How to Predict Upcoming Trends in Fashion for Photography

I’ve had a lot of people asking me lately for advice on upcoming fashion and buying trends that will impact photography. Friends often remark about how I’m good at knowing what’s coming next like it’s a special magical skill. I was surprised to hear that because I sewed a rabbit skin to the back of my black jean jacket in 6th grade, maybe in an attempt to have a fur coat? and that has never caught on.

But I do teach classes on Stylized family portraits and I have a senior portrait account called Style Muse Magazine so I guess fashion trends and STYLE have been more than just a passing interest.

That remark got me thinking though. Do I possess magical skills to know what’s coming? Definitely not. So, why is there that perception? Over the years, I’ve created several habits that I just naturally do each season when preparing for what I will be shooting with my seniors in the spring and my family sessions in the fall. Part of my process for creating fresh imagery is connecting with what is coming up in fashion - both the actual fashion trends and the buying habits of the current consumers.

Here is the step-by-step process I use to find and predict fashion trends for my studio.

I take stock of what I’ve been doing and the fashions I’ve been connecting with. Last fall, I highlighted gold accents, hygge home trends, the evergreen color of the year and of course, farm house wood. These trends informed the sets and holiday specials I offered to my family clients. Some trends carry over from season to season. I think carefully about what I’ve done in the past so I don’t repeat the look accidentally.
Next, I google current fashion trends. When I find a source that I like, I’ll search back and forth in the seasons as well. I would literally enter into google - Fall Winter 2021 or FW 2021 or Spring Summer 2020 or SS 2020 Fashion Trends.
For fall, I look at current home trends and search in the past year or two fashion trends because I am looking for what my family clients will want to do in their homes. Home trends are typically a few years behind fashion. Living in the midwest, my clients are not quite as modern and clean-lined and they are definitely not as trendy as the coasts.
For spring, I don’t go too far ahead either when I make my planning. I’ll look at the next year’s predictions if I can find them, but what is hitting the midwest is usually current and some of it is from the year before. Because I am predicting for high school senior girl buyers, I don’t worry so much about the contemporary women’s fashion. I look more at the juniors side of fashion and teen.
Once I’ve laid a foundation for what I am looking at on google, then I go to pinterest and do the same searches.
I compile everything I’ve seen mentally and pull together 3-5 trends that I want to explore. I typically come up with several trends that I feel are fresh, new and young. It’s really simple. I’m not looking for the avante garde and fancy pants. For spring 2020, fruit is going to be a big thing - citrus, watermelons, strawberries. Ralph Lauren’s spring resort look is gorgeous lemon, lime and tangerine colors! That’s an easy one to translate into photo sessions. I’ve also seen a lot of black and white polka dots - another fun look I’m planning a session around.
Then, I make secret pinterest boards for each trend that I identify with visual concepts for what I’ll be shooting - backgrounds, props, clothing, poses for senior sessions in the spring, home decor, color inspiration clothing and poses for families in the fall.
Part of what I do when it comes to trends is sift through everything and find a) what I like and b) what will connect with the client that I am targeting. I’m not a slave to fashion here. If I don’t like something personally or I don’t think it will sell or resonate with my client base, I ignore it. The beauty of this is that whatever I say is in style or is a trend then becomes an actual style or trend in my world once I shoot it. I can’t really be wrong if I’m pulling from current sources. As long as the images are new, fresh and fun, my clients connect and love it!

I hope this helps you in your business world to have new ways to look at fashion and how it affects your business. Watch StyleMuse Magazine for an upcoming fruit explosion. Check out my Pinterest boards. I typically open up recent trends once I shoot the concept. And if you want to follow along and be part of my stuff, sign up for my email where I’ll share upcoming trends and the buying habit side of those trends each email.