{"id":107510,"date":"2025-01-12T10:03:28","date_gmt":"2025-01-12T10:03:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/index.php\/2025\/01\/12\/why-influencers-are-facing-a-pushback-maybe-youll-realise-what-you-have-is-good-enough\/"},"modified":"2025-01-12T10:03:28","modified_gmt":"2025-01-12T10:03:28","slug":"why-influencers-are-facing-a-pushback-maybe-youll-realise-what-you-have-is-good-enough","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/why-influencers-are-facing-a-pushback-maybe-youll-realise-what-you-have-is-good-enough\/","title":{"rendered":"Why influencers are facing a pushback: \u2018Maybe you\u2019ll realise what you have is good enough\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

Jan 12 \u2013 Rejecting the \u201chaul\u201d culture of excessive shopping and promoting conscious consuming, the de-influencer movement is going mainstream \u2013 here\u2019s why.<\/strong><\/p>\n

In 2019, Diana Wiebe was deep in a social media scroll when she came across an influencer promoting heatless curling rods. \u201cThey were rods you could sleep in overnight, and the promise was to wake up with beautiful curls,\u201d she tells the BBC.\u00a0<\/p>\n

It was one of many products she was influenced to buy from TikTok, but like several of the others, including skin creams and facial scrubs, she quickly realised she didn\u2019t need them.\u00a0\u201cHonestly, the curlers really disrupted my sleep, and I didn\u2019t make it past night one,\u201d she says, adding \u201cmy hair is naturally wavy, so I think the curler actually did too much\u201d.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The de-influencer movement encourages its followers to buy only what they really need (Credit: Alamy)<\/p>\n

Fast forward to 2025, and Wiebe, who lives in Ohio, is now an influencer herself, but there is a difference between her and many others. She is trying to \u201cde-influence\u201d her followers from buying things they don\u2019t need.\u00a0<\/p>\n

In her daily TikTok videos, the content creator \u2013 who has more than 200,000 followers on the app \u2013 asks questions like \u201cdid you want that product before it was marketed to you?\u201d, and reminds her followers that weekly and monthly clothing \u201chauls\u201d are not normal.\u00a0\u201cHaul\u201d culture<\/a>\u00a0is a specific kind of social-media content that originated on YouTube in which creators reveal a haul of purchases \u2013 usually clothing \u2013 to their followers.<\/p>\n

The de-influencers share key messages, such as \u2018fast fashion won\u2019t make you stylish\u2019 and \u2018underconsumption is normal consumption\u2019<\/em><\/p>\n

Wiebe is part of a movement \u2013 growing since 2023 \u2013 that rejects traditional influencer culture, one that has exploded on TikTok, with the hashtag #deinfluencing racking up more than a billion views.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Along with hashtags like \u201cunderconsumption core\u201d and \u201cconscious consumer\u201d, they share key messages, such as \u201cfast fashion won\u2019t make you stylish\u201d and \u201cunderconsumption is normal consumption\u201d.\u00a0As we move into 2025, Wiebe believes the cultural tide is turning and that we\u2019ve reached \u201cpeak influencer\u201d.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cSome of the content from influencers is just\u00a0rage-bait<\/a>\u201c, she says, referencing the internet tactic of posting content to incite anger and generate views. \u201cPeople will do ridiculous things with, like, their water bottles, where they\u2019ll add a snack tray, and then they\u2019ll fill it with Taco Bell or something,\u201d she explains, describing the videos where creators showcase their Stanley Cups fitted with needless accessories.<\/p>\n

Diana Wiebe (left) and Christina Mychaskiw are members of the increasingly popular de-influencer community (Credit: Kassi Jackson\/ Christina Mychaskiw)<\/p>\n

