How to Shop Your Closet for TikTok Trends
A step-by-step guide to creating new looks using clothes you already own
It seems like every other time I open the inimitable clock app (aka TikTok), I’m introduced to a new fleeting fashion trend. These trends are more than just an aesthetic. They’re a mood. They’re a moment. They transport us to another time, place, or lifestyle that is unattainably aspirational. Dressing the part seems relatively easy, though, as a sort of escapist cosplay.
[Caption] Cottagecore looks: (left) @rubyrouxbijou, (center) @minjalinjee, right: @deartally
One escapist trend that captivated me is Cottagecore. At the start of the pandemic I bought a prairie skirt secondhand on eBay. Somehow, walking miles a day across sun-baked concrete to avoid the subway felt bearable when I put on this skirt, a lacey blouse, and sensible lace up boots. Am I a girl who wakes up at dawn to milk the cow, feed the chickens, and lounge in a sun drenched meadow for the rest of the day? No. Did this outfit help me feel less defined by my worries and responsibilities? Yes.
[Caption] Elise wears her red prairie skirt with a black top, corset and black booties.
These days I associate indulging in a trend with taking a vacation: escaping a style rut offers a shift in perspective similar to taking a break from the daily grind. But chasing a new trend high comes with a price tag for us and for the planet. What if it were possible to capture this feeling with the clothes already in our wardrobes?
Thinking about this challenge reminded me of how I approach packing for actual vacations. Whenever I’m packing for a trip, I make a mood board with my suitcase contents. When I went to Italy a few years ago, I was inspired by the terracotta oranges, olive greens, Botticellian florals, and breezy pieces that I associate with a laidback Italian lifestyle. When I stepped back and looked at the clothes laid out on my bed, they told a story.
[Caption] Elise’s Italy inspired looks.
In the same vein, you can take a new trend vacation without actually buying anything new. This is definitely a challenge, especially if you feel like your wardrobe doesn’t come close to the looks you’re trying to approximate, but I bet there are pieces you could find in your closet that fit the aesthetic.
For this piece, I’ve selected two trends that — at first glance — appear to be complete opposites. The first is Coastal Grandma, which consists of comfortable basics, laid-back neutrals, and understated ensembles that are sartorial shorthand for old money and summers by the shore. The second trend is Avant Apocalypse, which incorporates deconstructed knitwear, utility pants, and layered tops that look scavenged. It also has a neutral palette, but one that evokes decrepit concrete buildings disappearing into smog.
I’ve documented my Coastal Grandma trend exploration to illustrate the steps of my closet-shopping process. To test the process and challenge myself further, I followed the exact same steps to generate a few Avant Apocalypse looks, which is much further from my personal style.
From Wardrobe to Trend: Step by Step
Step 1: Pick a trend and break down the elements of that trend.
When you’ve found a trend you’re excited about, take a moment to study some looks before filling your online cart with trendy new items. Collect photos and make a mood board, if that helps. What are the key pieces and attributes that contribute to the overall vibe? Here are a few categories that will help you break down a trend and recognize its traits in your own clothes:
Colors. Does a trend feature bright hues, all black, earth tones, or pastels? Pieces that fit the color palette of a trend can be great building blocks for the outfits you're hoping to create (even if the fabric or cut of your items isn’t exactly right).
Patterns. Certain versatile patterns — like plaid, stripes, checkerboard, and floral — can cross over various niches depending on how they’re styled. Take plaid, for example. Plaid blazers and longer skirts feel academic. A plaid flannel feels western while plaid miniskirts, vests, and skinny jeans feel punk. Embrace the genre-bending abilities of these prints.
Fabrics. The texture, weight, and fiber of fabrics can be a huge part of the mood of a trend. Does the trend generally feature lighter-weight cottons, linens, or silks, the coziness of a knit, or the warmth of wool? Are the fabrics heavy or sheer? Does the trend emphasize denim, leather, or fur? Select garments from your closet that fit the “feel” of a trend and try styling outfits around them.
Silhouettes. Does this trend tend to be form-fitting, free-flowing, or boxy? Do you have garments in these shapes already? If you don’t, try approximating a silhouette by belting an existing garment, adding a layer, tucking in a shirt you generally leave out, or vice versa. Consider altering pieces that you aren’t wearing: crop skirts or shirts (using Fray Check is a good idea), or add a bit of distressing to a t-shirt. If you’re not confident about hemming a garment yourself, taking it to a tailor can be cheaper than buying a new one, and it’s certainly better for the planet.
