The Fashion Fatigue Phenomenon

Micro trends are exhausting and expensive.

POSTED 07.07.26 07:22 BY BRIANA-SKYE TRIPPASS

Other than COVID, the one thing from 2020 that I wish I could erase from history is the fashion. Seriously, what were we thinking? Does anyone still own their resin rings or fluffy cow-print bag? I certainly don't!

Maybe a symptom of COVID was bad fashion sense, or maybe pandemic-induced boredom made us all take experimentation a little too far. Either way, one phrase I always associate with that era is "micro trend."

To my understanding, a micro trend is a viral item of clothing (usually associated with fast fashion) that everyone suddenly owns, only for nobody to be wearing it a few months later. I've definitely fallen victim to a few micro trends in the past (ahem, parachute pants, I'm looking at you). That said, what some people call a micro trend is someone else's wardrobe staple. For example, I know plenty of people are over polka dots, but for me, they're here to stay.

With fashion becoming more focused on personal style and being a trendsetter rather than a follower, I think we're finally climbing out of the micro-trend trenches.

People seem less inclined to buy hundreds of pieces from fast-fashion websites that they'll wear once before throwing them out. Instead, they're investing in a few quality pieces they'll keep for years. I've definitely become a secondhand shopper. I love spending hours scouring the internet and finding incredible pieces I know I'll wear again and again. I recently found the most gorgeous pair of Tabis on Vinted—a unique yet versatile addition to my wardrobe that I'll get so much wear out of, and for a bargain price.

One of my favorite ways to shop is by getting outfit inspiration from Pinterest and then using those images to hunt down similar pieces online or through secondhand retailers. There's something so rewarding about spending hours—or even days—searching for one specific item, only to finally find it. I feel much more connected to my wardrobe now than I did when I was constantly buying new micro-trend pieces that I already knew I'd get rid of a few months later.

These days, I'd much rather own fewer pieces that genuinely feel like me than a wardrobe full of clothes I only bought because everyone else was wearing them. Trends will always come and go, but personal style is the thing that actually sticks.

Scroll through my Fizzypicks below for the timeless pieces I'd genuinely recommend adding to your wardrobe—not just for one season, but for years to come.

Maison Margiela - Black Tabi New Ballerina Flats

MAISON MARGIELA
Black Tabi New Ballerina Flats
$1050

The Fashion Fatigue Phenomenon

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