Going Against the Grain: Why You Shouldn’t Let TikTok Influence Your Wardrobe

Image Courtesy: Seventeen

What side is your hair parted on right now? Is there a Stanley cup in your hand at the moment? Is your closet filled with clothes, shoes, and accessories you love? Or is it full of superfluous, interchangeable, and seemingly meaningless items you purchased after seeing five different Instagram or TikTok influencers promoting them? Have you ever walked into a store and picked something up that you liked but didn’t buy because it wasn’t “trendy” or “in style”? I know I have.

The other day when I was shopping at Altar'd State, and a pair of smiley face earrings caught my eye. My first thought was “These were trending a year and a half ago; if I buy them now, I’ll look like I’m late to the party”. This made me contemplate my fashion choices. My style should be based on what makes me happy, comfortable, and confident, not on others' taste in the things I choose to put on my body. I got a rush of indignation. Therefore, I’m wearing the earrings as I type this.

My closet is full of purchases I only wore for a few months until they were no longer popular. What a waste of money and fabric. It’s a little sad if you think about it. They weren’t items that I loved and simply matured or grew out of. They were never really loved in the first place. They are just symbols of me contributing to rapid consumerism, now gathering dust.

Image Courtesy: Yuki Wang

Rebecca Jennings, a senior correspondent for Vox, states that “TikTok’s bread and butter is creating microtrends that flare up fast and die out faster.” Jennings refers to this as “TikTok couture.” TikTok couture stamps out individualism and stifles the taste and opinions of those that partake in it. “Together, with the help of the supercharged TikTok algorithm that blasts viral content to millions of users within hours or days, these videos shape what mainstream culture considers stylish, which therefore can affect what we choose to wear ourselves,” Jennings explains.

Image Courtesy: Vox

Maybe this all sounds very superficial. Who cares what’s trending on TikTok? Who cares what brands you’ve collected or how you style your hair? That’s exactly my point. Who cares. That’s what fashion is all about. The idea of being trendy or stylish is based on societal norms of what is appropriate or acceptable for us to wear during a certain time. That’s not how it should be. Our bodies are our vessels. What we put on them can either reflect our personalities and what brings us joy or blur our individuality and blend us in with one another. I’m not saying you need to only wear unique, one-of-a-kind things. I’m saying that your choices of what you wear should revolve around your own character and act as an expression of your own individuality. Fashion should be rooted in self-expression, not a cumulation of 15-second videos on your For You Page. I encourage you to go against the grain. Buy the earrings.

Strike Out,

Writer: Layne Schulte

Editor: Noelle Knowlton

Tallahassee

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