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From ‘OMG’ to ‘Over It’: The Wild Ride of the Fashion Cycle 

                 

Hellllllooooooooooo fashion fam!!!

Guess who’s back with another fun-filled, fashion-packed post?! 

*This girl right here!* 😊

First off, let me give a shoutout to all of you fabulous people who’ve been keeping up with my blog posts. 

If you haven’t checked out the last one about what a fashion designer really does, what are you even doing? 

Go give it a read; trust me, it’s worth it!

Alright, alright, let’s get down to business today, because we’re diving into something that every fashionista and trendsetter “needs” to know about – the fashion cycle. 

Now, before you start thinking, 

“Ugh, this sounds like boring school stuff,” let me tell you – it’s anything but!

The fashion cycle is basically how your favorite trends go from “OMG, I need that!” to “Eh, that’s so last year.” 

And believe me, it’s wild!

So, let’s spill the tea on this whole cycle thing, shall we?

WHAT EVEN IS THE FASHION CYCLE?

Alright, let’s kick things off with the basics – what is the fashion cycle?

Picture this: 

You’re scrolling through your Insta feed, and suddenly you see everyone rocking those chunky dad sneakers. 

At first, you’re like, “Umm, those look like my grandpa’s shoes,” but then you start seeing them everywhere—on celebs, influencers, your bestie—and suddenly, you’re all like, “I need those sneakers in my life!”

That, my friends, is the start of the fashion cycle.

It’s the journey a trend takes from the moment it hits the scene to when it’s all over your social media, and then, when it fades away.

But don’t worry, even when a trend seems to disappear, it often comes back in a whole new way. 

The fashion cycle is like the circle of life for clothes. 

Yep, just like that Lion King song – except with way more glitter.   

         

STEP 1: THE BIRTH OF A TREND – INTRODUCTION

So, where do these trends even come from? 

Are they just, like, born out of thin air? 

Well, kinda, yeah!

The first stage of the fashion cycle is called the introduction phase.

This is where a new trend makes its debut, like a fresh new character in your fave TV show.

And who’s responsible for this? 

Fashion designers, of course! 

These creative geniuses are always on the lookout for inspiration, whether it’s from art, history, nature, or even just a random idea that pops into their heads. 

They sketch out their ideas, turn them into real clothes, and boom—a trend is born!

But wait—just because a designer creates something new doesn’t mean everyone’s going to be into it right away. 

At first, only a few fashion-forward folks (aka early adopters) will rock the trend. 

Think of them as the trendsetters who are brave enough to wear something totally different before it goes mainstream.

STEP 2: THE HYPE BEGINS – RISE TO POPULARITY 

          

Once a trend has been introduced, it starts to gain a little bit of momentum.

This is the rise stage, where the hype really starts to build.

You know how it goes – you see a few influencers wearing that new trend on Instagram, maybe a celeb or two is spotted in it, and before you know it, it’s EVERYWHERE. 

Your fave fashion brands start making their own versions of the trend, and suddenly, it’s in every store window.

At this point, 

Everyone’s talking about it,

Everyone’s wearing it, 

and you can’t escape it even if you tried. 

This is when the trend goes from “Oh, that’s cute” to “I literally need this in my life right now.” 

As we dive into the details of the fashion cycle, check out this classic bodycon dress with puff sleeves to knock into your wardrobe!  https://amzn.to/3XUFTqb  

                          

STEP 3: EVERYBODY’S WEARING IT – THE PEAK 

             

Okay, so now we’ve hit the peak of the fashion cycle. 

This is when the trend is at its absolute highest point, and you can’t walk down the street without seeing at least 10 people.

Remember when skinny jeans were all the rage?

Or when everyone was obsessed with crop tops? 

Yeah, that’s the peak stage in action. 

The trend is so popular that it’s basically become a staple in everyone’s wardrobe. 

If you don’t have it, you feel like you’re missing out.

But here’s the thing – what goes up must come down. 

Once a trend reaches its peak, it’s only a matter of time before things start to cool off.

