Opinion: is it wrong to follow fashion trends?

Fashion and individuality are so tightly intertwined. We are in an era of embracing what makes us unique and being unapologetically true to who we are; being noncompliant with society’s expectations.

However, I enjoy being part of the crowd and following a trend - just not one that’s set by an influencer and then turned into a comical uniform.

Although, we're still reaching for our Winter puffer coats and boots, we're beginning to look for the new trends that will take over our wardrobes this Spring. (Or your exposed rail - if you followed that trend.)

Bottega Veneta hosted the most casual and therefore iconic look of the season: Kate Moss in a checked shirt and denim-print leather trousers.

Behind the scenes of the fashion industry are Trend Forecasters, who assess the modern world, calculating what can be expected in the upcoming season. Then there's the designers, who make the runway shows possible, making shirts like this that require numerous layers of print to create the perfect colour. As well as the photographers and journalists sitting front row comment on and share the exclusive fashion world, forming the trends which are replicated in every high street shop, making shopping the trends easy.

In 2022 a popular spring/summer trend was biker jackets, brands like Mui Mui dressed their models in 90’s inspired distressed biker jackets, Prada opted for a more oversized fit, but a biker jacket nevertheless. Alexander McQueen even added more elements to the jackets, studs, denim, everything that would make Kate Moss proud.

Designers created a trend of Biker jackets, Journalists made the trend easier to follow by creating inspiration, and a variety of jackets emerged that remained on trend. Then, when it came down to the consumers, we chose to follow Molly Mae and her viral faux leather Zara jacket: following an item not a trend. The belted, biker jacket became a uniform for trend followers, something worn so much by so many that it became comical.

Every time you follow a trend, you’re acknowledging and contributing to its development, as well as advertising it. Influencers in particular - who carefully curate an outfit, pair it with a flattering pose and some IPhone photography, then accessorise it with a convenient link to where you can purchase it - have become the largest trend distributors and make it even easier to shop the trends.

When something is easy to follow and connects us to the modern world, it’s hard to ignore it. Although in the morning, after you’ve carefully selected your outfit, looked in the mirror and felt confident, what happens when you step outside, look around and see that you blend right in and look the same as everyone else?

Easy fashion trends have made it so that everyone is not only following the same trend, but wearing the exact same uniform, as if it has been laid on our bed by our parents in the morning before school. Easy.

When you think about it, there are a lot of advantages to following fashion trends and trends in general. Those who express their individuality through their clothing might go home to watch a trending netflix show and use a trending skincare product as part of their night time routine. Trends connect us to the modern world, making us feel relevant and in touch with what’s happening in society as it’s the world around us that inspires such designers to create such pieces which provoke trends.

Trends can make us feel comfortable, so why are we being criticised? After all, the best way to wear something is with confidence, confidence is the best accessory, and feeling good in what you wear makes confidence easy. An experience where I felt critiqued for my 'on-trend' yet ‘basic’ style choice was when I wore a particular crop top. I went to quite a creative sixth form where many students wore many different styles. On this particular day I wore a red phillies baseball shirt, turned crop top. A friend noticed it and applauded my taste to begin with, and said they had the same baseball t-shirt "except it wasn’t cropped and had a different team members name on the back". After sharing this passionate story about how he found it at the bottom of a pile of old clothes in a kilo sale, he asked me where mine was from, to which i simple replied with: “Topshop”. He looked mortified at the thought that i had the same top as him except mine was part of a trend.

Can we then combine them, make yourself comfortable on our rope, our metaphorical style.

I became comfortable on the rope, knowing that I can fall into my trends anytime and also climb up when I want to escape a uniform and add to my outfits.

Edited by Madelynne Flack