In today’s age, trends change so quickly that by the time you’re able to purchase the item, it’s out of style and a new trend is on the rise. This is where companies like Shein, Temu and TikTok Shop thrive. When you can be on trend for dollar store prices and free shipping, why wouldn’t you grab the latest fashion craze?
The average human is easily exposed to thousands of advertisements a day, which is like modern day propaganda. As a result of how many ads a person views in a day of a single trending item, they may believe that the whole world has it, so they should too.
English teacher Marshall Wortham jokes, “Everybody has an expensive water bottle. They’re overhydrating themselves and have to go to the bathroom 1,000 times a day.”
Fast fashion companies mass produce products rapidly and sell new trends for dirt cheap. It’s very common to see the phrase “You get what you pay for” in many of the reviews. These products are made to be worn two or three times till they’re trashed or donated and replaced with the next microtrend.
Sophomore Salem de Vente said, “It eliminates people’s sense of style. People follow microtrends so they fit in, but really nobody else wears them [for long].”
The cons of fast fashion are endless and well known; however, many people don’t care because the cons don’t directly affect them. Landfills and thrift stores are flooded with cheaply made textiles that cannot break down naturally for 20-200 years.
This is a waste of resources and causes damage to the environment. The inhumane working conditions aren’t a secret either. Many people are aware of the child labor and almost non-existent pay behind these companies.
Despite all this, not all trends are bad. Recently, thrifting has been on the rise and the VSCO girls of 2019 promoted environmental sustainability through their use of metal straws and reusable water bottles.
Our generation has many creative minds, and it isn’t rare to meet someone who upcycles or alters their clothes themselves to extend the piece’s life. Buying sustainably and creating a wardrobe that is 100 percent you is tough in 2024, but not impossible.
