The personal style crisis in the digital world

In the era of social media, personal style has become both hyper-visible and oddly vacant. The most important form of individual expression, that was created through development of taste, life experiences, regional differences and the society one grew up in, has now become, more so, an expression of social media. Especially for the younger generation that spends most of its time on the internet, that also serves as a form of daily inspiration.

Platforms like TikTok, Instagram, paired with the rise of fast fashion and short-form content, have transformed how we dress, but not based on identity, but rather visibility. The algorithm of these platforms pushes content that will get engagement with the easiest and has the possibility to become viral. Therefore, people get repeatedly fed the same looks and aesthetics and create their personal style around. As a result, people can sometimes no longer differentiate between what they actually like and what their algorithm is telling them to like.

Kyle Chayka’s Filterworld describes this environment as one where algorithms not simply personalize, but compress. They prioritize the simplicity, shareability and profitability of content and push it forward. Such behavior only supports the meaningfulness and simplification of trends, as well as people’s critical thinking because of the need to fit in or seem relatable.

Finding your actual personal style in the digital world demands intention and a strong mind to not fall into the echo chambers the algorithms are forcing us into. We may be asking too much of our wardrobes, as the pressure to be perfectly expressive, aesthetic, and current at all times ignores that personal style needs to be built over time. One thing must be said, though. There was never such a platform this big to gain and give inspiration. We should therefore be more intentional about what we consume and get inspired from and not be just blind followers.

(This article was created as the additional blogpost)