Fashion vs. Trend — What's the Difference?

By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on October 5, 2023

Fashion refers to a popular style or practice, especially in clothing, while a trend denotes a general direction in which something is developing or changing.

Difference Between Fashion and Trend

Table of Contents

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Key Differences

Fashion and trend, while interconnected, possess distinct nuances in their meaning. Fashion embodies a prevailing style or custom, especially within apparel and accessories. It's dynamic, continuously evolving with time, influenced by various factors like culture, celebrities, and designers. On the other hand, trend denotes a pattern of gradual change or a direction of a prevailing movement, not limited to just attire.

Oct 05, 2023

While fashion often helps to establish a trend, not all fashions become trends. Trends encompass broader scopes, spanning across industries such as technology, finance, and social behaviors. Fashion, more narrowly, zeroes in on aesthetics and design, capturing the zeitgeist of a specific time period.

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Fashion designers play a crucial role in setting the course of fashion, but it's the masses that decide the longevity and impact of a trend. Brands might introduce a fashion, yet it's the wider public acceptance and adaptation that solidifies it as a trend.

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Moreover, while a fashion might be short-lived, trends often have a more extended lifespan. Trends can evolve, witnessing iterations across seasons or even years. However, whether speaking of fashion or trend, both reflect societal shifts, tastes, and preferences of a particular era.

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Comparison Chart

Definition

A prevailing style or custom.

A general direction in which something is developing.

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Time Span

Can be short-lived or long-lasting.

Usually persists longer than a fleeting fashion.

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Scope

Primarily relates to clothing, accessories, and design.

Can be applied to any industry or behavior.

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Origin

Introduced by designers, influencers, or cultures.

Emerges from widespread acceptance or behavior.

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Purpose

To showcase style, individuality, and aesthetics.

To indicate a prevailing movement or shift.

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Compare with Definitions

Fashion

A popular or the latest style of clothing, hair, decoration, or behavior.

Vintage fashion has made a comeback.

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Trend

A topic that is the subject of many posts on social media within a short period.

#SummerVibes is the latest trend on social media.

Oct 05, 2023

Fashion

The production and marketing of new styles of clothing and cosmetics.

She's working in the fashion industry.

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Trend

A general direction in which something is developing or changing.

The trend in computer technology is towards smaller devices.

Oct 05, 2023

Fashion

The make or form of something.

The sculpture was carved in the fashion of an eagle.

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Trend

A current style or preference.

Pastel colors are a trend this spring.

Oct 05, 2023

Fashion

Fashion is a form of self-expression and autonomy at a particular period and place and in a specific context, of clothing, footwear, lifestyle, accessories, makeup, hairstyle, and body posture. In its everyday use, the term implies a look defined by the fashion industry as that which is trending.

Nov 22, 2019

Trend

A general tendency or course of events

A warming trend.

Nov 22, 2019

Fashion

The prevailing style or custom, as in dress or behavior

Out of fashion.

Nov 22, 2019

Trend

Current style; vogue

The latest trend in fashion.

Nov 22, 2019

Fashion

Something, such as a garment, that is in the current mode

A swimsuit that is the latest fashion.

Nov 22, 2019

Trend

The general direction of something

The river's southern trend.

Nov 22, 2019

Fashion

Manner or mode; way

Set the table in this fashion.

Nov 22, 2019

Trend

To show a general tendency; tend

The magazine's circulation is trending downward.

Nov 22, 2019

Fashion

A personal, often idiosyncratic manner

Played the violin in his own curious fashion.

Nov 22, 2019

Trend

To undergo a rapid increase in public interest or attention

News of the earthquake is trending on social media.

Nov 22, 2019

Fashion

Kind or variety; sort

People of all fashions.

Nov 22, 2019

Trend

To extend, incline, or veer in a specified direction

The prevailing wind trends northeast.

Nov 22, 2019

Fashion

Shape or form; configuration

A garden triangular in fashion.

Nov 22, 2019

Trend

An inclination in a particular direction.

