In the era of TikTok, trends lack the minimal staying power they once had. Every few months there is a new “aesthetic” that the internet subscribes to. The extremely fast rate of turnover on these trends creates a struggle for people to keep. Staying on trend requires both financial and material resources which are unreasonable for the average person. The constant turnover of trends not only creates a financial burden on consumers, but also a burden on the environment, as manufacturing for these goods is not sustainable. 

The interesting part of these “micro trends” is that they tend to be recycled trends from decades past. For the past few years, we have seen a resurgence in the “Y2k aesthetic,” with fashion houses drawing inspiration, and in some cases exact designs, from the early 2000s. 

Many consumers are turning to fast fashion to supplement their existing wardrobes with trendy accessories and statement pieces. Fast fashion, although cheap for the consumer, is not cheap for humanity. 

Given the cyclical nature of these microtrends, many vintage bags are just as trendy as new ones. Some of the bags currently trending on Instagram and TikTok are exact replicas of collections that can be found on vintage sites for half the price. 

Louis Vuitton just released their Remix collection. This collection features pastel, Valentine’s Day inspired bags, as well as denim pieces. A selection of pieces from the denim part of the collection are rereleased versions of purses from their 2005 denim collection. The new Sunset bag from the 2024 Remix collection is exceptionally similar to the Mini Pleaty bag from the 2005 collection, except it features a larger clasp. If you want the Sunset bag but are not interested in spending almost $3,000 on a micro trend or you like the Sunset bag but were unable to get it before it sold out online, a vintage Mini Pleaty is the perfect option for you. It’s fairly easy to find vintage Mini Pleaty bags for around half the price of the Sunset bag, or less. 

Another trend making a big comeback is leopard print. This season designers took leopard print straight out of a 2001 movie and decided to run with it. Celine, Gucci, Valentino, Alaia, and many other brands are all showing leopard print to be a staple in their spring bag collection. Although these new bags are stunning, there is truly not much which differentiates them from their early 2000s predecessors. Leopard print has been around for a long time, with its first big moment of popularity occurring in the 1960s, and in that time not much about it has changed. Yes, over time bag shapes have evolved, but when it comes down to the basics a leopard print bag from twenty years ago has the same spots as one currently sitting in a department store. Given that there is no right or wrong way to sport leopard print, aside from maybe the animal print underwear in “The Devil Wears Prada,” does it not make more sense to save money and resources by buying a vintage bag? There are tons of amazing bags looking for homes. When in search of a vintage bag, my first stops are always Vestiaire Collective, What Goes Around Comes Around, Fashionphile, or ReBag. I’ve found a few great leopard print bags if you need a place to start shopping: this Celine crossbody bag, this small coach tote bag, this Chloe shoulder bag, this Louis Vuitton shoulder bag, and this Burberry tote.

Although sustainably sourcing bags is important when following trends, it is also important to note that just because something is trending does not mean you have to buy it. The most important thing is that you are comfortable in what you are wearing. If you absolutely hate a trend you should not buy something you don’t like just to fit into the “it” aesthetic of the next fifteen minutes. Trends can change with a snap of the fingers, but your confidence should be the thing that you wear no matter what the trend is. If the current trend makes you uncomfortable or you don’t see the use in buying into it, then that’s your choice. It’s hard to get into that mindset when your For You Page is filled with influencers sporting the latest microtrends. What we often forget is that these influencers usually don’t pay for their trendy new bag or shoes. Influencers receive gifts from brands that make it much easier for them to easily switch from trend to trend without the financial burden that most normal people face when committing to buy a designer item. Trend or not, you are going to look beautiful, but if you choose to follow a trend there are much better ways to do it than walking into your nearest department store and buying the first trendy item you see.