Trendy

Who hasn’t been tempted by something or someone trendy? Even if the curiosity was short-lived. Trends come about because of our love of novelty. We can be drawn in to some phenomenon because it reflects part of our personalities or because our friends express interest.

While most trends become part of our mindset, at least temporarily. There are other fashions that ingrain themselves for the long-term. I’m reminded of one of my aunts whose hair style was straight out of the 1940s. She was a young teen during World War Two. Her taste in hair and fashion sense seemed to have been molded by the “Andrews Sisters”. Thankfully, aunt M wore it well.

Many trends, especially for men, don’t last long and shouldn’t. Do you remember Nehru jackets? I owned one and felt proud to wear it. I thought it made me look like George Harrison. Yesterday, I stumbled across a photo of me wearing it. Seeing myself dressed in it made me blush–even though I was alone. I shudder just thinking about it. Thankfully, I never liked leisure suits–I’ve never cared much for polyester fabrics. I owned a couple of slippery, bold-printed, polyester button-down shirts dad once gave to me. They were extremely uncomfortable, especially during hot, humid days. I hope dad’s feelings weren’t hurt by my lack of pleasure about the gifted shirts.

What about American automobiles? The 1950’s cars were perhaps the most trend and fad reliant vehicles ever sold. Their styles were the epitome of planned obsolescence. It is great fun to see the tail-finned contraptions, but I have little desire to actually own one of them. At any rate, a late 1950s Dodge wouldn’t even fit into my garage.

Then we have the popular celebrities and political pundits. Even though I try to see if they have any positive, redeeming qualities, their hunger for fame and recognition is obvious. Their styles and views are fickle and seem superficial. Having to cater to the whims of public opinion and popularity polls, diminishes their integrity. Many of them have been mentally stuck in adolescence their entire lives. This shortsightedness cripples their skills for rational thinking. This leaves many of them unstable as they seek to remain in the limelight well past their relevance. In certain instances, such wishes for attention harm their fans and society in general.

At its best, trendiness can be entertaining. At its worst, trendiness can be a burden upon humanity. When it comes to the latest fashion, or the most popular public speaker, it pays to exercise discernment and rational thought. The latest novelty is usually not our best option for the long run.

Ciao

The Blue Jay of Happiness quotes pop entrepreneur, singer, and YouTuber, Jeffree Star. “Don’t get me wrong: not all camo is trendy or cute. The right camo and camo shades, though–perfection.”