The Fisherman Takeover

The Fisherman Takeover

Written by Alyssa Clark

Art by Lauren Mallett

With the rise of social media and the trends that follow it, aestheticization has become a foundational piece to these apps. I have realized that almost every time I go on popular apps like TikTok or Instagram, I see a video of a new trend to follow. A girl can only take so much fashion advice in a world full of overpriced clothing. It seems to stem from these apps where fashion trends can often be seen and observed by users. In the past few years, I have noticed that there is a need among users to aestheticize

fashion. We can see this in the rise of “coastal cowboy” or “cottagecore” during this time. Low-rise jeans and the Y2K aesthetic has once again become popular, constantly cycling through. I don’t find this to be something that is harmful on the surface, but it makes me question why this occurs, especially when it comes to how far it spreads. This is just another factor in microtrends and it is important to wonder if this can be an issue in the future. 

After 2020 passed, I remember seeing so many SHEIN tags in the thrift store because people had tossed their clothes away once it didn’t fit a mold. Not only is this damaging for our environment, it is a display of how these trends tend to never last. Even I took part in the style of that year with sweater vests and rolled up mom jeans. 

While there are SO many aesthetics to choose from, I want to focus on the fisherman aesthetic. In ways, this is an extension of the “coastal grandma” trend, which calls for cable-knit sweaters and nautical-inspired clothing items. The fisherman trend differs from coastal grandma in the way that it is supposed to be more rugged and less “picture-perfect.” It is meant to emphasize everyday pieces and essentials that can be worn when going boating or simply doing common activities, specifically on the coast. In my opinion, this aesthetic rose to popularity because it seemed more attainable for those who couldn’t afford to drop money on “coastal grandma” clothing items.

When following these aesthetics, people want to capture the feeling that these styles come with. With cottagecore, people were often talking about wanting to live in a cottage—it was a more feminine take on living in the forest. Now, with the fishermen aesthetic, there is a general feeling that it brings to people when visiting which is what this style strives for.

I personally find it odd that social media tends to choose certain lifestyles and make an aesthetic out of it. It differs from making a singular piece of clothing popular, like leg warmers in the 1980s or Juicy Couture tracksuits in the early 2000s. Instead, people are taking ways that people live and creating an aesthetic or style from it. Fashion is meant to be experimented with and explored, but to what extent should this be done?

The fishermen aesthetic has been on the rise this past year after coastal cowgirl had its moment in the fashion trend cycle. Many women were seen taking part in the coastal cowgirl aesthetic with white maxi skirts and cowgirl boots, now passing along its popularity to the fishermen aesthetic. Users on TikTok and Instagram have made various videos regarding how to fit into this style and where to get these items. Even a quick search on Pinterest will result in a number of pins to help inspire people with this aesthetic. It has even inspired some users to post their own videos of showing what they truly wear to fish, that often being a run-down tee and athletic shorts. I found these videos to be funny because I don’t exactly understand why people aestheticize something that was never “appealing” to the general public to begin with. It begs the question of  how true to the name this style is, and what actually inspired this. I also wonder why people feel the need to aestheticize these often unglamorous lifestyles. 

When looking at past and current “lifestyle” trends, I find that people often find the labeling of styles comforting, and falls in line with what they deem cute or wearable at the time. Even I have taken part in this—when you work within a current trend, it brings a sense of belonging for people. I don’t believe that people actually think being a fisherman or cowgirl is something to be romanticized, but that is often the effect of these aesthetics. The creation of the fisherman aesthetic is simply a way to bring together articles of clothing, like the sweaters and overalls, into one style. 

Now, I am not saying trends are the root of all evil and are ruining our society, but there are better ways to go about it. I think it is important that trends emphasize sustainability and are accessible like a capsule wardrobe—clothing items that are interchangeable across all seasons and time. Not everyone can go out to buy new or even used items every time the internet decides a different style is “in” at the time. Frankly it can become exhausting. If we are able to get to this point of style, it can become more positive. Truthfully, I don’t mind coastal grandma and the fisherman aesthetic, because while they differ in ways, they build off each other. I believe that this is something we should do more for the sake of microtrends looming over our heads every so often.