The thing that bothers me with these videos is also the fact that we rarely see them wearing the same items for different outfits. When I buy a piece of clothing, I try to envision different outfits using the clothes I already own, I am not spending hundreds for a single outfit. Creators should promote that in my opinion.

This concept reminds me of the idea of being “chronically online” and how spending so much time in front of a screen gives us a false sense of reality in all other avenues other than fashion as well

As someone who never downloaded tik tok, hearing about everything second-hand really makes it sound more and more insane

As someone who does cosplay, this is so fascinating to me. People dressing up in outfits they wouldn't feel comfy walking around outside in feels kind of like they are cosplaying a version of themselves at home, if that makes sense

What really helped me was deleting tik tok cold turkey. My perception of fashion and reality in general was being warped and I’ve actually found myself not trying too hard and stressing less whenever I put an outfit together

as somebody really interested in both fashion and postmodernism, this is an intersectional video i would have never thought i'd see. i always had a weird irk about tiktok fashion content feeling dystopian- you really explained it

i had a massive (positive) reality check a few days ago. Someone complemented my style and i was actually surprised, since (due to social media) i thought i dressed quite boring and "basic", trendy but nothing special. The way i dress hasn’t changed much for the last 3 years, i personally felt that i was missing out on a lot of the newest fashion trends and that i was way behind on the fashion cycle. In reality, the general style of the "early 20s" were currently in has been quite consistent. I do feel very pretty and comfortable in my current wardrobe and (as someone who is at least, to the best of my financial ability, trying to be fashion forward) it made me happy to hear that my style is still considered fashionable :).

I have the inverse relationship with this “simulacrum” style of dressing, I used to work at a gas station (petrol station for the mates and lads such as Antwon) while working I saw all walks of life and would often find inspiration through the various construction workers, farmers, and even the homeless. People in the real world who’s garments were indeed worn outside of the digital realm with true intention in mind, and started incorporating it into my outfits. Wether it was a simple carabiner on the waist filled with keys and accessories, or going as far as wearing two pairs of jeans at the same time with basketball shorts underneath (sounds insane because the person I first saw it on was indeed expressing abit of insanity). I would compare it to appreciating the inner workings of Disney land, rather than the facade you see from the outside.

Lol as someone who makes daily grwm tiktoks to go sit in a coffee shop, I'd like to say I do actually immediately go. I've even run into some followers a few times and they said "Oh I just watched you put this outfit on this morning". That being said, if tiktok was my main job - I would probably have a lot of content batched.

I love this more broad approach to the fashion community that you’ve taken as of recent, keep it up!

Nice. Personally, I have embraced the idea of "living the movie". I have loved cyberpunk from as early as I can remember. I viewed my dress sense as an expression of that. I discovered techwear in the last 10 years and added it to the basic black or olive cargo pants, a black shirt with a music/band/pop culture reference and boots or styled sneaker/trainers. The jackets were either leather biker, trench coat or military. I remember having an olive German surplus field jacket with hood that was fantastic. I am 51 and still getting around in more or less the same but a little more updated!

i've since deleted tiktok, but i totally fell into this trap of thinking tiktok fashion = reality, especially over lockdowns. i came out of lockdown afraid to go to the mall, because i'd subconsciously decided i couldn't "compete" with tiktok outfits just trying to go pick up my skincare. i finally went to the mall and... not a single fucking soul was dressed like they had a tiktok closet. everyone was in leggings and hoodies, and not even the ones tiktok deemed to be cool that week. people were just. normal. it blew my fucking mind. it sounds really stupid and obvious, but ESPECIALLY in an era when people were stuck inside with nothing to do, that tiktok mentality really started worming it's way into daily lives and thought processes. it's insane because you're right, it's not even reality. but over the course of those couple years i'd 100% convinced myself someone at the mall would bully me and comment on my mid mall outfit. i'm not even a stupid person, man. it's just the way it is rn.

In my mid 20s my friend sat me down and said “you don’t have drip” and wanted me to get into street wear. I tried getting into street wear but I never felt comfortable with it. I went back to my old style but actually made an effort to look great and people actually tell me they like my style. I love sling bags tho so that’s the only thing from tech wear that I still use to this day

Antwon dipping into postmodernism, love it

Maybe I'm in the minority but this channel and Frugal Aesthetic is the only fashion related content I consume, digital or irl. I'm a passive enjoyer/observer of fashion and have never installed TikTok and certainly don't subscribe to any fashion content on Instagram. I do see the influences the content online has on the real world of fashion, even from my very small window look into the fashion world. This is certainly a interesting discussion and would love to see more content like this in the future :)

I appreciate the thoughtfulness of your channel. You and frugal aesthetic are my favourite fashion channels that are self-aware and not just promoting rampant consumerism.

