Words: Rachel Currie (she/her)
From slicked-back ponytails to jorts, 2024 brought a myriad of trends. Today’s “chronically online” youth are often seen wearing a chaotic mishmash of these “micro-trend” pieces, stacking and styling them in a completely disconnected way. Fashion writer Alexandra Hildreth quips ‘you can tell someone’s screen time from their outfit,’ reflecting how, for the chronically online, personal style has become a thing of the past. But what about for the rest of us? In a time where an online presence is fundamental to our sense of self, where does fashion fall into the mix?
Where fashion has existed, trends have followed in tandem. What we see today, however, is an influx of micro-trend items representative of an entire identity. The rising influence of TikTok has had a tidal impact on trends, with our generation looking to the app as a prophet for fashion advice. Yet the billions of videos to scroll through mean that an abundance of outfit options become available. In one video you might encounter a girl wearing a summery dress and picking fresh herbs from her garden (the “tomato girl”). However, in the next, you’ll likely see someone else wearing a blazer, pencil skirt, and distinctly tiny glasses (the “office siren”). Finding your personal style amongst this all feels near impossible. These shifting aesthetics offer more than just a fresh fashion statement – they shape a whole new identity. All it takes is purchasing the right pieces. Right?
Yet, within the micro-trend framework, you are not yourself – you are merely what you are told you should be. This is especially true for younger audiences. Adolescents entering into young adulthood generally have a shaky sense of self, and might think that buying a new look will offer them a much needed sense of purpose or direction. At that age, the incessant urge to grow up follows you everywhere you go. Social media appears to offer impressionable and vulnerable audiences the promise of a more mature and stylish version of themselves. However, the awkward, braces-filled chapter of my life – one I can’t help but cringe to look back on – taught me invaluable lessons about making mistakes, developing my sense of style, and discovering who I am. In contrast, today’s polished and glamorous 12-year-olds are a world apart from just a few years ago, often marking their transition to adolescence by trading Barbie dolls for endless hours scrolling on social media. This obsession risks stifling the personal growth that is crucial to developing a strong sense of identity.
Nowadays, purchasing clothes based on personal taste can feel radical – if you’re not fitting into a category, then who are you? And yet, we admire those who have a strong sense of personal style most of all. Take YouTube creator Emma Chamberlain. Often lauded for ‘predicting’ the next fashion movement, her 12 million subscribers demonstrate her style’s popularity. Likewise, Wisdom Kaye, known as ‘TikTok’s best-dressed guy’ gained several million followers from the creativity and innovation of his outfits and wardrobe pairings. This indicates how we, as an online community, admire the expression of personal identity through fashion – none of these people subscribe to a particular aesthetic you can buy your way into. Maybe the real ‘it’ factor is just our own taste.
Ultimately, micro-trends are driven by overconsumption. In this time of mass availability, is there simply too much choice? The COVID-19 lockdown marked a shift from in-person to online shopping, which has increased the availability of clothing ready to be shipped to our homes the very next day. While browsing aisles in person doesn’t make mass consumption any more environmentally beneficial, it does make for more conscious choices. The Internet works at a completely different level of availability. Interestingly, the shift towards micro-trends occurred at the same time as lockdown was enforced, with online shopping becoming normality. There is no set intention when you open a shop in your Internet browser, and so having the framework of microtrends like “balletcore” or “dark academia” can help narrow down your search. However, instead of buying into a ‘look’, we should browse for key pieces that we need. After all, creating an outfit in the morning becomes so much easier if your clothes don’t dip in and out of radically different styles or aesthetics. Intention in this sense is key – going shopping with a particular item in mind means it’s less likely you’ll be seduced by the ‘trendy’ pieces.
It’s equally important to look for inspiration beyond social media – fashion wasn’t born on TikTok. Instead of looking to your peers online, maybe look in the most obvious places: your bookshelves, DVD collections, Pinterest boards, and local neighbourhoods for inspiration. Personal style is really just that – personal. I can assure you, you don’t need TikTok to dress yourself better. You just need to get to know yourself a little more.
Love this sm 5 stars on Goodreads lovely
I’m afraid you have inspired me to become an office siren