other locales increasingly as well, with globalization) that is about consumption…good or bad.

BUT, here’s the thing, TRENDS are really all SUBJECTIVE, though culturally driven. mostly…it’s just ARBITRARY.

you don’t have to listen to the pronouncements, the dictates.

if some of it makes sense to you, awesome!

if it doesn’t, who cares?

will the world end if someone laughs at us for being behind or in front of the times?

i believe these words to the bottom of my heart:

EVERYTHING and ANYTHING, past or present, is UP FOR GRABS, up for consideration, is a fashion possibility.

ON THE RIGHT PERSON, anything can work. i mean that. ANYTHING. in or out or otherwise.

trendSETTING is about calculated, thoughtful risks.

and it is for these reasons, more than anything else…

that i willfully, purposefully suggest this:

let’s, once and for all, bash the trendbashing.

anybody with me?

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finds from this past week or so, from thriftin’.

suffice it to say, i’m feeling a great graphic push at the moment, in my personal style and expression of such. it’s not a new thing, but it’s particularly acute at the moment…i’m actually craving that which features bold, abstract prints that are at once restrained and intentional as well as BOLD. no small, introverted, uber-feminine, flimsy stuff for the likes of me.

ever since i wore the red frilly high-necked blouse over my green handmade jumper and acid washed jeans in one of my most recent wardrobe_remix shots, i have been absolutely rabid for making similar looks with what’s in my closet, what i can concoct with with the help of my trusty sewing machine and fabric stash, and what i can find from thrifts and the like. i like the girlishness/demureness inherent in the look, the graphic style possibilities, and the potential for warmth through the layering.

so i’m all about the jumpers right now! making them that is.

case in point: i made a striped denim jumper from some striped vintage denim i thrifted ages ago, and a vintage pattern i have in my collection:

the facing of the top of the jumper is fashioned from some african fabric that was sent to me by eireann of ohbara, who’s living in france at the moment. she sent me lots more, in a bunch of lovely patterns and colors. i had planned to use most of it to make a riotously crazy patchwork tote bag, but decided to utilize just a little bit in this jumper dress because it just seemed right.

sure, it can’t been seen from the outside, but that’s okay by me. i love when clothing has a thoughtful secret inside of it that only the wearer knows…interesting lining, secret pockets, beautiful taped seams that took lots of time, and the like. when i make clothing i try to add things of this nature…it feels warm and almost unnecessary, but i like making the extra effort.

other similar jumper/pinafore ideas are in the works…the perfect partner to those great graphic blouses that i’ve been thrifting like mad!

thursday, thursday, thursday! that of course means that it’s time again for your weekly installment of wardrobe_remix(ers) o’ the week!

this week it’s all about patterns, methinks, as some of you are sporting some pretty sassy and stylish geometric and ethnic prints, plus some twists on those classic workhorse members of the canon of prints, the noble and natty dot, stripe and plaid.

wendywears:


Ivy Frozen:


comicstriptease:


Melonade:


o0lua0o:


fraeulein 2eck:


Quasartwin:


one daaaangerous easter egg:

remember: you can click on the photo of any of these terrific wardrobe_remix(ers) to learn more about their photo or outfit, and explore their flickr photostream. all of the photos are owned by the awesome people who are depicted in them, of course!

join us over at wardrobe_remix and show off your awesome EVERYDAY trendbusting and trend-SETTING personal style!

spread the word!

this week over at wardrobe_remix we’re discussing things such as what are ‘wardrobe essentials’ everyone should have? and continuing the conversation i started here a few weeks back what makes a good wardrobe_remix photo? join the community to in turn join in on the discussions!

see you there!