“Giving a false impression of how they dress offline” that was actually super interesting to me to hear- I actually *do* wear super alt fashion irl (though not any of the styles you showed), as my daily fashion- so I hadn’t thought that people on tiktok only wear these clothes on camera haha On the other hand though I don’t really post to tiktok or watch it so 🤷‍♀️ if you’re a content creator I guess it’s different. There’s a couple caveats though- I work from home so I don’t need to worry about office wear, and I also don’t fully dress up for like, a quick run to Walgreens generally because I’m not always up to dealing with people’s reactions. I don’t want to get interrogated about what I’m wearing when I’m just trying to buy toilet paper. And I wear loungewear at home too because who doesn’t want to be comfortable? Although it’s probably different from the loungewear most people wear. But yeah, 95% of the time when I’m leaving the house and on weekends I’m fully dressed up in alt fashion. It’s really interesting to think though that some people have an ‘online only’ wardrobe. But yeah I don’t dress the way I do to create content so that’s a big difference from your examples.

when it comes to my personal style, it's important to me how clothes feel and how they make me feel--especially as an autistic person with a sensitivity disorder. I love fun and wacky outfits, and I adore high fashion, but I always am conscious of what I can attain/tolerate in reality. I'm always trying to balance creativity, practicality, and comfort. recently, I've been working on sewing and crocheting my own clothes so that they are tailored exactly to my needs. thinking about clothes this way has really grounded me in reality. I definitely still am inspired by internet fashion content and I love looking at it, but I'm working on being content with just looking--rather than coveting or copying.

Simulacronym …. On a serious note, you’ve hit some really good points in this video. Speaking anecdotally; I used to be into warcore and then realised that looking like I’m going to war as a casual outfit to go out and buy milk and bread doesn’t really work in a setting other than online. I got into actual techwear and realised it wasn’t just a trend that looked cool, but has so much function with regards to my daily lifestyle and commutes. I have carrying capacity and quick access with my quick release sling bag, magnet clasp cargo pockets, water repellant jacket with a sling and so much more. Fashion without a purpose no longer fascinates me and it’s ultimately what got me away from hype east culture and warcore.

Thank you for this video, I am gen Z and I needed this, I did not realise I needed to shake off the feeling that I have to dress like a postapocalyptic gothic fairy mermaid for work to not be boring.

This is one of those rare instances where I’m incredibly happy to be a “grandma” and not know anything about this incredible waste of time that is watching other people pick out their outfits lol

sad to see how many pieces are created/bought for the sole purpose of shock value in a video and never to be actually worn in real life..

Boom! I am big fan of Baudrillard and think you are spot on with your application of his theory to fashion focussed social media. Hyperreality can be widened out to all social media to explore the impact on political discourse; but that is an absolute minefield!! Great video!

This is a great video. You're expressing something that has been bugging me for a while. Aesthetics evolved from subcultures, which emerged in real life. Now in the digital cultural conversations, meaningless "cultureless" "aesthetics" can be created from scratch, from the comfort of a laptop and a Pinterest board, maybe they gain culture AFTER the fact, like a subculture in reverse, based on who happens to be attracted to the fabricated aesthetic. With no reference to why it existed in the real world, but perhaps solely existing in a fandom world, such as how dark academia refers to books and podcasts, which reference a culture of an idealized or dramatized past in a memory of college campuses or boarding schools. Even something like "glirchcore" could be vaguely related to the music genres of glitchhop, dubstep, and edm music, mixed with fandom characters of a glitchy, reality based nature, such as Michael/The Spiral from The Magnus archives or Gabriel from the Mandela Catalogue, or the creepy movies such as The Ring/Ringu, Skinamarink, and the genre of analog TV horror. Or even digital horror like Paranormal Activity and Unfriended.

subscribed to laugh at dropshippers merch... stayed for the existential crisis

This is why Daniel Simmons is my favorite fashion influencer. He wears outfits one can actually bring out the house, doesn't push microtrends, re-uses items all the time (it's pretty much a meme at this point), and doesn't push products or lifestyles on his viewers. Nice video man, I really enjoyed it!