The trend of a coastline

The upward trend of stock-market prices

Nov 22, 2019

Fashion

To give shape or form to; make

Fashioned a table from a redwood burl.

Nov 22, 2019

Trend

A tendency.

There is a trend, these days, for people in films not to smoke.

Nov 22, 2019

Fashion

To train or influence into a particular state or character

The teacher fashions her students into fine singers.

Nov 22, 2019

Trend

A fad or fashion style.

Miniskirts were one of the biggest trends of the 1960s.

Nov 22, 2019

Fashion

(Archaic) To adapt, as to a purpose or an occasion.

Nov 22, 2019

Trend

(mathematics) A line drawn on a graph that approximates the trend of a number of disparate points.

Nov 22, 2019

Fashion

(Obsolete) To contrive.

Nov 22, 2019

Trend

(nautical) The lower end of the shank of an anchor, being the same distance on the shank from the throat that the arm measures from the throat to the bill.

Nov 22, 2019

Fashion

(countable) A current (constantly changing) trend, favored for frivolous rather than practical, logical, or intellectual reasons.

Nov 22, 2019

Trend

(nautical) The angle made by the line of a vessel's keel and the direction of the anchor cable, when she is swinging at anchor.

Nov 22, 2019

Fashion

(uncountable) Popular trends.

Check out the latest in fashion.

Nov 22, 2019

Trend

Clean wool.

Nov 22, 2019

Fashion

(countable) A style or manner in which something is done.

Nov 22, 2019

Trend

(intransitive) To have a particular direction; to run; to stretch; to tend.

The shore of the sea trends to the southwest.

Nov 22, 2019

Fashion

The make or form of anything; the style, shape, appearance, or mode of structure; pattern, model; workmanship; execution.

The fashion of the ark, of a coat, of a house, of an altar, etc.

Nov 22, 2019

Trend

(transitive) To cause to turn; to bend.

Nov 22, 2019

Fashion

(dated) Polite, fashionable, or genteel life; social position; good breeding.

Men of fashion

Nov 22, 2019

Trend

To be the subject of a trend; to be currently popular, relevant or interesting.

What topics have been trending on social networks this week?

Nov 22, 2019

Fashion

To make, build or construct, especially in a crude or improvised way.

Nov 22, 2019

Trend

To cleanse or clean (something, usually wool).

Nov 22, 2019

Fashion

(dated) To make in a standard manner; to work.

Nov 22, 2019

Trend

To have a particular direction; to run; to stretch; to tend; as, the shore of the sea trends to the southwest.

Nov 22, 2019

Fashion

(dated) To fit, adapt, or accommodate to.

Nov 22, 2019

Trend

To cause to turn; to bend.

Not far beneath i' the valley as she trendsHer silver stream.

Nov 22, 2019

Fashion

(obsolete) To forge or counterfeit.

Nov 22, 2019

Trend

To cleanse, as wool.

Nov 22, 2019

Fashion

The make or form of anything; the style, shape, appearance, or mode of structure; pattern, model; as, the fashion of the ark, of a coat, of a house, of an altar, etc.; workmanship; execution.

The fashion of his countenance was altered.

I do not like the fashion of your garments.

Nov 22, 2019

Trend

Inclination in a particular direction; tendency; general direction; as, the trend of a coast.

Nov 22, 2019

Fashion

The prevailing mode or style, especially of dress; custom or conventional usage in respect of dress, behavior, etiquette, etc.; particularly, the mode or style usual among persons of good breeding; as, to dress, dance, sing, ride, etc., in the fashion.

The innocent diversions in fashion.

As now existing, fashion is a form of social regulation analogous to constitutional government as a form of political regulation.

Nov 22, 2019

Trend

Clean wool.

Nov 22, 2019

Fashion

Polite, fashionable, or genteel life; social position; good breeding; as, men of fashion.

Nov 22, 2019

Trend

A general direction in which something tends to move;

The shoreward tendency of the current

The trend of the stock market

Nov 22, 2019

Fashion

Mode of action; method of conduct; manner; custom; sort; way.

