Are trends dying? One of the most traditionally accepted fashion trend cycle theories is that it lasts 20 years and undergoes 5 phases:

1. Introduction
2. Rise
3. Peak
4. Decline
5. Obsolescence

This 20-year cycle is still present today for macrotrends, however, the lifespan of microtrends has been compressed. Before they lasted 3 to 5 years, now they can go through the same 5 stages in weeks. 

THE DAWN OF THE MICROTREND

Microtrends that are popular amongst Zoomers and younger Millennials often embody a specific mood or vibe. They manifest through fashion, interior design, media, or attitudes. Some make it to mainstream, such as dark academia, while others are too niche and lose steam before mass adoption, like clowncore.

TikTok is instrumental in their rise, the platform catapults them into the microtrend arena, where the aggressive algorithm lures in potential consumers. 

Interested in baking bread? Here is a cottagecore video of a woman wearing a pretty dress in her cute garden.

Are you a girl who likes video games? This kawaii all pink gaming set-up with cat ear headphones should be right up your alley. 

As microtrends gain traction, they cross paths of average internet users, kicking off early mass adoption, devoid of the original context. As their feed becomes oversaturated with the same clothing, colour palettes, and media, the aesthetic loses its novelty and meaning, and netizens move onto the next…