Being born in the 90's and growing up in the 2000's and 2010's put me right in the middle of the development of tech and social media. I got to live life without it, whilst also seeing it "be born", grow and change the world. Because I saw the creation and evolution of apps like Instagram, I knew exactly how tiktok would affect me, so I never downloaded the app, and would discourage others from doing it too. If you look at the evolution of "the makeup community", I'd say it went through the exact same thing that online fashion is doing right now. It reached a peak of oversaturation, with makeup hauls and extreme looks everywhere (think instagram brows and harsh cut creases), which eventually resulted in people cutting down on their makeup spending and reverting back to a cleaner and more natural aesthetic (like the clean girl thing on tiktok). I can only assume that in the near future people will start to focus even more on a combination of personal style, comfort and sustainability, where they buy fewer intentional pieces that they reuse often, in favour of constantly consuming more. I've personally made a conscious choice a few years ago to cut down on shopping in an attempt to be less wasteful, save some money and actually curate a wardrobe of items that mostly go together and specific range of colours, so I can just slap on anything without it looking bad (I'm lazy and suffer from time blindness). Yes, when I see these styling videos I often think "OMG! Maybe I should go for that style, it's so cute.", but sometimes you have to stop yourself and think "Would I ever even wear that?", and oftentimes the answer might be *no!* Realise that these fashion shorts are just for entertainment, and that most people don't dress like that daily. _Not even the people posting the videos._

Tiny Jewish Girl is a great content creator on tiktok who genuinely wears the outfits she makes and resides clothing all the time. She also shows photos of her from high school and on discovering her personal styles (which kind of shows us wear she comes from). Also, she shows loungewear and other things as well and talks through the thought process of her outfits and why she chooses a certain item over something else. I appreciate it because it’s just interesting to see what someone thinks about when putting an outfit together. She does live in NYC though so it’s easier to see people dress like her there.

I appreciate this video, I didn’t realize I was caught up in this fashion whirlwind. It always bothered me when I was on TikTok that I couldn’t easily simulate what I saw. Money or whatever else was stopping me

Tiktok fashion helped me develop my style and actually get into fashion, but after a while it just turned into a shopping problem. It’s a good place to get a sense of what you might like, but I feel much more confident and comfortable in the clothes I wear since I deleted Tiktok.

Imo as someone who hikes, climbs,… I hate to see how much outdoor brands have risen in price just because some dudes buy a goretex jacket to wear it in the shower or urban soho only to go inside when it rains.

Video summary. Online fashion has become a meme: an element of a culture or system of behavior passed from one individual to another by imitation or other nongenetic means. So while the original definition exists, the exposure of these things causes its perception to change

This video struck me in a place where I needed it to and spoke to an inner part of me that needed working on, thank you for this content you worked hard to produce.💯

I appreciate that this is almost like an open discussion and recognition of things regarding hyper reality, and not a massively negative doom post. It's very well rounded and informative, thanks Antwon.

such a big oxymoron. the whole idea of fashion is to show off your own style, to had your own confidence to an everyday routine, but buying and putting together outfits solely for social media throws the entire essence of fashion out the window. like, if you’re not going to wear something in public, but showcase it online, then you’re falling ever closer to your life being a facade.

I also remember the increase of interest in vintage lingerie among the mainstream, so prices went up and a lot of influencers posted themselves wearing them indoors on IG/TT, and it got so normalised that people started wearing them out. It's shocking to someone who is not chronically online or rarely follows trends to see people wearing what is supposed to be underwear as regular clothing. Shein/fashion nova style clothing are also great examples of media prop clothing, they barely hold or cover anything and the quality is so obviously poorly done, they clearly would not stand more than 2-3 wears before they break. Just enough for a tiktok dance, perhaps. But oh well "they're just $2"

First time seeing fashion content creator so smart. I love the Baudrillard reference

I appreciate the fact that you sound like you actually read that book. Unlike soooo many commenters who think the book is about us literally living in a simulation. Like the Matrix.

I don’t even use tik-tok,seeing all of these things born out of the platform feels weird. It’s like another world is bleeding into ours,and a more unhinged one at that.

This is pretty much why I observe trends but do not follow them. Roughly 80% of my wardrobe is made up of classically-inspired menswear articles made out of as many natural materials as possible... And the remaining 20% is because I haven't cleared out the closet yet. My attention span and wallet cannot be bothered to keep up with the "current thing" of the week. Better to just go timeless and let the clothes and attitude speak for themselves.

