Fashion v/s fad: Why a microtrend is a waste of time and money

Some styles last for years. Some barely survive a season. Here’s how to avoid the flash and pick true winners

January 2022. It’s the opening episode of season 2 of Euphoria. Maddy Perez (Alexa Demie) is in a little black dress: Bodycon, with cutouts on the sides and back. She pairs it with full-length gloves and sparkling strappy heels. Viewers pretty much lose their minds.

Searches for the dress surge by 890% in the coming days. AKNA Store, the Los Angeles brand, can barely keep up with orders. Copies flourish. And just like that, the buzz dies down. The $185 dress is now on final sale on the site.

In fashion, every week bring something new to obsess over. Not every trend will last. Here’s how to tell the difference, and not get caught up in the hype.

Alexa Demie’s cut-out dress, featured on Euphoria, made the style trend for a brief while last year.

Why a microtrend is a waste of time and money

• Fish out the fads.

  Pastels were all over the place in the run-up to the Barbie movie. Last year, shimmery wet looks, christened Mermaidcore, were the look of the moment, as the Little Mermaid released. “If not for social media, the looks wouldn’t even have lasted for that one month,” says Ekta Nahar, fashion stylist and designer at Studio 9696. Meghna Goyal, founder of the Summer Somewhere label, says it’s natural to want to “stay on-trend, be relevant and up to date on the latest styles”. But find out why something has started trending. It’s a good way to find out how long it will last.
• Strengthen your core.

  By identifying who’s following the trend. Is it 14 designers on international runways? Or the grinning girl trying to get to 100K followers on Insta. “Social media personalities and content creators are usually the first to jump on micro trends,” says Goyal. “They don’t fit into anyone’s personal style easily. So they’ll only be short lived.” Nahar points out that fads are often seen on young folks. “Styles that work on a wider range of people, such as the blue jeans-white-shirt pairing, last longer and are worth the investment.”
• 
  Stay simple.

  Why have co-ord sets stuck around for season after season? “Because they can be adapted to various categories: There’s co-ord athleisure and co-ord formal wear,” says Nahar. “Cape dresses and long slits, on the other hand, are difficult to apply to a variety of garments.” Look for how versatile a new trend is. Only then, jump on board.
• Take time to reflect.

  Look in the mirror before adding to cart. “Understand your body type and whether it works with a micro-trend,” says Nahar. “It’s wiser to invest in pieces that last longer and pair with more items you already own” she says. Goyal says that one trend that’s here to stay is quiet luxury: No logos, more high-quality fabrics, classic cuts. “This is the best trend for anyone trying to set up a timeless and high-quality wardrobe,” she says.
• Give it a spin.

  Styles trickle down from runways and red carpets to boutiques and mass-market shops, says Nahar. Why be a sheep? “Tweak a trend in such a way that it seems like your own style,” she says. It comes with practice, says Goyal: “Do the research. Subscribe to style publications, follow fashion icons on social platforms. Trends will start emerging.”