Trends have never really been my thing, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't incorporate them into my life in some way or another. Truthfully, we all take inspiration from everything around us, and original ideas are rarely truly original. However, lately, I can't help but notice that trends seem slightly more terrifying for a few reasons. The biggest one is that trends are no longer confined to just our clothing, makeup, or style choices; instead, they seem to dictate how we live our entire lives.
I came across an article last week that discussed "BRAT summer" and questioned whether we are leaving our "Clean girl era" and entering a more carefree but chaotic "BRAT girl summer." According to the article, this new trend implies that people who dedicated themselves to last summer's "Clean girl era" might now have messier hair, smoke cigarettes, and be less strict with their skincare routines, all because Charli XCX and the internet are pushing to make this summer brattier than ever.
Don't get me wrong, I am all for BRAT girl summer—it probably suits me much better than clean girl summer. However, I struggle to understand how people can just jump onto a trend for the sake of it.
These trends play a significant role in making people less authentic, even with trends like BRAT girl summer that are supposed to embrace authenticity. While BRAT girl summer promotes a carefree and chaotic lifestyle, the pressure to conform to this new trend can make people feel like they have to change their behaviors and appearances just to fit in. Instead of genuinely expressing themselves, many users adapt their personas to match what’s popular on TikTok, losing touch with their true identities. This constant chase for the next big trend, dictated by influencers and viral videos, can lead to a superficial sense of self.
Another prime example being in the way we exercise - which don't get me wrong I am a huge advocate for anyone being influenced to exercise but it blows my mind to see people spend huge money on taking up the latest trending hobbie. Through lockdowns we saw the boom of rollerskating and this year every second video I see is somebody running.
It’s great that people are getting active, but the motivation behind it often seems to stem more from wanting to participate in the latest trend rather than from a genuine interest in the activity.
Instead of jumping from one trend to the next, we should find activities that genuinely make us happy and fulfilled. Exercise should be a personal journey, not a social media spectacle. By focusing on what truly resonates with us, we can lead more authentic and satisfying lives, rather than constantly reshaping ourselves to fit the latest internet craze. I do believe in finding something you love from these crazes too, for example I myself got back into rollerskating and surfing from the rise they saw during lockdowns but I suppose the difference is after being reminded of things I love I stick with them even when there is a new sport on everyones for you page.
It is also interesting to see brands hop onto these trends that might not align with their mission statement or core values at all and I get it as brands and as humans we are all looking for that viral moment to boost our sales or awareness but if you jump onto a trend for the sake of it rather than it being truly aligned to your brand the chances are you're not attracting the right audience that are even going to shop your products and you also send mixed messages about the type of brand you are.
Trends are helpful in finding what kind of brand or personal brand/style it is you want to portray to the world and I am also a firm believer in a rebrand and reinvention of self however being able to differentiate in that and hopping on whatever "ERA" is in for the summer will help you truly know yourself and sustain that sense of self and if you are a brand or personal brand I truly believe that sense of self and true authenticity that comes with it is what allows us to have longevity. People see it and when you can convince them to invest in your authenticity as opposed to the latest trend you are hopping on you're building something to last!
What are your thoughts?