Whether it’s Alix Earle, Katie Fang, or Kendall Jenner, these social media stars all have large followings that take their inspiration too far. An influencer’s job is to convince their audience to buy certain products or live a specific lifestyle. This sway has become too powerful, leading to a society lacking originality.
At the end of New York Fashion Week, Jenner revealed her new blonde bob-cut hairstyle. This led to a new trend of people dying their hair blonde or cutting it into a bob, simply because Jenner did. Junior Paige Drazenovic says, “I understand taking inspiration from a celebrity, but making that drastic change simply because Kendall Jenner did is unreasonable.”
Jenner dyed her hair in mid-September but many still get the “Jenner bob” in December. This long-lasting power someone holds simply due to their social media presence shows how impactful social media stars are on society.
Alex Earle is one of TikTok’s most popular content creators with over seven million followers. In a recent video with over 5.6 million views, Earle returned to an old fashion trend of skinny jeans. This video was taken by storm, and thousands of people have been posting videos in skinny jeans saying, “Alix Earle makes the rules. Skinny jeans are back.” The amount of control these influencers have over their viewers makes everyone wear the same things, think the same thoughts, and act the same way. These patterns result in a society that lacks originality and is easily manipulated by others with higher authority.
Not only has this skinny jean trend proved Earle’s sway due to her following, but it has also sparked the question of why people are so obsessed with a stranger’s opinion. People are willing to alter their clothing style simply for someone with many followers. The answer is that people have now associated followers with power. If it’s Alix Earle, Charli D’amelio, or anyone with a high social media following, they are automatically given a power trip and high levels of influence.
Love Island star Leah Kateb revealed her favorite scent was “Sticky Dates” by Lush. Soon after, the scent was sold out everywhere because many of her fans wanted to smell like Kateb. Many who bought it didn’t smell the scent for themselves; instead, they bought it just because an influencer told them to. Sophomore Jules Borovcanin adds, “I know several people who bought the scents without smelling it and didn’t like how it smelled but continued to wear it because Leah Kateb does.”
QR code to Leah Kateb’s shower routine featuring Lush Spray
Nearly every trend on TikTok originated from someone with a large following who persuaded their audience to think the same way they do. If the trend of copying content creators continues, every person in society will morph into the same made-up figure influencers have created. Senior Waiz Shaikh states, “I’ve fallen for several traps content creators have made. I’ve bought several things simply because someone I follow has told me to buy it.”
These are just a few examples of why influencers are given too much power over others. People cannot form their own opinions or personas because influencers hold so many standards over them. It’s time to move on from influencers’ influence.
