Ever wondered how to keep up with the trends without needing to buy a new wardrobe every month? I’ve got you! Consider this blog post a guide to just that.
With the rise of the popular video making app, Tik Tok, fads have increasingly become more of a problem within the fashion industry. Google defines fad as “an intense and widely shared enthusiasm for something, especially one that is short-lived and without basis in the object's qualities,” a craze. Tik Tok has single handedly created many fads that many of you will recognize, and maybe even participated in. One of the problems with investing in fads is that they will go out of style just as fast as they came in. Due to this, fads heavily contribute to the ongoing problem of fast fashion. In order to avoid this fad cycle, consumers need to invest in trends and classics. Now, I am going to suggest some trendy/classic alternatives to popular fads so that you can stay in style without contributing to fast fashion and the fad cycle.
Coconut Girl Aesthetic
The main way to spot a fad is how fast it rose to popularity. The coconut girl aesthetic randomly shot up and is now ruling Pinterest and Tik Tok. This aesthetic is a smaller division of the y2k trend that has been popular for around a year now. The problem with the coconut girl aesthetic is it will most likely be out of style by the end of summer. My recommendation for an alternative to the coconut girl, is to stick with the y2k aesthetic, which has stayed in style for a while now and will continue to. If you still want to participate in this fad, there is a way to do so without breaking the bank or contributing to fast fashion; thrifting. The coconut girl aesthetic (and the y2k trend) are incredibly easy to thrift. My recommendation: stick to mainly y2k inspired clothing and sprinkle in some thrifted coconut girl pieces.
Example of the Coconut Girl Aesthetic
Example of the Y2K Aesthetic
2. Wildly Popular Pieces
What do the House of Sunny Hockney Dress, Réalisation Par Hercules Baby Tee, and Beginning Boutique Whitsundays Knit Dress all have in common? They are all fads. Sadly, these beautiful pieces have become fads due to their wild popularity. Just like the brown NorthFace puffer, these items rose and will fall quickly. My recommendation is to avoid purchasing pieces that rise to popularity as fast as these three did, and instead invest in similar, less-known products. A great alternative to the House of Sunny Hockney Dress are the other dresses House of Sunny sells. Instead of buying the Hercules Baby Tee, search on Depop for baby tees; there are infinite options and all for a much more affordable price. Lastly, instead of the Whitsundays dress from Beginning Boutique, I recommend a different variation of a knit/crochet dress. One option is the Fair Game Crochet dress from Verge Girl.
3. Halter Tie Tops
This may be an unpopular opinion, but the halter tie top everyone and their mother has is now a fad. All of a sudden these tops were all over Tik Tok and stores like Shein and Zaful. A good rule of thumb: if the item is on Shein it is most likely a fad, or about to become one. These tops are definitely a piece that we will look back and cringe at in the future. Instead of purchasing the multiple variations of these tie tops, I recommend a halter top or a knit wrap top moment.
