Trends are intriguing. They signify the direction the “most” move towards. What these “most” move towards could be anything! It could be an NFT, a movie, a new book, a diet, a TikTok dance move, or consumers' response to inflation. The examples are endless, but do you get my meaning?
Not long ago, the trends would dictate a silhouette in fashion, but I noticed that rule washed away after September 11, 2001. Volumes and hemlines went awry. The world was confused, and we needed a break. Twenty years later, the silhouette is as body-con (a very tight-fitting style) as it is oversized.
Are you expressing yourself to reflect the times? Does it matter to you?
If you don’t follow fashion and don’t care about it, this won’t concern you – you got your style down.
Below, I review the 2023 trends in collages I built for you and chat about how to interpret them into your next makes.
Do you love making yourself look and feel beautiful in new things that fit well? I love it when my handmakes are admired and I get compliments. Isn't that a wonderful compliment?
The first is large, everything about the current trends is large, and this bigness encapsulates the times. Named it Up-Size It. I wrote, "Worn to cover up to hide or styled to look like it isn't yours, this look is cozy and with layers you can peel off to accommodate the mood. Supersize the print, the length, the colour, the stitch, the element, the item, and the idea."
Layers over layers of texture - it just doesn't end, and it's glorious, expressive, complex, and original!
For instance, a playful gauge of ethereal gauziness and then a fulled 'n' fuzzy heavy texture, with odd beadwork or embroidery for emphasis.
A plasticized magazine cut-out hot-ironed to an oversized intarsia floral sweater worn over a too-long silk chiffon skirt with applique.
Embroidery as you've never seen it! Over a knitted base coaching, the sewing of laid yarn or fabric at intervals creates a line, is added and then interspersed with clusters of French knots.
Magenta might be Pantone's colour of the year, and I'd like to share with you that all the oranges to the violets are welcome, too. That's monochromatic life.
Wear whichever colour makes you hum! I enjoy the trends because the fun part is the interpretation.
Neons are smacking us on the side of the head, and the most calming way to wear them is to add a neutral or grey. And, if you want shock value, play the neons with high-contrast colours like black or white or go full hue! Or, as monochromatic are popular, work your favourite neon with like colours. Softer neons are gentle on the eyes and are not meant just for babies anymore.
As you are taking hold to lighten your footprint, as your desire to be creative unfolds, and as embellishing, fixing, overdyeing, printing, embroidering, needle punching, couching, striping, beading, fringing, and updating are being reawakened, the medley of all these trends is accessible. I mean, you can do them! And they are all great ways for self-expression.
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