Sunday Scoop - Defining Trends vs Microtrends
Mesh Bags & TSA Bin fit checks
Today’s Topics:
Trends vs Microtrends (including the latest Microtrend I’ve spotted)
Fit Check - Accessories Edit
Fashion & Beauty Finds
Substacks to Scroll (a bunch of great ones this week to share)
Trends vs Microtrends
Writing Retail Diary has made me realize how quickly fashion evolves, especially as we are more connected than ever with social media and TikTok trends emerge lighting fast (and are over just as quickly it seems.) From red mary janes (part of this past Thursday’s Deep Dive) to mesh bags, new microtrends emerge weekly. These are fleeting moments in fashion you can embrace or simply appreciate. If a microtrend brings you joy, go for it. If not, admire it from afar and move on. The beauty of microtrends is in their variety and personal appeal.
Trend: A general direction in which fashion or consumer preferences are developing or changing over time. It's a widespread movement that influences a significant portion of the market and can last for several seasons or even years.
Microtrend: More specific, niche fashion movement that affects a smaller group of consumers. It typically emerges quickly, has a shorter lifespan, and may not become mainstream. Hypebeast asked if Microtrends were over, but I think they will always exist.
Trends vs. Microtrends:
1. Scale: Trends are broad and affect a large audience, while microtrends are more specific and appeal to smaller groups.
2. Duration: Trends tend to last longer, sometimes for years, whereas microtrends are often short-lived, lasting weeks or months.
3. Adoption: Trends are widely accepted and adopted by many retailers and consumers, while microtrends may be embraced by a select few. This can even be regional or specific to one school, for example.
4. Influence: Trends can significantly impact the fashion industry and consumer behavior, while microtrends have a more limited influence.
5. Accessibility: Trends are usually easier to find in mainstream stores, whereas microtrends might require more effort to locate or may be limited to specific retailers or online platforms.
Mesh Bags
Why Mesh Bags are popping up on your feed and in New Arrivals:
What started as mesh shoes or the crochet bag has evolved into mesh bags. We often see shoe and handbag trends mirror each other - embellishment (studs), colors and materials.
Consider this another iteration of the canvas tote or reusable bag and can be used in a similar fashion.
Perfect for summer because it is lighter in material and won’t look heavy like a leather bag. It also doesn’t feel out of place outdoors/at the beach or pool (just shake out any sand or dirt.)
I’d love to see this as an improved concert bag too (I have such a hard time appreciating the clear bag - but a black or red mesh! That is something I can sing about. Don’t worry, I won’t actually sing. No one wants that.)
Mesh Bag Edit
The Longchamp Le Pilage Filet was around last summer and perhaps a good entry. This is a great summer sac and is cute with a scarf tied on too.
Alaia was one of the first ones I spotted this summer. (Also because I spotted on
in her stylish looks.) Alaia has a few options: the smaller demi shoulder bag, the medium (in red too) and the XL mesh.If you like a little bucket then Reformation has a small and medium that are great options.
Parker Thatch just launched this great new “Tokyo Shopper” in three colors. Silver, Green and Navy.
Béis Mesh Beach Tote sold out in two colors but is still available in black and is an oversized tote perfect for summer schlepping.
Hereu has a net tote in their popular Calella shape.
The recent Maryam Nassir Zadeh x J.Crew collab had a “birthday bag” in navy and red mesh. The ideal tiny size for just the essentials.
If you love vintage, I saw this Fendi mesh shopping tote.
Resale finds from Marc Jacobs, Issey Miyake and sporty Celine.
What is a Trend or Microtrend you’ve noticed recently that has brought you joy. Also, feel free to comment if you’ve noticed a trend and curious where it came from and I can do some digging.
Fit Check - Accessories Edit
I love the fit check being TSA friendly bins. Clearly designed/shot outside of an airport and not holding up any security lines. I flew on Friday and there were zero bins - just put the bags and suitcase on the conveyor belt.
BUT!!! I still love this style of photo. It feels like a What’s In My Bag, a shelfie a la Into The Gloss, but I think we have to go back to
Julia Rabinowitsch for making this photo a moment, so well done and major inspiration.What I love about the fit check bin:
Takes the most annoying process - putting nice things in dirty plastic bins and sending through a security check point - but makes it more glamorous and designed.
At the moment before boarding a plane - adventure awaits! This is a curated view that you want, hope to be or are right before this adventure.
Just the accessories! This feels universal but also a peek into the curated stuff we carry around.
Composition, because I know when doing a flat lay or putting pieces together it has to be done just so. It takes talent to do this well.
