Outdated Fashion Trends That Are Still Sticking Around For Some Reason
We've seen many fashion trends come and go. Some fo those trends deserve a return. We'd like to see the fared bottom pants of the '70s make a comeback or '60s winged eyeliner. What we don't need is a return of the Croc shoes. Some fashion trends have long overstayed their welcome.
Keep reading to get the lowdown on what fashion trends we think need to leave our wardrobes for good. Do you agree with our picks?
Big, Bulky Necklaces
We love a piece of statement jewelry as much as the next guy, but there is such a thing as too big. A large pendant might be nice, but you can't have a large pendant plus large beads hanging around your neck. If you're a smaller girl, it's going to overwhelm your frame. Big jewelry also looks an awful lot like costume jewelry, even if it isn't.
You can't go wrong with a smaller, subtler necklace.
Too Thin Eyebrows
People have really upped their eyebrow knowledge in recent years. We all went from over plucking to microblading in the span of a decade. In the 1990s, thin eyebrows became the rage. Fashionistas in the punk scene would shave off their eyebrows and draw them back on. Hopefully, people aren't doing that anymore.
Big, bushy eyebrows make you look more youthful. Keep the tweezers away from your face, let the professionals handle your eyebrows, and invest in some eyebrow gel.
Ugg Boots Are Back
We never really liked Uggs when the first hit the scene or when they got really popular in the early 2000s. These boots have actually existed since the 1980s. If you want our honest opinion, we think the Uggs should stay out of style. These boots are impossibly hot, they don't do anything to elongate your legs, and call us blasphemous but we don't even think they're that comfortable.
Uggs were designed for comfort, not appearance. But Uggs fail even at that. The flat sole provides no support, and with no circulation, Uggs are a recipe for feet sweat. Just no.
Crazy Patterned Tights
Patterned tights aren't all bad. They certainly have a time and a place though. If you're a woman of a certain age, wearing patterned tights like the ones pictured above could make it look like you're trying too hard to be young. These tights are slowly coming back in style, though. We've spotted the likes of Kate Middleton wearing them.
Patterned tights are notoriously hard to style. You'd need a neutral dress, and even then, multi-colored tights may look gaudy.
Tie-Dye Clothing
We saw tie-dye make a return to the runway in 2019, and in 2020, it seems to be popping up everywhere. People are finding themselves at home with nothing to do but tie-dye and reverse tie-dye (meaning dye dark clothes with bleach) their clothes. This new wave of tie-dye features more pastel colors and less of the bright tones of the '70s.
In the '60s and '70s, tie-dye was viewed as counter-cultural. Today, it's basic. It's everywhere, and we don't think it looks all that great. A classic white t-shirt is always better.
Baggy Jeans That Are Too Baggy
Baggy jeans were a huge trend in the 1990s. WE saw both men and women wearing this style. The tightness of jeans has been a hot topic over the years. We saw the super skinny jeans of the 2010s, the low rise jeans of the early 2000s, and the mom jeans of today.
Skinny jeans and mom jeans deserved to have their moment, and we don't mind a jean that's a little bit baggy, but overly baggy jeans are just too much.
Silicone "Livestrong" Wristbands
In the early 2000s, it seemed like everyone was walking around with an armful of silicone wristbands. They started with Lance Armstrong's yellow Livestrong bracelet, and then a bunch of other organizations followed his lead.
Today, schools, companies, and nonprofits still give out these wristbands for charitable causes because they're cheap to make. But that doesn't mean silicone bracelets are fashionable. They look outdated, overused, and more like a kid's accessory than an adult's. There are other ways to show your support of various charities.
The Polo Shirt And Skirt Look
In the 1980s and '90s, Ralph Lauren's polo shirts appeared in many movies and TV shows. After that, everybody had to have one. Women liked to wear their polo shirts with mini skirts in an attempt to create a more feminine look. This look may remind people of preppy school girls who date jocks. All unpleasant memories.
Pairing a sporty polo shirt with a mini-skirt may seem nice in theory, but it looks tacky when people wear it in real life. Let's leave this look in the past where it belongs.
Three Quarter Length Capris
Capri pants really are the most awkward length. These pants don't look flattering on any body type. They're not pants, and they're not shorts, so what are they? They always look like some kind of mistake.
Because they're a fashion Frankenstein, it's no secret that capris are notoriously hard to style. To pull them off, people often resort to a baggy shirt, which makes them look older. Just pick a lane and stay in it. Do you want pants or do you want shorts?
Skin-Toned Tights
Nude tights can look great as long as they match your skin tone. If you wear tan hose that are a shade or two darker than your skin tone, you may look like a lot older than you actually are. It's one of those fashion trends that's reserved for grandmas.
Black, multi-colored, and sheer tights are always in style. When in doubt, you can never go wrong with bare legs.
Mismatching Patterns
On occasion, mismatching patterns can look good. Light grey on dark grey? Classic. But loud patterns--such as leopard print, plaid, polka-dots, or neon colors--shouldn't be mismatched. At worst, it's hard to look at, and at best, it's boring.
