In recent years, the digital landscape has revolutionized how cultural trends are identified and disseminated. A prime example is the emergence of the term \"shoppy shop,\" coined by tech professional and TikTok commentator Neil Shankar in 2022. He used this phrase to characterize a specific type of retail establishment prevalent in San Francisco, distinguished by its curated selection of gourmet olive oils, tinned fish, and furikake seasoning. What began as a casual observation swiftly gained traction, amplified by writer Emily Sundberg's article for Grub Street in early 2023, propelling \"shoppy shop\" into widespread use across social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram. This rapid adoption underscores a contemporary shift in trend naming, where catchy, descriptive terms, often originating from amateur creatives, quickly resonate with and define collective experiences, much like \"quiet luxury\" or \"girl dinner.\"
The power of these succinct labels lies in their ability to articulate otherwise abstract cultural patterns, fostering a sense of recognition and community among those who identify with them. As Shankar noted, naming a trend helps to concretize an intangible phenomenon, making it easier for individuals to discuss, search for, and connect over shared interests. This sentiment is echoed by Evan Collins, head of the Consumer Aesthetics Research Institute (CARI), which systematically categorizes aesthetic data. CARI prioritizes creating terms that are both broad enough to encompass a style and concise enough to be memorable and widely adopted, exemplified by their successful naming of \"indie sleaze\" and \"whimsigoth.\" The digital age, particularly platforms like TikTok, facilitates this naming process, with common suffixes such as \"-core,\" \"-girl,\" and \"-aesthetic\" becoming prevalent in trend nomenclature. This playful yet precise naming helps consumers process information and offers brands clear pathways for engagement, as seen with Staud's \"staudines\" clutch, which capitalized on the \"sardine girl summer\" microtrend.
While the act of naming trends is not new, the speed and scale at which it occurs today are unprecedented. Historically, terms like \"Art Deco\" were retroactively applied after periods of scholarly analysis; today, trends are named in real-time, often by the very communities that embody them. This accelerated naming process, however, also presents opportunities for commercial exploitation, with some suggesting that certain microtrends are intentionally fabricated by corporations to drive consumption. Nevertheless, this dynamic environment also allows individuals to carve out personal and subcultural niches, providing a sense of belonging amidst the overwhelming noise of social media. The internet's pervasive imagery and the human desire for self-expression and shared identity fuel this continuous cycle of trend identification and naming, creating a fertile ground for both cultural connection and commercial innovation.
Ultimately, the contemporary practice of rapidly naming and circulating cultural trends reflects a deeper societal need for understanding and connection in an increasingly complex world. By providing language for shared experiences, these labels not only define our present but also empower us to build communities, express ourselves, and navigate the ever-evolving landscape of consumer culture.