We have all witnessed the rise and fall of a fashion trend. Styles of past have always managed to nudge their way back in a manner that always insured that fashion maintained a cyclical nature. However, with the rise of social media and the explosion of the doom scroll black hole that is Tiktok, the fashion sphere is moving at a concerning fast pace.
The cycle of fashion
Mandy Lee, a fashion forecast analysts, explains the fashion cycle as having five stages: introduction, rise, acceptance, decline, and obsolescence. These traditionally occurred up to every twenty years.
However, what do you get when you put these trends in the hypervisible sphere of ‘fashion-tok’? “Micro- trends”! Trends so short in span, that you are lucky if they last long enough for your delivery date to come around...
The role of Tiktok in fashion
Arguably, more than any other platform, Tiktok has effectively subverted the way in which fashion is consumed. To do well on the app’s algorithm you need to post often and with the popularisation of trends such as ‘clothing hauls’ and ‘outfit roulettes’, users are encouraged to consume more and faster as a way of gaining popularity.
The viral nature of the app contributes to the normalisation of overconsumption and the pressure to always have something new. In turn, this increased demand requires production levels that rely on exploitative manufacturing practices that put both humans and the environment at risk.
So what can you do?
Trends are not necessarily always negative, but they have become a key driver of unsustainable consumption, and waste in the fashion industry. So, the best way to beat these accelerated trend cycles is to opt for a wardrobe that transcends these cycles instead!
Think longevity, mindful consumption and make fashion a means for self-expression rather than societal affirmation and guess what, tiktok has plenty of creators that inspire you to shop your closet too!