The Ultimate Guide: Don’t Follow Trends—Set Them. Fashion-Forward Style with the Best UK & US Brands
Author: Stylist at TellarDate: 2025
In a fast-paced fashion world driven by seasonal trends and viral moments, some individuals rise above the noise. They don’t follow the crowd—they define what comes next. Setting trends means choosing garments that reflect identity, innovation, and longevity rather than simply reacting to what’s ‘in’. This guide shows you how to make fashion-forward choices that stand out from the mainstream, while spotlighting UK and US high street and designer options that support originality.
And for the perfect fit across brands—whether you lead in avant-garde tailoring or bold minimalist shapes—we’ll introduce tellar.co.uk: the UK’s leading free sizing tool. Tellar matches your body to over 1,500 brand sizing systems in real-time and offers access to an independent Fashion Hub filled with expert, honest advice.
💡 What Does It Mean to Set Trends?
Setting trends isn’t about being loud—it’s about vision, confidence, and knowing your personal aesthetic.
Early adopters wear what others will be wearing in 6–12 months.
Trendsetters adapt runway, subculture, or archival pieces to feel personal.
Innovators reinterpret classics (e.g. trench coats, denim, tailoring) in new proportions, fabrics, or silhouettes.
Fashion-forward choices are rooted in authenticity and technical understanding—not copying.
🎯 Technical Foundations of Fashion-Forward Style
✔ Shape and Silhouette
Modern fashion-forward wardrobes often subvert conventional proportions:
Oversized tailoring paired with streamlined layers
Structured skirts with slouchy knits
Asymmetry, architectural folds, or layered pleats
✔ Fabric and Texture
Experimental materials elevate even minimalist garments:
Coated cotton, wool felt, mesh, neoprene, moiré, or taffeta
Sheer paneling, quilting, exposed seams, raw hems
✔ Colour and Print
Trendsetters often opt for:
Saturated monochromes
Unusual colour blocking
Unexpected prints (blurry florals, digital scans, warped graphics)
👗 Styling Advice: Build a Fashion-Forward Wardrobe
✅ 1. Start with Elevated Basics
A sharply tailored black blazer (but oversized or collarless)
Wide-leg trousers in technical fabrics
Crisp white shirt with volume or back detail
Explore modern tailoring fit advice:
➡️ The Ultimate Guide to Women’s Tuxedo Suits: Styles, Brands & Fit
✅ 2. Layer Unpredictably
Try a sheer shirt over a structured top
Add volume with an A-line skirt under an oversized jumper
Belt your outer coat with wide statement leather
✅ 3. Balance Avant-Garde with Wearability
Pair conceptual silhouettes with neutral accessories or footwear to ground the look.
🛍️ UK High Street Brands Leading the Way
You don’t need a runway budget to dress ahead of the curve. These UK high street labels cater to directional dressers:
COS – Sculptural basics, architectural shapes, refined neutrals
AllSaints – Deconstructed leathers, grunge-luxe finish
& Other Stories – Minimalist-forward silhouettes in future-facing fabrics
Arket – Elevated essentials with a Northern European design lens
Discover your size in COS, Arket, and more:
🛍️ USA High Street Innovators
Everlane – Transparency meets progressive basics
Free People – Boho with edge, dramatic shapes
Tibi (bridge label) – Sculptural forms, luxe minimalism
💎 Designer Brands That Break the Mould
UK & European
JW Anderson – Asymmetry, subversion of classics
Roksanda – Bold colour blocking and architectural volume
Vivienne Westwood – The original punk deconstructor
Rejina Pyo – London label famed for unusual silhouettes with feminine edge
USA & Global
Proenza Schouler – Technical layering, off-kilter shapes
The Row – Ultimate stealth-luxury, structure meets ease
Rick Owens – Gothic futurism, draped minimalism
Issey Miyake – Pleats, origami cuts, wearable art
👠 Accessories that Define Style Leadership
Sculptural handbags – Half-moons, orbs, or slashed totes
Directional footwear – Square toes, flared heels, asymmetric straps
Statement jewellery – Raw stones, wire wraps, abstract earrings
Combine these with neutral foundations to build a coherent aesthetic without relying on fast cycles.
🧵 Body Shape Matters – Fit is Everything
Leading a trend requires confidence—and that confidence comes from proper fit.
Fit missteps can undermine even the boldest looks. Whether your style leans boxy, structured, fluid, or experimental, your clothes must work with your body—not against it.
Explore these detailed guides to understand how to balance print, proportion and fabric by shape:
➡️ Flattering Jeans for Every Body Shape
➡️ Finding Your Clothes Size: The Ultimate Guide
🔍 Enter Tellar.co.uk: Where Fit Meets Forward Fashion
Trendsetters don’t have time for size chart guessing. Tellar.co.uk removes all sizing uncertainty—instantly matching your body to the correct size in over 1,500 UK and US brands.
✅ What Is Tellar?
A free, web-based sizing tool powered by body measurements and fit science
Instantly accurate results using your bust, waist, and hip size, or your known fit in another brand
Works across high street and designer labels alike—from COS and Reiss to The Row and Mara Hoffman
🛠 How It Works
Add your measurements or size in a brand you already wear
Use the Store Size Lookup any time you shop
Get real-time recommendations on what size you’ll be in any brand
It’s accurate. It’s private. It’s always free. No downloads. No gimmicksInstruction on Posts
.📚 Explore the Free Fashion Hub at Tellar
Tellar isn’t just a tool—it’s a community built by stylists, garment technicians, and fashion editors. The Fashion Hub includes thousands of honest, independent posts helping you style smarter:
No affiliate bias. No sponsored links. Just fit-focused fashion truth.
📲 Follow Tellar for Daily Styling & Fit Science
Stay ahead of trends with expert insights on fashion-forward styling, body shape tailoring, and the science of great fit:
Instagram: @Tellarsizing
Twitter/X: @TellarSizing
Facebook: Tellar Sizing
Pinterest: TellarSizing
🔚 Final Word
True style isn’t about what’s hot. It’s about what fits, flatters, and speaks for you—before the trend cycle catches up. Whether you’re shaping silhouettes or disrupting with minimalist tailoring, your wardrobe deserves precision.
Tellar.co.uk is here to help you lead, not follow.
Find your size in 1,500+ brands in real time.
It’s free. Easy. Always accurate.
👉 Start today at tellar.co.ukInstruction on Posts
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