The Downfalls of Trendy Fashion
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Cycling in and out of trends is not a new concept in the fashion world. For as far back as we can remember, certain people have determined what is popular and stylish at a given moment in time. In the past, fashion trends were predominantly influenced by high-brow designers who crafted couture to be strutted down runways during fashion week. More recently, the power to influence fashion has spread to social media influencers, street style, celebrities, and more. But nevertheless, trends prevail.
Whether trends are determined on Milan runways or New York streets, they hold the same weight in setting a style standard for the season. In order to be considered stylish, your clothing must reflect the new trend. It could be tiny sunglasses, monochrome outfits, cutouts, funky hats; whatever is deemed fashionable at the moment. This short-lasting but largely influential trends are fun, but also damaging in many ways.
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One damaging aspect of trendy fashion is its perpetuation of fast fashion. The ever-changing trends lead corporate clothing companies to produce massive amounts of cheap clothes to fit people's needs. For example, Shein adds new pieces to their online stock every day. The sheer volume of product availability adds to the throw-away culture that is plaguing consumers across the globe. More trends lead to increased turnover in people’s wardrobes. But when new clothing is bought, and old ones are thrown out, it doesn’t just disappear. Discarded clothing ends up in landfills where they release methane which adds to the effects of global warming. Additionally, the fast fashion industry that is supported by these trends is guilty of workers’ rights violations, abuse of women, and climate harm. Overall, the implementation of fashion trends plays into a systemic issue of one-and-done fashion.
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Another issue with the concept of fashion trends is that it makes high fashion a rich man’s game. If society requires people to dress in the newest trends in order to be known for their style, it makes it very difficult for those who cannot afford to spend an infinite amount of money on clothing to break into the industry. New trends appear seasonally, indicating that people should rid of and restock their closets as soon as a new season rolls around. This creates a fashion culture that excludes entire communities of people based on income. Fashion is not meant to be exclusive.
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Trendy fashion is a deep-rooted issue with at least as many negatives as it has positives, and it will take time to properly address the downfalls. But in the meantime, there are little things we can do to act as a temporary solution. One is to invest in high-quality basics like jeans and neutral-colored t-shirts. This requires a little higher cost upfront, but the pieces will last a long time and never go out of style. Staple pieces will be fashionable no matter what the temporary trend dictates. Purchasing fewer, more long-lasting clothes, will also decrease the amount of turnover and fabric that is left to degrade in the wastelands. Thrifting also helps with eliminating the amount of discarded clothing that ends up in landfills. Lastly, being cautious with new items you buy is a great way to participate in the trend without heavily impacting the negative aspects. Buying a couple of trendy accessories allows you to feel in style without adding a bunch of items to your closet.
At the end of the day, fashion should be fun. But it should also be sustainable and accessible to all types of people, so participate sparingly.
Strike Out,
Writer: Sarah Gibson
Editor: Breanna Tang
Graphic Designer: Leah Solomon
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