leopard print is trending but isn't a trend
some half-baked thoughts on why we dress the way we do....
the other day i was perusing the soho ganni store admiring this wool dress and overheard a girl inform her friend that “leopard print is sooooo trendy at the moment, so you should probably buy that”. i’ve been hearing murmurs of “leopard print trending” for a little bit now which puzzles me because has leopard print ever really been officially deemed “out”? the eternal coolness of kate moss and edie sedgwick say otherwise….
later that exact same day as i was walking behind a group of scary tweens carrying a plethora of sephora bags on the corner of prince and thompson st and heard the ringleader shriek “bows are over. they’re OVER. we killed them i hope i never seen another bow again” i audibly laughed at the remark which caused them to turn and glare at me… embarrassed of my outburst i crossed the street while reminiscing on that age where every thought feels stubbornly finite without the grace of marginality to dilute judgements of a world you haven’t fully formed yet.
our relationship to trends is a complex and occasionally abusive one. being at the forefront of a trend signals a certain understanding of the current cultural zeitgeist, an unspoken air of humming elitism. over time (and more rapidly as of late) a trend goes through a metaphorical wash cycle a few times and eventually becomes everywhere. fatigue sets in, eyes start to roll, and ironic hyper-specific starter pack memes start generating more and more likes (you know the ones that are like “the east village girl who works in marketing and went to michigan”.. etc. etc.).
the hate on trends toward the conclusion of this fabricated cycle we blindly fuel through our habits has always felt a bit sour to me. i often fall prey to wearing a trend and enjoy making fun of myself upon reflection years later but there is a bit of a sinister undertone to outwardly hating on a trend only because they are adopted by a larger pool of people. the desire for this in-between state of hyper-individualism while congruently wearing the uniform of an exclusive group belongs to many but can only truly be achieved by a few. in the end all we have are garbage bags full of wilted bows, discarded at the height of their promise.
in my opinion, i find that a lot of the peer pressure to adhere to trends is contingent upon the embarrassment of being perceived as simply different. embarrassment for 2024 is out if you haven’t heard…. and the self-work (for lack of a better phrase) that it takes to reach a level of self-respect where the feeling of embarrassment is reduced to a passing laugh that floats away in the wind is necessary.
participate in a trend if you feel drawn to it!! that’s what makes dressing fun (and fun is one of the most important parts of life) but have the guts to stand by it once the proverbial court of opinion deems it to be “over”. and be nice!!! bullying someone into abandoning their clothing is uncool.
back to “trending” leopard print- i love leopard print!!!!!!! i touched upon this a little in my “things i know i like” substack from a few weeks ago, but i have been thinking a little bit more deeply on the different ways i’ve worn the print in the past. some things i’ve worn have been quite good (a la my old faux fur free people coat i wore religiously from 2015-2019) and some has been utterly bad (ex: a cheap glittery leopard t-shirt that would shed sparkles everywhere i went… which actually sounds quite fun in retrospect). this exercise of reflection has made me hone in on how i want to thoughtfully wear leopard print in the future….
a big old leopard coat- a good warm leopard coat is one of the best ways to fight the banality of winter which we are currently in the depths of. i’ve realized that i prefer a pony hair adjacent leopard coat (ideally from the 60s) as opposed to a faux furry one. this one from depop is so good i could cry
leopard carry-all tote- there will be a few moments in your life where you see something someone has either in real life or on social media and you will be irrevocably overcome with the need to have that item. you will think about it for years to come. for me one of those moments was when i saw camille charriere carry this vintage alia leopard tote. (snipped from her instagram i did not creepily take this). i have been searching the corners of the internet for the past year looking for something similar with no luck (in my price range). however upon a recent search i stumbled upon this 1940s muff / handbag that i think i… must have.
a silk slip dress- another reason why i think i am drawn to leopard print is because it feels quintessential to a 90s party girl wardrobe. a little bit trashy but still somehow chic… i think a lot about that episode of sex and the city where carrie introduces amalita amalfi and describes her as “international party girl” (love…..) and while we never see her wear any leopard print, in my head she is somewhere in ibiza wearing this d&g slip dress
a leopard pant + a t-shirt- this was an ultimate cool-girl uniform in my eyes during my fixation on alexa chung which has never quite left me. the combination always works every time and is the perfect errand outfit.
a leopard bikini - i randomly bought a leopard bikini in college and somehow it has won the spot of being the only bathing suit that i own which i ~like~. i tend to throw it on with a pair of blue pinstriped boxers and some sort of black cat eye sunglass and always feel like myself without really trying. the actual one i bought is gone from the internet forever but this one is pretty similar
enjoy some images from my saved folder + let me know what leopard print you are or aren’t wearing i love you xoxoxoxoxo
I've never been a leopard print person but I do appreciate it when I spot it out in the streets.
And I love what you have to say about trend cycles here. Trends can be useful for introducing you to new outfit components you wouldn't have considered before, but there's a bittersweet joy to something you already love becoming trendy - on one hand, you'll now be able to find much more of what you want; but on the other hand, everyone will think you're wearing it just to fit in, and it will inevitably receive scorn when the trend has run its course. Even if you don't follow trends and shop in accordance with your own style, trend cycles have an impact.
I am wearing a thrifted no label leopard coat today and sitting in my leopard upholstered desk chair (also thrifted) that matches nothing else in my office. I've been thinking of reupholstering it but then again, maybe I won't.