Now more than ever, people are looking to understand the trends that shape their world, and get that one crucial step ahead of the pack. But who decides what trend will be a trend next? Who makes the call that this is now the way in which you should style your life? The answer.. We do. Or at least, we should. Trends are most relevant and exciting when you use them constructively and conscientiously with regard to your own story and viewpoint. It is certainly not about blindly following what you’re told, but rather about keeping yourself up-to-date, so that you are well equipped to make the best decisions. Innovation generally comes out of challenges and that’s when you start generating new takes on existing trends rather than simply recreating what you see elsewhere.
Okay, before I get ahead of myself let’s start at the beginning. If I had to say the word ‘trendy’, what would that mean to you? The first thing that comes to mind for me is fashion (considering that I live and breath clothes and couture it makes sense), but when I dig deeper I start to envision beautifully put together homes, intricately detailed paintings, breathtaking landscapes and pop culture phenomenons – just to tip the barrel. Trends are about more than what we wear or how we choose to decorate our homes. These things are influenced by trends, definitely, but they’re just the end point. If you keep asking why, you’ll find that these things are interlinked with bigger social, cultural and political shifts. In fact if you go deeper you’ll realize that actually, trends are influenced by our everyday activities and ongoings. Trends act on us whether we like it or not. They affect us all. And they shape us just as much as we shape them. That is why understanding them is so important. They offer a viewpoint on understanding home, decor themes, fashion followings; and most importantly, how they are so much more than just a craze.
For whatever reason, there is a general stereotype that in order to follow or set trends, you need to be, either a creative or ‘artsy’ person, or to work in a job that requires you to do so. No one who has a ‘real job’ needs to keep up with current trends. Wrong. Following trends is worthwhile for everyone, not just people involved in the creative industries. In a world where entrepreneurial enterprise is becoming more and more important, you need to be up to date with what’s happening in the world if you want to find and successfully occupy a niche. Understanding trends is no longer related to a marketing or product development department. It’s vital to success.
The way I see it? Everyone should follow (or at least be aware of) trends, you’re stagnating if you’re not progressing. The trick is to make sure you don’t lose yourself in the process. Don’t become consumed with what is socially acceptable, but rather use trends as inspiration to follow what you are naturally drawn to. Furthermore, trends can be used to inform your own point of view. It’s about taking whatever you already do, like or own and updating it for a current context. It’s not about following other people’s opinions blindly, it’s about using them to express who you are.
If there was ever a time to be a trendsetter, that time is now!
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