The TikTok Takeover

“You’re staying, you’re staying, you’re gone,” overlays a viral TikTok with over 80 thousand likes describing boyfriend jeans, converse, and lacy “y2k” dresses. Of the over twenty-one thousand videos under the sound, many follow a similar format of detailing their opinions on the latest, often hyper-specific, fashion trends. When I was watching this short 10-second video for the tenth time, I realized that TikTok, among other social media platforms, has transformed the idea of a trend.

The length of time it takes for modern-day fashions to rise to popularity and subsequently be discarded has revolutionized the trend cycle, leading to the emergence of the “microtrend”. With the distinct requirements of these styles and the rapid pace at which they burn out and fail to remain socially profitable to wear, there is almost no way to keep up. Take the House of Sunny Hockney dress for example; a green, rippled pattern, knitted summer dress that is seemingly everywhere now. Even if the brand name doesn’t ring a bell, chances are you’ve seen it somewhere in the last six months after Kendall Jenner was spotted donning it in a viral Instagram post in late July 2020.

Online retailers jumped at the chance to capitalize off the internet’s enchantment with the style and the (originally $140) dress can now be found online from fast-fashion retailers like AliExpress, YesStyle and Amazon for as little as under $15.

Unfortunately, items or microtrends that are this specific tend to fall out of fashion favor just as fast as they obtain it. Many content creators, especially on apps like TikTok, have already dismissed the House of Sunny dress, (along with other trendy pieces like resin/clay rings, Amazon corsets, and brightly colored cardigans), as “cheugy”.

TikTokers, in particular, have helped to usher in this era of microtrends with the phenomenon of “haul culture”. It’s not uncommon for the ‘for you page’ of those interested in fashion to show fast-paced videos of wealthier influencers unboxing hundreds of dollars worth of clothing. These creators use their easy access to wealth to purchase a whole new wardrobe to take part in whatever trend is currently capturing social media’s attention. Since they often are attempting to buy so many items without really wanting to invest in a new style, the videos demonstrate cheap quantity over quality, with their new products coming from Amazon, AliExpress, Romwe, Zaful, and perhaps most infamously, Shein. Many of these brands are only able to provide items at temptingly low prices at the cost of their workers’ laboring conditions and negative environmental impacts.

Luckily, the same platform that arguably began this issue is also playing a part in deconstructing it. The realm of sustainable fashion TikTokers has grown, with these creators discussing topics like forming your own personal style, finding elements from trends to make timeless, ethical shopping, and more. One of my personal favorites is @imperfectidealist, whose videos range from covering actions surrounding garment worker rights, partnering with sustainable brands, demonstrating at home clothing DIYs and more. This all has the goal of helping transition fashion from overconsumption to finding pieces that will last and be loved.

On a more personal level, one way to push back against non inclusive and environmentally detrimental trends is deceptively simple: be careful in the way you pass judgement of others for what may be considered “old” or “out of style”. By creating a fashion culture that is able to exist as independently as possible from the labels of ‘in’ or ‘out’, we can truly begin on our journey to personal style