mi·cro: adjective. /ˈmīkrō/ extremely small
trend: verb /trend/ (of a topic) be the subject of many posts on a social media site or application within a short period of time.
“Are you a clean girl? A Pilates princess? Did you buy the new Stanley Cup? How about an Owala? Are you wearing Cheirosa ‘62? You have to dye your hair copper cowgirl red! Did you just get a new high score on Block Blast? Are you still playing Wordle and Dress to Impress? You look so coquette today. I love your new Adidas Sambas. What happened to your Nike Air Force’s? Or your Classic Ultra Platform Uggs? Should I buy from Shein? How about Target? You’re so Barbiecore.” These are just a few examples of the hundreds and thousands of microtrends that dominate social media platforms, influencing consumer behavior and societal values.
How many of these trends do you remember? How many were you a part of? Every day, users on social media are flooded with new styles that they are pushed to consume.
These users consist of people from all over the world and across a wide age range. While adults and parents certainly buy and change certain items because they are popular, companies target kids and young adults to consume their products.
These trends often start with social media influencers or celebrities. They promote a product, their followers rush to buy it, and soon, everyone is talking about it. This online buzz quickly spills over into real life, spreading across schools, sports teams, friend groups, and neighborhoods.
Weeks later, there’s a new hoodie that costs $50 or a new pair of shoes that no one can risk creasing or getting dirt on. After a few years or even months, these popular and expensive items will likely be unnecessary products at thrift stores and consignment stores.
Clothes will most likely be hidden in the back of the closet, and beauty products will expire or be piled in a drawer with the receipt right next to them.
Things become mainstream very quickly but die down even quicker. Forgotten sayings and games that have been on the internet for decades can instantaneously be known and talked about constantly in simple conversations. A more recent trend that has emerged is the online game Block Blast.
Block Blast is a free online block puzzle game inspired by Tetris. Launched in 2022, it became popular in late 2024 and has traveled over to 2025. This game is an example of an easy spread trend. It was almost guaranteed that in December 2024, someone would be seen playing the game at school, in the cafeteria, waiting in line, or in the car.
But it’s not just games. This kind of fad can be applied to fashion as well. Consequently, microtrends are intertwined with fast fashion and overconsumption. To keep up with these popular trends and styles, people often turn to fast-fashion brands to satisfy their “needs.” Through microtrends, commercialism succeeds while materialism and consumerism are enforced.
According to NPR, the recent trends “are constantly dropped at low prices by mass-market retailers like Shein or ASOS [while] fast fashion is often criticized for not being the most environmentally or ethically sound.”
When buying affordable clothing from fast fashion chains, people often ignore the harmful effects that fast fashion manufacturers partake in. For example, when producing a product, it increases the use of microplastics, water, and energy, as well as the emission of greenhouse gases. (Earth)
Stores use polyester, nylon, and acrylic, which take years to biodegrade, to turn into textiles for their clothing. This process is also an energy-intensive process that releases acids while manufacturing. According to Earth.org, “the fashion industry is the second largest consumer industry of water, requiring about 700 gallons to produce one cotton shirt and 2,000 gallons of water to produce a pair of jeans”.
Additionally, microtrends are not always simple clothing and a new aesthetic. Sometimes, the trends are as significant and impactful as new cosmetic procedures. Facelifts, Botox, and Microneedling, have become popular and largely talked about on social media platforms, accessible to young adults and teen girls. Similarly, Ozempic, a medication used for Type 2 Diabetes, has been commonly used by celebrities for weight loss.
Microtrends have created a new way to reinforce insecurities and a desire to be “cool” or “popular.” They convince people they need to buy something or have a certain product to be pretty or accepted.
Microtrends are not always bad. Sometimes, searching through and following popular trends inspires people to find their own style and identity (GFA). However, other times, with a new brand or product appearing every day, “shopping isn’t fun anymore, and personal style feels impossible.” (NBC News).
The rapid turnover of trends highlights the need for a more sustainable approach to fashion and consumerism. Before you hit “order” on another impulse buy, whether it’s a really cute top on sale or a pair of jeans you saw someone wear, think for just a moment: do you really need it?
