1. Why personal style matters in a time of trends?
We live in a world where outfit inspiration comes from unaffordable brands or unknown designers, leading us to our Instagram explore page, which is flooded with trends from people who get their clothes in PR or from those who buy overpriced basics to feel superior.
Well for starters, you do not need to invest in ALO, Aritzia or Lululemon if you’re only going to buy nothing but a basic black trackpant or leggings, when you could find the same at a cheaper price from old navy, H&M, Aerie or Urban planet for that matter because in all honesty, I have observed people in real wearing the same article with zero confidence and fake laughing through their day. On the other side, people like me who would find a good deal at $50 or less pull the outfit like it was designed for us only.
Trust me when I tell you, it is not about the clothing that you wanted to invest in but the feeling of wearing a particular brand and thinking you are a member of the club as well. It is not wrong wanting to own something from of a popular brand but wanting it only because it is popular is. If you find yourself liking something because that particular item speaks to you then buy it.
But how on Earth can a t-shirt with Billie Eilish’s face convince me to part ways with my precious $45? And don’t even get me started on Taylor Swift or Sidhu Moosewala – their faces are practically begging me to buy them! All you need to do is glance at them and let your instincts scream, “BUY THIS NOW OR REGRET IT FOREVER!!!”
If your inner voice isn’t having a mini meltdown, squealing, “Do I really want to shell out that much for this?!”, then forget it, it’s not worth it. This is the slippery slope where everyone stumbles – sure, you crave that fancy ALO quarter-zip, but alas, your soul is chaotically tied to your comfy grey Nike tracksuit, just like the guy next to you who’s probably contemplating the same existential crisis!
Trends tend to make most of our decisions and we live in times where we let them because it is easier to follow them than introspect about our needs.
At the core of it, trends are the root of consumerism and rising capitalism because we are now wired to desire and reinvent every time a new product goes viral. Take iPhone 17 pro max in cosmic orange for example, I bet you know someone who has it but does that person even like the colour orange? what other orange stuff do they own? you already know the point I am trying to make. They bought it because it was trending and it was the new gadget that everyone was talking about and this is the same person who will buy the next trending product without considering the need of it.
To conclude this article I want to leave you with a thought that I often find myself thinking which is, whenever I want to purchase a new item or even style any old clothes of mine, I think…’ what will make me look different than someone wearing a high end brand head to toe’. I have this need to stand out because the only thing that will differentiate me from the next girl is my appearance and I do not wish to be a slick back girlie when I can leave my thick locks wild and add fun earrings or wear bracelets that are not Lisa Gozlan; those are cute but they have become a status symbol and I do not support anything that has no meaning other than wanting to buy it out of peer pressure.
So, my reader I hope the next time you want to style an outfit or buy a new one, you ask your instincts for fashion advice or someone who knows you and I am not talking about your FOR YOU PAGE!!!
