Scroll, Buy, Repeat: the Microtrend Machine

Sophie Lambert
Dec 8, 2025
4 min read

From ‘balletcore’ to the revival of ‘bohochic’, microtrends are cycling at an unprecedented speed. Microtrends can be defined as short-lived, hyper-specific style moments, often born on social media platforms. Rather than belonging to specific communities and scenes, TikTok’s massive reach has allowed once-niche styles to circulate globally, exposing users to ways of dressing they may never have encountered otherwise. Whilst seemingly encouraging a culture of experimentation and creativity, in reality, the rapid churn of aesthetics has become entangled with fast fashion. Clothes are now purchased and produced less for longevity and more for their ability to keep pace with the algorithm.

My first memorable encounter with microtrend culture was the ‘kidcore’ era on TikTok during lockdown, where bright saturated colours, animal prints and bold bead necklaces dominated my feed. At the time, though I am embarrassed to admit, I thought this was the epitome of coolness and tried to imitate this with my own wardrobe, albeit unsuccessfully. Although I cringe when looking back at moments like this, it was, ironically, somewhat foundational in finding my own personal style: I still tend to wear similar baggy jeans and sneakers to the ones I wore back then. I learned that whilst experimenting with one’s personal style can result in a few cringey Instagram posts that will be permanently banished to the archive, it is also somewhat pivotal in evolving your own fashion identity.

Whilst the era of microtrends has resulted in a fun and experimental approach to fashion, there obviously needs to be a responsible approach to this. Ordering a haul from Shein or other fast fashion supplier in response to every trend that dominates our feed is not only incredibly unsustainable and irresponsible but also denotes a lack of personal identity. The ease with which clothing can now be bought for a ridiculously low price has made consumers more impulsive with their purchases, not even pausing to think whether they actually like the piece, resulting in a lack of awareness of personal taste.

Despite there being an increasing awareness of this, with people turning to second-hand sites such as Vinted and Depop, there needs to be a greater emphasis on "shopping your own wardrobe" first. When seeing new pieces or styles appear on my feed, I have started to pause to think more about whether I already own similar pieces which can be elevated through alternative styling. Naturally, this also makes me wonder whether I can be bothered to alter the piece, and if I can’t, I conclude that I didn’t actually like that trend that much in the first place. This pause for reflection is not only more sustainable but also allows style identity to develop more intentionally.

Whilst some microtrends eventually transcend being fads and evolve into more long-term wardrobe staples, attention cycles are shorter than ever. Previously, the trend cycle was largely dictated by seasonal runway shows, giving trends at least a couple of months to stick around; however, TikTok has turned this on its head, with consumer interest only lasting 3-5 weeks. This has strongly impacted high street brands, as it is hard to predict whether these trends will drop off as quickly as they spiked, threatening inventory. There is also a risk of brand dilution if a company is constantly trend chasing, as well as it being slightly embarrassing when a brand fails to keep up and posts something that was last month's trend.

The impossible nature of keeping up with the fast turnaround rate has caused some brands to reshape how they operate, turning instead to sustainability, profitability and long-term brand equity. Patagonia is an example of this, with their 'Worn Wear' programme, encouraging customers to repair, resell or recycle their pieces. Initiatives such as these, combined with an increasing number of conscious consumers choosing sustainability-oriented brands, offer some hope that the rapidly moving microtrend cycle may eventually slow down. However, the fact that strategies like this remain the exception rather than the industry standard demonstrates how trend-chasing still outweighs environmental responsibility amongst most companies.

Microtrends may seem random; however, they often reflect emotional, political and economic conditions. As seen in Milan Fashion Week as well as social media, bold, neon colours seem to be making a comeback. As we know, fashion has never existed in a vacuum, so it is interesting to consider the wider cultural cues that may have caused this trend to make its return. Looking back throughout fashion history, several moments of economic hardship have been accompanied by an increase in maximalist fashion and bold colours, for example, during the 2008 financial crisis. The ‘kidcore’ style, whilst once seen as a fleeting fad, can also be seen to reflect a wider cultural moment of ‘dopamine dressing’ as a counter to the global distress caused by the pandemic. By paying attention to these wider cultural signals, brands can better anticipate which trends will emerge and which pieces are likely to outlive the 3-5 week cycle, allowing them to stock more responsibly.

Milan Fashion Week SS26 via A&E Magazine

It can definitely be fun to experiment with the newest ‘-core’ along one's style journey, but there needs to be more reflection time for consumers and companies alike when considering whether these items are here to stay. Whilst trends will always continue to rotate, the era of microtrends has accelerated this rotation at an unforeseen rate, and it is a group responsibility to slow this down. It is only with this pause for reflection that both personal style and brand identity become meaningful rather than momentary.