Five ways to be stylish without following trends

Hannah Rochell: ‘I’m an advocate for slowing down our shopping habits for the sake of people and the planet’

Irrelevant: it’s the new relevant! I’m a fashion writer, but these days I am far more interested in style than trends.

I’m an advocate for slowing down our shopping habits for the sake of people and the planet. There’s something really empowering about embracing irrelevance when it comes to our wardrobes, especially when you consider that the fashion industry is built on preying on our insecurities just to get us to buy more stuff.

The thing is, not fitting in with trends doesn’t mean not looking stylish, because personal style transcends trends. It’s about choosing clothes that speak to your personality, or that have a point of difference to the design, that you really love and would wear over and over again for years.

Here are a few ways I choose to stay happily irrelevant.

1. Stripes are perennials

There’s something eternally chic about a Breton stripe (thank you, Coco Chanel) but they’re also incredibly versatile. You could just wear them with your favourite jeans and some loafers, and you’d be good to go whatever decade you’re in, age-wise and date-wise – these are both great irrelevance indicators. I like to layer mine under things; the peek of stripe on the sleeves here is very pleasing.

You can’t go wrong with a long-sleeved, stripy t-shirt - Heathcliff O'Malley

Of course, it needn’t stop with classic navy and white stripes, and it certainly doesn’t with me. I have a chunky chocolate and white stripe, rainbow stripes, and nautical red and white stripes. For winter, my stripy roll necks are in shades of navy and red, orange and black, and classic black and white. All get worn habitually, regardless of what’s happening on the catwalks in any given season.

Striped long sleeve tee, £28, by Rapanui; adjustable jeans, £295, by The Female Archetypes; for a similar denim shirt try Kate Barton; leopard print slippers, £200, by Sabah

2. Comfort is the key to longevity

I’ve been wearing clothes with adjustable waists and features since I fell in love with lockdown’s uniform – tracksuit bottoms – back in 2020. Not only do I reach for my comfy trousers more often than my tightest jeans, but a stretchy, drawstring or tied middle will fluctuate with me as my waist inevitably changes over the year, month, or even day.

A gingham A-line maxi skirt (ideally with an elasticated waist) will work hard in your wardrobe - Heathcliff O'Malley

Now I rarely choose new clothes that don’t have a flexible waistband of some kind; this skirt, like so much of my wardrobe, has an elasticated waist. Beware though: not all elastic waists are created equal. Some brands scrimp on the elastic and don’t have as much stretch, and I also look out for a stitched-in elastic, which prevents it from annoyingly flipping over inside the waistband and creating a bumpy line. Side note: gingham is a neutral.

Cotton ribboned vest, £58, by Olive Clothing; cotton T-shirt by Rise & Fall – this season this style is a paper and cotton blend, £80; organic cotton skirt, £200, by Beaumont Organic; recycled UNEEK sandals, £110, by KEEN

3. Be led by the weather, not by trends

Living in a temperate climate means that our wardrobes have to constantly change, just not necessarily with new things. As we enter another season, I always get excited about welcoming old friends out of the wardrobe for their time in the sun (or rain).

Some of my favourite seasonal pieces are decades old, thanks to the fact that I choose practical, beautiful items I love, and then took really good care of them. Take the fisherman sandals I am wearing in the next look, for example, which I have had for around twelve years. I couldn’t imagine life without them.

A stored-away-for-the-winter shorts collection is a joy to rediscover each summer - Heathcliff O'Malley

And then there’s my small but perfectly formed shorts collection, which has been back out since April – an early first appearance for 2026! – and won’t get packed away again until October, with any luck. Most of them have been knocking about for at least five years and all get worn weekly over the summer months. No prizes for guessing that this pair, like most of my other shorts, have a stretchy elastic waistband.

Upcycled tie blouse, past season by The Well Worn (similar still available at thewellworn.co.uk); Irish linen shorts, £185, Kindred of Ireland; for similar sandals try Mafalda

4. Make your own silhouette rules

When you’ve spent years finding the shape of jeans that actually works for you, is it really worth abandoning them just because some fashion people have come along and declared the complete opposite as the most relevant of the season all of a sudden? Of course not. When it comes to silhouettes, there’s nothing wrong with finding what you enjoy wearing – both in terms of the way it feels and the way it looks – and sticking with it.

A denim dress with a silhouette that works for you is a trend-resistant wardrobe staple - Heathcliff O'Malley

And does any item have more silhouette options than a dress? Personally, I’ve enjoyed a wide dress since cottage core first made an appearance early this decade. I don’t really care that this season saw a plethora of tunics, stretchy tank dresses and (shudder) micro dresses on the catwalks. I’m 49, I want to be comfortable, and a tank dress doesn’t even have pockets or sleeves, so I’ll stick to something more roomy and practical.

5. Choose the things you love

This blouse – oh, this blouse! I have worn it so many times since I first got it three summers ago that I have lost count. It’s always a special day when I pull this out of the wardrobe, whether that’s for a fancy dinner or just for a trip into town to meet friends. Because it also has that special quality of being perfect for pretty much any occasion, and easily styled with multiple items: another reason why it’s one of my all-time favourites.

Seek out those elusive items which are perfect for pretty much any occasion - Heathcliff O'Malley

I’ve learnt to trust my gut feeling about clothes. I didn’t fall in love with this top because it was on trend (perhaps it was at the time, though I can’t remember); rather, I chose it because I loved the unusual frills and the colours of the embroidery worked brilliantly with lots of things already in my wardrobe. Plus it gave me a fuzzy feeling the first time I saw it – if anyone else gets a physical reaction to clothes they love, go with it! It’s usually a sign that you’re making a good decision.

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