What is a "MICRO-TREND"?

The fashion cycle is getting shorter by the minute, spurring on the growth of "micro-trends" that rapidly change. The guilty party for this change? Social media platforms.

Fashion trends in the past had a life of 5-10 years. Each decade of the 20th century can be defined by the popular styles at the time, and they shift every decade. In the 21st century, however, the lifespan has become closer to 3-5 years at its longest. Y2K, 2009, 2016, and post-COVID styles can all be defined as separate eras, yet they occurred within a 20-year period.

Many places are defining micro-trends as trends with a 3-5 year lifespan, but I'm here to argue it is even shorter than that. It's under a year, and even less than a single season.

A great example of this teeny tiny micro trend is the e-girl style of 2019 that accompanied the popularization of social media site TikTok. Within a year, this style was out of the mainstream (much to my delight. I never truly appreciated alternative style being popular with the same individuals who judged my fashion choices for so many years beforehand).

Current micro-trends, as of October 2022, include the following:

• vests as shirts

• low-rise jeans (they're back!)

• puffy sleeves

By the end of this semester, most if not all of these trends will be out of style. This is so harmful!

Curating your preferred wardrobe to your preferred aesthetic is fine, but following these micro-trends leads to unexpected spending and immense amounts of clothing waste. Every year, fashion manufacturers create 30% more clothing than is expected to sell that season. The average American citizen throws out 81lbs of clothing every year, also according to Good On You.

Save yourself money and save our planet by curating your closet to what you actually wear on a consistent basis. Invest in yourself and your clothing by choosing what you want to wear, not just a trend that'll be gone in three months.