Fashion Blunders Over Time: Have We Finally Figured It Out?

When I think of shoulder pads, oversized blazers, tight jeans, and Reeboks. I think of the totally tubular era known as the 80s. If you asked me which decade was characterized by baggy jeans, flannels, oversized tees for guys, and baby tees and tanks for women, I would immediately think of the grungy, yet, cool 90s. Of course, we all are aware of the equally iconic and horrific styles from the early 2000s, some of which we hope to never see again. But, my love for low waisted jeans and boys with shaggy bleached hair will never fade. 

Of course, this brings us to the style of today… well, after we skip the awful style of the 2010s. I think we can all agree that cardigans down to our knees and the slouchy suede boots we would wear were not exactly IT Girl looks. Thankfully, we have all grown and learned since the 2014 flower crown epidemic. I know the recovery period took some time, as those choker necklaces really have a chokehold on me for quite some time. I’m just glad I escaped the 2010s without falling victim to the “dipped” hair trend. Remember when it seemed like every celebrity’s hair at the Teen Choice Awards had been dipped in purple, pink, or blue hair dye? I do, and what’s worse is I remember thinking that it was just about the coolest thing I had ever seen. I will say, however, the one hair trend from the early 2010s that I would love to bring back to life is the feather-in-your-hair trend. I remember it like it was yesterday when I got my pink feather hair extension. I felt unstoppable, like I was in Vampire Diaries or Victorias, or really any other cheezy 2010s coming-of-age show that probably was how Zendaya got her start. 

Alright, alright, even though ragging on the 2010s can be fun, since we really did all looked like rag dolls, I’m here to chat about today’s trends. I think this is a good time to start talking about the styles that truly define this era. It is August of 2024, and it seems like summer has gone by as quickly as I hope this new “capris trend” lasts. Since it’s already August, that basically means the holidays are right around the corner, and then… 2025! We will be half-way through the roaring 20s already! So, I think we have had enough time now to establish some era-defining fashion trends for this decade! Hopefully, we have learned enough from our fashion blunders of the past so that when we look back on the 2020s, we think of Adidas Sambas, slick-back hair, linen, and athleisure with fondness. Something I have noticed about this day and age is our love for vintage and retro fashion trends. Perhaps, our culture today is focused so acutely on OOTDs and micro-trends, that we simply have to pull ideas from the past to have enough to wear something new every day. However, I have a different hypothesis. I think that timeless fashion withstands the test of time. So, even though we may think of a tailored, oversized pant suit as a quintessential 80s look, or baggy jeans as a grungy go-to from the 90s, they are still being worn today as if Calvin Klein had invented designer denim just yesterday. 

So, does this mean we are living in the iconic, grungy, totally tubular twenties? Or, over time, have we been sifting through trends to find the truly timeless looks that will forever characterize our eras, regardless of the decades?