Social media platforms like TikTok, Pinterest and Instagram have transformed the fashion industry. These apps have the power to turn a niche style into a global phenomenon overnight. In the past, fashion was primarily influenced by the designers themselves or magazines and newspapers. Now, fashion is heavily influenced by influencers, brands and everyday users. This shift in fashion influence has given anyone with access to social media the ability to create the next big style movement. 

While social media has created a more inclusive industry where people can showcase their personal style, it has also allowed influencers to shape trends more than any brand or designer. The issue with this is the ongoing presence of micro-trends, leading to an increase in fast fashion and overconsumption. 

TikTok has amplified the rise and fall of specific trends, focusing on certain aesthetics that are around for a month and then are never heard of again. I mean, truly, what is a “cottage-core aesthetic?”

This constant switch between what’s trending and what’s not has caused consumers to lose sight of the value of fashion. People are now so quick to buy the first trending item they see on Amazon or TikTok shop, paying no attention to the original piece that is being blatantly copied and sold for less. 

I have seen dupes across all varieties of clothing, from Lululemon Align Tops to Free People jeans and even various beauty products. Marie Dewet, founder of MaisonCléo, spoke about retailers stealing the brand’s design, stating, “As a designer, you put all your heart into your brand, so it really affects and hurts you.”

It has almost turned into a competition to find the best “dupe” for whatever item is trending online. This ongoing cycle has devalued many original pieces from respected brands and increased the production of fast-fashion pieces. 

The idea that you can only be cool if you wear what is currently trending puts pressure on consumers to constantly update their wardrobes. This explicitly affects teens, who are easily influenced by their favorite celebrities and social media creators. Microtrends undermine timeless pieces and hold consumers back from finding their style. While not everyone is passionate about clothing or fashion, it is still important to refrain from contributing to fast fashion. 

What was once a slower, intentional style cycle with underlying meaning has now become a rapid turnover of differing aesthetics and trends. This has encouraged consumers to constantly buy, discard and repeat. The heavy influence of social media creators and cheap knock-offs has caused individuals to lose sight of the value of having a personal style, focusing only on what is hot and trending at the moment to fit in. 

Fashion is something that is meant to reflect personality and be a form of expression, and when everyone follows the same trends, it loses that purpose. Instead of showcasing individuality, it becomes a cycle of repetition where personality is overshadowed by a need to fit in. True style should highlight self-expression rather than just conforming to what’s currently popular.

Those who break away from the crowd and wear something out of the box show others that expressing who you are through your clothing is worth so much more than “fitting-in.”