Do you know that fashion trends can be “long” and “short”? How do they differ from others and what benefits can be drawn from understanding this difference, read our material.
What are long and short trends?
If you are interested in fashion, you probably noticed that some fashion trends remain relevant for many seasons and even years, while others are forgotten after a few months. These are the so-called long (or long) and short fashion trends. Long trends set global trends in the fashion world. On the catwalks, in shop windows, on the streets we see things that correspond to such trends for a long time, from season to season. The ups and downs of short trends are like bright flashes: today it is very fashionable, and tomorrow it is not at all.
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Where do the trends come from?
In general, a separate branch of the fashion industry is engaged in forecasting trends. These are international or simply large agencies, trend bureaus, which specialize in analyzing trends and issuing forecasts about what will be fashionable next season or, for example, in a few years.
To make such forecasts, not only fashion trends are analyzed, but also many other aspects important to society. What is interesting to people, what excites them, what they want, what they like and how these moods will change in a year or five years, everything affects fashion, from weather changes to politics. After all, fashion, like art, is a reflection of what is happening in the world and in our minds.
Of course, the results of directly fashionable studies fall into this complex analysis. We study huge fabric exhibitions, trends from shows, and original fashion finds, which can be noted, for example, following the street style or the fashionable mood of underground parties. Plus - analyzes the results of sales of certain things in past seasons. All information is systematized and conclusions are drawn up, making recommendations, from general to the most specific, for example, the shape of the nose of ankle boots or the length of the sleeve of a coat.
Many brands use the services and recommendations of such agencies. Someone analyzes and makes forecasts independently. But all the same, sometimes it happens that some trend appears as if from nowhere, and another, predicted, does not shoot.
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How to distinguish a long trend from a short one and how can this help in creating a wardrobe?
Understanding the difference between long and short trends can help dress up to date, avoiding unnecessary waste and unnecessary frustration. It is not so simple, but try to figure out how to do it.
Of course, then, how much clothing should correspond to fashion trends, everyone determines for himself. But most of us would still like to look adequate to the time. At the same time, before each season, only a few can (and they want to - renew the wardrobe) can update the entire wardrobe. Usually for the new season we sew or buy only a few, not too large in relation to the available amount of things. We need new, we want new - this is in our nature. And we will get a new one. How long will a thing remain relevant? We do not expect this from every new thing, but for some things this characteristic is important. Understanding this will help to understand the difference between short and long trends.
You can sew an unusual coat, fashionable this winter, and after a year you can find that such a cut was recorded in antitrends. Or spend a considerable amount on a handbag with which the paparazzi caught all the stars of the street style, and soon find out that it was a trend for a couple of seasons, and the stars are already taking pictures with another bag.And in the first and in the second case, it happened because they were short trends. They are not that bad compared to long ones - they are just fleeting. And if you want to get a thing that will look relevant today, and after a couple of years, you should choose a model that matches long trends. A short trend can also be good. For example, a bright fashionable accessory added to an image can immediately make it more relevant and express your awareness of fashion trends. But when buying such a thing, you will understand in advance that it will not be fashionable for long - and you will not pay more than it's worth it.
How to distinguish some trends from others is the most interesting (and difficult). Most likely, this can be done by specialists, for example, fashion experts or employees of those same trend bureaus. To dive into the topic and find out the opinions of professionals, you should read fashion reviews and listen to podcasts (for example, the Burda Style podcast - we invite experts who clearly talk about very interesting things).
You can try to make your own analysis. It is long trends that usually become an indicator of global processes taking place with the world. For example, residents of megacities are tired of fuss and want peace, a return to nature - the trend is natural colors and materials, relaxed things. In society, the image of a strong, authoritative woman has a growing weight - the trend is power dressing and men's things in women's wardrobe. For several years, the current trend for oversized clothing is a reflection of our desire for convenience, both in the choice of things and in how we feel in them. All these trends are not the first season with us - we can assume that they will continue to be relevant. And if we learn about fashion, for example, on very, very small bags, which are difficult to fit a modern phone, we can most likely conclude that this is a short trend. At least, because such bags are not very convenient, and we will not want to play this fashionable toy for a long time.
But, of course, the forecasts, whether they were made independently or were the result of the work of the international bureau, remain forecasts - they usually come true, but sometimes it doesn’t. “Nobody knows anything about fashion trends,” said Galina Kravchenko, director of the assortment department at Fashion Consulting Group, for a recent Burda podcast release. We only have to take into account the opinion of experts, listen to our fashionable flair and delight ourselves with new things, enjoying them as much as we think is necessary - because we decide, in the end, only we.
Photo: Pixabay
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