Staff editorial
How trends end up canceling out their exact purposeSofia Mang, Staff Writer
Our current society thrives off of trends. Whether it be a new clothing item or a music artist, teenagers cause things to become popular and spread like wildfire. And just as trends usually do, they become general movements that everyone soon follows. But as soon as something becomes popular, it’s automatically labeled as “basic”. The label is put onto everything—clothes, accessories, music, hair, and even drinks, like the infamous basic girl order: a Starbucks caramel frappucino.
If there’s one thing that all of society knows, it’s that nobody wants to be “basic”. Everyone wants their own traits and style to set them apart from the rest, so they develop a fear around the idea of being basic. They surround it with simplicity and ignorance when that couldn’t be farther from the truth. Especially in modern times, the idea of “basic” has incredibly negative connotations. Through all the different aesthetics that teenagers experiment with, everyone has their own unique style but look down upon others who haven’t found theirs yet. Alternative, Y2K, Goth, and Streetwear are all valid, so why are trendy styles any less?
As someone who has lived their entire life being basic, I can see both sides of the spectrum. There shouldn’t be anything wrong with giving into trends, but there are times where I still catch myself judging others for liking things that are popular. That mindset makes no sense though because liking popular things shouldn’t diminish a person’s personality or persona in any way.
Oftentimes, society allows looks to out rule everything else and causes us to create an idea of a person based on what they wear or what they portray themselves as. So being portrayed as basic can cause people to view you as boring, simple, and annoying, just because you like to follow trends. That also correlates to why people with unique styles place themselves on a higher pedestal because they believe they display a more enticing persona. In reality, while fashion is a way to express yourself and your individuality, it can’t determine one’s entire life and personality. Just because someone dresses in trendy outfits or has popular accessories, does not mean they’re boring. Someone’s fashion taste does not define them as a person.
If everyone has their own unique interests and it’s considered normal and expected, what’s the difference between that and “basic” people liking mainstream things? It makes them insecure about their own valid interests, and that’s completely unfair and hypocritical. Often times, people follow trendy styles in order to fit in. Whether it’s for society or their friends, they want to feel like they belong. That clearly backfires when they’re made fun of by the other part of society that isn’t following the trends. So they’re stuck in a gray area where their tastes are never enough. Things are popular for a reason, and it wouldn’t be trending if people didn’t follow them, so there’s no reason to shame them for liking it. It would erase the purpose of a trend being a trend in the first place, because they only become popular when a lot of people start liking them, obviously causing them to end up as “basic”.
People wanting to follow a trend, dressing in a way that they took interest in, or even drinking something that they think is good shouldn’t cause them to be judged. It doesn’t make your style any better or uniquely individual when you ridicule them and make them feel as if your interests are more superior than theirs just because they’re different. Embrace the popular, embrace the trends, and embrace the basic.