This is a fascinating topic with great editing and humor. I personally have no interest in fashion, but your video was recommended to me and kept me engaged, even when I missed your specific references to fashion terms and trends. I know I also feel like I'm trapped in the Matrix. Our modern life experiences are mired in layers upon layers of simulacra because we spend so much of our lives online that we try to make the world outside fit the internet's mold. We use new internet-specific terminology to describe age-old phenomena. For example, we call a bait and switch "clickbait," or a celebrity an "influencer," or artwork "content." It feels suffocating, like our veins have turned into wires. Even when we want to unplug, daily necessities like working at our job, completing homework, and paying our bills force us kicking and screaming back into the digital space. It's an underwhelming dystopia. I feel the need to buy a paperback copy of Baudrillard and read it outside on a hammock in the sunshine, just to get myself away from a screen for an hour or two.

so glad you shouted out fashion elitist. really appreciate the topics both of you have been diving into lately. though it can be said that discussing/criticizing social media and consumerism is becoming the next level in the simulation (just like the final lines of your video said)

Probably one of the most interesting videos I've seen in a long time. This being said - I'm living in Berlin and many people are actually wearing the styles shown in the video here

Loving these recent videos! This is a really good application of Baudrillard to today's online fashion landscape. A follow up looking at further solutions like Baudrillard's Fatal Strategy, etc could be cool.

we need a doomaday clock for the fashion landscape

Really enjoying these videos that make my think about fashion and consuming as a whole a bit more. Makes me think more about what I’m wearing/buying more. Makes me want to wear what I enjoy a bit more and dress for me.

I think people forget the idea that everything you see on the internet isn’t real. Or at least ask yourself what are the motives of these people pushing these posts on the internet.

I was so comfortable watching the video and then I realized it’s the quiet ass persona music chillin me out! Never watched your stuff before but great delivery and cool dive into the concept :)

Every Tiktoker be uploading their fits every 30 minutes while I'm still too much of a coward to submit my 3 only fits to r/techwearclothing

I'm so glad this obsession is back. Reminds me of when I would check lookbook and tumblr every night to admire all the loud outfits and get ideas 🥰

I was sent here by the algorithm, I have zero interest in fashion whatsoever, but this was super interesting to watch! Great content!

love the more theory based discussion! hoping for some more like this in the future 🤞

Honestly a really good video, extremely relevant and overall what i've been feeling recently, keep it up you're the best

Better definition of simulacra than my lecturers ever gave

my flex is that i never even downloaded tik tok, 0 contact i recommend this lifestyle to anyone xD respect bro for creating quality content which is not fucking attention bait / view factory. Just you being you and expressing your interesting thoughts.

having just started playing lobcorp, the use of its sound effects really caught me off guard

Brilliant analogies, great concept of the video. We are in a simulated reality. Everything’s fed to us.

When I see somebody at the coffee shop dressed nice I assume they’re on their way somewhere else. Not that they got dressed up just to go to get coffee. This is sad

One of my favorite Philosophy books- you gave some great analysis and application of its concepts! Loved the video ❤

It was a pleasure watching you making parallels between Baudrillard’s work and TikTok fashion 👏👏👏 Indeed we live in a world of infinite simulations and simulacras reflecting and affecting each other. Looking at life around (and inside) us through this prism of perception is quite thought provoking. Thanks for this awesome video!

This channel has the best thematic growth trajectory I have ever seen on this website

fashion and philosophy two of my favorite things!! your analysis is very good

I never knew blokecore existed, I just thought that wearing football shirtsshould be as fashionable as using Basketball shirts. Specially because some have beautiful designs by their own.

I found this fascinating and I also learned that I am not actually an avid outdoorswoman but am, in fact, just super into gorpcore 😂

damn, smacking us with the baudrillard. good shout. that book’s a lot to parse, i revisit it on occasion to see what else i get out of it and it’s always a (worthwhile) struggle. like the direction of the videos as of late 🙏🏼

Fantastic, I did studies in Sociology and Communication theories - Frankfurt School - Behavioral subjects - Mass Media - Mirror Theorie by James Lacan... bla bla, and you did a 15min masterclass off all that field. Great book recommendation btw.!

Excellent analysis and explanation. And dropping Baudrillard like a boss! Keep it coming!

Like this explanation of fashion/lifestyle-induced consumerism we see lately. Hope we could see more consistent trends and content focusing on durability and functionality, and not just OH SHlT I AM THRIFTIN kind of things

What an amazing video! I‘d never thought to find Baudrillard on this channel.

