So, everyone’s been yapping about TikTok fashion trends, right? I kept hearing about it, mostly from my niece, who’s always glued to her phone. Figured I should see what all the fuss was about. Not like I was gonna start wearing crop tops at my age, but you know, gotta stay informed, or at least pretend to.
My Little Adventure into the Algorithm
First thing I did was actually download the darn app. Took me a while to figure out how to even navigate the thing. It’s like a never-ending slot machine of videos. And the fashion stuff? Wow. One minute it’s all about oversized blazers, the next it’s some weird cottagecore thing, then suddenly everyone’s tying their shirts in a knot I haven’t seen since the 90s.
I spent a good week, maybe more, just scrolling. Like, actual research, I told myself. It was mostly during my lunch breaks, or when I was pretending to watch whatever series my wife had on. What I noticed first was the speed. Blink and you miss a trend. Seriously. Something’s huge one week, and completely gone the next. It’s exhausting just watching it.
Then I tried to understand a specific trend. There was this thing called “dark academia” for a while. Sounded like something out of a vampire movie. Lots of tweed, dark colors, old books as props. Okay, I thought, that’s kinda classic, maybe I can get behind that. But then I saw kids who looked about 12 trying to pull it off, and it just felt… off. Like playing dress-up, but everyone’s taking it super seriously.
I even went into my closet. Pulled out an old wool vest I had from years ago. Thought, “Hey, maybe I’m accidentally trendy!” Showed it to my niece. She just laughed and said, “Uncle, that’s… vintage in a bad way.” So much for my fashion experiment. Put the vest right back. Some things are best left in the past, or on TikTok, I guess.
What I Walked Away With
Here’s what I really figured out from this whole “practice”:
- It’s incredibly fast-paced. Faster than anything I remember from my youth.
- A lot of it feels very… disposable. Like, buy it cheap, wear it for a selfie, then it’s over.
- It’s amazing how influential it is, though. Stores are actually stocking stuff based on these micro-trends.
Honestly, after my deep dive, I felt a bit overwhelmed. It’s a whole different world. I’m not saying it’s all bad, there’s some creative stuff there, for sure. But it’s a lot. It’s like trying to drink from a firehose. I’m back to my comfortable old jeans and shirts now. Maybe I’ll check in on TikTok again in six months, see what crazy stuff they’re up to then. Or maybe I’ll just ask my niece. It’s easier.
