The Impact of Fast Fashion

Sydney Greeburg

4/8/24

The Impact of Fast Fashion

Too much of anything is unhealthy, What happens when fashion becomes oversaturated?

It's no surprise that fashion and trends nowadays have a shorter lifespan than they used to. One week a specific style top is trending on TikTok, and the next, it's considered unpopular. We even have a trendy word to describe it, "Cheugy." Where do the trends end? This short lifespan is something we haven't seen in the past. If you look at every decade of fashion, there are always certain staple pieces you associate with that time. Now, that's not to say we don't have our trends. But I feel parts didn't rotate as fast as they are now. I think it may have something to do with our changing world. TikTok soared in popularity when the pandemic hit, and I'm not surprised it did. We were on our phones more; we were at home getting in touch with our technology; it was our only way to communicate with the masses. 

Since this switch, in reality, Quarantine, and after the fact, we have continued similar behaviors. I may not be on my phone as much as on Quarantine. Still, I am using it more than I did before Quarantine. If anything is true, it is evident that TikTok has not lost its momentum. If anything, the app has grown more. On top of TikTok affecting fashion, we see a rise in copies or dupes for less. There is such a variety of accessible dupes for higher-priced styles that it almost seems comical to buy the real deal for most customers. Any shopper can swipe through fast fashion brands and see the same products but at different prices. It's almost a race to see who can create the cheapest version to attract the most consumers. With this mindset, things start to look more wasteful. If everyone is making the same product, there has to be room for some brands to not sell as much development they had planned. It's unethical, and I feel it dulls the sparkle of the fashion industry. But I say this without considering the consumer. As a consumer, I am a student. I don't have the same income as 30 year old with a full-time job who might be comfortable spending copious amounts of money on a product. As a consumer, I look for dupes. I look for cheaper options of products I admire so that I too can take part in a trend. 

This accessibility seems worth it; it benefits me. From the fashion idolizer side, I am worried. I am scared that we will lose our originality in following this track. Will the respected designers of our time lose the spotlight to these mini trends? Will people look at styles as disposable?