Bandwagon

Even when I quite like something, I seem to develop an immediate aversion to it as soon as it becomes a 'trend'. Maybe this would be different if I didn't live in London, but as it is, anything which is a 'trend' immediately gains ubiquity. Hell, I've even started to go off the idea of a leopard print coat since every third person started sporting one in recent weeks.

It's been a difficult dilemma to manouvre in a world where the contents of the shops become so almost monotonous every season. A few summers ago, in one year which has become burnt in my memory forever, it became impossible to buy an item of clothing which wasn't polka-dotted. The previously cute print became the bane of my wardrobe for a good few seasons. That following winter, I think it was the stars which took over following a few sightings of Kate Moss in starry attire. Previously, there had been the stripes, the poncho....

I suppose it could be up to us to interpret these trends in different ways, but I still can't bring myself to try. Maybe it's something to do with my hatred of uniforms in any shape or form; I am certainly not a beacon of individuality (today's outfit: grey cords, plain blue long-sleeved t-shirt, pink cardigan with no embellishments) but I cannot stand uniforms. Still, as I said, trendy items can still look lovely and I've seen plenty of people pull them off in unique ways. And what if you just simply like polka-dots? Should you stop wearing them when they become ubiqitious?

If this season had a pattern ascribed to it, it probably wouldn't be leopard print, which is always around to some extent, even if on perma-tanned Robert Cavalli lovers. It would be the lumberjack print.

Enter any high street fashion shop on Oxford Street, and within visible view (unless you're in the lingerie section, or shoes...) you will be easily able to spot at least one lumberjack shirt. If not five. In the Lee store you might even be able to count 15. But I have to confess, I like them. Lumberjack/checked/tartan, whatever you may call it .... I actually think it looks quite cool. So over the past few months, I have been trying to find a way of incorporating it into my wardrobw without jumping onto the bandwagon all too much. Maybe sort of stepping right into the back of the bandwagon, you know, in the corner with all the other reluctant kids...

And today, deciding it might finally be time to brave the sales, I found my teensy concession to trendiness.

I was first attracted to the red option, which was nice but it fit too much like on the model - which is too small if you ask me. I preferred it fitting on the hips rather than awkwardly someway between hips and waist, which is how most of my too-small skirts fit. But the bigger size was only stocked in the blue colourway; I audibly groaned when I saw this because my wardrobe is slowly being crushed by the forces of blue, grey and black. But it's lovely, and swishy, and it fits nicely and it also looks a little less like the traditional bandwagonny red/black print. So I bought it.

And then I bought my bright pink cardigan later to make up for it.