When I first began working as a stylist back in 2011, the world of fashion was in the midst of rapid evolution. Modern digital communication has allowed fashion to move faster than ever; we now have access to a huge range of images and inspiration, and shifts in trends and styling are more nuanced and difficult to pin down. Nonetheless, over the past 5 years there have been several major, overarching changes to men and women’s fashion – here are my picks of the most important and exciting shifts we’ve seen since 2011.
Women’s Fashion
From skinnies to flares and beyond
2011 and 2012 were more or less the peak of skinny-jean fever, with drainpipe styles flooding the market in a huge array of washes, textures and materials. Leggings, too, were hugely popular, as well as the jeans-leggings cross “jeggings.” Now, skinnies are still big, but a more diverse range of styles such as flared, straight leg, and loose-fit jeans have come to the forefront once more. This, I think, is a welcome change, giving women the opportunity to re-discover and experiment with previously underrated styles and silhouettes.
From 90s to 70s chic
We often hear the 00s and 10s described as “the mash-up era” in which ideas and styles from previous decades are recycled and re-energised. 2011 – 2013 saw a huge re-emergence of styles from the 1990s, as well as laidback, grunge-inspired tomboy looks. Flannel shirts, slip dresses, choker necklaces and chunky boots were accompanied by muted hues of grey, khaki, nude and dark greens and blues.
Since then, trends have moved on – or moved backwards, rather – to the 1970s. Catwalks and high streets alike have been awash with bell-bottom trousers, A-line skirts, polo-necks sweaters, round neck t-shirts and pinafores. We’ve seen Pantone‘s 2015 earthy red colour of the year – marsala – splashed across everything from leather jackets to converse, alongside other 70s-inspired shades such as mustard, forest green, teal and navy.
Make-up goes high-tech
Notably, the way we use and engage with make-up has undergone quite the transformation. Eyebrows have become massive (in every sense of the word) and with that, products use to fill in, sculpt and tame unruly or wispy brows have enjoyed a huge increase in sales. In other areas, beauty products are generally more technically advanced – using light reflecting pigments, for example – and available in a wider range of colours and finishes.
What’s more, access to make-up tutorials on the internet has allowed for techniques previously only used by make-up artists to become common knowledge: graded eyeshadows, contouring and highlighting and are just some of the impressive skills being mastered at home by many a beauty enthusiast.
Men’s Fashion
From skinny suits to classic suits
In 2011 men’s suit tailoring generally took on a slimmer fit, with tightly fitted jackets, narrower trousers and even skinny ties becoming the norm. More recently, though, men can breathe a sigh of relief as slightly looser, more classic looking tailoring has come back into the mainstream.
From quiffs to man-buns
In terms of hair styling, the early 2010s saw a movement away from the shaggier mops of yesteryear towards sleeker, more business-like styles. Side partings, quiffs, slicked back hair and short back and sides were all popular, and to a large extent still are. Lately, though, this has been countered by a backlash of long, flowing rock-star locks and the ubiquitous man bun trend.
From snapbacks to fedoras
Men’s accessories have generally enjoyed a huge amount of limelight in the past 5 years, and none more so than the hat. In 2011 and 12, many younger men wore casual snapbacks, a trend which has now evolved to include the slightly smarter baseball cap. In more formal styles, the rise of shorter, business-like haircuts has been accompanied by a revival of smart, retro-style hats and even items such as bow-ties and braces. These days, trilbies and fedoras look no more out of place in your local bar than they would in an episode of Mad Men.
