I think I managed to maintain my 2019 resolution as it relates to fashion consumption fairly well. Perhaps it was because I went out less, waited until the last minute to get something to wear for an event resulting in me mustering up a previous look and loving it, or my big affinity now for home décor. Despite not consuming so much, there are a few things I just wish I hadn’t seen and hope we can leave then in 2019.
Athleisure
I love that fashion has become more practical and realistic for society’s modern woman. This newfound appreciation, I felt, gave a free pass to many designers to just cough up anything. That said, please let 2020 be the year that we leave the larger-than-life sneakers at home.
Padded headbands
Ever since they debuted on Prada’s runway, they have been diffused so many times by different brands in all colours and textures. So much so that padded headbands have become a common cliché like most trends that have managed to go viral. For me, when this happens, the trend actually loses its beauty. This is probably because of visual overstimulation and there being nothing else to compare it to. Let’s give this trend a break and only take it out occasionally.
Clear bags
We get it. You want to show that you are fearless, parading with your money, condoms, lip gloss and cell phone so that everyone can see. Clear bags were cute in the beginning, but just like the padded headbands they too have become incredibly exhausted. I suppose it is because we live in an over exposed world that we forgot that a little mystery could be exciting as well. But this is possibly be a trend that we don’t have to totally leave in 2019. It could come out depending on the occasion.
2019 felt as if we as consumers are getting more conscious about the global impact that our consumption patterns are having. So many companies closing down or reducing their brick and mortar store locations, like Forever 21, means we are no longer capricious buyers. We are becoming more consistent and thorough, which is probably the best trend to have developed increasingly over the year. As trends come and go and we try to reshuffle our images for 2020, we should mood board our style, be dedicated to the things we like and make peace with the fact that every style is probably not for us because it is not a reflection of our true selves. While our choices will vary as regards what to leave behind, we should ensure that everything we do choose is a reflection of our true selves. This is the only way to consume better.
