You asked | How do you stay on top of trends?

Rachel writes:

How do you stay on top of trends? Are there certain people you follow?`

There are many! Between Instagram, Pinterest, and good old-fashioned blogs, I feel like I’m living in trend overload. Blogwise, The Anthology’s Bookmark column is a great place to start; it’s stocked with sites run by creative types who are at the forefront of design and fashion trends. In terms of Instagram and Pinterest, many of my favourite people to follow are the creatives behind the stars, publications and brands — the editors, designers, photographers, and producers who pull it all together — because what they’re interested in now influences what they’ll be publishing or sending down the runway in a few months.

Love J.Crew’s social feeds? Follow their senior manager of social media Lucy Laucht. Love Kourtney Kardashian’s home? (So help me, I do!) Follow her interior designer Martyn Lawrence Bullard. Love Gigi Hadid’s street style? Follow her stylist Monica Rose.

You get the picture.

But, while staying on top of trends is key when you work in a creative field, knowing when to buck them is even more important. Your work as a creative person will be most valuable when you are well aware of everything that’s going on in the grand scheme of things, and you’re able to refine the zeitgeist into a voice/look/feel that’s all yours. This aesthetic will influence everything from your work, to your interior design, to your outfits, and even your social media feeds. I don’t mean that in the personal brand sense, I mean that in the sense that when you’re truly in touch with what you love, what works for you, and what inspires you, you’ll do work you’re excited by.

I was listening to an interview with Ira Glass of the podcast This American Life the other day (on the Longform podcast — more on that here) and he was talking about the fact that he makes a living off his taste. I thought that was an interesting way of looking at it. When you’re in a creative field you’re either making a living off your taste or off your talent and in some cases (like mine) both.

So flip through magazines, scroll through Pinterest and thumb your way along Instagram. But while you’re absorbing all that’s out there, pay close attention to what suits you, what you consider classic, what feels cutting-edge. Because good taste outlasts any trend.

P.S. Have a questions you’d like a really long answer to? Email KDundon@TheAnthology.ca

[Photos: Chrystal Prism by Electric Confetti, Table Chandelier by Rich Beautiful Willing]