Social media was once widely referred to as the deterioration of traditional communication. By 2015, the belief that the virtual and physical worlds hold equal importance in our society has become a universally accepted concept. Just as Pinterest has eliminated our need for cookbooks and Google is the new 411; Instagram has cancelled our magazine subscriptions.
High-end brand literacy is rapidly increasing. Charlotte Russe’s shoe section resembles that of New York’s Canal Street, with studded flats nearly identical to the iconic Valentino originals. This winter, Forever 21 sold handbags that were blatantly aimed to replicate the 3.1 Phillip Lim Pashli Satchel. Even contemporary designers feed into the imitation game. Botkier bags, which sell for $300 on average, look suspiciously similar to Balenciaga classics.
Thanks to Paris Hilton, In the early 2000’s the entire world seemed to be sporting faux mini Louis Vuitton bags and velvet tracksuits. If someone’s lounge-wear were Juicy Couture, or their trucker hat authentic Von Dutch, their social status would increase. History repeats itself, but it can be difficult to see a pattern when its a Canada Goose patch that represents the elite, and not an outfit that would have appeared on MTV Cribs.
In the past, mass-marketed trends have lasted for years. With social media, an article of clothing or accessory can easily become an overnight sensation. Tattoo choker necklaces similar to those we wore during our childhoods became immensely popular this winter. While the nostalgic tribute was fun for a few months, the rebirth of “normcore” wasn’t particularly sustainable. During Paris fashion week this year, the “it” item was a $2.4k Saint Laurent suede fringe skirt. The most successful fashion bloggers certainly have the financial capacity to invest and the swag (for lack of a better word) to pull off the style without looking like Pocahontas.
Just as we dismissed Dooney and Bourke and Coach from our wardrobes, we’ve begun to do the same with the comparable Kate Spade and Tory Burch. The lifespan of contemporary brands depends on the rapid speed they reach the mainstream. In just a few years, Michael by Michael Kors became the unofficial uniform of the “basic white girl”; a term coined on the internet. Marc Jacob’s decision to terminate his Marc by Marc Jacobs line indicates that designers are aware of the negative impact widely accessible products can have on a brand. Jacobs told WWD that he never meant for Marc by Marc to be the “impoverished little sister” of his signature collection, but perhaps he feared becoming the next Michael Kors.
Growing up I firmly believed that an impressive sense of style was to be able to dress exceptionally well without overspending. I disregarded certain girls as fashionistas due to the unlimited spending allowance allotted by their parents and shoplifting habits I knew to be true. Speaking of which, LF stores should really improve their security system. Over the years we’ve built a society of entitlement by categorizing high power bloggers as the voices of the people instead of the celebrities they have become. One of the most successful fashion bloggers, Chiara Ferragni, has millions of followers on Instagram and enough Chanel mini bags to host a flagship store in her closet. She also keeps vacation t-shirts and wears them 10 years later; brilliant seeing as she is creating her own vintage.
The pace at which trends are being recycled is astonishing. What has already been considered “in for spring” is already out, and there is still snow on the ground in Boston. It is absolutely impossible to dress like your favorite blogger without a AMEX black card. But there is an upside, a huge one— there has never been a better time for personal style.
Editor of Vogue, Anna Wintour, considers “trend” to be a dirty word. Only buy the “it” bag if you think you’ll love it even when nobody else does. Choose the pair of jeans that fit you at your normalist, not when you’re on a coffee and stress diet, nor when you’ve abandoned your gym membership. Let your clothes speak for your personality and not your finances. The iconic Hermes Birkin bag was named after a french woman named Jane who carried a wicker basket as her signature accessory.
Would you rather hangout with the spectacular women who inspired the bag, or Kim Kardashian, who has it in every color?
