The word ‘trend’ has roots in the Old English ‘trendan,’ which means ‘to revolve.’
In contemporary parlance, the word trend describes the direction in which events, people, or objects, are moving, shaping, developing, or changing for a short period.
As such, a fashion trend is a temporary preference for garments, accessories, outfits, and ways of dressing set by trendsetters and influencers inspired by current music, art, movies, or, socio-political events.
Most current fashion trends are created by celebrities and influencers through their personal fashion choices which are swiftly adopted by the masses as personal forms of self-expression.
While fashion trends are influential in creating new subcultures and social contexts, they are transient, lasting less than a fashion season.
By nature, fashion trends showcase changes in people’s tastes, values, or shifts in societal norms.
However, while fashion trends influence the world’s cultures, subcultures, and social groups, the formation and adoption of a fashion trend in America or the UK does not guarantee its adoption in South America or Japan.
Fashion Trends vs Fashion Styles?
Compared to a fashion trend’s temporary nature, a fashion style depicts a specific way of dressing belonging to well-defined communities and subcultures such as Punk, Preppy, and Goth, and their unique aesthetics.
Fashion trends revolve around time-bound “trendy” garments, footwear, or accessories, while historical fashion styles (do not confuse with personal fashion styles) are built on outfits with similar aesthetics, reflecting past subcultures’ beliefs, values, and lifestyles.
For example, the Preppy fashion style is the style of the Preppy subculture, while modern trends are just temporary adoptions of certain garments, footwear, or accessories promoted by celebrities and trendsetters.
Fashion Trends vs Fashion Fads
The word “fad” derives from the 16th-century term “faddle,” meaning “to trifle.”
Compared to fashion trends that last for a season and are remembered in history for their impact and symbolism, a fashion fad has a shorter lifespan, briefly garnering attention before fading into oblivion.
Fashion Trends Examples
The Logomania Trend
The Logomania fashion trend flourished in the late ’90s and re-emerged in the mid-2010s, at the cusp of a booming global economy, where conspicuous consumption was a public declaration of social status.
Originating in the realm of luxury fashion, the logomania trend was promoted by houses like Louis Vuitton, Gucci, and Fendi by producing garments with huge logos as the central visual elements.
The Athleisure Trend
The Athleisure trend became an overnight sensation in an increasingly busy, health-conscious, and comfort-seeking Western society.
Peaking around the mid-2010s, athleisure presented an amalgamation of athletic wear designed for exercise and casual clothing for general use.
The athleisure trend broke down barriers between clothing categories; Yoga pants, once confined to the gym or the home, were paired with blazers and high-heeled boots.
The athleisure trend is at the core of the streetwear movement which changed how style, comfort, and function are integrated into everyday wear.
The Normcore Trend
Contrastingly, the Normcore fashion trend emerged in the early 2020s as a counter-narrative to the ostentation of previous decades.
The Normcore trend originated in Western urban centres where the pressure to stand out had created a collective yearning for simplicity and authenticity.
The Normcore fashion trend popularized everyday apparel, and unbranded straight-leg jeans, crew-neck T-shirts, and sneakers became the epitome of the movement.
Unlike Logomania, which revealed the recognition of status-symbol labels, Normcore turned its gaze inward, centring on personal comfort and the notion of universal attire.
The trend found its footing amid a societal undercurrent that began questioning the constant spectacle of consumerism.
As societal values leaned towards authenticity, mindfulness, and eliminating unnecessary complexities, the Normcore straightforward clothing trend became the fashion world’s response.
After years of managing hundreds of fashion brands from London's office of a global retailer, Mandy has ventured into freelancing. Connected with several fashion retailers and media platforms in the US, Australia, and the UK, Mandy uses her expertise to consult for emerging fashion brands create top-notch content as an editorial strategist for several online publications.