I Weighed the Pros and Cons of 14 New Trends, and These Fared the Worst

The older and (hopefully) wiser I get, the more I try to be a more mindful shopper. In this Instagram age we live in, it's easy to get swept up into any and every trend on the scene for any given season, which has guided me toward quite a few regretful purchases in the past. So, this year, I've decided to make an effort to put more thought into the trends that I buy into. I'm a list person, so naturally, that's what I decided to make to choose the best new fashion trends of 2019 to try.

It's already shaping up to be a very stylish year, but because not all trends on the horizon will be for everyone, I did my part and made a list of the pros and cons of 14 of the biggest ones. Half had more cons than pros for me, but if you love any of those and know you'll be able to work them into your existing wardrobe, by all means, do so. This is just my take. Without further ado, keep scrolling to find out which 2019 fared the worst on my pro/con list, and then shop the trends to buy instead (in case you agree).

TREND: Low-Rise Jeans

CONS:

Looks dated

Unflattering

Won't stick around

ALTERNATIVE: Cargo Pants

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TREND: Ultra-High Platform Shoes

CONS:

Bad for your feet

Hard to walk in

Not particularly versatile

ALTERNATIVE: Sport Sandals

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TREND: Neon

CONS:

Not appropriate for many situations

Tricky to style

Too bold for most wardrobes

ALTERNATIVE: Feathers

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TREND: Bike shorts

CONS:

Not cold weather–friendly

Limited styling options

Oversaturated

ALTERNATIVE: Maxi-Length Pieces

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TREND: Shell Earrings

Cons:

Oversaturated

Very seasonal

ALTERNATIVE: Pearl Earrings

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TREND: Coral

Cons:

Already ubiquitous, thanks to Pantone

Feels old-fashioned

ALTERNATIVE: Cow Print

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TREND: Visor/Shield Sunglasses

CONS: 

Too "I just hit the ski slopes"

Not universally flattering

Probably won't make it to 2020

ALTERNATIVE: Slightly Squared Frames

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Opening Image: @maria_bernad

Allyson Payer
Senior Editor

Allyson is a senior editor for Who What Wear. She joined the company in 2014 as co-founder Katherine Power's executive assistant and over the years has written hundreds of stories for Who What Wear. Prior to her career in fashion, Allyson worked in the entertainment industry at companies such as Sony Pictures Television. Allyson is now based in Raleigh, North Carolina, and is originally from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She holds a BFA in theater. Her path to fashion may not have been linear, but based on the number of fashion magazines she collected as a child and young adult, it was meant to be.