The Trendification of Fashion & Style:

how it increases mindless consumerism and decreases individuality + how to re-find your personal style

This may seem ironic given my job. But I have to say it. The more we only follow “trends,” the more our style (and life) is going to — well — suck.

The trends are tricking you

I am obsessed with trends. I love to learn about them, discuss them, and experiment with them in my wardrobe. BUT that does not mean I only wear what’s trending. Even when I discuss items that are “out” or “less trendy,” I try to be mindful of my wording because, despite what a lot of people want to believe, I really want you to dress for yourself. Not for society. Not for your friends. Not for your boyfriend. Not for your mom. And certainly not for me.

Last year, I did a blog post on Personal Style 101, and I think it’s time we revisit it. For those of you who don’t know, I’ve worked in higher education since 2016. I have taught journalism and communication courses, and something I really try to drive home to my students is media literacy.

I bring this up because, now more than ever, we need to be able to view a piece of content, process it, and develop our own opinion. Was it from a credible source? Was it accurate? Was it relevant? Was it good? Do I care? These are all questions we can ask ourselves to evaluate how we feel about a piece of content and how we can/should react to it.

Does every piece of content deserve this attention? Absolutely not. But if you’re scrolling on TikTok or Instagram and you see a fashion trends video that fills you with anxiety because they’re saying everything you own is “out,” then it might be time to consult your questions list.

If you don’t first have a firm grasp of your own personal style, then every video you see like this is going to rock you. If there’s one thing I want to teach you it’s how to actually determine what the fuck you like. In your closet. In your makeup bag. In your refrigerator. In your relationships. And in your life.