Trends are a Trend. (say it 10 times fast) (you look so dumb right now)

You guys remember Spark Notes?

(That's "Cliff Notes", to you, Mum)

You remember how, instead of reading the story - instead of noticing the plot intricacies, the subtle character flaws, the overarching metaphors - instead of knowing the story, you just - well, knew the story?

Well, as I see it-  trends are like the Spark Notes of fashion. (ARGUMENT)

(THESIS STATEMENT) Devoid of meaning, of depth, and most importantly, of self-interpretation, the idea of "trends" negates the fact that fashion isn't always divisible into concrete "themes" - just like your favorite Shakespeare play wasn't solely about "love vs hate" like your incredibly hyper-analytical and somewhat psychotic thorough English teacher made very clear post one not so great 6am-written homework assignment.

But I've whined about this before. "Trends" really fall along a spectrum. Where one begins isn't necessarily where it ends - and lumping an evolving aesthetic under one description before it's even had a chance to grow to term (unclear of what the "birthing" is in this metaphor as of now, but I'll stay bin touch) seems, so far as I see it, to be relatively new.

Calling trends "trends" may, in fact, be a trend. 

So what effect will this have on fashion's ability to evolve? If we jump to conclusions, if we pigeon hole and bookend a creative expression into a singular "trend" before it's been allowed to..well, be expressed, do we thwart what could have been? How can we continue to move forward? -- to progress -- if all we ever do is 1. note, 2. name, and 3. discard?

What if the analysis of Shakespeare or Hemingway or Fitzgerald had ended with one, widly-accepted, shallowly concise "theme" courtesy of Cliff/Spark notes? 

pants: Uniqlo, shirt: mom's old, shoes: Zara (similar), open circle ring: C Alexandria, hardware bracelet: Left of Right Jewelry, handchain: Catbird

What would we have lost?

Check out LouisBoston's Blog from yesterday, which explores this idea: here

And thanks to my boss for inciting this train of thought.

Photos by K is for Kat Photography