The churn of micro trends have never been quicker but it’s enough proof we need as to why fashion is stuck on anything retro
In a span of three years, we’ve seen the quick movement of fashion trends and it’s safe to say that it might be the fastest we’ve ever experienced. The styles went from playful Y2K, hyper feminine coquette, to minimalist quiet luxury—this isn’t even the complete list yet.
While it is normal for the fashion industry to have their switch, it is quite unusual for it to have styles come and go in this speed, but we might have just cracked the code as to how these trends move. They are quite a handful to keep track of but one thing’s for sure, fashion is stuck on decade dressing.
Reminiscing film
Yes, we’re out of the pandemic but it actually played a huge part with how fashion moved. While everyone was stuck at home, it enabled them to binge through various films in different genres, but it was the movies of the 90s and 2000s that really piqued the interest of many.
Suddenly, social media became a hotpot of all things chick flick like Clueless, Mean Girls, and Legally Blonde—hence why the style transitioned to the vibrant Y2K we’ve grown to love over the time. The world was suddenly into low-rise jeans, ultra mini denim skirts, quirky graphic tees, and the iconic baguette bag.
After this, other iterations of the Y2K style started to follow. The preppy fashion we saw on Cher from Clueless was being recreated and the one button cardigan look was a must to wear as seen on Gweneth Paltrow in her movie Great Expectations. We then had playful, preppy, and minimalist in less than a year.
The role of socials
Another factor we’re taking in is the power behind TikTok. It’s the platform that welcomes all kinds of creators and content. It was also the playground of many fashion enthusiasts as they explored various trends and shared it on their own platform.
Because of this, we were able to witness the movement of micro trends. When we say micro trends, these are the styles that last only a few months and are usually left behind as the new style comes in. They tend to hit popularity in a snap and they leave as quickly as they started.
What we’re currently experiencing is probably the fastest churn of micro trends as we hopped into the weird girl or old money aesthetic as well as the love for chiffon pieces inspired by the early 2000s. And as the fashion world continues to explore the fads from three decades ago, we have finally seen the macro trend beneath all micro trends.
The macro
If micro trends come in quickly and leave at the same speed, macro trends stay for years. We have seen this with the love towards maximalism during 2012 to 2020 as brands put out such extreme designs and the majority had their own interpretation of the style.
At this moment, we’re tracing back the start of the current macro trend back to the second half of 2020. What was once a love for mini bags created a domino effect to all things 90s and 2000s—which is still making its way until today.
Unlike micro trends, the underlying trend tends to move in a more subtle manner but the impact is much stronger. It also takes awhile to figure out the macro trend since we have to wait it out and analyze the movement of the fashion world. Seeing that we’re in the third year of the vintage era, we’re giving it a good two or three years before the industry switches to the other side of the pendulum.
So how come we are stuck on the fads of the 90s and 2000s? The fashion back then had a free-spirited vibe to it. People were adventurous with their play in form and texture, it pretty much reflects the culture of fashion nowadays since people are more comfortable to test out the waters. And since the styles back then were quite explorative, we have yet to unfold the other trends that era of fashion had.
