When we think of the past, we often categorize decades into “eras” defined by fashion trends. The fifties had their poodle skirts, and the eighties had their leg warmers.

However, in the modern age the rise of social media has sped up fashion cycles so rapidly that “eras” no longer exist in the way they used to.

From knee-high boots to cheetah print, just this year there have been hundreds of fashion trends becoming popular on social media.

When speaking with math teacher Alexis Domina, she explains her opinion on the impact of social media on fashion choices of her students of differing ages.

“In general, I see younger students jumping on new trends more quickly. Seniors often have a more settled sense of personal style, so while they’re aware of trends, they’re a bit more selective about which ones they adopt. That said, students at every grade level are influenced by what they see online, they just engage with trends in different ways,” Domina said.

Younger students tend to want to fit in when they first begin high school, so they are hyper aware of what is trending online. The rate of trends happening on social media, however, can make it difficult to ever feel like you are truly on trend.

Senior Lauren Bukey explains why she believes social media has had such an influence on fashion trends.

“It allows people to see more of what others are wearing and spread new trends and styles quickly to different platforms, where more people see and join in,” Bukey said.

However, it is not all negative; parts of fashion on social media have helped people find trendy clothes at affordable prices.

Middle school teacher Shannon Hayes speaks on how social media has influenced her own fashion trends.

“I think what is so great now about social media is everyone can have access to these trends visually, but also with so many retailers that make inexpensive versions so people from all price points can stay up on trends if they want to,” Hayes said.

This is where fast fashion comes in.

According to the University of Pennsylvania Environmental Initiative, social media has allowed someone scrolling on social media to see a trending outfit and click on a direct link.

More often than not, though, instead of getting directed to the original expensive version, users find a cheaper alternative that looks impossibly similar.

This is because, according Harvard Political Review, fast fashion brands like Shein have capitalized on the fast-moving trend cycles by promoting dupes of trendy pieces of clothing at impossibly low prices.

And although the price may be unbeatable, the quality is not. This is no problem for the brands though, because they profit on the fact that the trends change so quickly people are not relying on a high quality product they will use for years.

As social media has continued to have more and more of an influence over fashion, the social media sites themselves have found a way to get in on the action and profits.

In 2023, TikTok created TikTok shop which is part of the platform where people can click on a link directly from a video and purchase what was worn in the video.

According to Wired, TikTok has sold $18 billion worth of merchandise globally from July to September, thanks in part to the platform making trendy fashion easily accessible to users.

Junior Izzy White describes how the TikTok shop has influenced her own shopping.

“I have shopped on TikTok twice and I have clicked on it directly from the video because I thought it was trendy,” White said.

The combination of social media and online shopping has allowed for the continued increase of fashion trends because the shopping is so accessible.

Domina further explains how she believes social media has increased these fashion trends.

“Social media has sped everything up – trends that used to last a season, now come and go in a matter of weeks. TikTok and Instagram make it incredibly easy for a style, a brand, or even a specific outfit to go viral overnight,” Domina said.

These fast fashion trends often leak into school communities, specifically high schools because students have access to their own money.

“It moves through high school faster due to high schoolers having jobs and access to money in order to buy things on their own,” Hayes said.

In addition to more access to funds, high school students typically spend more time online, which often leads them to be more likely to be influenced by trends.

“They tend to be very tuned in to social media and are eager to try out whatever is new,” Domina said.

In the future social media’s influence on the rate of fashion trends will cause us to not longer be able to discern a decade simply by a piece of clothing. Instead we will see a mosaic of microtrends – none lasting longer than a year.

This rapid trend cycle takes away from the true art of fashion, stripping clothes of their ability to cement their place in not only our minds but in history.