Is It Timeless or a Trend? Plus the Best Of 2024.
This Stuff #173
Two weeks ago, I was visiting family and friends in Albany, NY. I took the train as I often do, but as we rolled away from New York City, I realized that I had forgotten to arrange for someone to pick me up. I frantically texted my niece, who quickly obliged and met me in the parking lot a few hours later.
While this trip was one I’ve taken many times, I was trying something a bit newer: my coat. I don’t have any long wool coats because that’s not my style. So before I made the purchase and added something to my closet, I used Rent the Runway to rent a full-length, herringbone jacket. It arrived, and it was as chic as it was comfortable. Timeless, I thought. When I put it on over my baggy jeans and hoodie, I thought it elevated the whole thing - a fashion girl on the Amtrak, perhaps.
Now, back to my niece picking me up (she’s 27, by the way; I was a child aunt). When she arrived, I threw the door open, excited to see her. To my surprise, she was wearing the exact same coat.
“Rent the Runway?” I asked.
“No, it’s vintage,” she answered.
Fair enough. A long herringbone jacket is a classic style—clearly, one that could easily be found secondhand. And it’s likely this relatively new one I rented could be “vintage-inspired.” They truly were nearly exact.
We laughed about it, took a picture together in our twin jackets, and moved on with the evening. A few days later, I returned to New York, and I’m not exaggerating here: I saw the jacket everywhere—on the subway, at the restaurant, and on Joe Jonas’s Instagram. Then, my niece texted me a picture. It was her best friend wearing the same coat.
Style panic took over me. Despite my literal expertise and attempt not to buy something because it’s trendy, had I been duped? Is this the algorithm, the supply chain, and the trend cycles swallowing up my niece, Joe Jonas, and me together????
Herringbone is a classic and durable pattern, especially in grey and black. The very chair I’m sitting on right now is herringbone. It’s as iconic and timeless as a polka dot. But for all intents and purposes, I may have been brought into a trending style and silhouette (that happens to be classic) despite myself. The point of this anecdote is less about my self-shame and lack of trend algorithm immunity - I was renting it for the right reason, after all. It’s to tell you that liking a trend or a timeless pattern is fine; things are in style and the trend. But check five times, close the window, and wait a day; try renting or vintage. Intention is important if you’re trying to buy less to change the massive impact clothing has on the increasingly dire situation with our planet or even just find something you’ll truly love.
And on that note, I hope 2025 brings you happiness and fullness. Next year, I’ll be back with a fun series about fashion and taste (literally). For now, though, here are the stories I’m proud of from 2024 - thanks so much for reading!
VOGUE: Mara Hoffman, the CFDA’s 2023 Environmental Sustainability Award Winner, Is Shuttering Her Namesake Label
This story is probably the most proud of the year. Mara has always been (and still is) a guiding light for me in my work in sustainable fashion. When she came to me with the story about her decision to close the brand, allowing me to tell it first, I was honored. Here, you can read that interview and see why she is a beacon in this industry.
VOGUE: Editor’s Style Resolution: Remember The Indie Sleaze Girl in My Heart
A personal essay about finding personal style. I’ve been thinking a lot about this time in my life for reasons to be revealed, and I think fashion is of course, a huge part of it.
TEEN VOGUE: Young NYFW Designers Have a Lot to Say, But Is Anyone Listening?
Fashion week is always complicated for me. I want fewer clothes, but I also want designers to show their creativity. This past season, it was so obvious that it’s the young designers, with fewer resources, who understand that both are important.
TEEN VOGUE: Counterfeit Fashion Is Harmful, and It Gets Worse During the Olympics
Counterfeiting has many victims, from the maker to the buyer. This story discusses the problem and why it worsens during major international events like the Olympics.
TEEN VOGUE: Why the Harris Walz Camo Hat Is Becoming a Status Symbol for Liberals
Proud of this scoop I got about the infamous Harris Walz camo hat. We were the first to report on the numbers sold, highlighting what felt like momentum for the campaign.
VOGUE BUSINESS: On Running is growing rapidly. Can it do so sustainably?
In March, I went to Zurich to see the On Running headquarters and interview the teams there about sustainability. It was eye-opening (and beautiful), even my 5k straight up a mountain.
REFINERY 29: The Year In Music Style: How Fashion Went Pop, Again
This story is about how fashion is everything. For pop stars, it can define them. In 2024 the proof was everywhere.