The Micro-trend Addiction

Where have all the dirty AF1s gone?

By: Marie Ronnander

My Nike Airforce 1s are stuffed into the bottom of my “shoe-shelf” with scuffed soles and peeled leather from over three years of (tough) love. They’re cherished in my memory as the first shoes I saved my money to buy, a proud memento of my first steps into the fashion world. Unfortunately, though once proudly regarded as “my most favorite purchase ever,” they now are borderline neglected. This is the sad story for many other shoes and articles of clothing as the empire of fast fashion takes hold of our wallets. 

The danger of the constant fluctuation brought on by microtrends is that fashion pieces now have increasingly shorter lifespans. Where typically trends from the 70s to 80s lasted 5 to 10 years, the arrival of the micro-trend has caused fashion to change every 2 to 5 years. This is partly due to influencers and the over-abundance of advertisements for online stores polluting our social media feed. These marketing techniques are used to force a click, and, psychologically, it works. 

Retail therapy is a real addiction that has been encouraged by internet platforms and exploited by large corporations. In an interview with Cleveland Clinic, clinical psychologist Scott Bea, PsyD., explains that by simply browsing online, the “anticipation of the eventual possibility of a reward or treat… releases dopamine,” a feel-good neurotransmitter that leaves us craving more. With this information, fast-fashion businesses such as Forever21, Shein, Cider, and many more use Instagram ads that take you directly to their page.

New lines of clothing come out every season, and the human inclination to fit in causes us to click the “add to cart” button. But what happens to the old Nike Airforce 1s that used to be incessantly worn? The issue with the revolving door of clothing is that it leads to piles of waste and contamination during production and disposal. The new popularity in thrifting and vintage clothing has brought hope into the fashion industry, but we as a society need to remember that fads come and go. The old clothes that we’ve forgotten are begging to be reworn.