STEP 4: UH-OH, IT’S GETTING OLD – DECLINE  

                

And just like that, the trend that was once the hottest thing ever is starting to feel a little… old.

This is the decline stage, where the trend begins to lose its lustre.

Maybe people are starting to get bored of it, or maybe a new trend is starting to steal the spotlight.

Either way, you’re not seeing it as much on your Insta feed, and it’s slowly but surely fading away.

At this point, the trend is still around, but it’s not the “must-have” it used to be. 

You might still wear it, but you’re probably already on the lookout for the next big thing.

STEP 5: SEE YA LATER – OBSOLESCENCE

And finally, we reach the last stage of the fashion cycle: obsolescence. 

This is where the trend officially bites the dust and is no longer “in style.”

Now, this doesn’t mean the trend disappears forever. 

It might stick around for a while in certain circles, or it might come back years later as part of a “retro” or “vintage” revival. But for now, it’s out of here.

Think of trends like bell-bottoms or neon windbreakers. 

They were super popular back in the day, then disappeared for a while, and now they’re making a comeback. 

Fashion is always evolving, but it’s also kinda like a boomerang – trends always come back around.

WHY DOES THE FASHION CYCLE EVEN MATTER?

Okay, so now you know how the fashion cycle works. 

But why should you care? 

Like, what’s the point of knowing all this?

Well, here’s the thing – understanding the fashion cycle can totally change the way you think about your wardrobe. 

When you know how trends work, you can make smarter choices about what you buy, what you keep, and what you let go of.

For example, if you know a trend is on its way out, you might decide to skip buying that super trendy piece and invest in something more classic instead. 

Or if you see a trend starting to rise, you can hop on it early and be ahead of the game.

Plus, knowing about the fashion cycle can help you understand why certain things are popular and why others aren’t. 

It’s like having a backstage pass to the world of fashion!

FAST FASHION AND THE CYCLE  SPEED-UP  

               

Now, here’s something else to think about – fast fashion. 

You’ve probably heard this term before, but do you know how it affects the fashion cycle?

Fast fashion brands are all about getting the latest trends into stores as quickly as possible. They see what’s hot on the runway or what celebs are wearing, and they create their own cheaper versions in a matter of weeks.

Sounds cool, right?

Well, yeah, except for one thing – fast fashion has totally sped up the fashion cycle. 

Trends come and go way faster than they used to, and that means clothes are being bought and thrown away at a crazy rate.

This isn’t just bad for your wallet (because who can keep up with all these trends?), but it’s also bad for the planet.

The faster trends cycle through, the more clothes end up in landfills, and that’s not cool.

So next time you’re tempted to buy that trendy piece just ‘cause it’s the “in” thing, maybe think twice. 

Do you really love it, or are you just caught up in the hype?    

As we dive into the details of the fashion cycle, check out this classic bodycon dress with puff sleeves to knock into your wardrobe!   https://amzn.to/3XUFTqb   

                         

MAKING YOUR OWN FASHION RULES

Now that you’re a fashion cycle expert, here’s a little secret – just because a trend is hot or not doesn’t mean you have to follow it.

Fashion is all about expressing yourself, so if you love something, wear it! Whether it’s in style or not, if it makes you feel good, that’s all that matters.

And if you wanna be a trendsetter yourself, go for it! 

Maybe the thing you love will be the next big trend, and you’ll be the one everyone’s copying.

Remember, trends come and go, but your style is forever.

So have fun with it, play around with different looks, and don’t be afraid to mix things up.

Alright, fashion fam, that’s a wrap on the fashion cycle! 

From the birth of a trend to its final farewell, we’ve covered it all.

But here’s the thing—the fashion cycle never really ends. It’s always spinning, always evolving, and always coming up with new ways to keep us on our toes.

So the next time you see a trend blowing up, you’ll know exactly what’s going on behind the scenes. 

And who knows? 

Maybe you’ll even be inspired to start your own trend.

Till next time, stay stylish, stay true to yourself, and keep slaying those fashion goals!

Toodles!! 💫

With purpose, 

RK//:) 

 

AUTHOR :

RATHNA KUMARI– Master’s in design. 

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