While the fashion industry is known to be no-nonsense and well, pretty merciless, social media has seen the flourish of this self-deprecating side to it. And well, #yas. Yes to the plethora of comical collages and ingenious images on Instagram that poke fun at the industry and peel back the glitz and glamour, showing the world that sometimes, fashion can take itself less seriously.
From politicians photoshopped into the most outrageous of outfits to the trials and tribulations (we say this with a straight face) fashion assistants face on a daily basis, above are the best fashion Instagram meme accounts that’ll keep you entertained all day long.
What it’s about: Showcases the oft time ridiculous (and very real) hardships that fashion assistants and interns face.
Why we love it: Anybody who has watched The Devil Wears Prada will know that fashion assistants are at the bottom of the food chain. This account — created in December 2017 — demonstrates just right from the description in its bio: “Chasing broken dreams”. Name: “Intern 1 no name”, because fashion assistants don’t need one. Scroll through the feed and you’ll at once be amused and horrified by the highly-relatable memes that detail their long hours and heavy workload, which all go largely unnoticed. Funny as the posts are, the account, which documents personal experiences faced by real-time assistants, is also an insightful look into the industry and exposes the abuse of power by certain renowned editors in the fashion industry.
What it’s about: Keeps fashion lovers updated with inclusive and viral topics, but with a dash of hilarity.
Why we love it: Started by fashion critic Luke Meagher when he was 17 (we know, right?), this viral social media account is a sharp and incisive look into the ridiculous moments of the fashion industry. It’s funny and light-hearted, catty and sharply critical, and we love how his posts cuts through all the showy magic.
What it’s about: A compilation of every outfit that made an appearance in Sex and the City TV series and movies.
Why we love it: If you’ve watched every episode of the ’90s American hit series Sex and the City, you’ll love this one because you’d be able to relive plenty of nostalgic memories. The show was as much a romantic comedy as a fashion show in its time, so it’s no wonder this account’s creators — Chelsea Fairless and Lauren Garroni — decided to embark on “a quest to document every outfit on Sex and the City”. Here’s where you can get a detailed commentary of every outfit that was shown, as well as a character analysis of the girls.
What it’s about: Calls out the lack of sustainability in the fashion industry.
Why we love it: Fashion is one of the major polluting industries in the world, with the production and distribution of crops, fibres and garments used in fashion all contributing to differing forms of environmental pollution — including water, air and soil pollution. Slow Fashion Memes casts the spotlight on the detrimental effects high-street labels have on our eco-system, and aims to reduce waste and constant consumption. Expect witty and critical captions such as, “Is ‘a new day’ a good enough reason to bring out a new fast fashion line?”
What it’s about: Superimposes fashion looks into real-time situations to see if they’d work IRL.
Why we love it: Sidney Prawatyotin’s Siduations displays a series of digitalised escapades that are absurdly spot-on. This account features images that were plucked from the runways at fashion week or campaign stills, and plonked into a more relatable reality. Some ingenious memes include the juxtaposition of supermodels from that ’90s Versace campaign ad (lensed in an awkward, “I need to rush to the washroom, stat” pose) next to a communal toilet, as well as placing the model of Gucci’s Fall/Winter 2018 collection in the middle of a supermarket aisle. Our favourite tagline: Yoga, but make it Prada.
What it’s about: Costumes famous icons with fashion.
Why we love it: London-based art director, Freddie Smithson, is the brains behind this artfully curated meme account, where he photoshops the heads of celebrities and political figures onto bodies wearing the trendiest outfits. Expect to find the Queen — yes, Queen Elizabeth II — superimposed on multiple ensembles (how many times can we like Her Majesty’s Vetements look?). Other names like Meryl Streep, Theresa May, the Obamas and Meghan Markle are not spared, and are virtually dressed in garments that you’ll never find them wearing in real life. Photos are so well-executed that you’d almost believe they are real.
What it’s about: Supersizes everything (especially jackets and shoes) to reference the oversized clothing trend.
Why we love it: From Balenciaga’s Triple S sneakers to Moncler’s puffer jackets, exaggerated and oversized garments have been infiltrating the fashion industry for a few seasons. This trend, coupled with her penchant for fashion (particularly oversized jackets a la Balenciaga), sparked Hawaiian teenager May to create uproarious, all-things-XXL fashion memes.
What it’s about: Displays some of Alexa Chung’s fashion choices that are coincidentally aligned with famous art pieces.
Why we love it: Run by two Spanish sisters, Maria and Beatriz Valdovin, this meme account presents side-to-side comparisons of historical artworks with fashion’s cool girl, Alexa Chung. Expect the muse to be juxtaposed alongside artworks by renowned artists such as Francois Gerard, Salvador Dali and Rene Magritte. The resemblance is so uncanny that we’re starting to believe Alexa drew her style inspiration from art history.
What it’s about: The cast of Harry Potter wearing Christian Dior.
Why we love it: We’re huge fans of anything that’s related to the Wizarding World and fashion, so these unlikely bedfellows really made us lol when we stumbled across @gryffindior. The account started as a way for the creator, Rachel Bernstein (now a senior art director at Moda Operandi), to brush up her image editing skills, but has since ballooned into a viral account that is everyone’s go-to for a laugh. As the name suggests, you’ll be able to find characters from Harry Potter dressed mainly in Dior. Our favourite: Professor McGonagall decked in Spring 2017’s ‘We Should All Be Feminists’ T-shirt and high-waisted knickers, completing her look with the most poutiest lips for that extra touch of sass.
What it’s about: A pictorial collection of the most hideous pairs of shoes ever created.
Why we love it: If you think that Crocs are the most repulsive footwear, like ever, Crimes Against Shoemanity will let you have a moment to reconsider your opinion. An entire account that is dedicated to nothing but the world’s most grotesque kicks, you’ll be able to find an array of eclectic shoes tagged with witty captions. Behold the fish motif stripper heels and the Donald Trump pumps. Our favourite shudder-worthy pair? These alligator heels that sport actual grinning alligator heads.