By guest writer Ada Carlston
When I look at my closet, nothing inspires me. I am disappointed with the plain, generic and neutral colors and honestly have no idea how to make them more interesting. I want elevated basics, not just basics. I want to look chic without trying. So, I am deciding it is time for a wardrobe refresh. I want to be able to wear something and someone asks, “Where did you get that?” and I respond, “Oh, it’s super niche and archival so I couldn’t tell you. Sorry!” Instead of using Safari as a search engine like most normal people do, I’ve turned to TikTok as a database for anything niche I might think of. And the crazy part is, there’s always a video explaining exactly what I need. As an experiment, I looked up, “What’s in this fall?” and the results were a bunch of TikTok shop ads. So, I got a little more specific, and typed in, “Popular shoes fall 2024” and saw a lot of Adidas, Alohas, red flats, and suede boots. Shocking. Nothing jumped out as particularly special and everything was a repeat from last fall. I continued to dig for something even more unique, until all the results were too similar to decipher from one another. I gave up, and surrendered to Safari, where I could find opinions from people who are probably older and more important than any influencer with an Amazon Storefront.
According to Glamour, we need to adopt a “country house chic” approach to fall. Think pleated, plaid and rain boots. But you can’t forget about the boho look - like Anthropologie and Free People. And cherry red is of course still in, but only for accessories! And leopard print, and studs, and buttery yellow, and so on. Cosmopolitan agreed on leopard print, but also predicted that color layering and “office siren” are in. And Vogue predicted that track pants, tailored suits, and dark brown are staples for the fall season. After digging through several articles which all reflected the same opinions, the amount of options exhausted me. Some of these trends are new, and some were teased last fall, so luckily I have some studded pieces and cherry red somewhere in my closet.
I couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed, and I had to wonder - what can someone, like myself, who wants to revamp their closet do with all this information?
I started by assessing what I already have. A black leather jacket (duh), a navy bomber jacket, and a beige trench coat. Not very exciting. I then spent thirty minutes searching the web for the perfect fall jacket that isn’t too basic but also not a million dollars. I proceeded to reach for one of my uninspiring jackets to wear on my walk to Soho, where I inevitably fought with thirteen-year-olds in line for Brandy Melville for sidewalk space and scavenged for a reasonably priced jacket that not everyone, but most, have. After visiting Banana Republic, Mango, & Other Stories, Aritzia and Madewell, I came to the conclusion that everything looks the same. And, by the way, leopard is, in fact, IN. Do I suddenly need to buy something leopard? (I have been eyeing a pair of leopard Aloha sneakers for almost a year now, but still have not worked up the courage to purchase them).
This excruciating trip to Soho, where I tried to avoid stepping on the heels of confused tourists, taught me to slow down and acknowledge what I really want, and prevented me from making impulsive purchases. It also helped me realize that it doesn’t matter if what I like is what everyone else likes. If I like it, I like it. So what? No matter what I wear, I am still me, which in my mind, makes me different from the rest. Trends are often chased because people are too afraid to stand out, in a way that might deviate from the norm. Even in spaces where self-expression is often encouraged, there is still room for sticking to the status quo. When I studied abroad in Sweden (did you know I went abroad?), every single girl wore flared gray or black jeans, adidas campus sneakers, and a navy wool jacket. The uniform did not change, and the trend did not die out. I even felt like an outsider when I wore baggy jeans and a cream colored jacket. It bothered me for a minute, but then I realized that if I change myself everywhere I go, I would no longer be me.
No matter what Vogue and the like think about what’s in and what’s out this fall, I advise everyone to explore what makes you, you. I say, add a color and a texture to your closet that you do not see, and a statement belt or jacket to spice up what you already have. Or, stick to the trends. It’s your life! Whenever there is a new “in,” it calls for a new “out.” I’m no fashion expert, but a lot of the ins have already existed in ways that people did not appreciate years prior. Before burning your closet down, take a step back and think about what you have been admiring recently, instead of jumping to buy everything that’s trending right now. Instead of reaching for a trending item during my SoHo stroll, I opted for a white corset top that was on sale, because who can pass up a sale? Before you know it, fall will be over and winter will curse us with weather too cold for that new pair of flats or that expensive denim jacket. So I will likely repeat this process next fall, and remind myself of the lesson I learned in the previous season. Stop, evaluate, and reflect, before making an impulsive purchase that will drain my bank account just in time for winter’s trends to come around.
@adacarlston
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