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  • Writer's pictureUoW Fashion Society

Time for Social Media to Set the Trends

TikTok's influence on Y2K and it's fashion


There is no question that social media has such a large influence on our day to day lives, habits and trends. TikTok became a mainstream social media platform 2020; the 3.7 million UK users spend 41 minutes a day on the app. Social media has taken the world by storm in the past few decades, and undoubtably along with Instagram and Twitter, TikTok is one of the main places for trends to brew.


But how does TikTok do this exactly?

You may consider the app as congested with dance and challenge videos, all for Gen Z to create and follow content, and you’re halfway there. The obsession with engagement and “blowing up” has inspired young impressionables to take the bull by the horns and follow the content they think gets the most attention. If Charlie D’Amelio is wearing a Moncler coat in her latest seven second video, sales for quilted and puffer jackets will skyrocket, and you better have one in your next TikTok if you want to be considered trendy.


So how is TikTok different from past influences?

TikTok isn’t just a place for celebrity influencers anymore. Many would look to big brands such as Vogue or Fenty, or even celebrities such as the Kardashians, but with any random video gaining the chance to hit millions of views overnight on TikTok, the average person can create any trend so long as the audience that sees it likes it.


Let’s take a look at a few of the main trends surfacing on the platform currently.

Taking spot number one is the Y2k style, with influence of early 2000s fashion spiced by the new generation of fashion; chunky jewellery, low rise jeans and baby crop tops are making a comeback. Bright colours and big shoes take the main stage; if you don’t look like a Bratz doll you’re not working hard enough.


Spot number two is indefinitely the leather look. Not necessarily 100% leather, due to the ethical implications and expenses of such fabric; the current generation lean towards vinyl or pleather, layering outfits with jackets or simple statement pieces such as the infamous leather look trousers. Celebrities such as Dua Lipa and Hailey Bieber even follow such a trend, posting pictures in their leather pants on Instagram.


And finally, spot three; brown is the new black.

Whether it be oversized jackets, pleather pants or ankle boots, the fashion trend takes up to 50 types of shades of brown in style. Most frequent of the trend is the Northface brown puffer coat, selling out on websites such as Depop, and creating an obsession for the staple piece.




So, what will be the next trend?

Maybe you’ll attempt to influence the world on your style and upload a TikTok yourself, maybe even gain a few million views overnight, or maybe the fashion industry will take back the reigns of the trends, only time will tell.

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