We’ve all been influenced to buy something, whether it’s by friends, colleagues, social media stars who’ve made a career out of it, and probably Telegraph articles if you’re reading this. So are you ‘cleared of influence’?
De-influence has emerged as one of the candidates for Oxford University Press’s 2023 Word of the Year. It was placed at the top by ‘Rizz’ but its second-place finish shows how the term has gained momentum over the past year.
The activity of discouraging readers or followers from purchasing a product is not actually new. Who hasn’t consulted the taste-testing specifications before purchasing a box of supermarket mince pies or Christmas sandwiches?
In the cost of living crisis, reducing influence 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 choose to advocate.
There is also the sustainability factor. “I think overconsumption has become normalized and there has been a real step back on this issue. We all feel it’s really in bad taste,” says Lucy Owen, founder of boutique talent agency Lucy Owen Talent.
However, in practice, this may not always be noticed by the consumer; Owen says influence happens behind the scenes. Midlife influencer customers tend not to actively badmouth anyone, but will turn down endorsement offers from brands that don’t reflect their customers’ values.
“The most successful creators, the ones who keep their distance, have a lot of trust from their communities,” he explains. “Followers know that when they share a brand or product, it means they truly endorse it. And there is great power in this; I am very, very happy to say no to brands. “I think consumers can actually smell it and see that it’s not authentic.”
Often our attention is focused on brands and products that are worthy of our hard-earned money, but almost all of us have fallen into the trap of purchasing something so-called “must have” only to gain buyer’s remorse. usually after the return window closes.
So what should we avoid when buying this winter? Read on and if it’s too late, hope and pray you kept the receipt…
silver pants
The shoes are great. Earrings? Chic. Pants? Please no. Almost every high street brand has a pair of silver leather or faux leather trousers in their collection, but I would advise caution. It’s one of those dazzling trends that won’t have a place in our wardrobe come January, isn’t anyone’s favorite, and is unlikely to have enough oomph to still look stylish in the 2024 party season. started.
Feather detailed pajamas…
…Or dresses or trousers – just say no. If the decorations are not removable, the garment must be dry cleaned; This is cheap, expensive and bad for the planet. I can also say from personal experience that feathers fly everywhere. Avoid like the plague; Your vacuum cleaner will thank you.
mini bag
I remember a friend’s disappointment when she bought her coveted £990 Bottega Veneta Cassette bag only to realize it wouldn’t even hold her smartphone. The lesson here? Never let fashion trump practicality; A great product, whether luxury or high street, should be a combination of both.
Fur lined sandals
Inexplicably everywhere. Your toes are still exposed to the cold, the fluffy fur will inevitably flatten and fray, so what exactly are they for?
shower infusions
For around £100, you can hack your showerhead to add essential oils and skincare ingredients to the water. Literally a waste of money.
sequined clothing
The cheerful sequin top you’re planning to wear to Christmas lunch has the potential to spark more family row than the Government’s Rwanda plan. Important points to note are: the production of straws (usually plastic) is harmful to the environment; they are difficult to recycle and are also energy intensive; also recycled sequins Still It takes an eternity to break down in a landfill. If you must wear them, look for biodegradable versions or buy your clothing secondhand.
tight sunglasses
These nineties-inspired shades do not suit anyone, but eyewear brands still attach great importance to them. Unless you’re a Gen Z supermodel who knows how to look into the paparazzo’s lens, leave them alone.
CBD skin care products
No, your skin does not need to cool down. Research on the benefits of CBD is limited; What we do know is that it will not get you high and consuming it is thought to help relieve chronic pain. What about as an ingredient in skin care? There are vague claims that it can reduce inflammation, but beauty editors are generally pretty skeptical about CBD skin care.
Aggressive masculine care products
You’ve probably seen ads for these brands on Instagram; So does the Telegraph’s men’s style editor, Stephen Doig; “They’re all designed to be extremely masculine and macho because God forbid a man buys a cleanser without a name like ‘War Paint,'” he says.
Skims’ ‘lounge corset’
Only a Kardashian could come up with something as ridiculous as a ‘lounge corset’. Wear this £64 fleece piece with wide-leg trousers and a blazer for a night out, by all means, but keep it out of your wardrobe for downtime. The main purpose of underwear is to be comfortable, and anything designed to tighten the waist is not worthy of this description.