Trends exist for all sort of things: vocabulary, vacation spots, water bottles, but one of the most notable trends remains within the fashion realm. Due to a classic lack of knowledge, however, fashion trends can seem unimportant or irrelevant to our culture. Because this subject has such intrinsic complexities, one could argue a conversation needs to commence, one which lends itself to why fashion trends might matter or how they find themselves in all of our closets.

Differing opinions on trends

Within such a wide category like fashion trends, students may find themselves still developing their opinions, therefore pushing themselves into several different categories of thought. Junior Mind Truman elementary education major, speaks for the side that feels mostly indifferent to the cause behind trends.

“Trends hold little importance to me, because I know they will be gone relatively quickly,” Truman said.

Okay, so maybe the temporary aspect of a trend makes it easy to ignore. The language used here implies a lack of need to adhere to the changing norms around oneself, an opinion sophomore cinema and media arts major Emilio Mazariegos supports just as swimmingly.

“It’s kind of relative, if it’s a trend I like I’ll adopt it,” Mazariegos said.

This attitude shows how we completely separate ourselves from trends, as if they do not really have the power to change us and our opinions — as if they occupy complete subjectivity.

Others have grasped a disparate opinion as their own. Junior elementary education major Kristen Hollingsworth, has definitely found herself affected by the changing fashion world around her.

“I think now social media has an impact on fashion trends. If I see people wearing Birks on Instagram then I want to wear them. If I see a cool person start wearing them then I’m going to wear it too,” Hollingsworth said.

The pressures of a trend

She opens a new door on the subject, maybe those you hold in high esteem do influence your fashion choices. Friends or celebrities we respect will be of influence whether we really want that or not, and senior theatre major Andy Marderian agrees.

“I think trends come to be when a few influential people or groups arbitrarily decide that something is fashionable,” Marderian said.

If only it was possible to ignore the appearance of those around us. Junior philosophy major Austin Bland, pitched his opinion.

“People usually feel comfortable around people who are similar to them, so if the people we take fashion queues from, such as big corporations, mass produce a certain trend everyone will simply follow them in order to fit in and be accepted,” Bland said.

Ultimately, opinions on fashion trends remain so wildly diverse. They cannot possibly be encapsulated in one general consensus, but there is definitely something to be said for the different groups. One group is highly influenced by trends and does not know it, the second group that does what they want because they do not find the use in caring for something that is quickly going to be gone, and the third group who is unsure of how trends are exactly related to their lives. But one thing is for sure, trends are their own complex equation, one that is still a bit of a mystery to be solved in its entirety.