It's a fashion follower's worst nightmare -- worse than looking fat, more humiliating than wearing the same dress as another party guest -- it's the dread of looking last year.

Fashion trends, sometimes referred to as fads, are notoriously fickle. The fashion industry is always on the hunt for what's new, what's hot. For every new, must-have handbag, there's another that gets tossed aside like, well, last year's trend.

The Fashion Cycle

1. First, there's the emerging trend (the American Marketing Association refers to this as the "distinctiveness" part of the cycle where the trend is highly sought after. You know this as when you see that great hat/dress/shoe on the runway, red carpet or music video.
2. Next, comes what the AMA calls the emulation phase, where everyone wants a piece of the trend. You'll see it in fashion magazines, newspapers, internet and TV during this phase.
3. Finally, the trend becomes saturated in the market, usually at very low prices. With trendy items like a must-have designer handbag, the item becomes widely available as a knock-off.

When Kim Kardashian and J-Woww from Jersey Shore go at it in a fashion face-off, only one thing is for sure: There is gonna be some insane kleavage action.
J-Woww (real name Jenni Farley) has been dubbed the next Kim by some. We have no clue what that means, except maybe that she's a brunette reality star.

A well-endowed brunette reality star.
The all-natural Armenian goddess showed off her famous voluptuousness in a belted dress from the Kardashians by Bebe collection in January. Dee-zamn, Kim.
Meanwhile, the Jersey Shore cast member celebrated her b-day in Vegas last month in a black version of the plunge-front dress. No way those things are real.

Who looked better in their respective cleavage-baring dress? That's for you to decide, THG fashion fans. thehollywoodgossip