Unpublished Zine

In this ever growing web of information there is a new phenomenon beginning: the microtrend. 

At this time in our lives, a lot is going on. Finding yourself in a sea of people, ideas, and feelings can be hard. Because of the effects of social media, everyone has this heightened awareness of who they are, what they look like, and what they represent. 

Not to mention all the choices a teenager has to make, like: Who do I sit with at lunch? What clothes should I wear? What college should I go to? What should I do for the rest of my life? It’s a ton of pressure and some days everything you do seems wrong.

In a time where identity has never meant more, social media is seen as a way to learn new things and define yourself. However, in this ever-growing web of information, there is a new phenomenon beginning: the microtrend. 

Now, what is a microtrend? To answer that question, we must first define a trend. Oxford Dictionary defines a trend as “(of a topic) being the subject of many posts on a social media site or application within a short period of time.” Trends have existed since the beginning of civilization, so they’re not a new thing. However, with the invention of social media (a way to spread information in seconds) and more short-form content reigning supreme (i.e. YouTube vs. TikTok), trends have started to speed up. 

There are many examples of this. Think cottagecore, coastal grandmother, chunky rings, glazed brownie lips, the strawberry dress, blueberry milk nails, and more. All of these concepts have existed before but came into fashion almost as quickly as they came out. 

These trends may now be considered cheugy or outdated, even though these trends are from a few years ago at maximum. And sure, trends can help someone find what they enjoy, but the rate at which things go in and out of style causes overconsumption and waste.

Fast fashion brands like Shein pump out postable, aesthetic, garbage-ready, polyester clothes that you can throw away as soon as Instagram decides that they’re ugly. Young people have been caught in the crossfires of social media and are easy targets for marketing. Teens are shown to cultivate an aesthetic and to always be TikTok-ready, which comes from an unrealistic standard promoted by algorithms that sell this idea of perfection to its users.

Trends can be fun to participate in and enjoy, but don’t allow social media to cloud who you are and what you believe in. Consume wisely and spend on what brings you the most satisfaction.