Fashion is an ever-changing, ever-unpredictable thing. New trends come and go and then return again, or something could be big one day and then lost to obscurity the next. Fashion, much like time, is a flat circle—it has a way of coming back and repeating itself. Fashion has always been shaped by what the big names of the industry are wearing, and it’s no different today. Part of the reason many brands still exist is that celebrities and influencers continue to buy and wear them for everyone to see.
In this day and age, those particular celebrities and influencers just so happen to be K-pop stars. You’ve probably seen the hordes of screaming fangirls, youthful dance groups sweating it out to complicated and in-sync choreography, and heard catchy Korean songs being played over and over again on TV and the radio. From humble beginnings to the Korean Wave, the rise of K-pop has undoubtedly become a worldwide phenomenon.
More than just a music trend
The influence of K-Pop extends well beyond dance and music and into fashion as well. The influence that K-pop has on modern fashion world simply cannot be understated. From high-fashion brands such as Gucci and Chanel to everyday streetwear, everyone’s been touched by the K-Pop fever one way or another. Whatever brands K-pop idols promote receive a significant uptick in sales and interest afterward. Whatever an idol is seen wearing in a music video, to an event, or even at the airport, gets marketed and imitated. Even the usage of makeup for men, most prominently eyeliner and lip gloss, has seen a large and mostly positive response from others.
K-pop idols literally have the power to shape fashion trends however they want. All they need to do is be seen wearing something in public and fans will swarm to their nearest outlet stores to get an exact copy. And it’s not just new trends either.
Bringing back old trends with style
Remember what we have said about time and fashion being a flat circle? While it might be presumptuous to say that K-pop was the pioneer of bringing old fashion trends to the modern world, it’s still safe to assume that K-pop played a huge role in making it popular again.
In particular, K-pop is known to have brought back streetwear, with a modern and distinctly Korean twist to it. Things such as high-waisted jeans, bucket hats, fanny packs, slip dresses, pleated mini skirts—even Crocs! Whatever trend that you might have thought would never make a comeback can and probably will, thanks to K-pop. No one expected bucket hats and fanny packs could be such fashionable items, but now K-pop idols and fans alike wear them all the time. And once they’re seen rocking the heck out of them, you can bet that their fans are going to be lining up to get one of their own—even Crocs!
Just like trendsetters of the past, idols have ushered in a new era of fashion whose influence goes even beyond the circles of their fans and fellows. Even if you’ve never heard of a single K-pop group in your life, you most likely have seen their style influences on the streets, in the mall, wherever you go.
The ultimate influencers
It’s not a massive leap of judgment to say, then, that K-pop idols have become the ultimate influencers; everything from style to music is all fair game in their hands. K-pop and idol culture could very well have been the catalyst to the rise of vintage and sustainable fashion. But like we said before, fashion is an ever-changing thing.
Trends come and go, and what influencers might be wearing one day could go out of style the next. It wasn’t that long ago when K-pop idols sported mullets and emo bangs, as any loyal K-fan will tell you. But if we know fashion, we know that old trends have a way of creeping up on us. If old trends can be brought back as easily as K-pop idols today have done, then new trends such as silicone engagement bracelets and denim boots might be next.
Staying ahead of the trend is always a good idea, and who knows, with the right K-pop idol to unknowingly endorse it, you could be sporting the next big thing way before everyone else. If they can make oversized shirts and baggy pants look good, they can surely make anything under the sun go trending the next day.
Meta title:Bringing Back Old Fashion Trends with K-pop
meta desc: The wide-reaching influence of K-pop has managed to shape many worldwide fashion trends, even successfully bringing back old fashion styles to a modern audience.
