fretting over fashion fads?

“All straight men can’t appreciate haute couture,” my girlfriend laments. “A part of my wardrobe is dedicated to normal *look of disdain* clothes, just so I have something to wear on dates. Otherwise, all I get is envious looks from gay men.”

This is my friend who pays close attention to the latest Spring/Summer 2011 pieces paraded along the runway by renowned designers such as Balenciaga, Christian Lacroix, Alexander McQueen, Dolce & Gabbana, Jason Wu etc. She’s all about fashion fads and trends – never mind that those Balmain-inspired shoulder pads could risk looking like she just popped out of an 80s movie; or that Marc Jacobs maxi-dress might get her mistaken for a gunny sack relay participant.

I’ll admit, I am not as diligent (and wealthy – yes, I believe one needs deep pockets to invest in high-fashion) to keep abreast of these latest trends. Well, yeah, I know this season is about bright, bold, neon colours, and maxi has been taken to a next level from dresses to jumpsuits and pants. But I’m not about to revamp my wardrobe…

…because not everything in-fashion is suitable for me. Consider (1) skin tone (giant walking highlighter alert! Neon-yellow clashes with my sandy complexion), (2) body shape including height (maxi-dresses make my vertically-challenged frame look frumpy), figure, and other physical assets you might be hiding for being enslaved to ‘fashion’. For example, I know that gladiator sandals will hide my shapely legs... And there's a difference between unnecessarily critical about ourselves, and being self-aware – it doesn't matter if we have physical imperfections, we just need to know how to play up and flaunt our assets!

…because not everything in fashion is ‘practical’. Practicality takes into account our occupation (think: will your boss see you differently? fashion/media/art executives tend to have a reason to dress more avant-garde), occasion (is your magenta eye-shadow too loud for a meet-the-parents session?), roles in life, lifestyle, climate etc.

…because I’m comfortable with my personal style! Of course, we shouldn't let our personal preferences be ruled by others’ opinions. In fact, I give my haute couture-chasing friend utmost respect because she is confident enough to carry off whatever she likes. She’s knows what she wants to communicate to the rest of the world, and does it with style. This, in my opinion, is the reason why she looks so fabulous, rather than the fashion fad per se.

Fashion fads, when selected appropriately, do add a little fun and spice to our wardrobes. We just need to choose the right ones according to our personal preferences, complement ourselves, and suit the occasion we're wearing them to!I'm going to take advantage of this season's collection to pick up a few cobalt-blue, emerald-green, and my favourite pastel-pink outfits! What about you?