In recent years, the fast-paced nature of social media has become increasingly prominent in our daily lives, creating a new platform for trend cycles. Trends affect everything we consume, from hobbies to music to food. Trends are most influential, though, in the fashion world. Fashion has always been an ever-changing industry –– oftentimes evolving day to day. But before social media, the major trend cycles used to occur at a slower, more digestible rate. While at first many of us loved the dizzying experiences of online shopping and outfit inspiration from social media, many have seemed to change their attitudes toward social media, fashion philosophies, and trends in general. The creation, execution, and effects of trends are ultimately up to us, the consumers, so it is important to understand where they come from, how they evolve, and the good and bad effects they have on the fashion industry and our own consumption of it.

Let’s look at the last few years of flourishing fashion trends. In 2021, we saw a lot of vibrant colors patched into vintage-inspired clothing. Much of this energy continued into 2022 with more bright colors and playful silhouettes like crop tops or miniskirts, but we began to see some changes in the transition to 2023. There began to be more of a focus on comfort and structure seen in things like wide-leg pants, blazers, and maxiskirts. The more minimal shift continued into 2024, where wider, more understated silhouettes still thrived with more neutral colors and some classier tastes in accessories. While these trends did have their differences, there was one common factor between them all that was highlighted by social media. Because of the way social media can cater to each individual’s taste, the notion of being true to these aesthetics through fashion was fed by these algorithms. Some may find this to be a harmful feature of social media, but perhaps if we were able to find a healthy way to be inspired by social media, it could result in a truer understanding of our tastes in fashion.

Last year further emphasized the desire for timeless, structured, luxurious-looking pieces. It seemed as if in the latter half of 2025, many became attached to the idea of quality > quantity when it came to clothing. People began to prioritize things like natural fibers and their longevity, purchasing more neutral pieces that may have more utility, and investing in long-term pieces rather than simply buying whatever intrigues them at the moment. This narrative in its entirety created an uptick in interest in the capsule wardrobe, a system where the majority of the clothes you own should match each other, and each piece should hold some sort of value rather than being there for the sake of having it as an option. This is a good method to consume less clothing and focus on what feels true to you rather than what is trending, but is this minimalistic approach to fashion possibly a trend within itself? While many love this method and find positive outcomes, some argue it is still as consumerist as any other fashion trend, just rebranded. 

In an age where we can’t avoid social media completely, the key here is to find balance. While it isn’t good to buy into every fashion trend you see online, it may also be just as harmful to purge your closet to begin a capsule wardrobe of all neutral pieces. This is because it is likely that neither of these options truly align with your vision. There are ways to find this balance; first and foremost, I think the main goal is to focus less on fashion and more on personal style. Fashion is an industry, it will always be changing and pushing new trends to make money. But whether these pieces they produce resonate or not is up to you! Only you can create a style that is truly original to you, and while it is helpful to take inspiration from temporary fashion trends, you could be more sustainable by trying to blend these pieces with what you already have, discovering different ways to wear things, or finding quality basics to invest in too. The end goal for some may be a pristine capsule wardrobe, but for some, it can simply be to build a wardrobe you love.

Edited and Reviewed by Zoe Carter