Outfit: Valentino Inspired


It's no secret that I am a Valentino fan-girl. Valentino is one of the only fashion houses I still post on regularly because it's one of the only fashion names I still love without fail season after season. You see I'm not really interested in the names, I'm interested in the clothes. So, I had a brief dalliance with Rodarte when they loved tulle and ballerinas and was enamored with Carven when they were fresh on the scene and full of art influences, but my affections for both waned after seasons that didn't fit my aesthetic. It's just another reminder to myself that my aesthetic (what I am drawn to) is pretty consistent. Even for a brand I love, when they stop making clothes that interest me I move on.
Valentino is perhaps my longest running flirtation. It's a pretty one-sided thing since I love them and they don't know who I am (and I can't afford them!), but season after season my love is renewed with their fairytale-like frocks and romantic embroidery. This dress is very Valentino Pre-Fall 2015 and I'm pretty much in love with it (and yes I'm sorry the shop I got it from sold out but if I find it again I'll link to it here). What about you? Do you have a lot of brand loyalty with fashion or are you more fickle, follow where your gut leads?
I was reading an article last week about how retail stores have been suffering and how it was partly tied to skinny jeans. Skinny jeans have dominated the jean market for nearly ten years now and most tops are also designed to coordinate with said jeans, so the much of the retail market is driven by this style jean. Stores and businesses are convinced there needs to be a big change-up in denim styles to get people interested in shopping again (because if styles haven't changed in 10 years eventually we will have all the skinny jeans and coordinating tops we should need and only buy when one is falling apart/ruined/etc). A big new shape trend in denim would drive a lot of new sales and mean changes in every piece we pair our denim with--a different silhouette leg calls for a different shaped top. It makes sense logically and historically; denim and fashion trends tend to work in cycles and ten years is about the length of time as well. Look at how distinctive the 1920s were from the 1930s or the 1950s from the 1960s. How will we differentiate the 2010s from the 2000s and the 2020s? The denim trend is forecasted to be more culottes and wide leg trousers--which you might already be seeing in fashion blogs. I'm not against these changes (some would even argue it's a dying society and culture that refuses to update and innovate), but personally when I wear trousers I'm still addicted to my skinnies and the thought of a wide leg or culotte (on someone 5'1"?!) has no appeal. It goes back to my earlier thoughts on brand loyalty vs personal style loyalty. I understand the trends are shifting, I can even see the reasons why and acknowledge in a few years I'll probably look very "out of touch" or "dated," but to me that all doesn't really matter. I'll still be following my gut even if it means falling behind on the times.

*pictures by Thomas*

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