Over the past year, almost everyone has seen the cycle of fashion through the lens of social media. And although the majority of people allow for those trends to customize their closet, the fashion world is also dispersed in the fashion industry, with big name brands like Gucci and Chanel keeping their titles on the world stage. Since fashion is so deeply disseminated into both groups, there are a lot of trends, both old and new, going on this season. 

Forbes said in an article written near the end of the 2020 winter fashion season that the industry is changing rapidly The journalist further went on to give examples, saying that the fashion industry has recently been using algorithms to decide what trends are most likely to be popular, rather than actually having people wear the items. The second example that was given was pertaining to the recent but gradual changes to online versus in-person shopping. Due to the rapid growth of online shopping websites, the majority of brands are giving consumers a chance to shop completely online. This is changing the general idea of going to the store to try on clothes and is making the luxury of an experience at high-end stores less prominent. 

Given the state of “fashion” on apps like Pinterest or even the Instagram explore page, it can be inferred that grunge has become popular again from the early ’90s. Grunge outfits entail large sweaters/crewnecks, oversized jeans or a skirt, and fishnets, as well as the occasional combat boot. Nirvana and other grunge artists like them participated in the early stages of that trend. Nikita Gupta (10) commented on this revival of 20th-century styles, saying that “I think that the current fashion trends in society reflecting on past trends are interesting…maybe some trends that are new right now will have their own revival in a couple of decades.” For the most part, TikTok has dictated quite a bit of the fashion world during the past couple of years. Seventeen Magazine describes that the majority of TikTok is wearing oversized sweaters, sweatshirts, quarter zips, and mom jeans. Accessories include chunky sunglasses and statement jewelry. After the past year of fashion trends, especially with grunge, it can be concluded that the ’90s have made a comeback, and don’t look like they’re leaving any time soon. 

Speaking of fashion, “fast fashion” has also fully made its way into daily wear. Brands like Shein and Fashion Nova participate in “fast fashion” practices, which are essentially rapidly made synthetic clothes created by unpaid workers that operate in harsh environments. Buying from fast fashion brands allows for people to pay very little money for proportionately large amounts of clothing. The aforementioned Forbes article also explained that around 50 percent of fast-fashion consumers are trying to get a better look at how ethical the companies they’re shopping from are. A more ethical alternative to this, that eliminates the process of quickly wearing cheaply made material and then throwing them away, is thrift shopping. 

Another result of this fast fashion operation system is social activism. CNN explained in late 2020 that many of the trends that began in 2020 were going to last sometime. Some of those trends included graphic shirts and outerwear that depicted how climate change must be combated. Many people responded to this harshly, saying that making a t-shirt isn’t going to do anything. 

Overall, even if some trends are recycled, fashion is ever-growing, so no matter how unique an outfit might be, whether it’s a ten-foot leather jacket or a t-shirt with a bunch of eyes, it could be the next trend.