The Microtrend Menace: How to Purchase Mindfully

With spring arriving and the season of new beginnings, it’s common to crave a wardrobe refresh to help with the seasonal transition. But, this change also brings a wave of overconsumption, encouraged by the latest cosy trends and collections marketed by retailers. I should preface this article by saying that I love, love, love clothes but, as we all know, consumerism is detrimental to the environment. Also, what student actually has the spare money or wardrobe space for it all? So, here are some of my top tips for purchasing mindfully. 

I love to declutter my wardrobe at the beginning of a new season. This reminds me of what clothes I already have and how I may not actually need to do any more shopping. Normally, I take everything out of my wardrobe and assess two things: when did I last wear this and how well does it fit me? The first question is, in my experience, less of a dealbreaker. I always end up keeping things just in case they’ll come in handy one day—cue my primary school Wonder Woman costume that made a reappearance this Halloween. However, it’s also important to self-reflect and realise that if I haven’t reached for a wearable, everyday t-shirt in the past year, it’s time to say goodbye. As Marie Kondo says, if it doesn’t spark joy, then it’s got to go. 

Most importantly, if a piece of clothing doesn’t fit right, I know that I’ll never wear it as I simply don’t feel comfortable or confident. It takes a lot of effort to try on everything, so work in sections, starting with tops, then jumpers, trousers etc. to streamline the process. At the end of this process, I’ll (heartbreakingly) have a pile of clothes ready to be rehomed. I’d recommend sorting these into three piles. Anything that’s a bit grubby or damaged, take to a textiles recycling point. Anything that’s branded and could be worth a little something, upload onto a second-hand app. Anything that falls in between, drop off at your local charity shop. 

Now that you’ve tackled your current wardrobe, here are some reflective tips to help satisfy that shopping itch. My golden rule when shopping nowadays is to always pause, considering how much I truly love something and how well it fits, instead of feeling rushed to decide. Sometimes in a changing room, I’ll try something on and immediately feel excited, undoubtedly knowing it’s coming home with me. Other times though, I’ll feel unsure and ask for a friend’s opinion. Yet, this conflict probably means I’ll regret buying it once home, so I take this as a sign to put it back on the rack. 

Next up, invest in timeless pieces for you. Now, I’m not necessarily suggesting to only buy basics and build a generic, yet timeless, capsule wardrobe. I find that this approach only works for people with minimalistic and neutral styles. What I mean is that while it’s fun to look at current trends for style inspiration, don’t be a sheep. Instead, consider how this trending item could integrate into your existing wardrobe—as not every single trend is going to align with your personal style. 

The nature of microtrends means that they’re already over by the time they’ve started. This ultimately results in manufacturers chasing trends just as fast as consumers and producing unprecedented levels of textile waste. Trends used to be determined by monthly fashion magazine issues and fashion houses’ seasonal collections. Now, social media has diminished this exclusive top-down hierarchy. The virality and hypervisibility available to social media influencers means that it’s no longer just the fashion elite determining trends. Here, the additional short attention span of today’s population, in turn with the fickleness of social media, has only resulted in even shorter trend lifespans. Thus, the microtrend menace was born. 

My point here is to give yourself time. Rather than immediately jumping on a new trend, buying something on a whim or getting sucked into the fleeting bargain of a sale, give yourself time. The time to reflect on what similar items you already own, how easily an item will work with your pre-existing wardrobe, and how much you truly like it, nay love it! Following some of these tips can help not only your wallet but also the Earth, in preventing overconsumption. Then, if after all of that, you’re still thinking about that funky jacket you saw, then go forth and treat yourself.