The Latest Trends That Promote Sustainability
Image Courtesy: Vogue
The pursuit of sustainable living is something that everyone subconsciously has in the back of their head. The era of fast fashion consumerism that has plagued our world in past years like Shein hauls has merely become “behind the times.” In 2023, it is exciting to witness new eco-friendly style choices that not only perfectly fit into the latest trend culture but also seamlessly promote sustainability.
Thrifting Style Bundles
A new thrifting trend has hit the market: thrifting style bundles. This trend consists of people and businesses curating bundles of thrifted or second-hand clothing with a specific style or theme in mind. These bundles are intended to offer customers a convenient way to acquire a cohesive and curated wardrobe with sustainable and eco-friendly practices in mind. We can see social media creators posting this content on platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and even Instagram in short video format that highlights their curations for their customer base. These videos are addicting to watch, as it is so interesting to see how a vision of a personal style aesthetic develops into real life, especially all from the thrift. To order, customers simply reach out through a link or website to their favorite “style bundalist” and request a thrifted style bundle. These requests range from very broad, like asking for a good capsule wardrobe, to very specific items that fit into a niche personal aesthetic. Style bundalists can even find inspiration for the customer through spreadsheets and Pinterest collages of aesthetics and pieces the customer creates for them. These bundles vary in size and price so that customers can still participate while not breaking the bank. You can typically find bundles ranging from $50 and 4-7 pieces to massive wardrobe changes that come at $200-$500 including 30 or more pieces. Style bundalists will then source items that fit their customers’ requests from their personal collections and thrift stores both physically and online.
Image Courtesy: Etsy
Although thrifting has always been a common practice for many communities, the physical act of thrifting has not been inherently changed since social media thrift came to rise with apps like Depop and Poshmark. The act of thrifting and showcasing the findings on short-form video platforms has not just promoted sustainable shopping, but completely changed the business altogether. With millions of views, these style bundles have gone viral for their innovation and creativity. Instead of searching the Depop app for a cool new find, we can now simply request unique, personalizedclothing from the tip of our fingers, sometimes even acquiring sustainable clothing from these bundles that we would have never even known existed or picked out for ourselves. Thrifted style bundles are the newest cool way to shop, and they promote sustainable shopping in a way that has never been done before of this magnitude.
Image Courtesy: Pinterest
Ribbon On Everything
Ribbon and lace string have become the latest fashion sensation on every Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok feed. This DIY, personalized trend is a blast from the 2014 past, back when every girl decorated their hair in bows and filled their Starbucks cups and laptops with stickers. The trend is exactly what it sounds like—decorating every consumer item with lace ribbon in a way that feels perfectly curated, but also deeply personal to them. People have tied mini lace bows to their UGG boots, around their Apple AirPod Max headphones, to the loopholes of their denim, and even laced it into their hair braids. The personalization of everyday items is something that we all strive for as a way to depict uniqueness, but often fall short because of fast fashion consumerism. It is extremely difficult to stylistically stand out when the clothing we buy is mass-produced for the world. This trend is a nostalgic nod to the past while also serving as a creative outlet against the boredom of modern consumer culture. It allows people to reclaim their style and make a statement by infusing a touch of their own personality into even the most mundane objects, fostering a sense of connection to the products they use daily. It promotes sustainability by encouraging people to reimagine what they already own instead of constantly seeking new things to buy once they get tired of the old.
Strike Out,
Writer: Sophia Yunaev
Editor: Blake N. Fiadino
Tallahassee