Fads, Trends and Classics – What Do These Fashion Terms Mean?

Fashion can be a fickle world. Some come and go quickly. Some stay for a short visit and some become our new best friends.

When you understand how fashion works, you can learn to make wiser fashion choices.

Fads are fashions that come and go quickly, usually in a season or a year. They are styles that appeal to a small group of women. Mostly aimed at the young, they repeat in long cycles. Young women see them as something new to experiment with while older women say been there, done that and usually ignore them the second or third time round. Military styles are an example of a fashion Fad.

Trends are fashions that stay for a short visit, on average three years but may stay a few years longer like visitors who decide to extend their stay in your home. The first year will be the more extroverted and dramatic version of the fashion. It will be toned down slightly in the next few years. Its stay depends on retail sales.

An example of this is the current Colour Blocking Trend which is in its second year. Short front and long back skirts are another. This Trend is in its dying stages as it goes very conservative with only a tiny variation between the front and back hem to entice older women to buy into the trend.

Classics are favourite styles that have been around for many, many years. They have become classics because their styles suit most women. These include the princess line from the armhole, the pencil skirt, draped and cowl necklines and the front-buttoned business suit. They can become boring and create an impression of a dowdy woman stuck in a time warp. To get the most value from them today, they either need to be a base over which modern tops or jackets are added or they need to be made in interesting fabrics or made with slight variations in the style.

Modern Classics start out as Trends. Sales of them soar as women of all ages, shapes and sizes embrace them. Designers for the retail market are on a winner. Crossover tops, princess lines from the middle of the shoulders and draped jackets are examples. They became Modern Classics because they can be re-invented in slightly different and flattering variations year after year. Modern classic styles are not static. They keep evolving.

Fads are usually for Extroverts. Trends start being for Extroverts and then get toned down for Introverts. Modern Classics make both Extroverts and Introverts feel and look great. Classics need modern additions to stop them from being dowdy.

Accessories like shoes and handbags also have Fads, Trends and Modern Classic variations.

Margaret Sims of http://www.babyboomerpersonalstylist.com.au is the Baby Boomer Personal Stylist. She is an Image Consultant and Modern Dressing Expert. Margaret helps Baby Boomer women dress to SHINE when mediocre is not good enough for you. Go to http://babyboomerpersonalstylist.wordpress.com to read more fashion articles. Below each article, sign up for the ‘Baby Boomer Personal Style’ eZine with hints and tips delivered to your Inbox every Thursday.