You can buy Ponchos in Pennsylvania, Indian sarees in Illinois, Cashmere in Colorado- everything is so accessible. Thanks to globalization that has erased all the geographical gaps between nations. Think about this, if I can get Korean glass skin without having to move a foot from Kansas- what is now the differentiator if not geography?
Globalization has given us access to everything. Name it, and it’ll be delivered to your doorstep. But here’s the paradox- despite our exposure to different cultures and styles, we’re all starting to look the same. I wouldn’t be able to tell a New Yorker from a Parisian based on their outfit alone.
Enter algorithms. They’ve become the new differentiator, curating our feeds and, by extension, our style. Grandma-core, IT girl, dark academia—these algorithm created aesthetic tribes define how we show up online and IRL. Fashion has always borrowed (think African bangles, Scottish tartan), but now our algorithm has become our street style. We’re taking inspiration from around the world, only to fit it into neat boxes the internet created for us.
I appreciate the global inspiration. But I also wonder: where’s the creativity? If we have access to Italian shoes, American jeans, Japanese kimonos, and French couture at our fingertips, why aren’t we pushing boundaries? Why are we all performing the same five aesthetics?
Here’s my challenge: pair your imported ballet flats with a thrifted Louis Vuitton jacket and call it “you-core.” With the access and creativity available to you, you can fit several boxes and none at the same time. Don’t buy “must-have” pieces—buy what you’ll actually wear. If it’s a blazer, great. If it’s a mini skirt styled as a shirt, even better.
Forget minimalism. Embrace maximalism. The world is closer than ever—use it.
