No matter where or when you find yourself, there will always be trends. Some are more popular than others. Some last for quite some time or make a comeback, and some die quickly and are forgotten. No matter what the trend, people are sure to become enthralled and invested in whatever it is that has become popular. Clothing trends are some of the most popular of the bunch, for they are taken up by celebrities, the wealthy, and students trying to “fit in.” But what’s so appealing about these brands and styles?

Megan Collins is a trend forecaster, analyzing and interpreting trends throughout generations. According to her, ugly clothes became more and more popular after the rise of Instagram and fashion blogs. If a trend featuring ugly socks sets in, then someone is sure to follow it by creating an ugly jacket trend. But it’s not just the obviously ugly clothes that are the most popular.

Psychology Today states that opinions change and amplify depending on general interest. I’ve seen this here at Horizon Honors, too. For example, students wear Supreme stickers in their lanyards. I was fine with it at first, but it became disturbing as soon as a kids began bringing in hundreds of stickers to cover anything they could find. That got me to wonder: what is so wonderful about a little red sticker with white letters on it? It turns out that Supreme brand items are limited, so those who own their products are generally devoted consumers. The fact that people are so obsessed is already a bit overboard, but some sit in lines for 24 hours straight just to grab any Supreme item that fits, according to Vice. Those who invest their time and money into buying Supreme may be seen as crazy, but to many, they appear to be “cool.” The sighting of celebrities such as Kanye West or Drake in Supreme stores may also lead to the obsession with the brand.

It’s possible that those who follow trends may not be incredibly obsessed with whatever the hot topic is. Based off of the data collected by a test run by ABC News, people tend to follow the crowd. A group of people got together to complete a test, at first privately, and then sharing their answers. All but one of the participants were given the correct answer to the questions. The one, Tony, did the test without any insider information. When sharing the answers, rather than sticking with his original response, he agreed with whatever everyone else said. Although his answers were different, he would rather go with the crowd than be the one outsider. The same mindset may also apply to trends. If a group of friends is in on something, wouldn’t you want to check it out too? This can go as far to apply to the whole school, country, or world. The idea of fitting in is tied directly into the desire for reputation or popularity.

The craze over expensive or trendy attire is nothing new, as it displays wealth and popularity, but some people take their interests way too seriously. Being completely dedicated to a brand name may take away from interest in other types of clothes. After all, there are more than a couple ways to express oneself through clothing. Just because it isn’t Supreme or Gucci doesn’t mean it isn’t valid or worthy, despite what we have seen through research of human psychology. It’s the idea that one needs to wear popular or expensive brands to fit in, but that may just be what is keeping others from obtaining a unique, original style that makes them who they are.