TikTok has become the default home for influencers, but with the app facing an\u00a0uncertain future in the US<\/a>, Wiebe believes it\u2019s a time of change.\u00a0\u201cI don\u2019t know the future of TikTok, but the kind of influencing we see on there doesn\u2019t happen on other apps\u201d, she says, mentioning how prolific haul content has become on TikTok, versus other platforms like Instagram.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Wiebe thinks this shift stems from an increased awareness of what influencers actually do (in the UK<\/a>\u00a0there are laws in place to address this).\u00a0\u201cWhen I started seeing more adverts on my TikTok timeline, I thought about how much I\u2019d already purchased in the last few years because of influencer reviews,\u201d she says. \u201cIt suddenly hit me that it was all advertising, from paid promotional content to the creators sharing hauls.\u00a0It\u2019s not like watching TV, where you can recognise a commercial. Influencers feel like hearing from a friend or family member because we almost view our favourite TikTokers as people we know.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Most of Wiebe\u2019s interactions online are positive, with comments like, \u201cI needed to hear this advice today\u201d. Others, however, question why she feels the need to meddle in other people\u2019s shopping habits.\u00a0Wiebe is keen to stress that she\u2019s not advocating for a \u201cno-buy\u201d lifestyle. Instead, she describes herself as a fan of \u201cslowing down and really thinking through purchases before rushing\u201d. Her advice is the opposite of the familiar influencer slogan encouraging viewers to \u201crun, don\u2019t walk,\u201d in order to purchase the latest product.\u00a0 \u00a0<\/p>\n

Mindful approach<\/strong><\/h2>\n

It\u2019s this same mindset that led\u00a0Christina Mychaskiw<\/a>\u00a0to adopt a more mindful approach to spending. Through her posts on YouTube, TikTok and Instagram, she aims to help others live a fulfilling life, \u201cwithout going broke\u201d.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Mychaskiw says she knows first hand how powerful influencers can be. \u201cBack in 2019, I was $120,000 CAD in debt through student loans, and I was still buying week after week. I hit rock bottom when I bought a pair of boots that cost more than my rent, even though I knew I couldn\u2019t afford them.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

The un-boxing of a clothes shopping \u201chaul\u201d is a familiar sight on traditional influencers\u2019 online posts (Credit: Alamy)<\/p>\n

The Toronto-based content creator says she felt trapped in a cycle of \u201cInstagram versus reality\u201d, she tells the BBC. \u201cI had this idea of what my life should look like based on my career and what my peers were doing.\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a theme Mychaskiw often discusses on her podcast, where she hears from listeners struggling with both the constant pressure to buy and the disappointment when products fail to meet expectations.\u00a0\u201cPeople don\u2019t see the value in what they\u2019re buying anymore. The promise of these items just isn\u2019t living up to expectations. It feels like everything is getting more and more expensive, but lower quality and less satisfying.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Put the phone down, use what you already have to create fun looks \u2013 maybe you\u2019ll realise what you have is good enough \u2013 Christina Mychaskiw<\/em><\/p>\n

Mychaskiw doesn\u2019t want people to make the same mistake she did, initially going cold-turkey on consumption, and living a minimalist life \u2013 which, she says, made her miserable. She\u2019s since come to a half-way house \u2013 treating herself from time to time, but reminding herself before hitting the shops, to \u201cshop her wardrobe\u201d first.\u00a0\u00a0
The content creator has now written off her student debt. Her advice for others? \u201cGet off your phone. Scrolling and constantly consuming content makes you more likely to give in to subliminal messages,\u201d she says. \u201cPut the phone down, touch grass, play with your wardrobe, and use what you already have to create fun looks. Maybe you\u2019ll realise what you have is good enough.\u201d<\/p>\n

The power of influencers is still strong \u2013 but are consumers becoming less suggestible? (Credit: Getty Images)<\/p>\n