Accessories. Adding tons of jewelry can transform a look, but so can keeping things simple. Scarves add a color, texture, or pattern that can pay homage to a trend in an otherwise simple outfit, and the same scarf can yield different vibes depending on how it’s styled. Accessories don’t take up much space and it’s fun to rediscover pieces in your collection as they come back into fashion. If you have jewelry that no longer fits, look into adding necklace or bracelet extenders. Also try sharing or swapping accessories with friends and family!
The Basics. We all have workhorse pieces in our wardrobes: items like jeans, white T-shirts, white sneakers, and black boots. Don’t feel bad about using these as placeholders for cooler, more elaborate, or on-trend items in outfits. You can sneak them into specific trends and they’ll work because they pretty much never go out of style (nor out of season). They blend into the background and allow other parts of your outfit to shine!
Step 2: Go to your closet and pull potential pieces.
Now that you have a clear idea of what types of garments capture the vibe of your desired trend, go to your closet and pull a bunch of pieces. Don’t scrutinize your picks too hard. The individual pieces are less important than the overall aesthetic.
[Caption] Coastal Grandma looks by Lex Nicoleta who coined the name of the trend.
Before putting any actual Coastal Grandma outfits together, I pulled everything out of my closet that evokes the feeling of this trend: a beachy, neutral color palette of beiges, whites, and blues, timeless basics, and natural fibers like cotton and linen. I looked for items with a relaxed silhouette. And hats! They are the cornerstone of the Coastal Grandma look.
[caption] An assortment of garments pulled from Elise’s closet for the Coastal Grandma trend.
I ended up with a selection of closet staples like my tan trousers, my favorite pair of jeans, and a white cardigan that I throw over everything. I pulled out some forgotten pieces like a cream ’60s vintage jacket and a few hats I rarely wear. I also borrowed a blue button down from my husband because I thought the relaxed fit would be perfect for this look. Borrowing pieces whenever possible is key for trying on a trend.
Step 3: Lay out potential outfits and try them on.
This is not a getting-ready-for-work activity. Last-minute outfit curation can leave you feeling frustrated and bad about yourself, especially if the first few looks you try on don’t come together as you had hoped. Be emotionally prepared to encounter items that no longer fit (and the reality that some pieces just aren’t cut to fit together). Put on a playlist and give yourself an hour or two of mixing and matching until you’re happy with something, even if the outfit isn’t exactly what you thought would come together at the start. This might seem like a lot of work, but, hey — you’ll have a bunch of outfits planned, and you can save time shopping for new things it turns out you didn’t need!
The first outfit I put together consists of my favorite jeans, my husband's old shirt, and the vintage ’60s jacket. Pairing modern basics with vintage pieces for this trend felt right because I like to imagine that Coastal Grandma picked up the jacket somewhere on her travels in the ’60s and is still wearing it today. I added tan mules to build on the neutral palette and a wide-brimmed hat to top off the look. Taking off the jacket makes the look feel more appropriate for some light garden work rather than a last minute dinner party.
[caption] Elise in two Coastal Grandma looks: (left/top) wearing wide leg jeans, a blue button down shirt, white vintage jacket, tan mules, and a beige felt hat; (right/bottom) the same outfit without the jacket.
Editorializing the Coastal Grandma look a bit further, I decided that a white sweater and tan trousers might be something that Gran would wear to take her granddaughter out to lunch after a piano recital. I emphasized the relaxed nature of this trend by adding a straw hat, white belt, and low-heeled black loafers.
At the last minute, I threw on a pair of big ’70s Ray-Bans that I found at an estate sale. The glasses are slightly glam, but they are also practical for a morning stroll on the beach to collect sea shells. Again, a small vintage element adds to the storytelling aspect of this trend. Maybe you’d spot those sunglasses in Coastal Grandma’s family album, in a photo of her as a young mother laughing and judging a highly competitive sand castle contest.
[caption] Elise’s second Coastal Grandma look: (left/top) wearing tan trousers, a white sweater, a straw hat, and black loafers; (right/bottom) the same outfit with vintage sunglasses.
Putting these Coastal Grandma outfits together helped me see “boring basics” in a new light. These garments are just as capable of telling a story and transporting me to a refreshing new time and place as my boldest statement pieces. Exploring this trend with pieces in my closet makes the clothes that I own feel more valuable.