It's no secret that combining patterns doesn't usually work (unless you're in a music video). But combining bright shades of the same color can also make you look older. When in doubt, always pair loud colors or patterns with a neutral.
Hot Pink Lipstick
Hot pink lipstick doesn't look great on everyone. It may have looked classy in the twentieth century, but nowadays, we have so many colors of natural lipsticks. Why go for the most obnoxious color?
There are plenty of beautiful pink lipsticks that pop on different skin colors. Hot pink just blinds people, and it looks more like a costume than a fashion statement. As with most timeless makeup, subtle is better (unless it's classy red lipstick!).
Sheer Shirts
Why some stores still sell see-through tops is a mystery. Although sheer tops may seem fun in theory, they're actually a hassle. You have to pick a shirt or tank top to wear under it, which raises the stress level of putting on a shirt.
Why wear a top if it doesn't cover anything? Fashion aside, clothes are meant to shelter us from the weather. The same goes for white shirts that end up being see-through. They just don't look good.
No More Crocs Please
Despite being invented in 2002, Crocs' best year in sales ended up being in 2018. Our question is: why? Crocs are marketed as functional, comfortable shoes, but they've also become a meme because of how ugly they are.
Plus, the largest Croc trend happened in the early 2000s, and many people still think about this era when they see the shoe. During their popularity, kids would get their feet stuck in an elevator, meaning that they're dangerous, too!
Too Much Contour
There's a fine line between highlighting your facial features and covering them with too much contour. When contouring is over-done, people can notice it instantly. Although Kim Kardashian and YouTubers may have popularized contouring, it does not look appropriate (or even fashionable) on everyday people.
In short, the "too much makeup" appearance is outdated. It may make you look older or as if you're struggling to find makeup that matches your skin tone. If you want to contour, do so lightly.
Tying A Flannel Around Your Waist
The 2010s seemed filled with revived '90s trends, one of which is tying flannel shirts around the waist. These usually provided an accent for neutral skin-tight outfits of black workout pants and a nude shirt. But they don't flatter the hips at all.
Flannel can look nice, but tying it around the waist just for fashion isn't necessary. It widens the hips and changes a figure from natural to clunky. Either wear the flannel or don't.
Poofy Teased '80s Hair
Did people tease their hair in the '70s and '80s? You bet they did! Back then, big hair became a symbol of alternative punk culture. But nowadays, the hairstyle only reminds people of the '80s. At best, teasing your hair may result in a '90s do--which is still old!
Teasing and backcombing can also damage your hair because it can rip up your cuticle cells. It's a recipe for ripping out your hair. Stick to soft, naturally-styled hair.
Metallic Clothing
The "futuristic" fashion of the 1960s resulted in skin-tight silver clothes. Believe it or not, metallic clothes reappeared on the 2013 runway, and it didn't look much better. Even if it's not skin-tight, it still looks "bleh."
The material of metallic clothing just seems so...synthetic. It never curves or wrinkles in the right way, and the reflective surface only distracts from peoples' natural body shape. You can't subtly style this clothing, either; it has to dominate the entire look.
Black Smoky Eyes
Back in the days of Avril Lavigne, punk rockers wore a smoky eye that was only black with all-around black eyeliner. Even Avril has moved on from the all-black smoky eye! The look has "early 2000s edgy teenager" plastered all over it.
Nowadays, people pair their smokey eyes with another color. It could be a bright color on top of the smokey eye or a lighter, sparkly shade in the middle. Either way, it looks much more elegant than all black.
Juicy Couture Tracksuits
Why were Juicy Couture tracksuits ever in style? Paris Hilton made these velour, baby pink outfits popular, but we think we should have known better than to take style cues from her. Thankfully, the nearly universal fashion trend has disappeared since the early 2000s, and today, they only sell on a discount. One New York designer tried to make them high fashion, but people weren't having it.
The velvety sweatpants and sweatshirts just scream "outdated." The sparkly stripes and bedazzled words on the butt just don't look great in the 2020s.
"Old Lady" Handbags
The style of a purse can age a person. Although vintage handbags can complement a look, "old lady" bags often appear stiff and boring. If your handbag is relatively small, rectangular, and a single color like beige or black, it's probably an "old lady" purse.
Modern handbags look more loose and fun. They may have some creative patchwork or fun accent colors to make them look more youthful. Meanwhile, a boxy, dull purse may make you seem 20 years older.
Thick Foundation
Although thick foundation can cover any blemish and spot, it's also noticeably overdone. The caky, full-covered foundation dates back to the '90s when pale skin paired with mauve lipstick. It looks overdone--literally.
Nowadays, natural is always better. Thin foundations match your natural skin tone better and draw less attention. If you can see freckles or moles through your foundation, you're in the clear. But unless you're going on the red carpet or TV, skip the thick foundation.
Jersey Fabric Anything
Jersey fabric dresses only work on particular body types. Why? Because they cling to everything. You can guarantee that most underwear and bra seams will show through these overly-revealing dresses.
Because jersey fabric shows off everything, they may make people feel uncomfortable. Do yourself a favor and just skip them. They may look great on runway models, but that's because these dresses are designed for one body type only. Clothes should look great on multiple bodies!
