Flannel shirts, baggy jeans, and cassette mixtapes—icons of the 1990s—are making their great comeback in the 21st century on store shelves and social media feeds. This comeback has been influenced by generations who are drawn to nostalgia for brands and products from the past. They become obsessed with the vintage looks and unfamiliar music they discover. Their algorithm of social media made the trends become wider day by day.
Beyond the fashion itself, 90s music also carries a charm through their catchy melodies and beautiful tones. For instance, “Barbie Girl” by Aqua that suddenly stole the spotlight after the Barbie movie. Meanwhile, flannel shirts with patterns that are often worn casually by university students. Many might not even realise that those are from the 1990s. Still, those are back to this century—it’s a form of euphoria, a way to relive or reimagine an era, not only by wearing and using these items, but also through the booming market of buying and selling them.
Unsurprisingly, many parties have taken advantage of nostalgic products and turned them into profitable commodities. Some of those products are overpriced in order to gain profit, not the meaning and function. People could assume these products are aesthetic, beautiful, and worth buying, but they did not realise that it also brings them into fatal consumerism.
Retro Looks, Modern Hooks: How Algorithms Sell the Past
People are not just buying items, but also memories and feelings. In fact, those feelings are manipulated by marketers to sell ordinary things at extraordinary prices. A vintage T-shirt might be titled “Limited Edition” for ten times the original price, while we actually could find that item at a thrift store. People buy those items just for looking captivating on Instagram and not even think of the historical values or the authenticity.
What’s ironic is that several parties have their mass-production just to satisfy people’s desire for retro-inspired fashion and style. It pushes consumers to keep buying more and more items that they wish they had in their wardrobes. This behavior reflects how deep modern consumerism runs. Nostalgia becomes the bait, and mass-produced items become the trap. When people wish they could feel the experiences of owning those products, they are forced to reconstruct it through purchases. They buy the feeling and emotion rather than the function itself.
The 90s trends became popular for many reasons. According to thecolumnist.id, people who are growing up in the 1990s feel the missing pieces in their hearts, and have a higher desire to buy the old feelings. Adding to this is the role of mass media, which actively introduces 90s content across platforms—repackaging it as fresh entertainment for a new generation.
Social media’s role is very crucial in purpose to spread the trends worldwide. Its algorithms are designed to track rising popularity and seamlessly deliver trending content to users’ feeds, often shaping what becomes culturally relevant. So, influencers also play crucial roles to promote the products or make the trends become famous in younger generations.
Some people feel that they need to keep up with trends, especially those rooted in 90s fashion. With its simplicity and bold expression, this era has become more than just a look. It is a symbol of individuality and creative freedom. But, there’s one problem and it cannot be denied that those trends bring people to uncontrolled consumerism. As more consumers chase the nostalgic ideal, their spending habits escalate, turning what was once a personal expression into a cycle of excessive buying driven by trend culture.
Consuming the Past, Damaging the Present
Buying old-fashioned items might bring happiness and satisfaction to the consumers, especially those who are growing up with it. While many parties compete to sell a wide variety of 90s-inspired products and offer different flavors, colors, styles, and often inflated prices. Consumers usually choose to follow these trends. As a result, they unknowingly engage in excessive consumption. At the same time, many of them are unaware that overconsumption brings serious risks. The risks are not for individually, but also for the environment, social condition, and psychological well-being.
Retro or 90s products that are mass-produced will gain more waste, while several places in Indonesia have their own problems to process the waste. Large amounts of waste can bring disease and pollution. It is contaminating water, soil, and air. Unwise purchasing habits contribute to the growing volume of unmanaged waste. In return, it creates an unhealthy environment and leads to serious threats to human lives.
Besides that, the charm of affordable nostalgic products lies in a darker reality. Many of these items are mass-produced in developing countries under poor working conditions and low wages. This exploitation often goes unnoticed by consumers, who are drawn to the appeal of retro fashion without considering the human cost behind the price tag. At the same time, the culture of consumerism fosters a lifestyle centered around constant purchasing—something not everyone can afford. This creates a growing divide, placing economic and social pressure on lower-income communities who struggle to keep up with ever-changing tren
In addition, consumerism also brings bad impacts to individuals. Shopping addiction often leads people to buy based on emotions rather than their needs. This behavior rarely brings long-term satisfaction and tends to leave consumers feeling unfulfilled and easily bored. Adding to this is the popular hashtag FOMO (Fear of Missing Out), which intensifies the pressure to constantly keep up with trends. As a result, people feel compelled to own whatever is currently popular, simply to gain social acceptance from the people around them.
Moreover, there are now plenty of thrift stores offering a wide variety of old-fashioned items at affordable prices. There’s no shame in reusing secondhand goods, otherwise it’s a smart choice both for the planet and for oneself.
In today’s economic situation, it is increasingly important for young people to understand the value of managing both their finances and emotions. Beyond avoiding the trap of FOMO (Fear of Missing Out), financial decisions should be made with careful consideration and planning.
