As Milan’s Fashion Week dazzles with intricate designs, influencers on various platforms flaunt their own fashion shows, each outfit boasting an enticing price tag and societal approval. However, this rapid turnover of trends fueled by social media is promoting fast fashion, enticing consumers to constantly seek the latest pieces endorsed by famous influencers, contributing to unsustainable consumption habits.
With a spike in social media growth, platforms look to improve and combine numerous hot features found on various apps to curate the ideal experience that appeals to each user and returns a hefty profit to their pockets. TikTok, a free platform that allows users to create content showcasing lifestyles, talents, hobbies and news, can be found nestled between apps on the home screens of billions of people around the world. With the ability to gain a following, profit and praise, creators appear on one’s “For You Page,” advertising voices, style choices, businesses, houses, lifestyles, jobs and more. An algorithm then cultivates a stream of videos and creators for each user, leaving them to scroll for hours.
Amidst the hour-long ordeal, users piece together their dream wardrobe complete with every hot new item tagged with the promise of encapsulating the look of the new “it girl.” Skinny jeans, ripped denim, a tiny top with a sporadic print and scrunchies are all pieces that once dominated the industry but are now only an era of fashion’s history as they lay collecting dust stuffed behind bins in closets. The “VSCO Girl,” equipped with a scrunchie, Hydro Flask and an oversized shirt, became the norm as girls spent their days watching Outer Banks and racking up hours of screen time while quarantining during Covid-19. Freshman Sophie Trinh discussed the impact different platforms had on many girls during Covid-19, and how it was evident without style.
“I feel like [the] lockdown really pushed a lot of people toward social media, as there weren’t many other things to do,” Trinh said. “All of a sudden, TikTok surged in popularity and videos about the concept of a ‘VSCO Girl’ were everywhere. People were telling you how to dress, what to buy, what to post, how to live and out of nowhere, social media became this how-to guide for the way in which we are supposed to go about life.”
While the days of dancing the “Renegade” may be over, TikTok’s prevalence within the world of fashion is not. As the app weaves advertisements within the compilation of hundreds of videos, influencers upload their own advertisements hidden within the perfected clips of their life. A vintage oversized Miami Dolphins jacket, a sleek tiny black mini skirt and bold platform black boots, accessorized with chunky gold jewelry are the ultimate ensemble for a big NFL game. Followers are left yearning, reaching for their wallets in hopes that the perfect black mini skirt might also be the key to their own manifested success.
Yet, with the mere swipe of a finger comes another video. Showcasing a baggy low rise denim, striped knit sweater, Goyard tote and a pair of Gazelles from Adidas, complete with a slick back pony, a woman picks up her morning coffee and heads to the library for a six-hour study session. Suddenly, North Face bags and high-school sweatshirts are being tossed, laptops are being opened and Google is being searched, as people look for the perfect outfit that will finally prompt them to study. Referencing the influence TikTok creators can have on people’s lives, freshman Avery Brown commented on the romanticized lifestyles of many influencers on the platform.
“I totally think we romanticize the moments and lives we see through our screens,” Brown said. “It’s hard not to when you have people like Alix Earle surging to fame and suddenly dating all these major athletes, you kind of analyze how someone’s life can change so quickly and what the root of this change is. Pinterest boards replicate the perfect life, but in reality, one outfit or quick purchase isn’t going to change your life, and I think people have a hard time accepting that.”
Striving to mirror the lifestyles of social media’s glorified “it girls,” users are lured in with the promise of effortlessly chic ensembles and enviable aesthetics. Yet, as the digital world is scoured for the latest hot trends, a cycle of consumerism encapsulates society, leaving people in a constant pursuit of fleeting micro-trends that drain both wallets and the planet.
As hopes to bring Pinterest boards to life grow, people look for brands and pieces that replicate those found in the closets of top influencers. With a pen and paper at the ready, scribbles are created while scrolling through TikToks and posts. As lists grow in length, and undoubtedly price, a quick fix is suddenly circled and bolded. This solution comes in the form of varying big-name brands, as creators publish hauls of the “dupes” that appear to be a seamless match to those on their wish lists.
In a rush to mimic these idealized lifestyles, people purchase absurd amounts of clothing from brands like Shein, Zara, H&M, Amazon and Mango, drawn by the allure of instant gratification without the hefty price tag. With these brands offering cheaply made garments, consumers hastily satisfy their insatiable appetite for the trends that consume society. Yet, amidst the growing demand for consumption, many fail to acknowledge the environmental harm caused by these brands and the difficulty in escaping the cyclical trend.
Social media only intensifies this cycle, weaving an intricate web that entices consumers into the relentless pursuit of the trendiest or most liked items, forsaking substance for fleeting popularity. Freshman Shea Traverse commented on this topic and the prevalent impact social media has on the industry.
“Fashion trends are constantly changing and, with social media, people are aware of that,” Traverse said. “Something that is in style one day may be out of style the next. Influencers who wear these fashion trends inspire other people, but because fashion is always changing, people don’t want to spend a lot of money on good quality, sustainable clothing knowing the piece might be out of style within a few weeks.”
This age-old war between substance and popularity leaves fashion to stand at a crossroads in a digital age where Instagram filters meet runway glamor and TikTok dances strut alongside haute couture. In efforts to navigate a bustling intersection, people are met with sustainability, influencer culture and the trials of defining one’s individuality, as they all converge in a whirlwind of trends and hashtags.
As people navigate this bustling intersection, they’re met with the allure of influencers flaunting their latest finds, tempting a promise of instant style and societal approval. Yet, amidst the ever-changing landscape of fast fashion trends, consumers become exhausted, struggling to keep pace with fleeting styles. Social media platforms like TikTok serve as guides through this fashion maze. However, amidst the sea of perfectly curated feeds and sponsored posts, there’s a risk of losing sight of one’s unique style and identity.
Therefore, prompting the fashion world to take a scenic route, exploring vintage shops and eco-friendly brands, and rediscovering the joy of self expression through fashion without the pressure of likes and followers. Fashion, in its essence, serves as the perfect accessory for expressing oneself, rather than striving to embody an idealized version of the person one hopes to become.
