Back in the day, when I was just a little girl, there were a few popular things: Furbys, Tamagotchis, and Pokémon. Back then, you would discover new trends through friends, television commercials, or maybe magazines. But with social media, everything changed.

While there used to be only one or two big trends at a time, these days trends come and go faster than ever. Before you even realize something is trending, it’s already over. And while I do like some trends, I’ve never really bought into them unless I truly wanted them.

So today, I want to inspire you by sharing reasons to stop buying into trends.

8 Reasons To Stop Buying Trends

1. Trends Come and Go
   As I mentioned, even before social media, we had things that were extremely popular and trendy. I had a Furby and a Tamagotchi, too. But trends used to last much longer. Last year, around April/May, Labubus were everywhere. It was hard not to see a TikTok video of people unboxing them. But now, a year later, we barely talk about them anymore. You can even find Stanley Cups at thrift stores. Trends move so much faster these days. Before you even get a Labubu, it’s already out of style, and people have moved on to the next trend. If you buy something trendy and you genuinely love it, that’s completely fine. But if you’re only buying it to make a TikTok or just because it’s trending, just stop.
   
2. You Don’t Develop a Personal Style
   I’m using Labubus as an example, but everyone was buying them. The lines in front of stores were crazy. People were literally standing in line for hours. But if you always follow trends, you never develop your own personal style or even your personality. You become a copy of everyone else. Everyone owns the same things and wears the same clothes because it’s trendy. It gets boring. Try to figure out what you like. What kind of clothing style do you enjoy? What do you actually want to wear? Ask yourself those questions. And yes, if a trend genuinely fits your style, it’s okay to buy it, but only if it aligns with who you are.
   
3. It Leads to Overconsumption
   Something I’ve noticed is that people don’t just buy one Labubu, Stanley Cup, or NeeDoh; they buy a whole collection in one shopping trip. And they might never even use it. Why do you need 10 Stanley Cups? How thirsty are you? Right now, I see people buying bags full of NeeDohs. I understand they can be helpful as sensory tools, just like fidget spinners. But why do you need so many? This is how overconsumption happens. Most of these items end up at thrift stores, or worse, in landfills.
   
4. You Don’t Need It to Be Relevant
   If everyone is making Labubu videos, that doesn’t mean you have to buy one and do the same. If you don’t like them, just don’t buy them. It doesn’t make you less worthy or less relevant. And if people think you are “less” because you don’t own a Labubu or a Stanley Cup, that’s their problem, not yours. You are already good enough. Things don’t define your worth.
   
5. It’s Expensive
   One Labubu costs around €20–30, which is already quite expensive for a keychain. Now, imagine buying multiple trendy items; it adds up quickly. You’re spending money on things you might not even truly like. Of course, it’s your money, and you can do whatever you want with it. But chances are, you’ll regret buying 20 Labubus, 10 Stanley Cups, and a bag full of NeeDohs that you won’t use again. That money could go toward things you actually love.
   
6. Lower Quality
   Just because something is trendy doesn’t mean it’s good quality. This especially applies to fast fashion. I’ve ordered from Shein once, and I wouldn’t do it again. You can tell the quality is lower compared to stores like H&M or even Primark. Fast trends mean fast production, which often leads to cheaper materials and items that don’t last long. That’s why I like shopping at thrift stores; you can still find high-quality pieces. Although these days, you’ll also find a lot of Shein items there, too.
   
7. You End Up with a Closet Full of “Nothing to wear.”
   Clothes can make you feel a certain way. But when you buy fast fashion trends, you don’t really think about whether you like the item or how it makes you feel. You have to be more intentional with what you wear. Choose clothes that make you feel confident, bold, sexy, empowered, whatever you want to feel. If you only buy trendy items, they’ll go out of style quickly, and nothing will truly match your style.
   
8. It Disconnects You from Intentional Living
   When you’re constantly on your phone, seeing people tell you what to buy, you stop living intentionally. You have to reconnect with what you actually love. One thing I like to do is keep a wishlist. When I see something I like online, I don’t buy it right away; I add it to my list. If I still love it after at least a month, then I consider buying it. Most of the time, when I look back at my wishlist, I realize I don’t even want those things anymore.

Photo by Declan Sun on Unsplash

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