by By Sophie Lucas
Every day, I see posts on my Instagram or TikTok feed from “micro-influencers” who are aimlessly creating new trends while judging existing ones. In the new age of social media, users, especially those entering early adulthood, constantly try to appear different from everyone else online. Whether they just bought an avant-garde designer piece from The RealReal or an eight-dollar latte after waiting in an hour-long line, these social media fiends post it in hopes of “pushing boundaries.” What frightens me is that most people, myself included, have idolized this way of living. But what is so captivating about this form of content? It isn’t just the individual creator who draws viewers in. It’s also the appeal of a less mainstream style of influencing, and the shared look that every “niche and cool” influencer ends up with.
These “effortlessly chic” trends are taking over feeds, which is ironic because everyone is now chasing the same goal: becoming “niche.” Alternative fashion aesthetics used to signal separation from mainstream social or political beliefs, allowing people to distance themselves from conventional ideas and appear niche, or not like the rest. With social media, having your own niche or unpopular interest has become a way to build trend awareness and followers.
The problem is that once an aesthetic goes viral, it stops being niche. A thrifted cardigan, an obscure indie band, or a “hidden gem” café becomes a template within weeks, copied by thousands of creators who all insist they found it first. Trends that once took years to filter into the mainstream now do so in days. Algorithms speed up the cycle, rewarding what already performs well and pushing it to even more people. Individuality turns into a formula: the same muted color palettes, the same film-grain filters, the same captions about being “different.” As I scroll, I can’t always tell where one creator ends and another begins.
I don’t think wanting to stand out is the real issue. Everyone wants to feel seen, and expressing yourself through clothing, music, and taste is healthy. What troubles me is how often an audience shapes that expression before it ever becomes ours. When we choose a purchase because it will look unique online, we’ve handed our taste over to the very crowd we’re trying to escape.
Maybe the most “niche” thing left is to enjoy something just for yourself, without posting it at all.
