In a technologically advanced society, where social media is used daily, we become the trendsetters of what is relevant or outdated, particularly related to fashion. Although, as social media is an internationally accessible platform, trends tend to shift quicker than the average person can keep up with. With fast fashion brands gaining popularity within the fashion industry to compensate for the shifting fashion trends, customers turn to impulsive purchases to keep up with fashion, taking a toll on the environment. What is more important to the youth, societal acceptance or environmental sustainability?

It’s known that throughout teenage years, one goes through self-evaluation and personal discovery, which can involve fashion, deciding what suits you best or finding a style that you like. In the current day of age, social media is closely linked to discovery as you scroll through the feed and get introduced to new content which can either contribute to personal discovery or further redirect you to fit into what is considered societally acceptable by noticing its standards. To put this into perspective, we can discuss a Swedish fast fashion brand that is also internationally known as H&M. H&M is the second largest fashion retailer in the world, known for copying high-end fashion, explaining the mass production of clothes and sales. Knowing this, I asked 17-year-old Vera, who is a fashion enthusiast, what she thought about the situation.

- What do you think about the fashion trends nowadays?

“I think they change very fast, it’s hard to keep up with all the changes. One day it’s polkadots, that’s everywhere right now, and then one day it’s stripes. I also think the big fashion companies are fast at adapting, for example in H&M, you see right away that they know what the trends are and change apparel based on trends.”

- What concerns do you have about fast fashion and the switching trends?

“I think the biggest issue is that everyone feels the need to buy them to fit in and that the big companies know this and create their designs to keep up with the trends we have, because you want to look like everybody else sometimes. Personally, I try not to shop from fast fashion, mainly because I don’t like the style and colors, and because the quality is often quite bad. I’m concerned that they produce new clothes so fast to a trend that people will forget eventually. I’m concerned that it’s not produced to last.”

- How often do you purchase clothes, and where?

“I purchase most of my clothes second-hand, most often at Myrorna, Stockholms Statsmission and Vinted. I don’t think I have bought any new clothes this year, I receive clothes from my cousins and mother. If I buy stuff, it’s only the basics, like tank tops and pants.”

- What suggestions would you give to other teenagers who purchase a lot of fast fashion?

“I’d tell them to slow down and find your own style, you don’t need more clothes, you just need to find a style and the type clothes you like. You can most often find clothes you like second-hand, which are much cheaper and better for the environment. While you figure out your style it’s better to buy second-hand because if you change your mind, it would only be a small cost to compensate for. I would hope that people could go their own ways more with fashion and not feel pressured to buy fast fashion to fit in with their friends.”

Fast Fashion poster. Image: Photo taken by me.

- To conclude, what is a sentence you would use to sum up the fashion industry?

“Stressed and unsteady.”

A common trend seen within big fast fashion brands is neutral colors on apparel, frequently used due to their palatability and popularity within the fashion standards, increasing profit to suit the average customer. While fast fashion is more accessible for consumers, it often leads to overconsumption and less individuality. Compared to a second-hand store that offers a bigger variety of clothing without trying to rely on off customers impulsive purchases. Upcycling clothes is also a fashion principle that is encouraged instead of fast fashion which involves using already owned clothing and repurposing it for new use, making it possible to make clothes last longer and stay fashionable. This showcases personality and creativity that make us unique as individual people. Developing a sense of style leads to more thoughtful shopping habits as you take notice of what suits you best, choosing more timeless and personal pieces. This is more sustainable in the long run as this saves money and reduces waste and builds confidence and authenticity as people feel comfortable in what they wear.

To get some insight from the other side of the spectrum, I contacted 18-year-old Melissa, who often purchases clothes from SHIEN.

- What do you think about SHIEN and the quality of their products?

"I love SHIEN, although their quality might not be the best, if you properly look for the materials and scout the comments on their clothes you might find better apparel. All my clothes are bought from SHIEN and have lasted me a long time, even longer than clothes from Gina Tricot. They sell good products for low prices, although it has gotten more expensive than it used to be. What might cost 800 SEK in Gina Tricot might cost 300 SEK in SHIEN while still having the same quality."

- How often do you purchase from SHIEN?

"I buy stuff from SHIEN at least 1-2 times per month. I must admit that my most recent purchase may have been more than usual, but at least 1-2 times per month."

- What do you think about the shifting fashion trends nowadays?

Clothes in Ullared, one of Swedens biggest retailstores. Limited color selection on aparell. Image: Photo taken by me.

"I don’t really enjoy the new trends that tell you what you should look like to fit in, although I do enjoy seeing trends from the 2000s resurfacing. Especially in TikTok where influencers tell you that you should wear this and that, only for it to change repeatedly. Fashion is supposed to be to one’s liking and should cycle through generations as we've seen in the past. Fashion is art and art changes as time goes on."

- In general, how do you feel about fast fashion?

"In some situations, fast fashion is nice because of the stores who sell good quality products for a good price, but I don’t like it when they try to amp the price just because of the brand."

For more context, SHIEN is a popular fast fashion company, most common around Generation Z shoppers due to promoting their products in social media platforms like TikTok. They also profit by directly stealing designs from high-end fashion brands to fit the trends. During a 2020 press release they stated that a minimum of 500 products were released on their website every day, encouraging high volume sales. Gina Tricot is also mentioned which is another fast fashion brand, in similar size to H&M but much smaller, mainly catering to Scandinavian customers. Either way, it seems to be a general statement throughout both interviews that shifting fashion trends aren’t sustainable or enjoyable to go through.

Finding your own personal style can empower self-confidence and personal identity by expressing yourself through fashion, whereas fast fashion and trends dictate and redirect people to short-lived fashion trends that are hard to keep up with. As social media is common influence on young teenagers, trends and shifting fashion standards may cause impulsive shopping to fit in. Be true to yourself and express yourself through fashion, without feeling the need to show off to anyone else.