OtteNY Silk blouse, Lovers + Friends Perforated Leather Track pants, Sam Edleman Adora shoes, Ray Ban Black aviators
‘Don’t be into trends. Don’t make fashion own you, but you decide what you are, what you want to express by the way you dress and the way you live.’ – Gianni Versace
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Amen Gianni, Amen! I used to love being trendy – I had to have the latest and wear the coolest. It was some weird sickness that consumed me but luckily I overcame it a few years after high school and have been in remission since. What I learned from that time in my life: 1. it is too expensive to keep up with 2. It is unflattering to always be trendy – figure out who you are and stick to that 3. It is unrealistic to think that this was sustainable. Let’s go back to number two, since three and four are quite obvious. In the words of Gianni, “don’t make fashion own you, but you decide.” When I was shopping weekly and spending countless dollars on items that in a few months would be obsolete, I was letting fashion own me. I was buying into what they were selling – that trends are everything. I always loved a classic piece – my mom tried to ingrain quality over quantity in my head but I was too stubborn. I loved color, pattern, high, low, whatever was cool, I liked! Now, I find myself with a few less dollars to just throw away on a trend and a little less moved by what the industry is trying to make me believe, ‘I need.’ Instead of finding a piece I love and trying to make it work with my body or around my style, I only buy pieces I know I will wear a million times over – even if they are a plain black top.
I used love finding a unique piece and would talk myself into buying by saying all the ways I would wear it. What happened in the end – I never wore it. It wasn’t practical. Now, a little older and a lot wiser (ha) I only allow myself to buy basic and well made pieces. So instead of going for that sleeveless patterned dress (when I hate sleeveless) I go for the basic, one color silk blouse that I will wear a million ways. It might sound boring to do this kind of shopping but a closet full of beautiful, basic pieces is a closet that will stand the test of time. I can’t say that I am 100% healed of buying trendy pieces, I mean, I am wearing white leather pants but the basic feel of them makes them very wearable. They have been one of my favorite pieces this spring along with my OtteNY silk blouse. Holy price per wear – unreal! My goal this summer is to fill my closet with classic pieces from places like Everlane, OtteNY, + Vince. Items I will be able to wear next month and in five years so hopefully I can save a few $$ and do more of this.
