Nearly everybody buys into the concept of personal style; a unique look that nobody else on earth has quite managed to replicate. However, walk on to any college campus or go to any concert, or music festival, and you’ll start to notice that people of the same age, especially millennials, dress so similarly it seems as though they all are influenced by the same forces. Mom jeans, man buns, white sneakers, Fjallraven Kanken backpacks (yes, you do know what I’m talking about––those weird square ones that come in primary colors). How do these fashion trends start and how much of what we wear is influenced by what we see the latest “it” girl wearing or on Instagram ads. Do trends emerge from the top of society and trickle down or does street style shape what a brand designs?
Historically fashion was influenced by status. The wealthier you were, the more clothes you could have made, the more up to date you were with the newest styles. If the Queen of England started wearing frills, you bought some frills. Even if the style wasn’t particularly flattering, it was the price of the material and the number of frills that implied rank, wealth, and luxury. While today’s trends still lean towards revealing social status (who is to afford the newest Louis Vuitton bag, who isn’t), the style has become more about staying current with the cultural aesthetic than defining class and wealth. That being said, many trends still originate from what could still be considered the highest class of people and most publicly revered celebrities and magazines like “Vogue”. Designers and brands such as Alexander McQueen or Chanel still hold a tight grip on the fashion industry and their price tag is part of the allure.
With the advent of social media, however, the status of “celebrity” doesn’t necessarily mean Hollywood royalty. Anyone with a personality and a camera can quickly become well-known whether that be on Youtube or Instagram. Trends such as the white sneaker were worn on the sidewalk long before they hit the runway at the Celine Spring 2011 show. These platforms have leveled the playing field, taking financial differences out of the equation, for the most part. This changing landscape of who gets attention and through what platforms––with print magazines and even websites becoming less and less relevant––has turned the national attention away from classic brands and into the style that is reflective of the entire culture.
And while the nature of trends is largely changing due to modern innovations, style today seems influenced by a heavily and undeniably by a sense of nostalgia. There is a certain sentimentality that millennials seem to be leaning towards, particularly the 80s and 90s. Is it really just a coincidence that the popularity of Stranger Things and the revived popularity of Friends is occurring at the same time that the scrunchie may soon become this summer’s flower crown? Perhaps as we keep moving forward in time fashion trends will begin to reach farther and farther into the past. In 2025 will corsets and petticoats be back in fashion?