Fast fashion, as an industry, has caused many disruptions in not only our environment, but in the way we view the quality of recycled trends and designs. And for decades, our mainstream fashion trends have been based on what has once existed before.
One of the more relevant examples of this lies within the resurgence of Y2K fashion. Whether it’s low-rise jeans, bedazzled butterfly accents, or tiny kitten heels, the repopularization of this era is not exactly debatable. But again, this isn’t anything new!
We can see this in the 2010s pulling from the 80s (ie: high hair, bold animal print, etc.) and the 80s pulling from the 40s (ie: shoulderpads, mid-length skirt suits, etc.).
This phenomenon is what makes timeless pieces actually timeless. There’s a reason why everybody loves “vintage.” People yearn for things that were once accepted as mainstream that may now be seen as “quirky,” but without the possibility of anyone thinking it’s too out there.
Nowadays, with fast fashion in consideration, trend cycles seem to be repeating at a faster rate than they ever have before. It was expected that the resurgence of Y2K style would span the entirety of the 2020 decade. While it is still extremely popular, it seems we are transitioning to 90s, 80s, and 70s fashion quicker than anticipated — and this is solely because of fast fashion.
With large corporations having the ability to mass produce pieces of clothing at rapid rates, the quality and durability of clothing has significantly decreased. This, in combination with overconsumption — a huge consequence of capitalism — consumers are itching to purchase the next trend without considering what they already own.
For many people that revert to second-hand purchasing, such as thrifting or consignment shopping, there’s now a fear of their clothing being associated with fast fashion brands. This stems from the fear of wearing something that is now no longer “in style.” We can see this phenomenon especially being exemplified by those people that prioritize second-hand shopping.
How often are you at a thrift store, you see a top or skirt that you think is cute, and then you check the tag, only to see that it was made by Shein? For many shoppers, this turns them off completely, and the item is no longer “cute.”
Some may blame this feeling on being against fast fashion due to environmental factors and poor labor practices perpetuated by these companies. But my question is: are you even supporting the corporation at that point? You’re purchasing it second-hand — a way that completely rids the corporation of any profit from that single purchase. So with all this considered, are you really no longer interested in the piece because of its origin? Or is it just because you’re afraid that it’s “sooooo five months ago?”
The only way to rid ourselves of these mindsets is to truly embrace individuality at every level. This is undoubtedly a tall order, especially when living in a world that so heavily relies on capitalism — it’s easy to feel disconnected with the rest of the world, or like you’re falling behind when we don’t keep up with these trends. All we can do is trust ourselves.
If you own something that is seeming to “go out of style,” but you still think it is cute… keep it. And don’t just keep it; wear it! This is not to say that your style cannot evolve over time. Just make sure to change your style based on what you like — not because of pressure to keep up.