WhatKnott

Stop Romanticizing Trends

September 10, 2025

I remember I was in 7th grade and the trend was skinny jeans. You know, the light wash ones from Hollister, that went all the way down to the ankle. Extra points if they were slightly scrunched up at the bottom. Paired with crew socks and the classic checkered vans. The ultimate “popular” girl uniform. 

I, of course, fell right into the trap and vividly remember dragging my mom to the mall with me. I had to stock up on my skinny jeans so I grabbed two pairs of the light wash, and one of the medium. Then we made our way over to the Vans store to pick up not one, but two pairs of the checkered slip ons. One in the classic black and white, the other in the pink (duh). Little 7th grade Savannah thought this was all she needed to survive the school year. 

Then came 8th grade. The trend was acrylic nails. While today it’s common to see little girls running around with their gel-x nails, in 2018 it most definitely was not. After a lot of convincing (and arguing), my mom finally caved and took me to the nail salon. I vividly remember my first set; short, white, and square. Little 8th grade Savannah thought this was all she needed to survive the school year. 

Fast forward, now I’m a senior in college. It seems that trends get more and more expensive every year, because now it’s trendy to carry a Goyard tote as a school bag. Can you guess what I did next? I bought the pink Goyard tote to prance around school with. As I walk around campus, with an achy shoulder I might add, I can’t help but think… Do I even like this tote? Or do I like what it symbolizes?

The obsession with being trendy has gradually encroached on us, and we can’t even see it. This obsession with trying to fit into a certain niche. This obsession with pretending to be someone you’re not. All for the sake of being considered trendy. It makes you wonder if you even like any of the things you thought you liked all along. 

The problem here is that along the way you lose sight of who you truly are. You forget about the things you truly value. You fail to recall what makes you happy. You overlook what you think is beautiful and prioritize someone else’s version of beauty. Essentially, all the unique qualities that made you you, fade away. 

This is all to say that it’s time to stop romanticizing trends, and start romanticizing the things that feel true to who we are. Wear what makes YOU feel pretty. Eat at the restaurants that YOU think have good food. Drink the coffee that YOU think has the best flavor. Be who YOU truly are, not who you think you need to be.