10 fashion and beauty items you should be ‘de-influenced’ from buying
We’ve all been influenced to buy something, whether it’s by friends, colleagues, the social media stars who make a career of it and, given that you’re reading this, likely Telegraph articles too. But have you been ‘de-influenced’?
De-influence has emerged as one of the contenders for Oxford University Press’s Word of the Year 2023. It was pipped to the top spot by ‘rizz’ but its inclusion as a runner-up indicates how the term has gathered steam over the past year.
The activity itself – deterring readers or followers from buying a product – isn’t actually new. Who hasn’t consulted taste test features before buying a box of supermarket mince pies or Christmas sandwiches?
In a cost of living crisis, de-influencing has become a valuable currency for anyone in the business of making recommendations. Explaining what isn’t worth the money adds credibility to the products they do choose to champion.
There’s also the sustainability factor. “I think overconsumption has become so normalised and there’s been a real pushback on that. We’re all feeling like it feels in really poor taste,” says Lucy Owen, founder of boutique talent agency Lucy Owen Talent.
In practice, this isn’t always noticeable to the consumer though; the de-influencing is happening behind the scenes, says Owen. Her midlife influencer clients tend not to actively badmouth anyone, but she will turn down endorsement deals from brands that don’t reflect her clients’ values.
“The most successful content creators, the ones that go the distance, have huge trust from their communities,” she explains. “Their followers know that if they share a brand or product, it’s because they genuinely endorse it. And there’s huge power in that, I’m very, very happy to say no to brands. I think consumers can really sniff it out, they can see when it’s not authentic.”
For the most part, our attention is focused on the brands and products that are worthy of our hard-earned money, but almost all of us have fallen into the trap of buying a so-called “must-have” only to get buyer’s remorse, usually after the returns window has closed.
So what should we be de-influenced from buying this winter? Read on, and if it’s too late, just hope and pray you’ve kept the receipt…
Silver trousers
Shoes, great. Earrings? Chic. Trousers? Please, no. Pretty much every high-street brand has a pair of silver leather or faux leather trousers in its collection, but I’d advise you to steer well clear. It is one of those flash-in-the-pan trends that won’t have a place in our wardrobes come January, is not particularly flattering on anyone, and is unlikely to have the staying power to still look chic when the 2024 party season kicks off.
Feather trim pyjamas…
…Or dresses or trousers – just say no. If the trim is not detachable, the garment has to be dry-cleaned, which is a faff, expensive and bad for the planet. I can also tell you from personal experience that the fluff sheds everywhere. Avoid like the plague – your vacuum cleaner will thank you.
Mini handbags
I remember a friend’s disappointment when she bought a much longed-for £990 Bottega Veneta Cassette bag, only to discover that it couldn’t even accommodate her smartphone. The lesson here? Never let fashion trump practicality – a great product, luxury or high street, should be a marriage of both.
Shearling lined sandals
Inexplicably everywhere. Your toes are still exposed to the cold, the fluffy shearling will inevitably flatten and be worn away, so what, exactly, are they for?
Shower infusions
For around £100 you can hack your shower head so that the water is infused with essential oils and skincare ingredients. Money down the drain, literally.
Sequined clothing
That jolly sequined top you’re planning to wear for Christmas lunch has the potential to ignite more family debate than the Government’s Rwanda scheme. The key things to note are: the manufacturing of sequins (usually plastic) is dreadful for the environment; they’re hard to recycle, and that’s energy intensive too – plus recycled sequins still take an eternity to break down in landfill. If you must wear them, seek out biodegradable versions or buy your garment second-hand.
Narrow sunglasses
These Nineties-inspired shades suit nobody, but eyewear brands have gone big on them anyway. Unless you’re a Gen-Z supermodel who knows how to gaze at the paparazzo’s lens just so, leave them well alone.
CBD skincare products
No, your skin does not need to chill out. Research on the benefits of CBD is limited; what we do know is that it won’t make you high, and consuming it is thought to help with chronic pain relief. And as an ingredient in skincare? There are vague claims that it can reduce inflammation, but beauty editors are generally quite sceptical about CBD skincare.
Aggressively masculine grooming products
You’ve probably seen adverts for these brands on Instagram; so has Telegraph men’s style editor Stephen Doig; “They’re all designed to be ultra masculine and macho because God forbid a man just buy a cleanser without it being called something like ‘War Paint’,” he says.
Skims’ ‘lounge corset’
Only a Kardashian would come up with something as ridiculous as a ‘lounge corset’. By all means wear this £64 fleece piece for a night out with wide-leg trousers and a blazer, but keep it well clear of your downtime wardrobe. The whole point of loungewear is that it’s comfortable, and nothing designed to cinch the waist is worthy of that description.
