FMAD 1110: Fashion Fundamentals Textbook: 2.1 Fads & Trends

Fads are like sparklers... they have a wow factor that quickly disappears. Thus, Fads suddenly fade (one way to remember this is that fad is in the word fade). Fads quickly become popular but are fast to disappear!

Image Source: Sparkler

Trends, however, are more like climbing a mountain. Popularity of a fashion trend tends to gradually increase in popularity over time and does not quickly fade.

Image Source: "Climbing Mount Feathertop" by earthkath is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.

Watch this video on the difference between Fads and Trends. Then, answer the following questions.

Thinking Point: Can you think of any fads or trends that you have adopted in the past? How can you tell which ones were  fads compared to trends?

Key Terms:

• Fashion- A style accepted and worn by a majority of people at a certain time.
• Style- A distinct garment characteristic (example: v-neck collar shirt compared to boat neck collar shirt).
• Classic- basic style that stays in fashion acceptance for a lengthy time (example: black t-shirt or denim jeans).
• Silhouette- Shape or outline.

Image Source: "Wedding dress silhouettes and necklines infographic" by mihnea.gamulescu is licensed under CC BY 2.0.