Each year new trends come and go, whether a certain brand gains a short-lived popularity, or a new style becomes the norm. Maybe there’s a new collectible that everyone wants, or a toy that’s been around forever that everyone suddenly needs. Whatever it is, it doesn’t last long. Usually.
Recently, fashion has become increasingly popular. There has been a big change from plain tees straight jeans, crop tops and miniskirts. At least in a high school setting, there seems to be more variety in the styles people are wearing, the 90’s style of baggy jeans, graphic tees, and sneakers is still popular, but you see a lot of oversized skater aesthetic, Y2K influence, opium core, and everything in between.
From 2020-2022 there was a 20 percent increase in the fashion industry and another 10 percent increase from 2022 to now. With more clothing being produced there are a lot more options at retail stores. There was a 7.8 percent increase of fashion designer companies between 2022 and 2023 and a 7.9 percent increase from 2020-2021 which is the biggest increase in one year the fashion industry has seen. This shows how much the demand for products has gone up compared to 2 and 3 percent increases in previous years. More people want more clothes.
The higher demand for products and inflation has made clothing prices too expensive for most high school and college students. ‘Thrifting’ has become a very popular alternative to retail shopping. It has become a staple activity to go with friends or family, the low prices and unique finds make thrift stores very appealing, and more people than ever are doing it. What used to be a place you would go to when looking for some cheap clothes for work or used items you couldn’t expect much from, has become filled with hidden gems at low prices.
Another contributing factor to the rise of fashion is the influence of social media. Social media use has only been growing and its influence is continuing to grow. People tend to follow what they see on their socials, including what the people they follow are wearing. If you see a cool outfit on Instagram that might inspire you to try something similar, or if you like someone’s style you might try and replicate it. There are also a lot of accounts dedicated to fashion and styling and many have gained a lot of popularity. And once you get into the fashion side of any social media platform, the algorithm keeps you there and soon enough you’ve become a fashion expert yourself.
Trends are always going to be around; some stay longer than others and some stay forever in one way or another. Is a larger interest in fashion going to stick around or fade away into what the fidget spinner became. Maybe it’ll go in phases and come back every other year like we saw with the Kendama. Only time will tell but either way, it might be a good thing people are starting to care what they look like out in public.
