With the ever-evolving fashion landscape, keeping up with every trend can feel overwhelming, and it is perfectly fine not to follow them all. However, seeing social media influencers flaunt the latest styles can trigger FOMO and make you feel like you are missing out. But just because a fashion trend is everywhere on Instagram does not mean it will complement your personal style or fit into your wardrobe. In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Anushka Gupta, founder of 31 Labels, shares how to identify fashion trends that align with your personal style instead of blindly following every new fad.
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Evolving fashion trends
“I love fashion trends, but I have absolutely no intention of wearing all of them. In fact, I think knowing what not to wear can be just as important to developing personal style as knowing what to wear,” said Anushka.
She highlighted that we are living in a moment where fashion moves faster than ever. Trends emerge, peak and disappear almost overnight, amplified by Instagram, TikTok and an increasingly visual culture. One week it is quiet luxury, the next it is maximalism, and suddenly everyone appears to be dressing for an imaginary summer in Capri.
How to tell if a fashion trend will suit your style and wardrobe
The sheer volume of trends can make it difficult to distinguish between something you genuinely like and something you have simply become accustomed to seeing. Here are the questions you should ask yourself:
Would I still like this if I had not seen it everywhere?
That distinction is important. Fashion should inspire you, but it should not dictate your identity. If a particular silhouette, colour or aesthetic continues to appeal to you even after the initial hype has passed, there is probably something about it that resonates with your personal style.
The next question is much more practical: Does it make sense for my life?
According to Anushka, a trend can look incredible on a runway or in an editorial and still have very little relevance to your wardrobe. Before investing in it, I think about where I would actually wear it. Would it work for my everyday life? Can I style it in more than one way? Does it work with pieces I already own? And, perhaps most importantly, would I still want to wear it once the trend has moved on?
How to build a personal style?
Personal style is ultimately built through repetition. “The pieces we truly love are the ones we return to, often in different combinations and across different phases of our lives. That is also why I don’t believe in adopting a trend from head to toe,” said Anushka.
The most interesting interpretation of a trend is often a personal one. If you love metallics, perhaps it is a shoe, a bag or even a subtle accessory rather than a complete metallic look. If oversized tailoring appeals to you, start with a blazer. If you are drawn to a dramatic silhouette, pair it with something familiar from your wardrobe.
The idea is not to replicate a trend exactly as you have seen it. It is to translate it into your own visual language. “I also think we underestimate the importance of how clothes make us feel. Something can photograph beautifully and still not feel right when you are wearing it,” said Anushka.
Conversely, an unexpected piece can become a wardrobe favourite simply because it makes you feel more confident, more comfortable or more like yourself. That instinct is worth listening to. Ultimately, the best test is not whether something is fashionable. It is whether you put it on and feel like yourself, only slightly more considered, more confident or more interesting.
