To quote fashion superstar Heidi Klum, “In fashion, one day you’re in, the next day you’re out.” A phrase could not more perfectly describe the recent phenomenon of microtrends.
A microtrend is a specific, prevailing aesthetic or item that usually lasts between three and six months, sometimes even less. This fast-paced trend cycle has led to overconsumption and fast fashion becoming even more popular since the pandemic in 2020.
Fashion trends tend to run in 20-year cycles. For example, the early 2000s vibe has taken over the 2020s with full force. With that comes the return of trends, like low-rise jeans and dresses over jeans in the Y2K era.
Now with the growing influence of social media in our lives since the COVID-19 pandemic began, the trend cycle has grown shorter. COVID-19 left much of the population in isolation, which lead to the increased usage of social media like Tik Tok and Instagram. Because Tik Tok and Instagram provide a platform for anyone to become an influencer, the apps create competition between users to promote the best, newest, and freshest content. TikTok user @thealgorythem even compared microtrends to a form of entertainment.
The first major microtrend that Tik Tok popularized was the House of Sunny Green Hockney Dress. It was as if everyone’s feeds were cluttered with influencers reviewing this dress. From small creators with less than 1,000 followers to those with over a million, everyone had it. If they didn’t have this dress they had a less expensive rip-off version of it.
