When scrolling through popular styles and outfit trends, a new identity is crafted every few months. Clean Girl aesthetic was trendy in early 2023, but after the summer, we began seeing a subdued Y2K theme with items like cargo pants and baby tees. The lifespan of fashion pieces and these trends are shortening due to social media. Additionally, the internet has altered the 20-year trend cycle theory. The cycle states that fashion trends are recycled every 20 years due to nostalgia and distance from oversaturation. For example, choker necklaces were a staple of the 90s and resurfaced in the 2010s. Going outside the theory feels less applicable; outfits have necklines pulled from the 2000s, shoes from the 1970s, and jackets from the 1980s. Trends are resurfacing from the 2000s (see current trends) but combined with pieces from all decades. With the rise of the internet, popular trends have become short-lived, and the COVID-19 pandemic heightened the acceleration of this trend cycling.
Consumerism and media fragmentation are at an all-time high. Social media and the internet have increased mainstream exposure to different backgrounds and perspectives through influencers (including micro-influencers). However, that comes with a less-defined fashion identity. Compared to past decades, with clear styles, silhouettes, and colors to represent the time, trends are fragmented and have no clear evolution. This can be seen in 2020 fashion microtrends; cottagecore, dark academia, maximalism, and others were simultaneously very popular.
The Covid-19 pandemic made TikTok a widespread social media platform. The 15-second videos that anyone could create paired with quarantine caused a flood of creators on the app. All are bringing different perspectives, ideas, and styles. Microtrends, coupled with the pressure to meet them and the rise in e-commerce shopping, caused consumerism and fast fashion to grow exponentially. This can be seen in Shein taking off in 2020, with companies like Zara and Cider following suit. The cultural expectation to buy new pieces and follow microtrends hasn’t slowed down since.
Microtrends dominate mainstream fashion, and with them comes the urge to buy new staples every few months. Microtrends and consumerism will slow down if we reject this increased consumerism in the future. Until then, I recommend finding your voice in fashion.
It’s easy to get lost in social media and trends. It can serve as an identity. However, reevaluating your mindset when it comes to purchases can help lower personal consumption and can help develop your style. I recommend taking a month before deciding to purchase pieces. This allows you to see if the piece holds longevity and if it’s something you continue to enjoy. In the new age of post-pandemic social media, individuality is more challenging than ever. Exercise your creativity and find what resonates with you, which will help slow down personal consumption and build your identity.