What Is A Fashion Trend –Brief History 2024

Fashion trends are all around us, and lots of people join in. Remember the tight shiny pants from the 60s or the colorful leg warmers from the 80s? Then came the Uggs and big glasses in the early 2000s. Every decade has its cool style.

We observe fashion trends as they arrive, embrace a few (while staying sensible—looking at you, sagging trousers), and eventually bid them farewell (sometimes, gladly).  But what exactly is a fashion trend? How does a tiny spark in the fashion realm or an individual's distinctive style become a full-blown trend, captivating eager fashion followers along the way?

What Is A Fashion Trend?

To understand fashion trends, let's look at some history and first figure out what "trend" means. A trend, also called a fad or craze, is something a lot of people do together. In fashion, trends have been around longer than some folks think. Surprise! The very first fashion trend started in the 14th century. The rich used trends to show off their power, wealth, or influence—kind of like today's influencers, but without social media and TV fame.

Take the 14th-century trend of white powder, for example. If you were important, you painted your face white to show you were rich and had leisure time. Those with white faces weren't working hard under the sun; they were proper and refined, hence the pale look.

Even back then, the lower to middle classes, if they could, followed trends to move up in society. Doing what the rich and powerful did suggests they could almost afford it, hinting at their connection to wealth and fame. In short, a trend is something started by someone to send a message. In fashion, this message usually reflects what's happening in the world around us, as we'll talk about next.

What Makes A Fashion Trend?

What sets a fashion trend apart from a regular one? Nowadays, it usually starts with a fashion designer, a fashion house, or a fashion influencer. The new style often debuts on the catwalks, but influencers can kick off a trend on social media. Once it's out there, either on the catwalk or on Instagram, dedicated fashion followers grab onto the new look if they feel a connection to it. It's this ability to relate to the style that decides if a fashion trend succeeds or not. In short, fashion reflects what's happening around us—our moods, attitudes, and views on politics, economy, and culture.

To thrive, fashion trends ride the wave of the times because they aim to define and show off that attitude, mood, or value. Balenciaga shook things up with bold streetwear that clicked with celebrities and their fans. Dior also nailed it in 2019 with T-shirts carrying the slogan, "We should all be feminists." They hit the market right when a new wave of feminism was gaining traction. Famous figures like Rihanna, Jennifer Lawrence, and Natalie Portman quickly embraced the trend.

That's why designers often get accused of sticking to the same script—whether it's a colour, style, or print. Fashion designers know we link certain looks to what's happening in the world. So, if a theme is everywhere, like feminism, there's always a market for it.

Furthermore, packaging also helps to enhance the fashion sense of any brand. For example, luxury hang tags are used by famous brands to show their fashion stir.

How Do You Predict A Fashion Trend?

1. The Seasons

Design and merchandising teams worldwide start getting ready early for the next seasons. Certain colours work better in different seasons. For example, we like wearing whites and light pastels in spring and summer because they feel bright and fresh. In fall and winter, when the weather gets gloomier and days are shorter, we might go for darker colours like rustic reds and blacks.

Manufacturers always include basic colours like whites, blacks, and greys in their collections because they work for any season. Planning starts six months ahead, so being prepared is crucial. Now, let's talk about themes. Like Balenciaga's anti-establishment vibe, themes help predict trends. They usually stick around for a short while, about 3-4 seasons, as things change. A theme often starts with one designer, becomes popular, hits its peak in fashion, and then fades away.

Take the big sunglasses trend in the mid-2010s, for example. Lady Gaga brought it in her Pokerface era, and soon, celebrities were wearing sunglasses with shutters and crazy rainbow colours. The theme behind these sunglasses was being quirky and unique. In 2010, it was cool to be different and true to yourself, thanks to reality TV shows, Justin Bieber's rise on YouTube, and slide-down keyboard phones. Lady Gaga's sunglasses encouraged everyone to show their flamboyant side, saying it's cool to be a little quirky. Themes can cover different things—whether it's a vibe, a feeling, a movement, or a nod to a character or time.

3. Shapes

Shapes often emerge in response to specific themes. Take a sailor theme, for instance. The image that pops into your mind is likely the clean, square look of a sailor's uniform, maybe with a pastel blue neckerchief. That's what we mean by shapes.

While shapes usually go hand in hand with themes, they can also break away and become trends on their own. A great example is the "boyfriend" shape seen in garments like shirts, jumpers, and hoodies. The boyfriend shape became popular because it taps into a widespread theme. Women, in particular, enjoy wearing men's clothing because it's seen as roomier and more comfortable. So, the trend was born: Clothing intentionally made a size larger, and perhaps softer or thicker.

The shape can also refer to how a garment is cut, like "Mom jeans" or even simple things like a type of sleeve or clothing length. Overall, the shape of the line will often reflect elements of a theme, like "Mom" clothing and its association with comfort and flexibility. Moreover, special types of product hang tags are attached to the clothes for pricing and sizing information.

4. Key Events Or Social Movements

To guess what's trendy, we watch what's happening around us and how people react to big events. Things like the World Cup or a Royal Wedding can strongly influence the style, shape, and colours people like. After Kate Middleton and Prince William's wedding, lots of people wanted high-necked lace wedding dresses. Even the economy can change what's in. When times are tough, Chanel made a patchwork collection, all about making do and mending.

Movies, pop culture, and politics also shape trends. When Black Swan came out, it inspired ballet-like sportswear, like leggings and tube tops. Modern Hip Hop and R&B made baggy jeans, shirts, and sporty stuff with team logos popular.