Fast fashion isn't just bad for the environment; it's not even good fashion, according to a viral TikTok video from alana likes to thrift (@atlantawithouthetea), an account known for her creative thrift store fashion finds.
The TikToker puts fashion trends on blast for not only contributing to wasteful practices, but for flying in the face of what fashion is supposed to be: creative, individual, expressive.
@atlantawithouthetea subtitle is why i disliike the term & identity of "fashion girly" #rant #yap #coldtake #fashiontiktok #microtrend #trendcycle #overconsumption ♬ original sound - alana likes to thrift ![]()
"It's just virtue signaling," she says in the clip. It's about the item's brand and showing you know what's popular, not about what you actually want to express through your clothes, she says.
Part of her beef is how quickly these fashion "microtrends" cycle in and out of style, rendering clothes dated within weeks sometimes and perpetuating a cycle of consumerism that strains the world's resources and landfills.
"What's the point?" she seems to be asking. If you're going to engage in an environmentally harmful practice, you may as well look good, but people aren't even achieving that, she says.
And her followers largely seem to agree.
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"Honestly I loooove people who aren't into 'fashion' cause their closets are so curated in a way that matches their lifestyle, values, and personality so much more than said fashion people," one follower said.
Not immediately jumping on new trends is one way to avoid this pattern, another user said. "This is why I wait months to buy anything new to make sure I actually want it and understand why I want it," the user wrote.
The fatigue with overconsumption and a loss of individuality rang out in the comment section.
"I can't stannnnd micro trends and I'm so exhausted by over consumption. Trendy does not equal good taste," another user summed it up.
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In other words, the advice here is not really that owning clothes that fit a trend is bad. It's that regularly buying a newly manufactured item, often shipped to your door, just to keep up with a trend is not a healthy pattern.
If you're going to buy a new piece of clothing, commit to keeping and wearing it many times. Or consider buying secondhand — or at least from a brand that emphasizes sustainability and durability.
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