In the digital age, social media and the internet have transformed how we consume fashion media, ultimately dictating the mainstream trend cycle. This new cycle leaves little room for consistency or predictability. Bows, boxers, camouflage, cheetah print, and Adidas Sambas come to mind when considering the biggest fashion trends of 2023 and 2024. Most micro-trends last about a month, so it’s no surprise that many of us have forgotten most of the micro-trends from 2022 and 2021.
In popular American culture, micro-trends can best be described as a constant cycle of styles achieving instant popularity before quickly declining in relevance. These short-lived novelties lack the generational embrace needed for lasting popularity. In 2024, trends defy the traditional fashion calendar: the typical four seasonal drops per year from fashion houses have increased to 52 “micro-seasons,” with one new collection released every week. This ever-changing cycle raises the social and environmental question of whether we should participate in the popular fashion trends that surround us.
Fashion plays a critical role in teenagers’ personal development, encouraging self-expression and cultural and social awareness. In many ways, micro-trends make this a tangible reality for teenagers, but are micro-trends a catalyst for teen individuality in 2024? Or do they simply contribute to a culture of uniformity?
With so many people participating in a trend, it’s easy to feel pressured to do the same. While it’s okay to be inspired by what’s popular, we should never let micro-trends define our personal style. Fostering fashion as a form of expression empowers teenagers to break free from fleeting trends, create a consistent look, and develop a sense of individuality. While it’s normal for teens to participate in cultural style movements, micro-trends seem to have invaded teen pop culture more than seasonal trends. They have become nothing more than a badge of popularity, amplifying teenagers’ existing trend obsession.
A notable trending example is the self-proclaimed ‘cool girl aesthetic’, which proves that compiling micro-trends together is often praised by teenage communities on social media. The false individuality behind this style promotes instant gratification. The desire to fit in with the ‘cool girl’ community devalues personal style and creates stereotypes for what a cool girl should look like. In the end, it’s egotistical. While it may be considered fashion, hopping from one micro-trend to the next lacks personality and value. The culture of uniformity fostered by micro-trends ultimately threatens the individuality teenagers should find in fashion.
Consumerism and fashion waste are so deeply ingrained in American society, that it has become evident something must change. The biggest contributor to textile waste is fast fashion, which produces twice the amount of clothing today as it did in 2000. Fast fashion brands never intend for their clothing to be worn more than a few times—a problematic value that many consumers seemingly ignore. For many, the need to participate in the latest trend takes precedence over the growing concern of overconsumption in America. In this way, the fast fashion industry and micro-trends have formed a symbiotic relationship. Large corporations hide the drawbacks of supporting them, and with enough teenagers buying boots and bows, they will only continue to harm the planet.
Micro-trends take away from what it means to be a teenager in 2024. Will we let overconsumption and egotistical values define our generation? I hope not.
