In 2020, life as we knew it stopped, we took a break to give way to new changes, new cycles, and new opportunities, especially on a personal level, where we had the opportunity to re-examine and discover what we wanted and needed.
Until that moment in time, social media had already had an incredible impact on the fashion industry, as well as a significant influence on the public. But as we have said, the time for change has arrived, and with it, the discovery of a new platform that achieved great success during the time of lockdown. We are talking about Tik Tok, the social media platform that seemed to be a tool for the youngest to share and watch funny and dance videos, among other things.
What we did not expect was the role that the app took on. Tik Tok has gone on to become one of the most accessed platforms in 2020-2021 from which to draw inspiration and discover fashion trends. Surpassing Pinterest and Twitter and almost catching up on Instagram.
What makes Tik Tok a different social platform? Well, very simple, the format, unlike the others, Tik Tok is based only on publications in video format, thus giving a closer and more accessible experience to the audience, something that during the quarantine we all desperately needed.
And this was how it became a platform for inspiration and fashion trends, users began to make videos with their favourite looks for a special occasion or just for any day. The videos of less than 1 minute, propose different looks and the protagonists show their style and how they combine different key elements of their wardrobe.
In this way, Tik Tok helped the fashion trends be more extreme, the videos of users with many followers (influencers) circulated everywhere and other users used the same clothes, what does that mean? Well, when you see the same bucket hat in four different videos, it quickly becomes a trend and makes viewers want to get it.
The flow of information and inspiration via Tik Tok has become a staple practice in for creators and consumers alike, so it comes as no surprise that these trends would spill from our phones onto the streets.
This content is then also shared on different platforms, such as Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, or Facebook, which achieves further exacerbates the visibility of said trends.
In order to stand out among the millions of of Tik Tok users, people keep finding new and creative ways to express themselves, starting new trends, or reinventing old ones, but for the most part leaning towards more noticeable, vibrant, extreme stylistic choices.
Years ago we needed to buy the fashion magazines of each month in our trusted kiosk, but now, with the innovation and accessibility of digital platforms, trends really are in the hands of consumers themselves. Rather than brands telling us what's in for the season, we are the ones who, through apps like Tik Tok, create, and viralize new trends, which then get copped by brands to appeal to the public.
So, is Tik Tok making our fashion trends more extreme? Quite possibly.
How about you? Which trend have you jumped on thanks to Tik Tok? Do you already have your favorite inspiration accounts?
