Fashion Column: Having Good Style vs. Being a Slave to Consumerism

By Elle Dorrian '22 and Jamai Miller '22
Microtrends. They are evil. Not only is it impossible to keep up with the rotating door of what is trendy and what is not, but it breaks the bank and destroys the environment. Pieces that were only stylish for a month end up in landfills and thrift stores across the country. Think of how quickly the Kendall Jenner House of Sunny dress or patchwork jeans came into style, and then think about how quickly they went out. It is so much more affordable, rewarding and environmentally conscious to learn to develop your own sense of style rather than following the herd of trends.

Obsessive overconsumption is a disease tainting our generation’s individuality and killing creativity. But how does it work? Consider this scenario: you see the perfect brown top on reformation; it’s so classic, simple and has potential for several outfits; but it’s $70. Annoyed, you try your luck with Shein (yes, expect Shein slander) and unsurprisingly you find five trendy-looking shirts, each with a funky design, interesting enough to look at, and they all total to $60. Which do you choose — the timeless piece at Reformation, or more value for your buck at Shein for a higher quantity for virtually the same price? For much of our generation, Shein is the obvious choice, because when aren’t we “ballin on a budget”? But the problem with this is that it has become a toxic cycle: purchasing cheap clothes, low quality clothes, to fill our closets so that we can follow trends; never wear the same thing twice, and, most importantly, giving off the facade of being “fashionable.”

Have you ever stared at your closet, overflowing with the past three trend cycles and thought, “I literally have nothing to wear.”? You can’t wear the checkered vans, the urban outfitters bucket hat, nor the (should be) Instagram worthy patchwork jeans. Your closet is filled with trendy pieces which may have been exciting and somewhat promising to buy, but literally don't go with anything, nor do they accurately represent you. You can't put together an outfit because your closet is a circus of every fashion cycle on TikTok. To avoid this nightmare of unnecessary over-consumption, when purchasing a new piece, think of how many outfits you can make with it. Try to stray from buying a full outfit that only matches with itself. Creating a wardrobe of classic basics with a few seasonally rotating statement pieces is the key to being able to throw together a cute outfit in seconds. Layering is HUGE in taking basics and making them stand out. A white sweater vest and black button-up seem so simple on their own, but layer the sweater vest over and take a cute mini skirt and a pair of high-rise boots, and boom, you instantly look chic. It might not be “trendy” but it is not going to be out of style. Of course, purchasing trendy pieces is fun and exciting, but when you realize your entire closet is only trendy pieces that hardly match with each other, you hit that crisis of “I have nothing to wear” causing you to go online and purchase a ton more. 

But how do you have a personal style? You do not need to over-consume fashion that will soon be out of trend and infiltrate the thrift stores. Here’s one thing that everyone, and we mean EVERYONE should know: it is virtually impossible to keep up with trend cycles, and so, being  “trendy,” an identity that’s already hard to take seriously, is also hardly feasible. And so, it’s better to tune into yourself, look past what’s trendy and ask yourself what you like. This way, over time, you develop your own style that's true and unique to you, with a wide array of influences. How? Scrolling through Pinterest and Instagram and looking at influencers and outfits that fit your “vibe” and taking inspiration is a great starting point. Try to purchase timeless pieces that could fit into an array of different styles. You want to find pieces that will evolve with you and your changing preference. Personal preference changes, but a high-quality pair of jeans will always be a part of that wardrobe. Wearing what you like and makes you comfortable and confident is essential. It is much more impressive to be able to put together an amazing outfit of stuff that is not necessarily trending than to follow the trends like a rulebook. There are no rules in fashion, except one, and it’s the most important thing about creating your “look” — remember, you wear the clothes, they do not wear you. Confidence transcends trends and clothes. With confidence, you can rock any style, clothes or even trend, because you are comfortable with the “you” at your core, a fact that comes across to everyone in the room.