Trench coat buttoned to the top. This phrase may seem to just be a description of outerwear, but it has become an online sensation and a winter fashion trend thanks to Lily-Rose Depp. Depp may have her parents to thank for her rise to fame, but she has successfully transcended ‘nepo-baby’ status, becoming an it girl in her own right.

Depp has garnered a lot of media attention recently. Her most recent performance in Nosferatu – a gothic horror movie – re-sparked hype around the horror genre, but what sent waves around TikTok and Instagram was a particular meme. How to explain “Trench coat buttoned to the TOP”?… Well, to put it shortly: an internet meme that went viral on X in 2023 of a fan sharing an encounter they had with Lily-Rose Depp, describing her buttoned up outerwear, resurfaced on TikTok in early January, resulting in a trend of girls (as you might have guessed) wearing their coats buttoned to the top. Depp first emerged as a style icon since being chosen by Karl Lagerfield as the couture bride in 2017, so it is no surprise that her fashion choices have influence.

“Are the fashion trends we see online comedically out of touch with actual day to day life?”

Whilst the ‘Trench Coat Buttoned to the Top’ trend is in reality just another example of the sensationalisation of a meme, it does ask a wider question: are the fashion trends we see online comedically out of touch with actual day-to-day life? It is here I must admit my bias. I was captivated by the Parisian chic and effortlessness of the buttoned up silhouette. I now wear my coat buttoned to the top around Sidge.

At first, I felt as though by mirroring Depp’s fashion choices, I, too, was, by osmosis, absorbing her chicness. It was when I got asked by others where my coat is from – only for me to respond with the brand, shortly followed by exclaiming, “Trench coat buttoned to the TOP,” to which most people stared back at me with blank faces or confusion – that I realised I may be in a bubble. To say social media creates such bubbles that are disconnected from reality is hardly a revolutionary idea; however, applying this truth to fashion, I would argue that social media fashion trends rarely translate to real life. Perfectly curated images of models like Depp or videos of fashion influencers showcasing the latest trend fail to take into account factors like real life wearability, body diversity and comfort. There is an undeniable sense of community that online fashion trends foster – thousands of individuals all inspired by a particular look showcasing their own styling of a trending outfit. Yet, this sense of connection is outweighed by the fact that online fashion trends blur the line between individuality and conformity. Online algorithms encourage an absence of personal style, instead favouring outfits palatable to the masses, extinguishing individuality through a curated image of what is ‘stylish’ presented to us on our feed. Social media fashion trends thus become a game of imitation, rather than a launchpad for individual expression or a community wherein one can display creative takes on trends or, indeed, create fresh styles.

Although it is probably an overstatement to say that online fashion trends are a laughing stock in real life, they are certainly disconnected from the reality of everyday life. For the average person, myself included, social media is a great way to access free fashion inspiration. Physical fashion magazines are becoming relics of the past – their relevance continues to wane as social media now dominates the consumption of fashion content. As we turn to our TikTok For You Page or Instagram feed for inspiration, the concern about whether social media fashion trends are homogenising becomes more pertinent.

“I would even hazard to guess at least a quarter of the outfits in my lecture hall are a variation of my own”

The now pejorative term ‘basic’ – used to describe ‘boring’ outfits – is fostered by a kind of stylistic uniformity social media encourages. Walking around Sidge, this phenomenon is crystallised; I would even hazard to guess at least a quarter of the outfits in my lecture hall are a variation of my own. Basic top, either a cardigan or jumper, and a pair of baggy jeans – this is the ‘Sidge girlie’ uniform, molded by social media fashion trends. I am by no means immune to this phenomenon. In fact, I admit my style is almost entirely influenced by the media I consume and so I therefore don the ‘Sidge girlie’ uniform with a faint sense of shame, as I am indeed conscious of its connotations. This problem can perhaps be attributed to the ever-decreasing length of trend cycles; flocking to social media for fashion inspiration inevitably leads to an exposure to microtrends and overconsumption. Although previous mediums of fashion inspiration (physical magazines etc.) were also cyclical, they curated seasonal trends which were spread out over a longer period of time, allowing for individual interpretations. The intensity of the constant churning out of new fashion trends understandably leads to a sense of fatigue and indifference towards the current definition of what is most ‘stylish’. In short, the rise of the 'basic' outfit online can be seen as an understandable response to the overwhelming nature of fashion content on social media, and an escape from microtrends that die shortly after their genesis.

Ultimately, everyone is more than entitled to wear what they please, regardless of its attachments to online trends. Yet, as I wear my trench coat buttoned to the top around Sidge, I cannot help but think to myself: is the outfit I’m wearing a reflection of my own style, or is it merely a product of my social media algorithm?

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