Is anyone else exhausted by the current state of fashion? In the modern age of social media and our obsession with self-image, it’s hard not to feel the pressure to constantly be dressed in the newest and nichest aesthetic, like “mob wife” or “tomato girl”, leading to overwhelming fashion fatigue. Specific items come into trend, they are pushed and pushed into the tiktok shop-carts of many, and within weeks – or even days – the garment, accessory, or shoe is tired, “cheugy”, and those who succumbed to the microtrend of the week feel the pressure of not having the new ‘it’ thing. The first thing that comes to mind is the infamous 2020 House of Sunny Hockney dress, or – god forbid – the sunset cardigan. Even in the past year, not only have specific items come into fashion (with the many dupes that follow), like the ganni ballet flats and the viral “slimming” skims dress, but aesthetics and “cores” are becoming more and more specific and harder to keep up with. Office sirens, quiet luxury luncheon ladies, clean pilates girls, coastal cowboy grandmothers; literally, what are we talking about? We consume clothes like we consume content, like we consume the profiles of possible dating partners: we’re all in it for instant gratification. This leads to unworn piles of clothes in our closets, piles and piles of clothes in landfills, and honestly, it’s ruining style.
I don’t want to be the worst person you know, always saying stuff like: “*sighhhhhh* I was born in the wrong generation!”; but I can’t help but think back on the trend cycles of the past 100 years and how fashion participated within specific subcultures. Starting with the flapper girls in the 20’s, evolving into the disco fad and hippie craze of the 70’s, punks and yuppies in the 1980’s, and emos vs. goths in the early aughts; fashion throughout these eras was about so much more than what everyone else was wearing. Participating in these groups was about subscribing to a way of life. Subcultures often revolved around music, film and literature; fashion was just another way of expressing what was important to you and the people around you. One’s style is possibly the most accessible form of self-expression. When a woman in the 1920’s wore her hair short and a dress down to her knees, or a man wore heavy eyeliner and a beat up leather jacket in the 80’s, this was a means to portray to everyone in the room upon entering: “This is who I am. This is what I believe”. I don’t want to come across as if I’m saying trends are a bad thing – most of these subcultures were influenced by trends from the period, or other subcultures! However, style evolved due to personalization and the ethos of each group influencing their take on the trends. For example, punks in the 70’s and 80’s often took their fashion from the biker subculture, but used pins, patches, and buttons – as well as distressing their items – to create a whole new look. Not only did it look cool, but it aligned perfectly with the “do it yourself” ethic of the punk movement, moving away from notions of corporate greed (sound familiar?).
If I say it once, I will say it again: we need to bring community and intentionality back to fashion. With these constant shifts in microtrends and “aesthetics”, fashion has become a means to stand out against your peers instead of sharing your self-expression with like-minded people. Individuality in one’s style has become a competition, and not only is it tiring, but it makes the cycle of consumption even faster, creating more clothing waste and disdain for all the unworn and expensive pieces stuffed in the depths of your closet. I would love to give new and groundbreaking advice to fix this issue, but shopping second hand honestly is the best cure to falling victim to the overconsumption of microtrends. There are so many clothes that already exist; and so many of those clothes come from old subcultures and different pieces of history, creating a richer, more personal closet! I also don’t want to discourage social media use entirely for fashion help. Stylist @justmacrose on Instagram and TikTok creates inclusive, helpful videos about helping to curate and cultivate your own personal style without falling victim to influencing and the rapid turnover of microtrends. All in all, let’s try and think more about which pieces we need to have in our wardrobe. For your sake, and mine, let’s spend our money wisely – and live more authentically!
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