What you would find in my (messy) TSA bin (based on Friday’s actual travel):
Crossbody bag that converts to a shoulder bag or clutch - perfect for a trip and just the right size that won’t hurt my shoulder as this was a city trip with lots of walking.
Inside the crossbody bag: card wallet, spf lip balm, lip balm, sunscreen, hand sanitizer**, extra claw clip, band aids, mini nail file and a mini Westman Atelier baby cheeks.
I didn’t have to take off my shoes, but I was wearing these.
Big tote that my crossbody bag fits into. I’ve owned this bag for about 8 years and still love it.
I use this as my travel tech bag**. It stays packed always. One side has all my chargers, extra wire earbud headphones and a pen and the other has all the beauty items I like to have on board (these eye patches, this mini essential**, I just added this from a recommendation I read in
interview with , and I’m trying this again since I love the eye serum.)My Kindle** (finishing up The Husbands now), Vogue, Town & Country
This computer so I could write a Substack….
Snacks. Built puffs and Swedish Fish.
Next to the TSA bin would be the Away Softsided suitcase*. I was so excited to try it out. After using the hard case for many years it was an adjustment to go back to a soft sided. But this is so deep that my Asics fit on the bottom with my large toiletry case on top and clothes in the packing cubes too. I honestly love and own both styles of Away suitcases and feel like I can easily switch between the two. I don’t have a strong preference either way. If I did offer any feedback between the two, I would say the soft sided is slightly easier to pack because it all goes in one side vs engineering what packing cubes, pouches, shoes etc go where.
The above image is from
’s inspiring Instagram. I love the Rhode lipgloss, the same Chanel cuticle oil I keep at my desk and my Macbook Air never leaves my side - so I can pretend my TSA Accessories Fit Check would look this lovely (even though my goodies are always in an overstuffed tote.)Fashion & Beauty Finds
Speaking of Trends (yes, with a capital T) loafers are back. They are classic but they also fit in with a trend moment when they are this popular. The Bally Pathy Loafer this week has been H-O-T and selling out in many colors. I love that the Bally Pathy is a cross between a loafer and a boat shoe and has the slightest lift.
This Jenni Kayne mule was an immediate yes from me. I love how it looks.
High Sport launched their newest colors. I think the “pink” and “green” are super solid. They feel like fun colors, are interesting but also muted enough to almost feel like neutrals. (Also check out
recent send “A High Sport Short Story” comparing the petite High Sport to the “regular” length. A much needed comparison for anyone 5ft 4in and shorter considering the High Sport pants.)
Glossier is launching Boy Brow arch 8/6 on Glossier.com and 8/9 at Sephora.
🛍️ Quick note: I write a lot (too much good stuff to share!) so if you’re reading via email only, you may need to click through to the web version or read on the Substack app. I promise it will be worth it. 🛍️
Substacks to Scroll
- wrote an incredible essay that I’ve been thinking a lot about. I don’t have anything to add at this moment but I wanted to share that it has been on my mind and I really appreciate it. “When The Collective Taste Doesn’t Include You.”
Another author that made me think this week,
“Stop the shaming. It's not working.” Thank you!!Following through on the trend story above,
wrote a fabulous piece titled “Where You Wear It” sharing trends that Substackers across the world feel work or don’t work in the region they live in.So excited
has moved to Substack. I find that I spend so much time in the app that I miss newsletters that aren’t here. I am also a paid subscriber to her Instagram as I find so much value in the Q&As and content she shares there. Her first newsletter on Substack is “Summer Styling” “The Surfer Nephew & Desert Aunt Aesthetic”- did the data pull and has a book list we can all reference. Thank you Becca for your service. This list has 100 books ranked by 2,320 readers. A crowd sourced best books “The 100 Best Books of the 21st Century (Data Nerd’s Version)”
- wrote “My Favorite Newsletters, Including 17 Exciting Emerging Voices” I already subscribe to so many but I did find a couple of new gems. was one of the first “Substacks” I read and what drew me to this platform in the first place. Thank you Jess for including me and thank you to so many amazing new subscribers who I hope enjoy reading, commenting and engaging with Retail Diary. ❤️
Enjoy your Sunday Scoop. xx
Sarah Shapiro
What’s Next
Deep Dive on Thursday with all the latest Fashion & Beauty retail news. I’m wondering if we will have as many new collabs as we’ve seen the past two weeks. LVMH is busy with the Olympics marketing and I’ve seen a lot of retail and brand Olympics articles. I’ve already written about Fashion in the sports arena (see one post below) but let me know if you would like an overview and more content from the last week or so of Olympics & LVMH.
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Big fan of the TSA fit check pics and so glad to see you picked up the SOS Spray! Hope you love it ❤️☺️
Still wanting my mesh ballet flats!