Advanced Style Challenge: Avant Apocalypse
Avant Apocalypse draws deeply on the sci-fi movies of the last fifty years. Think about the layered costuming in films like Mad Max, Dune, and Star Wars. TikTokker Caroline (@general.caronobi) gave me the confidence to tackle this trend! In her video about “dressing sci-fi,” she explains that regular clothing was often used in low budget sci-fi films. The way she transforms conventional pieces into otherworldly looks changed the way I view the limitations of my wardrobe.
Caroline (@general.caronobi on TikTok) puts together a sci-fi worthy outfit with basics (and a cape).
To start the process, I pulled lots of layering pieces, including three different bra tops, a worn-out knit tank top, and a black skater skirt. I also selected pink cargo pants and the same tan trousers that I pulled for my Coastal Grandma outfits. I don’t have much loose knitwear, but I pulled out a colorful striped sweater that has the right texture (even though it falls outside the desired color scheme).
[caption] Avant Apocalypse looks: (left and center) @second.life.vintage, (right) @total.witchh
My wardrobe is not well suited for this trend, but my orange hair garners daily comparisons to Avant Apocalypse icon Leeloo from The Fifth Element, so that definitely helped me pull these looks off. However, while this assortment of clothing seemed pretty random at first, I was surprised by how many different ways these pieces can be mixed and matched.
[caption] An assortment of garments pulled from Elise’s closet for the Avant Apocalypse trend.
For my first avant apocalyptic outfit, I decided to layer two of the bra tops with my knit tank top. I folded and tucked the tank up into the bra top and let the straps fall off my shoulders. Then I layered the black skater skirt over my tan trousers. I draped and clipped the hem of the skirt to the pants’ pockets and added white belt. Finally, I tucked the pants into my black knee boots, giving them a dramatic billow that felt like the perfect cinematic choice for a trek through the desert in search of water.
[caption] Elise in an Avant Apocalypse look, wearing layered black and white tops paired with tan trousers, a draped skirt, and a pair of black knee boots.
For my second outfit, I decided to bend the rules of Avant Apocalypse to put together a look I might actually wear. I threw the neutral color pallet aside in favor of one filled with pinks, purples, and oranges. I paired my pink cargo pants with a purple and orange bra top. I chose combat boots to add to the utility feel of the outfit, and topped off the look with a pair of pink frameless sunglasses and the loose knit sweater draped across my hips. While an outfit this colorful might not show up on an Avant Apocalypse Pinterest board, I wouldn’t bat an eye if I saw it featured in a neon lit nightclub scene in a post apocalyptic sci-fi movie.
[caption] Elise’s second Avant Apocalypse-inspired look: (right/top) wearing pink cargo pants, a bra top, black combat boots, and a striped sweater tied around her hips; (left/bottom) the same outfit without the sweater.
I wouldn’t wear my first Avant Apocalypse outfit in real life because of the bulkiness of the layered tops and fussiness of the pinned up skirt. However, I actually loved the second outfit enough to wear something similar a few days after taking these photos; I swapped the sweater for a semi sheer eyelet shirt.
[caption] Elise in a wearable iteration of one of her Avant Apocalypse look: pink cargo pants, bra top, white sneakers, and white eyelet lace shirt.
The slew of disposable garments created in the wake of each new microtrend is alarming. My closet shopping experiment reveals that Coastal Grandma and Avant Apocalypse are both accessible looks that can be created from wardrobe staples and highly thriftable basics. It’s also worth noting the political and social messaging of these trends. In a time when billionaires have rapidly added $5 trillion to their net worth, there is something tantalizing about trying on a yassified Boomer aesthetic: Coastal Grandma doesn’t have to worry about an uncertain future.
However, the doomist glamorization of a broken world represented by Avant Apocalypse blows past the fact that we still have the power to change what the rest of the century looks like. At the very least, we can exert influence over what kind of apocalypse we'll have: one where we have the systemic resilience to meet the challenges of global temperature rise, or one in which we confront unfettered change without a plan. Either way, it's clear that the generations facing the full force of the future are sorting some shit out through fashion, and the fact that these diverse narrative trends can be explored sustainably makes it all the better.
Last updated September 22, 2022
[Slow Notion credits]
Editor: Karrie Witkin | Designer: Haley Burson | Copywriter & Photographer: Elise Nye | Copy Editor: Katie Frankowicz
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