5 Trends to Consider—or Ignore—This Spring Season
With the turn of the new season, magazines and department stores are splashed with the latest spring 2020 trends—the “hot new items” that fashion editors push as must-have pieces for your wardrobe.
But you won’t find me touting these trends to clients. In fact, I often urge my clients to ignore trends altogether.
Why?
Because Valerio Consulting is inherently anti-trend.
My Anti-Trend Philosophy
When it comes to my style philosophy, I believe that you should only wear what makes you look and feel your best and conveys the messages you’re trying to communicate. That means ignoring any marketing that tries to push pieces on you that drown your small frame, wash your face out, or hit your waist at an awkward spot.
However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that a trend can’t be a part of your style at all. It’s about incorporating only the items that align with YOUR style personality—trend or no trend.
Because once you define your authentic style, you’ll find that putting together your wardrobe based only on what fits your particular brand will make you feel more comfortable AND confident.
When you feel true confidence in what you’re wearing, this will naturally influence others’ perception of you as successful and credible.
For example, many of us are required to wear a jacket to work. My personality style is “adventuring princess.” Since I don’t necessarily feel entirely confident in classic-cut jackets, I try to find jackets that fit my personal brand. For me, this means ignoring the trends and looking for jackets with some texture (“adventuring”) or sleeves with a bit of ruffle (“princess”).
These jackets are a natural progression of my body type AND personality—in turn, I feel a boost of self-assuredness when wearing them.
But choosing to wear a piece only because it’s considered trendy? You risk communicating the wrong message to others, minimizing your impact and influence.
Below I’m discussing some popular trends—and whether or not they are worth your time.
Big Florals
While big florals are fun, this spring trend isn’t for everybody.
Your wardrobe should mimic your body’s natural features—if you have a tall stature, you can sport a big floral pattern. It’s all about a natural progression of pattern-to-height ratio. Short? Stick with the smaller floral prints.
Marigold
Not every color looks great on every skin tone. This is especially true of marigold. This color is for you only if you have an autumn or spring complexion. Winter and summer complexions, you’ll need to leave this color to the flowers, not to your clothes.
Not sure which colors look best for your skin tone? Book a color consultation with a consultant in your area to find which colors make you look captivating!
Neon
While neon can offer a jolt of energy, use it only in small doses within your wardrobe. Neon is an easily distracting color—it causes people to be drawn to your outfit, rather than drawn to YOU. Style is always about enhancing—not detracting from—you as a person.
But like every other trend, neon is not a fit for every person. If you are a spring or winter complexion, a small splash of neon in a pattern, color block, or accessory is a tasteful pop of this eye-catching trend. But too much neon, and you risk moving into Sharpie highlighter territory.
Keep in mind, this trend doesn’t work for every setting, even if it does complement your complexion and style personality.
I always advise my clients to consider this important question when planning their wardrobe: “Where am I going?”
Vacation or night out plans? A dash of neon can be a fun option.
Giving a major presentation at work? Not the time for neon, ever.
Flare Pants
Feeling pressure to purchase a pair of flare pants just because every style influencer you follow on Instagram seems to be rocking them? Don’t.
I only want you wearing flare pants if these fit your style personality AND complement your body shape. If it doesn’t check off these two requirements? Pass.
Non-Heeled Shoes & Smart Sneakers
While I usually tell my clients to steer clear of the pressure to make every trend work for them, one trend I AM loving for just about everyone is non-heeled shoes and smart sneakers paired with a dress, skirt, jeans, or business casual pants.
While this isn’t an appropriate shoe option for big meetings, presentations, or interviews, they are a modern and comfortable option for an average day—whether at work, a day out running errands, or a dinner with friends.
Looking for more style guidance?
If you’re local to the Greater Cincinnati area, I invite you to book a color consultation or style consultation with me to discover the right wardrobe to enhance your personal brand and help you meet your biggest goals.
