Thanks to modern clothing stores being international now. Our clothes look exactly like what is being sold in Europe, Japan and America. The rise of international fashion stores is taking away our ability to be an individual.

Fast fashion as it is called is the cheap clothes that land up in different stores. Because the clothes are cheap they become more affordable to us. Modern day celebrities aren’t helping very much either.

The effect of similar clothing everywhere

Instagram and magazines share a whole world of different looks and fashions with everyone. We get to see how great those shorts look on everyone and can either buy the exact pair of shorts or a very similar pair. These aren’t even considered knock-offs anymore because no one knows who had the original idea anymore.

Suddenly when aking the picture of you in your new outfit, you look exactly like your friend. Except even more so since you both wearing the same makeup look from the same youtube tutorial and the same hairstyle. There is nothing that makes you the least bit unique anymore. Though the fashion world is telling you that you are stylish.

Fashion Houses are stealing individuality

Did you know that there is a career path where you take pictures of people looking unique and different? Sell those pictures to fashion houses and the fashion houses knock off that look as their unique take.

This is sadly how cultural appropriation happens so easily because these style finders often go to different areas or rural communities. They take photographs of the looks of cultural groups and sell them as uniqueness. The fashion houses whether they are Haute Couture or fast fashion are out of ideas.

if you really pay attention, of the people with the most style are your grandmother, since they learnt how to achieve a great look with far less clothing then what we have.

How to get a sense of uniqueness back

Stop buying something purely because it is in fashion, figure out what clothing styles work fo your body and your aesthetic. Rather have fewer clothes that are well made than having clothes that only last a season or two. Use accessories and makeup to show more of who you are and don’t be afraid of being a little bit quirky. Play around with what you have, find 5 different ways to wear that skirt or that shirt. Rock a bright pink handbag with a black suit if it makes you feel good about yourself and stand out from your friends in the Instagram selfie. Be the one others copy rather than the other way around.