More is More

On Tiktok, we at The Edge have been seeing a huge rise in the maximalism trend. 

Bella Pelini, a photographer and student at Elon University, recalled seeing maximalism TikTok influencers making up almost the entirety of her For You page. The bizarre aspects of the outfits sucked her in, and she wanted to know more. 

“I love maximalism; it makes everything more personalized. You can add a bit of your personality into other aspects of your life,” Pelini said.

With trends such as quiet luxury that exhibit the minimalist ideal, maximalism almost comes across as the elephant in the room. Maximalism is not just an aesthetic, but a lifestyle. More is more. This style encompasses many colors and textures into outfits, creating busy, bold visions. 

The key is layering and using color theory. There is much more to maximalism than just layering random pieces together. Strategically layering and using the color wheel is what makes outfits truly pop. 

Sara Camposarcone (@saracampsarcone), a maximalist influencer, said in an interview to Buzzfeed that maximalism is “the aesthetic of excess — whatever that may look like to you. For me, it's bold prints, lots of color, pattern clashing, vintage treasures, nostalgia and so much more. I love adding more and more to my outfits to add interest in a unique way."

Camposarcone is one of the many TikTokers that Pelini became exposed to. Camposarcone has amassed over 1.5 million followers solely based on her maximalist outfits. There are also other influencers with their own trademarks like Myra Magdalen, who pins real objects onto her outfits. 

Maximalism has become a whole new market in the fashion world, but it’s certainly not for everyone. Maximalism is not something one can just blend into the crowd with. There is a sense of confidence needed to pull off this trend. 

“I feel like it is just people who have the confidence and the being that they can layer as many things and curate an outfit in mixed patterns and colors,” said Madeline Mitchener, a member of Phoenix Fashion — a fashion club on Elon University’s campus. 

Despite the whimsical aspects of maximalism, it does face some criticism. Some argue that maximalism encourages materialism, but with options such as thrifting, buying can create a less negative impact on the environment. Maximalism can be a mix of both buying from a store, but also shopping second-hand. Camposarcone shops vintage items all the time and shares them on her social media platform. 

What was once considered as avant-garde or only to be seen on the runway, we’re loving seeing maximalism all around us.