Nov 22, 2019

Trend

General line of orientation;

The river takes a southern course

The northeastern trend of the coast

Nov 22, 2019

Fashion

To form; to give shape or figure to; to mold.

Here the loud hammer fashions female toys.

Ingenious art . . . Steps forth to fashion and refine the age.

Nov 22, 2019

Trend

A general tendency to change (as of opinion);

Not openly liberal but that is the trend of the book

A broad movement of the electorate to the right

Nov 22, 2019

Fashion

To fit; to adapt; to accommodate; - with to.

Laws ought to be fashioned to the manners and conditions of the people.

Nov 22, 2019

Trend

The popular taste at a given time;

Leather is the latest vogue

He followed current trends

The 1920s had a style of their own

Nov 22, 2019

Fashion

To make according to the rule prescribed by custom.

Fashioned plate sells for more than its weight.

Nov 22, 2019

Trend

Turn sharply; change direction abruptly;

The car cut to the left at the intersection

The motorbike veered to the right

Nov 22, 2019

Fashion

To forge or counterfeit.

Nov 22, 2019

Trend

A prevailing tendency or inclination.

There's a trend towards healthy eating these days.

Oct 05, 2023

Fashion

How something is done or how it happens;

Her dignified manner

His rapid manner of talking

Their nomadic mode of existence

In the characteristic New York style

A lonely way of life

In an abrasive fashion

Nov 22, 2019

Trend

A general course or prevailing movement.

The trend of the stock market is upward.

Oct 05, 2023

Fashion

Characteristic or habitual practice

Nov 22, 2019

Fashion

The latest and most admired style in clothes and cosmetics and behavior

Nov 22, 2019

Fashion

Make out of components (often in an improvising manner);

She fashioned a tent out of a sheet and a few sticks

Nov 22, 2019

Fashion

A manner of doing something.

The bridge was constructed in the fashion of the 19th century.

Oct 05, 2023

Fashion

A way or method of using or doing something.

He solved the problem in his own unique fashion.

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Common Curiosities

How long does a trend last?

Trends can vary in duration, from short-lived to persisting over years.

Oct 05, 2023

Can trends be observed outside the fashion industry?

Yes, trends can be found in technology, finance, behaviors, and more.

Oct 05, 2023

Is fashion only about clothing?

Primarily, but fashion can also encompass hairstyles, accessories, and other aesthetic elements.

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How does a trend start?

Trends often start from a shared behavior or preference among a large group.

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Who sets the fashion?

Designers, influencers, and cultures often introduce new fashions.

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Can a trend influence fashion?

Absolutely, broader societal trends can shape and influence fashion directions.

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Can something be both a fashion and a trend?

Yes, if a specific style becomes widely accepted, it can be both a fashion and a trend.

Oct 05, 2023

Can a trend re-emerge after fading out?

Yes, certain trends can resurface after a period, sometimes influenced by nostalgia.

Oct 05, 2023

What's the difference between a fashion fad and a trend?

A fad is short-lived, while a trend has a more extended duration and broader acceptance.

Oct 05, 2023

Is every fashion also a trend?

No, not every fashion becomes a trend; it depends on widespread acceptance.

Oct 05, 2023

Is the fashion industry only about clothing?

While clothing is central, the fashion industry also includes accessories, cosmetics, and even decor.

Oct 05, 2023

Are trends predictable?

Some trends can be forecasted, especially in industries like fashion, but not all are predictable.

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How do trends affect businesses?

Businesses adapt their strategies based on prevailing trends to cater to consumer preferences.

Oct 05, 2023

Are fashion and trend synonyms?

While related, they aren't synonyms. Fashion is about style; trend indicates direction or movement.

Oct 05, 2023

Why do certain fashions never become trends?

It could be due to lack of wide acceptance, practicality, or appeal to the masses.

Oct 05, 2023

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Author Spotlight

Written by

Tayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.