Time flies, doesn’t it? It feels like only yesterday we were rocking those questionable fashion trends of the early 2010s. From studded everything to fake nerd glasses and mustached fingers, looking back now, it’s safe to say we were all in a bit of a fashion crisis. But, hey, we’ve come a long way since then! The 2010s may have had some fashion misses, but the last few years have seen a huge shift towards inclusivity, sustainability, and social consciousness in the fashion industry. And we’re excited to see what the next decade brings! So, let’s take a trip down memory lane, relive the fashion fails of the past, and vow to leave them behind as we step into a fresh and fabulous 2020s. (And if you never made these fashion faux pas, kudos to you!)
But to really celebrate new beginnings, we should take a look at the biggest fashion mishaps that we are probably all guilty of so that we can all agree to leave these behind and start this decade with a clean slate. (If you’re not guilty of any of these then wow, props to you, I’m jealous).
Jeggings
At the very beginning of the decade, skinny jeans were all the rage and so were leggings. These two trends crossed with each other and created a monster hybrid: jeggings. Not only were they completely unflattering, but they also raise questions like why anyone would want to wear leggings that look like jeans but aren’t jeans and have fake pockets that you can’t even put stuff in. I’m so glad that trend died quickly.
Wedge Sneakers
2011 was really the year of the wedge sneakers – a strange meld of sneakers and high heels that everyone seemed to be wearing back then. This trend was made popular by designers including Isabel Marant and Marc Jacobs and has firmly cemented itself among the most memorable styles of the early 2010s with celebrities like Gwen Stefani and Katy Perry rocking the shoes on the regular.
Racoon Eyes
Back in 2011, you could also catch me sporting the “raccoon eye look” – a very popular makeup look that basically just involved smearing eyeliner around the entire eye and waterline. I had honestly totally suppressed that time of my life and am really glad that phase of my life is over. Like really glad.
The Coachella Girl
The boho-chic era was a defining time of the 2010s and brought flower crowns and Tumblr girls with it. Nearly everyone looked like they were embarking on a road trip to Coachella to find the deeper meaning of life. Flower mesh shirts, long skirts, feathers in your hair and gladiator sandals reigned supreme. Girls really dressed like the background of one of those “just girls things” pictures back in 2014. “Live, laugh, love” everybody.
Athleisure
Wearing workout clothes is only cute if you’re actually working out and that’s all I have to say to this.
The Hype Beast
A huge trend that has truly thrived in the 2010s has been the trend of the hype beast. Being a hype beast basically means that you wear whatever is “hyped” at the current moment, which in extreme cases can even lead to teenagers camping out on the streets to buy whatever sneaker release is happening and spending an excessive amount of money on shoes they’ll wear once. There are a plethora of things you can say about the hype beast, but in some ways, I guess it’s beautiful that people can build relationships just by talking about the latest Supreme drop. Yet, I still believe that this is something we can agree to leave behind in the 2010s, because really, no one cares that much about your new BAPE hoodie and maybe you shouldn’t either.
Neon Colors
Neon colors were huge in 2018 and are still going strong. Yes, they can definitely look cute but let’s just move on. For this new year, Title predicts that neon colors will finally be left behind and replaced by the Morandi colors. Read all about it here.
Smart Homes
I know this isn’t a fashion trend but it just really irks me that people would willingly have a government espionage device in their houses that’s always listening in. Please, let’s not take these into 2020 to at least keep the illusion of privacy going.
Sock shoes
You know Balenciaga’s that look like socks but are shoes? Yeah, let’s not.
Honorary mentions: Peplum tops, harem pants, high-low dresses, crocs, and those humongous Fila shoes.
