Fashion & Style Trends - What's Up with "What's Hot"?

I will preface this post by confessing that what I don't know about fashion could fill a book, much less a blog post. Still, I'll venture into that territory here.

I am bemused by all the wedding industry websites, magazines, blogs, tweets, and advertisements that   showcase what they claim are the latest "hot" trends in bridal fashion and wedding styles. In the guise of  being helpful to brides, they strike me as cajoling brides into playing follow the fashion leader. I admit to reacting coolly to lists of what's hot.

If you, the bride, are a Hollywood star or a wealthy socialite or if you work in the fashion industry, or even if it is just your personal preference to be on the stylistic cutting edge, then I can see why you'd need to be very conscious of the so-called "hot" trends. But if you're not,  my advice is:  when it comes to your wedding attire and to the stylistic flourishes at your wedding, don't worry about what's "hot" or what's "in."  Concern yourself with what's "you."

For example, each year the Color Marketing Group determines future color trends. It's fun to be aware of those, and believe me, you WILL see those CMG hues everywhere (they not only predict the future, they make their predictions come true).

But when it comes to your wedding, why not just pick YOUR favorite colors? It's your life, your wedding, your marriage. You're not doing a fashion shoot for next month's issue of Vogue; you're celebrating your union with the love of your life. Consider consulting with a fashion expert to help you determine how to put your colors together -- e.g., what colors go well with, or nicely contrast with, you favorite.  But base your personal palette on your favorite color, not one dictated from above.

I chuckle when I see wedding experts pronounce that some "retro" or "vintage" style is now "the hot trend for 2010."  I love retro or vintage looks. I enjoy looking at photos of retro or vintage weddings.  But my point is, if you like the retro style or look of some vintage period, go with it. Don't worry about whether TheKnot.com or bridal magazines have pronounced that era to be "hot" in 2010.

So look through all the bridal magazines and wedding websites you want, for ideas of colors, fashions, decor, and stylist flourishes, and seek advice from the experts. Just take those breathless pronouncements of the "hot trends" with a good, old-fashioned grain of salt. Good taste never goes out of style. Your dreams never go out of style.  Your wedding should be about you, not about the fashion flash de jour.