A Culture of Conformity: How Fashion Trends Become Political Statements

thepaper6
18 minutes ago
4 min read

By Max Pearson

Tradwives. Old money. Sydney Sweeney's jeans. According to a recent Vogue article, this year's fall trends held "a sense of permanence" to be appreciated even by those who "didn't attend equestrian summer camp as a preteen" or didn't "have a family estate to decamp at on the weekends." An Instagram reel from @womanculture.co contrasts "classy" polo shirts and neutral slacks with "vulgar" baggy jeans and hoodies. One thing is clear: the vibrant fashion experimentalism of the pandemic era has fallen, and in its place is something more refined, traditional, and — most importantly — conservative.

The political shift from 2020 to 2025 had a lasting impact on the fashion world. COVID shutdowns, online shopping, and a progressive youth base pushed fashion in bold new directions. Acacia Gomez, a freshman psychology student at CCNY, reflects on quarantine's bygone trends. "I feel like in 2020, because it was like, locked down and not a lot of people were going out, I feel like for conservatives [fashion] wasn't really a big problem." Then something shifted. Gomez continues, "I think definitely now, the social implications, especially with women, it's more judgmental to how people dress." With the re-election of President Donald Trump emboldening America's right (and alt-right), the culture has swung back towards conservative sensibilities in all aspects of life, including fashion. Gomez says the new administration has "created a conservative space of ‘you can't wear that anymore’."

Online creators have been quick to discuss this shift. A reel from @impact says, "The trends of old money and quiet luxury aesthetics have reflected the growing idea that wealth should be admired. (...) And even that conformity to a hierarchy is desirable." Instagram creator @adamecrossbyw warns of the consequences of this conformity, saying, "I'm seeing these content creators, these fashion niches and communities become increasingly more homophobic, more racist, more misogynistic." New trends towards modesty, neutrality, and "classic" styling reflect a culture beginning to accept not only the style, but the values and norms of the conservative right.

But why do people conform? One answer may be convenience. Women's studies professor Jasmina Sinanovic says, "Often, stores are divided into a men's section and a women's section. If one is trying to conform to norms, one way would be to go to a store and be like, Oh, this is a 'normal' section." Gomez also emphasizes the profit motive that brands have to "tend to certain aesthetics." As conservative looks become more popular, brands are quick to feature those styles within their stores, leaving big-box shoppers in the dark about their other fashion options.

Another allure of conformity is the perceived safety it can provide. Professor Sinanovic, holding a rainbow-patterned winter hat, says, "I actually needed a hat because it's cold. (...) Even if for me it's just a hat, it becomes a signal to somebody else." Gomez talks about their father, "He's well-meaning, but he's a Christian. He tries to push a lot of his beliefs onto me, and some of that has to do with modesty, but also his thing is safety too, because he knows how people can be." Returning to traditional values can become a haven in a tumultuous political climate, but their safety — much like the safety in any type of conformity — is fraught, delicate, and not dispersed equally.

Considering the constant influence of social media, the homogenization of box-store styles, and the appeal of conformity, how do we as consumers respond? One answer may be an increased awareness of what we're purchasing, and why. Prof. Sinanovic says, "I bought [my sweater] in the men's section, but I'm like, what about it makes it like a men's sweater? (...) If you saw it in the part of the store that's women's, would that make that sweater automatically women's?"

In addition to questioning our assumptions, Gomez encourages thrifting, both as a way to combat fast fashion and as a way to grow a more personalized style that feels authentic instead of prescribed. They also advocate for accepting others' styles and being brave enough to display your own, regardless of cultural shifts or pressures. "I think if we keep pushing for that normalization of, a body's a body, we're here for only so long, I'm gonna wear what I want," they say, "then I feel like it would be less stigmatized."

Fashion will always respond to political values and tensions. In times of political instability, when creativity becomes policed and conformity rewarded, clothing can become a means of showing allegiance rather than self-expression. In an era where quiet conformity has become the norm, maintaining individuality has become a simple act of resistance.

Max Pearson is a City College transfer student majoring in education. Her dream is to be an elementary school teacher and a published novelist. When not writing, she can be found embroidering flowers on her sweaters, exploring NYC, or nerding out about historical medicine to anyone who will listen.