By Lauren Wright

With the rise of social media influencers, TikTok fashion videos, and “micro-trends,” we have become much more aware of the fashion fads that have been popularized many times over. Examples of these micro-moments can be seen in the 2020 incorporation of 90’s and Y2K trends, which demonstrates the cyclical nature of the fashion industry as new trends come back into the mainstream. This article explores the trend cycle that fashion engages in to answer if we are in a new kind of fashion revolution with the rise of fast fading micro trends.

What is the cyclical nature of fashion and why does it happen?

Fashion is a term that combines the trends and current staple clothing of different groups of people. It is constantly evolving, as opposed to style, which is more about the personal touch of the individual. Hence the famous quote: “Fashion comes and goes; style goes on forever”. Therefore, fashion in its foundation is about a reflection of society at the time and is constantly changing as time goes on. For example, if we compare the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s styles, the change from bootcut and neon to low rise flares and cami tops is clearly apparent. Even in my lifetime, bootcut went from a pair of jeans you would only see your mum wearing to now being one of the only acceptable style of jeans for young people, with skinny jeans a part of 2010 fashion faux pa.

The Y2K influence since 2020 is part of this cyclical nature of fashion as it has seen the return of low rise, Juicy Couture tracksuits, corsets, and mini bags. This is in stark contrast to the “grunge” 2014 era, or those infamous Joni jeans from Topshop. This is significant because it shows how consumer trends change depending on the era we want to bring back. In 2020, this return of fashion from most of the generation’s childhood shows a desire for a return to nostalgia, perhaps because of the lockdown causing disillusionment. This shows how fashion can be predicted and how trends develop from a marketing point of view, as popular aesthetics come back with slight adaptations each time. For example, I don’t see skirts over jeans coming back any time soon.

While we are aware of the cyclical nature of returning trends, we now have to ask why this happens. During the 2020 lockdown many people were taking on new hobbies, one of which included the now popular term ‘upcycling’ in which old clothes and fabrics are made into new. This return to our old clothes also made mainstream fashion reminiscent of past trends and culture which are easy to recreate. For example, the “baby tee” trend are simply small t-shirts. This also coincides with the increased awareness of fast fashions impact upon the environment, so people have had a conscious attempt to recycle their old clothes. Another reason is that trends are popular for a reason and by bringing them back, designers hope to increase their own popularity by adapting them for contemporary consumers.

With trends making a comeback every 20-30 years, what can we expect next in 2022? With the increase in Y2K already apparent, perhaps new adaptations of the 2010’s style will return. Skater skirts, feathers, denim waistcoats and chokers will be staples to look out for. Overall, I think it has become more apparent that micro-trends are frivolous and their return shows why we should only consume fashion that we actually want to adopt into our style.

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