Micro-trends: How are college students affected by consumerism and fast fashion trends?

Micro-trends have been circulating social media for a couple of years now. With trends like “clean girl” and “almond mom,” social media users, specifically teens and young adults, are pressured to fit into these aesthetics. The rise of these trends is rapid and they seem to disappear just as fast. So why are people so invested in them? 

Firstly, what is the difference between a micro-trend and a normal trend? Micro-trends are trends that gain traction quickly and invite a lot of people to participate in them. Unlike the popular earth tones in the fall or the “Y2K” revival that lasts months or even years, micro-trends are only represented for a few weeks. 

When asked her opinion on micro-trends, Maddie Stone (‘28) said, “They’re cute, but once [people] get over it, there are a bunch of clothes in the thrift stores… that ruins the climate…They go on Pinterest and find [the clothes] to wear, then once [the trend] is over, they just sell them.” 

What’s so bad about micro-trends? The main issue is overconsumption. With a large percentage of people participating in these trends, the wardrobe and accessories to fit into these aesthetics are often wasted. These wasted clothes are bad for the environment as these clothes are constantly being thrown away. Even if these items are donated to thrift stores or other donation centers, the clothes pile up, which is also an issue. Additionally, materialism is an issue, convincing people they need a product in order to fit in. 

Stone also said that micro-trends may not be all negative, as people may like the style and continue to wear the items; however, they may also grow to hate them, which results in throwing them out, contributing to harmful environmental behaviors. Stone said that her favorite micro-trend is,“Boots with mini skirts,” referring to the trending “downtown girl” aesthetic (a micro-trend that appears to be becoming a seasonal one).

Because these are short-lived trends, people turn to inexpensive versions of the items they wish to purchase. This is known as fast fashion. Online stores such as Shein have gained so much traction and popularity through micro-trends. Though these are cheaper options and ways to save money, these stores have bad ethics. There have been many controversies surrounding stores like Shein for using child labor and having poor working environments. It also negatively impacts workers who have to produce excess products to meet consumer demand. 

So, how do micro-trends affect college students? With investing in short-term trends, college students can develop a habit of impulse buying, purchasing things based on desire rather than practicality. This impulsive buying can also lead to a “disposable mindset,” where people feel that their wardrobe is outdated within a year. 

Micro-trends can also lead to unhealthy perspectives of beauty and unrealistic standards. Teens and young adults are vulnerable and prone to comparing themselves to influencers and celebrities online. Participating in micro-trends may affect confidence and creativity.

Another student, Abbi Baxter (‘28), said, “I feel like [micro-trends] are kind of an annoyance.” She said that she does love some of them. However, she said, “it leads to waste, seeing that things are so easily accessible on Shein and other fashion sources… it leads to overconsumption.”

How can micro-trends be spotted and avoided? When seeing trends gain attention, evaluate the quality and practicality of the item or style. How would you incorporate this into your current wardrobe? Is it something you would wear if it wasn’t trending? Is this something that would be considered “in style” for more than a couple of weeks? Answering questions like these will help narrow down whether you should invest in a certain style or skip this one out.

Hopefully with this information, students can use better judgment when it comes to styles and trends, reducing problematic and harmful behaviors.