No such thing as a ‘must have’

In almost every issue, fashion magazines run ‘must have‘ lists.

While I love a lot of things about fash mags, the ‘must have’ list is certainly not one of them — I absolutely detest them.

Here’s why.

‘Must-haves’ are ‘one size fits all’

I don’t mean that literally, since the ‘must have’ lists often feature clothes that only look good on a size 0 figure.

What I do mean is, there will never be one list of ‘must haves’ that works for everyone’s lifestyle — but you wouldn’t get that feeling from looking at the lists. Usually the clothing are perfect for a woman who works in publishing and lives in the city… say, a fashion editor.

If you work in a conservative office, a veterinary surgery or any of a thousand other industries, those ‘must haves’ would only be suitable for weekend wear.

Likewise, if you live in an extreme climate, or even live outside a major city, those ‘must haves’ are pretty unlikely to fit your lifestyle.

‘Must-haves’ are trendy

Have you ever noticed that one season’s ‘must have’ is usually in the next season’s ‘out’ list?

‘Must have’ lists are intended to tell you what you’d need to look trendy that season, so they’re great for people who like to be fashionable… but if you’d rather be stylish, you’ll want to skip most of the ‘must have’s. (Read more about the difference between trendy and stylish here.)

That’s not to say you should never buy anything fashionable — just consider whether you love it enough to keep wearing it when the mags say it’s out before you spend much money on a trendy item.

‘Must-haves’ lack individuality

If everyone followed the same must have list, we’d all wear very similar outfits each season. Can you imagine anything more dull?

I love to see girly girls still wearing full skirts when the mags say androgyny is in, and tomboys in pants when femininity’s making a comeback. When the look fits the personality well, it looks fabulous even when it’s supposedly ‘out’.

‘Must-haves’ trickle down from the top

My favourite trends are often the ones that weren’t in the mags: the ones that started on the street and spread from there.

Those trends start because someone ignores what’s ‘in’ and tries something new. If it works for them, maybe someone copies it, then someone copies them…. and a trend is born.

By contrast, ‘must-haves’ usually reflect what Muiccia Prada’s been doing lately. I love her work, but should we all wear what she says? I think not.