TikTok sentiments we're avoiding in 2024
By Nona Dimitrova and Florenne Earle Ledger published 15/01/2024
2023 was a lot. There were so many trends and viral moments that flew by, we can’t even remember half of them, despite it being all anyone could talk about in the moment.
In 2024, we want to do things differently. We realised the impact being 'chronically online' was having on our brains and our mindset, and we want to shift away from feeling obliged to watch everything on our FYP, or taking hot takes as gospel.
We’re deep diving into what we like about TikTok and what we’re not so keen on. No matter what the algorithm will have us believe, it’s fine to pick and choose content to interact with and be influenced by; in fact, it's essential.
Repeat after us: not everyone with a microphone and a tripod is a [fashion] expert!
What we’ll be avoiding…
It’s safe to say we’ll be avoiding videos of people telling us what to wear and how to wear it, when they know nothing about our body type, our likes and dislikes, or our personal style. Ever since we can remember (literally since the 1900s according to Vogue Archives) people have been telling us what to wear to look good. But to look good for who? Men? Other fashion girlies?
Whoever it’s for, we’re not interested. We’re dressing for ourselves and ourselves only. It’s hard to know what that actually means because we’re always bombarded by other people’s opinions, but this year we’re going to try harder to figure that out.
Obviously we love using social media as a place to find outfit inspo and support creatives, but when it’s random people giving us their hot take on a trend or something we like to wear, we’re not listening. Especially because that usually involves putting someone down.
Personal style is personal, so the only opinion that matters is our own. It's easy to say, harder to believe, but this year we'll be trying our best.
Videos like ‘Trends i’m not buying into and you shouldn’t either’ aren’t a call for better style, but more so slamming the people in the videos/pictures. We don’t want to see anyone being used as an example of how not to wear something or a trend to avoid. It’s not very girls support girls !
We’re empowering ourselves (and you) to remember your freedom not to worry what other people are saying online. Who cares what a bubble of people on the internet think about bows, do you actually like them yourself?
So, with our new found freedom, how do you know when best to use it?
How to know what to ignore, a guide
There are a few things to think about when deciding whether a video is something you want to engage with or not. Keep in mind the following only really applies to trend commentary/fashion videos - that’s our forte.
- Is the person speaking generally about something, but only using a specific personal experience to inform their decision? If yes, move on. This only applies to them, yet they're talking about it like it’s a universal opinion/fact. However convincing they might sound, it doesn't mean they're right.
- Are they selling something? Transparency in ads has improved, but there are still affiliate links (links which people earn money from) hidden in bios of influencers desperately trying to look casual and relatable, when all they’re really doing is trying to make a sale. No thanks.
- Is it clear they just want to go viral by being controversial? If they’re using a lot of hyperboles it might be just because they want to be seen. We’re not about spreading unpopular opinions for views here. It triggers people for no reason, and no one needs more reasons to be angry.
- Are they using absolutes like ‘you shouldn’t do this’ or are they leaving space for different opinions e.g ‘based on my experience’ or ‘I like this, but others don’t’? If they’re not acknowledging that what they’re saying is their opinion, we can’t be bothered to engage.
That’s how we make our decisions of who to listen to and who to ignore. We want to give everyone the time of day, but sometimes it’s easier to leave space in your brain to do what you want, not what a stranger thinks you should do.
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