THOUGHTS: THE NO-TREND TREND

All images in this post via tumblr

 When you browse the fragrances at a department store, there's always a canister of coffee beans lying nearby for you to sniff between samples. When you eat sushi, the ginger is offered for you to eat in between the pieces. Both of these things are meant to cleanse the palate. It prevents your nose from muddling together consecutive smells, and helps your tongue distinguish the flavors of different fish.

Minimalism, or the no-trend trend, as I have called it, has been exercising an increasing amount of influence in many cultural spheres such as interior decor, design, music, hair, and of course, personal style. Like the coffee beans and ginger, I feel that the prominence of minimalism as a trend is due to our subconscious, collective desire to cleanse our visual palates. We have seen too much in the digital twenty-first century. News feeds scroll towards infinity, and celebrity culture constantly pushes towards excess. We've come to a point where we've grown tired of the spectacle. 

/What do we need. 

/What can we throw out. 

/What is essential. 

Minimalism has become a cultural detox. A permeating philosophy. Now, we're trying to take a moment to separate ourselves and to breathe.

tips to try

1/ Stop making one-time purchases for a single event or night out. Buy less, but buy better. The little black dress is a closet mainstay for a reason: versatility. Neutral shades are always safe, and cotton jersey fabrics are both comfortable and casual enough to be worn on a daily basis.

2/ Minimize your make-up clutter. So many brushes, so many products. Coming back from a long day of classes and looking at a disorganized counter top can make you feel even more tired than you already are. Throw away your unused cosmetic products, or gift them to friends. Make do with fewer brushes: a large one for foundation and blush, and a few smaller ones for eyeshadow perhaps.

3/ Work with your natural hair type. If it's curly and wavy, use that texture to your advantage. If it's lacking volume, try slicking it back into a clean ponytail or bun, a la Jil Sander. 

Alex