Fashion Trend Blog Post - Assessment 1

 Beatnik Indie Rocker

For an outfit to be ‘on trend’ it usually takes a keen eye for the ‘new’. It often takes more than one key piece to effectively depict a trend. A good combination of pieces with a touch of personality will keep a specific look interesting and keep it relevant on a personal level.  This outfit is made up of black brogue detail boots, black skinny jeans, black blazer, grey shirt, black bow-tie, black bag and aviator sunglasses. It is a fairly simple but highly effective outfit, combining trends with classics for a modern look. There is a new male interest in fashion in Australia that has been brought about though the rapid increase of social media which allows the typical Australian male to see more fashion material though mediums such as Facebook and Tumblr (Global Trends n.d.b). This allows males to replicate current fashion and become involved in fashion at a global level instead of sticking to the somewhat stereotypical relaxed Australian look often consisting of jeans and a t-shirt or board shorts a singlet. This change may also be put down to the rise of urbanisation and the rise of the urban citysumers (Trendwatching 2011). The citysumers live a fast paced lifestyle and are addicted to experiences (Trendwatching 2011) which would include interacting with the music scene which has influences on fashion choices. This outfit as a whole fits nicely into WGSN’s Australia specific Beatnik Indie Rocker trend which takes inspiration from the music scene and includes tailored blazers, slim fit pants and bow ties (WGSN 2010b). Also the colour palette shown in this outfit easily demonstrates the Metropolis men's catwalk capsule trend of blacks and greys with hints of orange-red (WGSN 2012b). 

 

Romance in the 21st Century

This outfit has a rather romantic look and is made up of brown boots with blue-grey socks, nude-brown skirt with dark brown and gold belt, dusty blue floral top, blue, green and purple beaded bracelets and shell earrings. Starting with the Triumph of Beauty cultural/economic trend that sees consumers embracing a fresh start and beauty, coming out of the depressing nature of the global financial crisis (WGSN 2010d). This leads on to the consumer trend that has consumers feeling optimistic allowing a new pull towards expressing themselves as well as wanting to surround themselves with beauty but functional beauty (WGSN 2010e). This is a romantic notion which leads to the 21^st Century Romance as a design trend which embodies the ideals of emotion in design, with opposing elements working in synergy and a focus on beauty (WGSN 2011). According to (WGSN 2012a) within this idea of the 21^st century romance is the colour palette titled Fragile Beauty which includes Ivories, nudes to contrast and complement shades of blues, light to dark. This produces a soft and beautiful look that is easy to wear. This outfit shows these trends through the colour palette combining shades of blue and blue-grey with nude-browns and dark browns. This look as a whole also has an overall nostalgic romantic feel which could be put down to the floral elements of the blouse as well as the silhouette which is part free flowing part put together structure to create a sweet and easy look or even her facial expression and long flowing hairstyle. Styles similar to these appear to reoccur because they are simple, easy and romantic which are things that most women are assumed to want.

Country Chic

This outfit consists of Black lace up boots, sheer black stockings, rust red and black lace neck dress, brown suede shirt-jacket, brown chord bracelet, rust red nails and hair styled down. According to (Global Trends n.d.a) the world is focused on the shortage of fossil fuels becoming more and more apparent and costly as an environmental trend. Australia and Queensland in particular are in the middle of a mining boom which gives them an advantage in the world market. This has given rise to the idea of 'rurbanism' which is the urban consumer paying more attention to the rural through sustainability (WGSN 2010c). This focus on the rural has had further effects on fashion one such effect is (Vogue Australia 2012) deeming countryside chic a fashion trend. Also in relation to this trend is WGSN’s Primal Futurism colour palette which includes many rich and raw colours (WGSN 2010a)  . This outfit fits into these trends through the environmental focus due to the colour palette in the outfit of rusty reds and browns which is particularly relevant to Australia due to our mining boom. The boom has put attention onto the rural aspects of the country. This increased awareness has paved the way for the country chic trend which is all about texture which in this outfit is all in the lace detail and the suede shirt-jacket and leather boots. Also an outfit often has an overall feel of a certain idea or trend despite not always fitting into it perfectly and this outfit as a whole just has the feel of an urban take of the rural.

Reference List

Global Trends. n.d.a “GT Trend Report: Natural Resources”. Accessed March 28, 2012.

http://www.globaltrends.com/index.php?Itemid=63

Global Trends. n.d.b GT Trend Report: Social Network. Accessed March 29, 2012.

http://www.globaltrends.com/index.php?Itemid=63

Photos of Athena are my own. Taken: Kelvin Grove, Queensland, on Wednesday 28 March 2012."

Photos of Nicholas Grech are my own. Taken: Brisbane, Queensland, on Tuesday 27 March 2012."

Photo of Xanthe Jones are my own. Taken: Kelvin Grove, Queensland, on Wednesday 28 March 2012."

Trendwatching. 2011 “Citysumers” . Accessed March 28, 2012. http://trendwatching.com/trends/citysumers/

Vogue Australia. 2012. “Fresh from the Countryside”. Accessed March 29, 2012.

http://www.vogue.com.au/fashion/trends/fresh+from+the+countryside,16643

WGSN. 2010.a “S/S 12 womenswear inspiration & colour: Primal Futurism”.  Accessed March 27, 2012.

http://www.wgsn.com.ezp01.library.qut.edu.au/content/report/Collections/Womenswear/Spring_Summer_2012/macro_trends_springsummer2012/primal_futurism.html

WGSN. 2010.b Australia: Commercial menswear trends. Accessed March 27, 2012.

http://www.wgsn.com.ezp01.library.qut.edu.au/content/report/Trend_Analysis/Menswear/2010/November/trends_menswear_trendanalysis.html

WGSN. 2010.c “5 key consumer spending trends: Future Consumer Intelligence”. Accessed March 25, 2012.

http://www.wgsn.com.ezp01.library.qut.edu.au/content/report/Think_Tank/2010/December/future_consumer_intelligence.html

WGSN. 2010.d  Autumn/winter 2011/12 Macro Trends. Accessed March 27, 2012. http://www.wgsn.com.ezp01.library.qut.edu.au/content/report/Creative_Direction/Autumn_Winter_2011_12/MacroTrends/autumn_winter_201112macrotrends.html

WGSN. 2010.e  Future Consumer Forecast 2012. Accessed March 27, 2012.

http://www.wgsn.com.ezp01.library.qut.edu.au/content/report/Think_Tank/2010/August/consumer_forecast2012.html

 WGSN. 2011. AW 13/14 Macro Trends. Accessed March 26, 2012.

http://www.wgsn.com.ezp01.library.qut.edu.au/content/report/Creative_Direction/Autumn_Winter_2013_14/macro_trends/AW13_14_Macro_Trends.html

WGSN. 2012.a  A/W 13/14 womenswear colour usage: 21st Century Romance. Accessed March 26, 2012. http://www.wgsn.com.ezp01.library.qut.edu.au/content/report/Design_Direction/Womenswear/Autumn_Winter_2013_14/autumn_winter_201314coloureditwomenswear/a_w_13_14_21stcenturyromancewomenswearcolourusage.html

 WGSN. 2012.b Metropolis: Men’s catwalk capsule trend. Accessed March 26, 2012.

http://www.wgsn.com.ezp01.library.qut.edu.au/content/report/Design_Files/Menswear/Autumn_Winter_2012_13/a_w_12_13_metropolismenscatwalkdesignfile.html