Image Credit: @bayba.store via TikTok
I’m sure we’ve all been scrolling through Halloween costume inspo lately, only to see the infamous Amazon corset top transformed into a million different outfits. But is this as shameful as those in the comments section would have you believe? It’s almost unavoidable that those donning a corset-top costume will be dubbed ‘’basic’’. The Amazon corset has become a Halloween staple, but do the critiques stem from a genuine plea for sustainability or a ruthless attack on anything deemed unoriginal?
Perhaps the corset costume does deserve some criticism for its unsustainability. It is obvious that the Amazon corset is an example of single use consumerism, already a huge issue at Halloween. In online discussions, commenters are often quick to suggest alternatives such as Vinted, where Amazon corsets can be bought second-hand for as little as £2. So, if purchased more sustainably, does the Amazon corset become acceptable?
Arguably, no. The culture of today’s Halloween revolves around the originality and creativity of costumes. Think of that one girl you know going as the concept of sewing. Completely obscure, yet perfectly creative, the face of a modern “it-girl” Halloween costume. One article said it best: “ 'It’s not enough to keep up with pop culture. You need to move beyond it — create it, even.”.
Considering this, the Amazon corset faces consistent backlash for being overdone. But we need to question why something “basic” is lesser. Many who shame the corset’s simplicity demand more creativity, causing purchasers to feel embarrassed and relegating the corset-top to the back-of-the-closet pile of shame. Removing this harsh stigma may encourage reuse, arguably an even more sustainable option than DIY-ing a new costume each year.
Ultimately, under the influence of TikTok's promotion of rapid fashion overconsumption, we must constantly try to be perceived as original. The Amazon corset is an example of this wider issue of trend cycles. Ironically, the fear of being basic pushes people further into the limiting ‘’’safe zones” of popular clothing, with Gen Z’s outright cancellation of the corset reflecting a worrying single-use pattern in our modern fashion discourse. So, maybe we should just be letting people ‘’look hot’’ in their Amazon corsets instead of shortening the shelf life of this trend to barely past its purchase date.