According to stylist\u00a0Lucinda Graham,<\/a>\u00a0constantly consuming fast fashion is not only bad for your finances and the environment \u2013 but for your personal style too.\u00a0\u201cThink of it like cooking\u201d she tells the BBC. \u201cIf you make something quick, it\u2019s nice but can\u2019t compete with a dish that\u2019s been cooked for over 48 hours with care and effort. It\u2019s the same with fast fashion versus a wardrobe that has been carefully chosen.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Graham advises anyone finding their own style to be patient.\u00a0\u201cPersonal style needs time to develop and experiment with the same pieces. Crucially, it\u2019s also about buying what you like, versus what is trend-driven,\u201d she says. \u201cWith influencers persuading us to buy clothes, we\u2019re buying items that represent the lifestyle of someone else, and trying to emulate their life, but that doesn\u2019t result in a practical wardrobe\u201d.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Graham\u2019s approach means she\u2019s deliberate about new purchases, and values letting her clothes \u201cage\u201d over time. \u201cI have a jacket which I\u2019ve owned for six years, and I love styling it,\u201d she explains. \u201cThere\u2019s something nice about watching clothes change. Right now, used carpenter jackets and distressed Carhartt pants are in fashion, but instead of buying them from a vintage shop, why not get a pair and let them age overtime\u201d.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Being intentional about purchases helps to break the cycle of overconsumption, according to Lucinda Graham (Credit: Lucinda Graham)<\/p>\n

She says the same is true about trends. \u201cFast fashion will never be authentic. If we look at indie sleaze for example, those classic looks come from people who genuinely live that lifestyle, not because they\u2019ve bought ripped jeans online.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThe key to breaking that cycle and working out what you like is making more intentional purchases by cutting out the small, impulsive ones.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

It\u2019s hard to say whether the de-influencing movement is impacting brands just yet.\u00a0We know online giants like\u00a0Asos<\/a>,\u00a0Boohoo<\/a>, and\u00a0Pretty Little Thing<\/a>\u00a0have struggled with falling demand and changing consumer habits in recent years. However, let\u2019s not forget that many timelines are still flooded with influencers. In 2023, the global influencer marketing industry was estimated to be worth\u00a0$21.1 bn<\/a>\u00a0this year, more than doubling in size since 2019.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

In\u00a0Aja Barber<\/a>\u2018s opinion, with content creation still seen as an aspirational career, we haven\u2019t reached \u201cpeak influencer\u201d yet. Barber is the author of the book Consumed: On Colonialism, Climate Change, Consumerism, and the Need for Collective Change;\u00a0<\/em>she thinks the de-influencer movement is helpful but believes the conversation needs to be offline to change people\u2019s spending.\u00a0 \u00a0<\/p>\n

The author, who is also a contributing editor of Elle, says we all have a role to play. \u201cFrom the billionaire-company-owners to influencers and us as consumers,\u201d she tells the BBC. \u201cOn social media, I had a postal worker reach out to me, who said they delivered a Shein package to one house 17 times in a month.\u201d<\/p>\n

Aja Barber realised the scale of overconsumption after volunteering at a charity shop \u2013 and seeing the amount of unwanted clothes (Credit: Rabya Lomas and Rida Suleri-Johnson)<\/p>\n

Some estimates suggest that\u00a0more than 100 billion items<\/a>\u00a0of clothing are produced globally each year, with well over half ending up in landfill within 12 months. Often, the unwanted clothing is exported to\u00a0African and Asian<\/a>\u00a0countries, where\u00a0up to 40% can be dumped<\/a>, rather than resold, and which charities say\u00a0has contributed<\/a>\u00a0to water pollution as well as to health risks.\u00a0<\/p>\n

We\u2019re now almost a century on from the 1930s, when women\u00a0owned about 60 items of clothing<\/a>, and bought five new items annually.\u00a0Reflecting on how things have changed, Barber says \u201cthe goal is to sell as many products as possible. We need to get real about the damage that everyday individuals are doing through the idea that we can just consume and consume, and it has no negative impact. That\u2019s not true.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Jan 12 \u2013 Rejecting the \u201chaul\u201d culture of excessive shopping and promoting conscious consuming, the de-influencer movement is going mainstream \u2013 here\u2019s why. In 2019, Diana Wiebe was deep in a social media scroll when she came across an influencer promoting heatless curling rods. \u201cThey were rods you could sleep in overnight, and the promise […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-107510","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","entry"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/107510","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=107510"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/107510\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=107510"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=107510"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=107510"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}