Silly Bandz and Lokai bracelets and man buns, oh my! What do all of these things have in common you might ask? They are all trends that (thankfully) came to a swift, definitive death. OK, maybe I am doing a bit of wishful thinking with regards to the man bun.
There are thousands of trends coming and going so fast, it will make your head spin. In this sea of trends, it’s hard to know which trends to grab up, and which trends are better left on the rack. After all, in my lifetime, people thought layering tank tops was fashion forward. I have found the only way to avoid these pitfalls, and today I am sharing it with all of you: Be a slow adapter. Stick this phrase on your refrigerator, make it into a bumper sticker, whatever you need to do in order to make this your new mantra. It will be your life preserver in the throes of the fashion world.
I have always been a slow adapter. I toured 10 schools, (some multiple times) and waffled back and forth, and back and forth between my top three before finally picking Ohio University – three days before the deadline. It even takes a couple of meetings with new people to form an opinion on them. Sure, decision making is cumbersome for me, and new experiences are downright dreadful, but fashion and beauty trends is the one place where it pays to be a slow adapter. While everyone was out getting feathers sewn into their hair, I was actively avoiding every hair salon in town.
When I was little, my mom recalls me having quite the hissy fit when she tried to replace my high waisted pants with the new low rise pants. Even at the age of four, I knew to never replace a staple in your closet with a passing trend. If it works for you, run with it.
Of course, there are trends that really bring something fabulous to your wardrobe or beauty routine that withstand the test of time, such as off the shoulder tops and contouring. I am not saying to never adopt these new trends; my cheekbones have never looked better, and my shoulders, shivering they may be, but unfashionable they are not. However, the hare did not win the race; the slow, steady, fashion-savvy tortoise did.
There are also trends that come back around, like scrunchies. The first time (since I have been alive) that the scrunchy trend came around, I passed. But it has proved its staying power to me by returning to the mainstream, and therefore I am wearing a velvet scrunchy as I write this article.
So, when you are about to pick up that sheet mask this weekend, or possibly get your eyebrows curved, remember one thing: don’t rush.
Zoe Stitzer is a freshman studying journalism news and information at Ohio University. Please note that the views and opinions of the columnists do not reflect those of The Post. How quickly do you accept trends? Let Zoe know by tweeting her @zoe_stitzer.
