From curled hair with straight ends to a mandatory Stanley in hand, Utah fashion never ceases to be a trend.
It’s funny to me that Utah fashion has an emphasis when everywhere else in the world has its own fashion. Think about California vs. New York. They have their own fashion styles too. New York gives off a business look with dark colors while California gives off a relaxed beach look with flowy fabrics. But, no one makes a craze about other fashion the way they do with Utah fashion.
Renowned Utah fashion found all over social media, especially TikTok, displays typical outfits for girls including:
- Curled hair with straightened ends
- Zara wide-leg pants
- Platform converse
- Stanleys
- Cropped shirts
- Lululemon athletic sets and crossbody belt bags
It’s normal that Utah has its own fashion. It’s weird that everyone makes it a big deal. Utah fashion reflects trends that are everywhere, like Stanley tumblers. Around the entire United States, people have been going crazy for Stanleys. Yet, it’s emphasized as Utah fashion. Wide-leg pants and Lululemon are a part of fashion everywhere else too, not just in Utah.
Utah fashion primarily focuses on women. After spending a significant amount of time on TikTok trying to find Utah fashion centered around men, I came across practically nothing. The criticism that comes from social media is directed toward women’s fashion.
That is because Utah fashion originated from Utah “mommy bloggers.” An article about Stanleys from The New York Times featured one woman saying she bought a Stanley after seeing a woman influencer from Utah buy one.
The fashion that came from these bloggers in the early 2000s was more Utah-style than anything I’ve seen. It consisted of maxi dresses and other clothing considered to be modest. Considering Utah style used to be maxi dresses, the fashion of Utah has come a long way in improvements because it now features trendy items.
Why is current Utah fashion being criticized? If that’s how someone wants to dress, why should they be criticized? I understand making a joke that doesn’t necessarily align with how one feels, but truly criticizing with the intent to hurt someone is wrong.
Some of these TikTok videos talking about Utah fashion are genuinely criticizing and making fun of people from Utah. However, some of them feature outfits from Utah fashion that they personally love.
I am guilty of a little bit of Utah fashion, but guess what? I live in Utah. Of course I love the wide-leg pants, but I don’t make my entire personality Utah fashion because it’s not. I don’t own the Lululemon belt bag or a Stanley. People usually don’t fit into one category of fashion; they are a combination of different style categories.
Utah fashion is not a bad thing. It doesn’t reflect negatively on the state or the people in the state. It just means we have people who love trendy items. Utah fashion is a reflection of how trends are everywhere else in the United States, not just in Utah.
The next time you see a girl with Zara wide-leg jeans and a Stanley, don’t think of the ways her style can be made fun of. Instead, realize she is part of a group of women who love their trendy items, and there’s nothing wrong with that.
