What Should You Do When the Styles That Suit You Go Out of Fashion?
Style Clinic · Smart shopping
If the cut that suits you best has just gone out of fashion, this one is for you. It's also for every consultant whose client has said, "I can't find anything that works for me this year."
I was chatting with one of our consultants recently about exactly this. Clothes come in and out of style, and sometimes what suits you simply isn't in the shops. So what do you do? Here's the strategy I share, and how to put it to work.
Don't make do. When the styles that suit you are in fashion, buy enough to last several years. When they're out, skip that item and spend on the other pieces that do suit you. Know your style, know your cycle, and shop when the cycle is right.
What's actually going on with fashion cycles?
Fashion moves in cycles. A silhouette is everywhere for a few years, quietly disappears, then slides back in.
Here's the example we were discussing. A woman with long legs looks wonderful in low-waisted or waistbandless jeans. For years they were in every store. Now the high and mid waist are sliding back into fashion, and the low rise that flatters her is harder to find.
Her solution is smart. When her style comes back around, which for her is every three to four years, she buys up. She buys three or four years' worth of jeans at once.
Why does this matter?
Making do costs more than it looks. If you buy the version that's in fashion but doesn't suit you, you open your wardrobe to a rail of clothes you never reach for. I call them "not today" clothes. They took money, they take space, and they don't get worn.
Buying up when your style is in does the opposite. Every piece earns its place, you spend less time hunting through stores for something that isn't there, and you always have the item that makes you feel like yourself.
For consultants, this is a practical way to protect your client's investment in their style recommendations long after the consultation ends.
What do you need before you start?
A clear picture of your style. Your proportions, your best lines and the cuts that work for you.
Your "cyclical" pieces. The items you love that drift in and out of fashion, like a particular rise of jean, a trouser width or a neckline.
A little patience. This strategy rewards waiting for the right season rather than buying for the sake of it.
How to shop with the fashion cycle, step by step
- Get to know your style. Know what suits your body, your colouring and your lifestyle, so you can recognise your best pieces the moment they appear.
- Spot the pieces that come and go. List the items in your style that aren't always in fashion. These are the ones to watch.
- Buy up when they're in. When your style is back in the shops, that's when you shop. Buy enough to carry you through the years it won't be available, the way our long-legged friend buys three or four years of jeans at once.
- When they're out, don't make do. Skip that item this year and spend on the other pieces that suit you instead.
- Watch for the return. Keep an eye on the stores and restock when your cut slides back into fashion.
How to manage your buy-up pieces afterwards
Store the spares carefully so they're ready when you need them. Rotate in a new piece when the current one starts to wear, rather than waiting until it's past its best.
It also helps to note what you bought and when. That way you know how much you have left, and when you'll be looking out for your style again.
What your client experiences
If you're a consultant, imagine your client a few years from now. Their favourite style has disappeared from the shops, and they're not worried, because you helped them plan for it.
Instead of frustration in the change room, they have a wardrobe of pieces that work. And they remember who taught them how to shop that way.
Try it before you buy up. Before you buy four of anything, buy one and live in it. Wash it, sit in it, walk in it and check the fit at the end of a long day. Once you know it performs, go back for the rest.
Five smart ways consultants can use this with clients
1. Flag cyclical pieces in your recommendations
When you give style advice, point out which of your client's best pieces drift in and out of fashion, so they know what to watch for.
2. Make a "buy it when you see it" list
Give clients a short list of the cuts to stock up on when they appear, with the details that matter, like rise, width or length.
3. Turn "nothing suits me this year" into a plan
When a client is frustrated, explain the cycle and redirect their spending to pieces that do suit them right now.
4. Talk about cost per wear
Show how several pieces that get worn all the time beat a "make do" buy that sits in the wardrobe.
5. Offer a seasonal check-in
Help clients spot their styles coming back into the shops, so they buy up at the right time with confidence.
Want to help clients shop this way with confidence?
Knowing exactly which lines, proportions and cuts suit each body is what makes this strategy work. It's the foundation of our Style and Image Management training, where you learn how to read a client's style, explain why it works, and guide their shopping long after the consultation.
Discover Style and Image Management here:
https://study.imageinnovators.com/style-and-image-management
Frequently asked questions
What should I do if the style that suits me isn't in fashion this year?
Don't make do with a version that doesn't suit you. Spend on the other pieces in your style that are available, and buy up your preferred cut when it comes back.
Isn't buying several of the same item at once wasteful?
Not when they're pieces you know you'll wear. Buying clothes that don't suit you is the bigger waste, because they tend to sit unworn in the wardrobe.
How do I know which of my pieces come and go?
Think about the items you've struggled to find in past years, or that have suddenly reappeared. A consultant can also help you identify the details that matter most for your shape.
How many should I buy when my style is back in?
Enough to see you through until it returns, based on how often you wear the item and how long it lasts. Try one first to make sure the fit and quality are right.
Know your style, know your cycle, and shop when the cycle is right. Your wardrobe, and your budget, will thank you.
Clare Maxfield AICI CIP, CEO, Image Innovators
Have you ever bought up a style you love while it was in? I'd love to know.