Love the the deep study in this, it’s nuanced and insightful 👌🏾

Jeeez Anton! I thought you're a cool guy reviewing tech clothes, it turns out you're undercover scientist! Thank you for your genuine hard work

Amazing video mate I love what this channel is becoming. Sharing with all my fashionhyead friends, it's a valuable take of yours

Great content Ant! Love seeing how much effort you put in

Damn.. we’re basically just customizing our avatars at this point.

Love the Persona background music, it's a very pleasant editing choice!

subscribed. i loved this video. thanks for all the work !

I don't understand why you are so convinced these outfits doesn't exist irl. Like, with absurdist makeup looks, the people usually say that "yes, this is removed after application 99% of the time because it's an artwork, not actually for wearing", but a lot of absurdist fashion is perfectly wearable outside. I lived in a capital for almost my entire life, and we've been wearing these outfits since I was 13 in various renditions. I think some of tiktok people does indeed just make a piece of contemporary art fashion video, but I think you're underestimating how many people who actually wear this. Even if they don't wear it, they inspire. It exists. It's not just online.

philosophy, critiques on consumerism, and on overconsumption in one video? awesome vid

Really enjoyed the video, style, voice, thoughtful approach. New sub!

This video was not only entertaining but I also felt like I learned something

This was originally a boredom doom scroll video but it turns out this is genuinely incredibly interesting and insightful, thank you, god bless.

I've recently found the concept of hyper reality and when you mentioned Simulacra and Simulation by Jean Baudrillard i got really excited out of nowhere, I totally agree with you in this video seeing not only from the fashion side but in general this era of massive technological advancements and the the bubble that is social media people are rapidly loosing touch with their reality

I completely agree with every analysis you make on fashion :)

This was super interesting, i’ve never looked at it in this way. Thanks!

What a great video,really. Besides the fact that the subject was interesting’ you talk so well and you managed to keep me really hooked! I also loved the editing and of course the way you explain fashion through complex ideas and background. It’s the first video I’ve seen from you and probably not the last

3:18 was genius! Hahahahah About the topic, there's this thing that people don't wanna get dressed to look good. That would be totally okay! People are just using fashion to look not good but superior to others. It's like creating a persona that hides our insecurities and feeds our ego. At the end of the day we're running from ourselves, from being just an avarage human being.

Everything in the web is enhanced reality, that's what artists have been doing from years in painting and cinema. Now that most of our lives are in the web everybody gotta be an artist in a way, filters, lighting, color correcting, Photoshop, perfect scenes, perfect models with perfect proportions, and with time what doesn't fit these requirements doesn't have any exposition, that's something you can see very easily in instagram and tiktok, only the best looking people in the best enviroments are gonna be shared, and the normal not enhanced reality gets lost in the ocean of content

I live in London and there are tons of younger people (most are obviously rich) walking around in public who literally dress and look like they do on social media. Lots of people make the point about "tiktok fashion doesn't translate into real life, it will feel better when you touch grass" but i see shit like this and it feels hellish because people have obviously become so chronically online that their online personas transcend computers. Because obviously many of these fits were designed for social media, with a cookie-cutter styling language. Real street style is much more subtle yet interesting because it comes from real-world experiences, not for the algorithm or out of pressure to draw the most possible eyeballs

understanding simulacra is also good online literacy practice. Not just in trends but understanding what people really believe vs what they say

Well said and DEEPLY anxiety inducing

I’d argue this “issue” has existed throughout humanity, and because of that it makes me think how it is just too easy to overthink things

I watched the video and it’s really good. Unique ability to relate philosophy to something in the world.

I am aware that there are micro trends are whizzing around like trash in a tornado, influencing my taste but mostly I am content to just deal with the very slow amalgamation of these influences and focus on the things I actually care about like sustainability, comfort, repair, and feeling OK in the mirror.

As an actual skier, I hate this trend on skiwear because it’s made items much harder to find and more expensive

Didn't expect Baudrillard to make an appearance! Great video.

As someone who exclusively wears plain black shirts and joggers or jeans bought from charity shops, this whole thing sounds completely exhausting

I forgot why I subbed to this guy and then I saw this video. A fashion channel that also speaks about philosophy. Great stuff.

Love the vids Antwon keep ‘em coming 🔥!

Man the persona music always hits so hard just a masterpiece

I just found your channel and I love your content!! Keep it up!