The Recent Shift Towards Conservatism in Fashion

By: Aneesha Mahapatra

I went to four different stores the other day trying to find a cute, little, cut-out top to wear going out in the city. You know, maybe a backless moment? Or a deep V-neck cut, I don’t know, but not something I’d wear to the office. What I was not expecting was to see that every single store looked the exact same.

I mean, the same exact pieces of clothing with the same five colors: black, brown, cream, white, and navy blue. Maybe, an occasional pattern here or there, but there was barely any color. Everything was buttoned to the top and screamed “Rich white Karen who lives in the Hamptons”. I couldn’t even find a spaghetti strap top, everything was very… covering, which there is nothing wrong with, but if I’m going to a club, I’d like to dress like I’m going to the club. Where is the fun, c*nty, and risky clothing that Alex Consani and Charli XCX wear? Why are all the stores that used to be colorful and diverse now so modest?

Even PrettyLittleThing, an online store that was well- known for their tight mini dresses, sequin tops, and booty shorts has now rebranded into a sleek, ultra-minimalist look with even higher prices truly channeling Lily Van Der Woodsen, but not in the way they thought they achieved. And they’re not alone. Brands that once catered to the "going-out" aesthetic are quietly pivoting toward a more polished, modest style. Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing bad with dressing classy and sophisticated, but not everyone wants to wear a pleated/ ruched midi dress to a party. 

 Fashion doesn’t exist on its own, and this shift is happening while women’s rights over their bodies, choices, and even how they style themselves are being questioned more than ever. The pressure to dress "put together" feels eerily aligned as society leans into traditional values (*cough cough: because of our current President*), modesty is being tied to acceptance, and refined, ultra-feminine dressing is quietly being pushed with brands now dictating how women should present themselves to the public. 

Rebrands occur once in a while, and that’s fine. However, when all the mainstream clothing brands are giving into this new “look” women should be seen in, that’s when things start to look suspicious, especially when the clothes are similar to exactly how a middle aged white woman would dress. Screaming and crying over all these conservative trends recently while I miss the stores that would sell pieces to dress like Maddy Perez.

Fashion is supposed to be about self-expression, but lately, it feels like we’re all being pushed into the same style whether we want it or not. When every store starts selling the repeating beige, buttoned-up outfits with gold details, it’s hard not to wonder who’s really deciding how women should dress. While I’m sure there’s a market for dressing like a Colonial house-owner, red wine obsessed mom, I just want my hot girl clothes back. Until then, I’ll be scrambling through Depop and hoping that fashion remembers how to have fun again.