This week's Trends piece features esteemed trendspotter is Tricia Royal of Flickr's highly addictive and inspirational fashion group wardrobe_remix. (We're big fans at the Etsy Labs!) Tricia has a background in art and fashion design and has been a maker of wearable art for two decades.  She is a big fan of Etsy, and of thoughtfully designed handmade wares of any description.  She is a graduate of Parsons, The New School for Design, with a degree in Fashion Design. Tricia designs clothing, knitwear, accessories and writes about fashion, all on a freelance basis.  She lives in (sometimes sunny) San Francisco with her husband and two cats.  Her fashion/design/personal blog is BitsandBobbins.com/journal, which includes a recently inaugurated series called "Etsy Love," in which she highlights the work of one amazing Etsy artist/designer each week and a recurring thread about her favorite Etsy shops.

Tricia weighed in with her take on wardrobe_remix, indie fashion trends and DIY accessory trends on Etsy, and we're big fans! Here's Tricia.

I started wardrobe_remix in September of 2005, when I was still a student at Parsons.  I have been a long time fan of fashion and street fashion photography, and I've been obsessed with the latter since the 1990s.  Said passions inspired the creation of wardrobe_remix, which I define as a "DIY street fashion community." Stylish folks take pictures of themselves in their everyday outfits, and they post said photos in the group and discuss fashion and style in the related forums.  In 2.5 years, the group membership has grown to over six thousand members, many of whom are into art, craft, and DIY fashion (either wearing it proudly or making it themselves)! 

wardrobe_remix is a deliberately positive community which has from the beginning had one overarching aim: to celebrate the amazing personal style of oneself and others. Handmade, secondhand, and new (of mass or designer origin) clothing and accessories happily meet and mix on the backs of hundreds of creative dressers...and the results are, simply put, inspirational.

Idiosyncratic is the name of the wardrobe_remix game, and I believe that is it's biggest overarching trend.  It is what makes the group unique! While currently popular trends of mass-appeal might rear their heads in the group with regularity, each contributing member of the wardrobe_remix community seems to give their personal wardrobe and the pieces which populate it their own special twist, "remix(ing)" what they've got in their own special way. 

wardrobe_remix members adore unique wearables that feature special twists. That is, of course, Etsy's strength!  It's chocked full of well-designed, one-of-a-kind threads that have a wholeheartedly original edge.  It's no surprise that it's a go-to shopping and style destination for many a remix(er)!

I scoured Etsy with vigor for several days, and found a slew of items and sellers that really seem to embody and honor the independent spirit of both Etsy AND wardrobe_remix, while simultaneously reflecting the trends of the season we're currently in the thick of, winter:  haute headgear, scarves and cowls, a slew of bold bags to brighten the dark days so many are suffering through. 

As far as style, anything from bold and colorful to sleek and sophisticated goes for wardrobe_remix(ers), and I worked hard to represent the diversity of the group with my choices.  Enjoy!

[I love you dearly]

elsahats of Astoria in New York City creates hats that combine crochet and unexpected found materials such as vintage buttons, jewels, bits of metal, and random sewing closures. 

lindamade hails from Montana and makes uber-textural toppers in deliciously vivid colors that would undoubtedly brighten up any dark winter day.

[Hand Knit Teal Lace Scarf]

yarnovermovement of Hamilton, Ontario, aka Tara-Lynn, is a long-time contributer to wardrobe_remix, and a master of the (knitting) needles.  Her soft, woolen hand-knit scarf manages to be classic and modern, with it's all-over lacy yet large feather-and-fan stitch.

[The Appaloosa Cowl]

Cowls seem to be having a moment right now on wardrobe_remix. fringe and KConway make cowls (and scarves) that hit that very style mark, and they soar with sophistication, due to the combination of careful stitching and thoughtful choices in terms of proportion and fabrication (soft colors, sweet little extras like fringes and pins).

[Avery - Cherry Red] 

[Bella]

Toronto's chacha2 makes handcrafted bags that many a remix(er) (particularly those with a more minimal personal style) would surely covet:  slick, simple, and super versatile.  Their geometric shapes and dynamic seaming make them special.

[Patchwork Handbag - Turquoise and Stitched] 

I keep seeing new and used patchwork bags popping up in the outfits of many a remix(er), and I drool each time I see one.  I'm positive the perfectly modern, outrageously vibrant patchwork totes of raeburnink would delight many in the community who love color share my patchy obsession!

For more info, check out this thread on wardrobe_remix about recent w_r trends and Etsy shops fashionistas are loving.

And as a little bonus, here are some super inspirational remix(ers) to check out:
lebonbonmulticolore
piksi_
persephassa
verhext 
sunshine loves you 

What's your favorite trend? Are you a wardrobe_remixer?  Link us to your Flickr in the comments below!