To understand the fashion trend all one needs to know is what it is. In simple terms, fashion is a kind of autonomy and self-definition in a given time and context and in a given context, of apparel, footwear, clothing, accessories, make-up, hairstyle and even body posture. In its broader usage, however, the word also means a definite style or trend defined by the fashion industry. To cite an example, say you watch some Dancing with the Stars on TV and in the next episode Adele’s “Dancing With the Stars” music video comes onscreen, in what follows a lot of speculation and discussion as to what Adele will do next and how fans will react to it.
Now this may be a source of amusement for some, but it’s no laughing gas, seriously. It is an indication of the lack of understanding the people have when it comes to fashion trends. People don’t know how to identify them. They often confuse the emerging trends with those that are already outdated. And thus they become stuck in a loop of self-contradiction: they want to be fashionable, but they don’t know how to identify what is fashionable.
The good news is that everyone now knows what a trend is, thanks to The Social Network. It is an excellent primer for the newbie in identifying what is fashionable (in this case, acceptable mainstream views of fashion) and what is considered out of bounds. Fashionable contemporary social interaction is an ongoing and evolving phenomena, and in the last decade and especially during the last two, there has been a real sea change in how we dress socially. We are not just looking at superficial changes, but the integration of multi-faceted approaches to dressing that go beyond the traditional anchors. Trends are just the beginning.