By Emily Chan
Microtrends are not evil.
When used effectively, microtrends can assist you in the process of finding your personal style. This is because one’s personal fashion sense is a collage of different elements that act as an extension of your identity. The fleeting and temporary nature of microtrends allows you to tap into different styles within the realm of fashion, therefore acting as jumping-off points to cultivating your outward expression of who you are on the inside.
Often branching off of pre-existing fashion trends that resurface every ten years or so, think of microtrends as samples at a buffet. At the end of the day, it’s up to you which pool you’re diving into, which meal you’ll choose and what clothes you’ll adorn your body with.
However, if trends with the shelf life of a ripening avocado aren’t bad, what is?
The two major pitfalls of experimenting with micro trends include wearing too many and following them too closely.
Overpopulation
There is such a thing as having too much of a good thing. The use of fashion microtrends is not exempt from this.
When choosing which micro trends you wish to showcase within an outfit, keep in mind that quantity matters.
A good rule of thumb is to use a maximum of two micro trends per outfit. This way, your outfit is still current, without looking gimmicky and unbalanced.
Identity loss
The whole point of partaking in micro trends is to ultimately build a sense of style that’s personal to you. Thus, copying micro trends to a T is a surefire way to prevent you from achieving this.
When we see everyone wearing the same piece of clothing, take the Brandy Melville American Flag sweater for example, we’re less likely to gravitate towards it on a day to day basis. Why is this?
To put it simply, it is human nature to want to be unique. The less we see of something, the more likely we are to take pride in wearing it. The moment we feel special for doing something outside the norm is the moment when something becomes embedded in our identity.
A trick to making micro trends even the smallest bit more timeless and wearable is buying pieces that are similar to the viral piece, not identical. This allows you to dip your toes into the trend without losing your sense of individuality. Thrifting these pieces or altering clothing you already own are both great ways to sustainably test out trends with low risk.
Final thoughts
The use of micro trends is a double-edged sword that, if wielded correctly can give way to creativity and personal expression. Keep in mind that these pieces and styles of clothing are trendy for a reason. There is no such thing as a bad fashion trend, but there are bad fashion decisions. Strive to utilize micro trends to take small nibbles of what you’re interested in and remember to question yourself before you hand over your wallet.
It’s simply a matter of asking yourself the “why” behind your purchases. Once you have your answer, you’re free to proceed. Have fun, experiment and most importantly stay inspired when it comes to fashion!
