The Effect of Social Media on Style Individuality
Written by Jordann Landretti
Social media plays an integral role in our everyday lives and has shaped how fashion is consumed in many aspects. A theme arising from instant access to online content is the blending of style and the loss of individualism, what once was highly coveted. In the 1990s, having an exceptionally unique style was trendy. People went out of their way to look different from the masses, as seen through grunge and bright clashing colors.
This sentiment was carried out through the early 2000s. With the creation of Pinterest and Instagram in 2010, it has become easier than ever to see what other people are wearing. When TikTok blew up in 2020, this process accelerated immensely and continues today. The influx of influencers creating “fashion content” by sponsoring different items has diluted genuine style inspiration. All consumers have to do is click the links connected to the items, eliminating the need for trend research.
There’s an abundance of videos answering questions like “What shoes are the girls wearing this fall?” and the popular search terms “fall inspo” or “how to style ___” typically provide consumers with the same content results. Finding out what the majority of people are wearing is easier than ever, as less thought has to go into trend research. Once a person or brand starts a trend, an influx of content surrounding that follows, cycling through the trend life cycle.
Social media platforms provide a space for early adopters to spread trends quickly and, thus, end quickly as well. The “TikTok Uniform” refers to Adidas sambas paired with baggy jeans and a slick back bun. Unification of style has been seen among younger people who have a prominent online presence. And while the “Tiktok Uniform” may be new, it is just another variation of the Pinterest messy bun, skinny jeans, and an infinity scarf that were popular amongst millennials in the 2010s.
Another important note is that microtrends are a clear example of the loss of style individuality. Not only does it feed the business of fast fashion, but it also takes away the thought behind getting dressed. Social media content will show you exactly how to style an item and where to buy it, resulting in everyone participating in the trend consuming it practically the same way. While each person has a uniquely curated “For You Page”, the videos that get 50k+ likes tend to get circulated to more people than we realize.
Social media makes it easy to overlook the true scale of viewership. Giving a presentation to 100 people is a lot, yet most fashion trend videos receive 10 times more views. This is a way to visualize just how many people are watching the same content on styling, which is reflected in how many people are dressing the same.
It’s trendy to have the go-to outfit that everyone else has, but keeping up with the trends is getting harder to follow. For example, the Goyard tote was the must-have bag; now that it has become oversaturated, the trend is shifting back to the Louis Vuitton Neverfull bag, and the Goyard tote is out. Adidas Sambas and Frye Campus boots are rampant on college campuses. Gold jewelry, mini Ugg platforms, and Lululemon Belt Bags are taking over the fashion world now, but soon there will be a new trend that captivates the masses. The common theme with these trends is that they eliminate the idea of personal style.
However, the effects of social media fashion content are not all negative; and it has made fashion more accessible, providing a helpful tool for finding inspiration. I recommend using it to understand the fundamentals of a capsule wardrobe – which encompasses individual pieces that work together to create multiple outfits – and to research personal style. If a microtrend interests you, try to think critically about how long and often you will wear that type of clothing or accessory. While it is not necessarily a bad thing to dress like everyone else – especially because a style will become a trend for a reason – fashion is an important form of self-expression that social media content can diminish.
Edited by Hana Razvi, Katherine Rubinstein, Olivia Daly & Sophia Buckholtz
