‘Timeless’ Fashion is a Justification for Consumerism in a Cost of Living Crisis

 In a cost of living crisis, how can you convince people that they still need new pieces in their wardrobe? Well, you don’t push a trendy viral item - we’ve all ultimately learned that doesn’t last -  you sell a lifestyle. Ever caught yourself justifying a purchase by saying, “this is an investment, it’s timeless, I’ll wear it forever”? This isn’t anything new, but the current trend cycle has brought minimalistic fashion to the forefront - and, in another vein, a resurgence of boho chic, served up through old celebrity photos that aim to prove the style is (oxymoronically) ‘a timeless trend’.

It might be that we’re maturing - and watching influencers like Olivia Neill, who many of us have followed for years, mature in their style too. But fashion is undeniably becoming more subdued and simple, in contrast to the loud styles of recent years: football jerseys paired with patterned skirts over jeans; leopard print on everything; clothes accented with bows and pops of red; and bags decked out in charms, all now feel dated. Minimalism has come in reaction to this as we seek to not be as disposable with our clothes – as we seek to promise to ourselves that our next purchase won’t end up listed on our Vinted in just a few months.

Slowly, our favourite influencers and fashion brands have made the shift. I didn’t realise it at first - I thought I had finally figured out my personal style. I thought I had found my forever wardrobe. It was timeless. And when I watched Emma Chamberlain’s ‘capsule wardrobe’ video, it seemed like she had too: a mix of neutral tones, simple yet interesting knits, and elevated basics. But then it occurred to me: the pieces in her capsule wardrobe still felt very on trend.

Loud prints and bold colours dominated fashion in 2020 and 2021, and by 2023–2024, the trend evolved again with bold textures and layers entering the maximalist mix. Yet these styles age quickly, and many of us already look back and cringe at the way we dressed. It was trendy, and then it wasn’t. Minimalism is promising to be different.

It wasn’t until my mum told me, “It’s taken me until I was 50 to figure out what suits me” whilst wearing a pair of Free People barrel jeans – a trend in the world of middle-class mothers - that I started to question whether the current cycle is just more subtle. It tricks us into thinking we’ve finally found a timeless style that we love.

Now that being said, minimalism and neutral palettes are more enduring than the eclectic layering, and juxtaposing textures we’ve seen dominating the trend cycle over the past few years. But even minimalism is trendy. There are subtilties in the silhouettes of the coats we choose, the jeans we wear, and the jewellery we pair with our outfits: consider that the coats at the moment are single-breasted, funnel necked, or worn ‘buttoned to the top’; bangles and silver accents are worn over our simple black knits; and you can’t forget a pair of ballet flats. The cuts, the silhouettes, the “effortless” styling – they’re going to be ‘so 2025’ in just a couple of years.

I do think that this shift toward personal style and ‘timeless’ pieces reflects a kind of maturity. Emma Chamberlain’s shock at her own past overconsumption resonated with me - I too had become disgusted by the volume of clothes I was buying, only to resell weeks later. I started investing more: fewer pieces, better quality, elevated basics. Then I rewatched Confessions of a Shopaholic, and it hit me - I might just be Rebecca Bloomwood buying that green scarf, telling myself it would make my eyes pop, make my haircut look more expensive, that I could wear it with everything.

Not long after, I stepped into Anthropologie and found myself trying on a square scarf - as a bandana, as a necktie. The shop assistant approached me and, almost perfectly echoing that scene, said it would bring out my eyes, and that I could style it in so many ways. And I realised: reassuring ourselves that a purchase is worth it is just another excuse to spend money. Honestly, there’s nothing more off-putting to me than being told, “these are really in right now” -  because those last two words tell me all I need to know. That piece will be in my ‘to sell’ pile before long.

All this focus on minimalism and quality basics is just a new packaging of trendiness - the trendiness of quiet luxury. The elevation of restraint. And while it may seem less disposable, it’s still part of the same cycle.

That said, I do think there’s been a positive shift. We’re paying more attention to the composition of our clothes, choosing natural fibres, learning how to care for them properly. We are trying to extend the life of what we love. But that shift - like the turn to minimalism - has come as a reaction to a system we’re still trapped in. One only needs to look to see that the brands using the word ‘timeless’ the most are the fast-fashion high-street giants, and brands like Zara have shifted towards stocking basic pieces with inflated price tags because they are actually made with wool (and not the usual polyester) – because the trend is to invest more in fewer pieces. If it wasn’t clear before, I hope it is now: these fast fashion giants are still pushing you to consume, under the guise that it will be a lifetime investment. But I assure you, that brown wool belted coat you bought for £150 from H&M will be ‘out’ in a few years’ time.

“Timeless” isn’t the antidote to trend culture. It’s the latest mask it’s wearing.