Glitter All Over
Glitter on your clothes, your eyes, your face--sounds fun, right? It may have been fun when you were younger, but on adults, the glitter tends to be overkill. Going glitter may seem like you're trying too hard.
Here's how you know if you're overdoing the glitter: if an entire article of clothing, from your shirt to your pants, is glittery, you've crossed the line. If glitter sprinkles most of your eyes or face, that's out of fashion.
Shutter Shades
Decades ago, Kanye West popularized shutter shades for seemingly no reason. But the glasses were also in style during the '80s, and before that, in the 1950s. Originally, they were called Venetian blinders, because you can't see anything while wearing these glasses.
To start: are they glasses? Hardly. Shutter shades are bars over your eyes, which don't help your eyesight in any way. They don't look cool, either. They're awkward all around and should never be sold again.
Shapeless Clothing
The shapeless, baggy dresses of the 1920s have no place in the 2020s. Wearing an over-sized shirt or skirt does nothing to flatter the figure. Inside of hiding less desirable features, shapeless clothing turns you into a blob.
No matter your body shape, a little style goes a long way. Over-sized clothes can make you seem older, larger, and plain lazy. Keep large shirts and dresses as pajamas, but don't wear them as a fashion statement.
Turtlenecks
Turtlenecks have fluctuated in and out of fashion, from the '50s to the '80s to even the 2010s. But do they ever stop looking stuffy and uptight? Nope, they're always too much. Scarves and collared shirts can protect your skin against the cold and look better.
Low turtlenecks, which stand up to the middle of the neck, can look nice in certain contexts. But turtlenecks that touch the chin are too much. They look suffocating.
Trucker Hats
Please--anything but trucker hats. We'd rather see a thousand butterfly clips than these caps that have never looked good. These hats, with a mesh back and an obnoxious design on the front, are a fashion nightmare.
If trucker hats look like a company giveaway item, that's because they were a standard promotional giveaway in the early 2000s. They appear cheap, campy, and bulky because they are cheap, campy, and bulky. Never bring these hats back.
Frumpy Babydoll Dresses
Babydoll dresses can best be described as "grandma clothing": unshaped, poofy dresses that often feature lace accents. They came from the 1910s and were redesigned in the 1960s. Either way, they're still too old for the 2020s.
Babydoll dresses with wide shoulders, puffy sleeves, and overdone lace just say "old." However, modern versions of the babydoll dress, which flow delicately off the shoulder, can be fashion-forward. Modern babydolls are coming back as spring and summer dresses.
Tiny Micro-Purses
On the runway, mini-handbags may look stylish. But who would honestly find them useful in real life? Unless all you need to go out are a couple of paper clips, a micro-purse is likely unnecessary.
Because they're so useless, micro-bags give off the "try hard" vibe. Most people don't use small purses or clutches unless they're out on the town in the '60s and '70s. Just carry a normal-sized bag like the rest of us.
Tiny Sunglasses
Like micro-purses, tiny sunglasses are cringeworthy at best. These slim, minuscule sunglasses barely cover a guinea pig's eyes, much less a human's. Although they came into style in 2018, they didn't stay there.
Sunglasses are meant to protect your eyes from UV rays, and tiny glasses are not only uncomfortable to wear but also uncomfortable to look at. If you want to look like a cartoon villain, go for it. But there are plenty of other stylish and useful sunglasses to choose from.
Get Rid Of The Creepers
Creepers, a shoe with an enormous flat sole, were initially worn by soldiers in World War II. Since then, creepers would phase in and out of fashion. Today's generation likely remembers creepers from the '70s and '90s, and they're definitely outdated.
Certain platformers and sneakers can give you the bold, thick-sole look without the in-your-face appearance of creepers. While creepers are too much, other thick-soled shoes are just enough to provide an accent to your look.
Pointlessly Short Bangs
Have you ever seen someone try to cut off their bangs? Well, that style became popular in the 1950s. Short bangs could look adorable on younger people, but they can also make others appear older. In both cases, they're awkward.
With short bangs, the abrupt line doesn't flatter any face in the world. Long bangs are acceptable since you have to grow them out to get rid of them. Cutting your bangs short doesn't make them disappear. It makes them worse.
Tweed Clothing
Tweed is a rough wool fabric that's usually used in dresses. It became popular in the 1920s, but that doesn't make it appropriate for the 2020s. Because it's so vintage, it can make people seem older than they are.
Along with looking old, tweed appears stiff, ragged, and uncomfortable. Although some models and celebrities have tried to bring it back, they look like they're wearing hay. You can wear so many other vintage fabrics that don't seem like they'll scratch you.
Denim Everything
Today, denim jeans are still stylish, and even denim jackets are making a comeback. But denim-on-denim? That's a late '80s trend that should never return. Denim dresses and suit jackets have no place in...well, ever.
Denim simply looks cheap and trashy. Although a lot of people own at least one denim item of clothing, few people wear a bunch of denim at once. People can try, like how Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake tried in 2001, but it never works.
Studded Belts
Nothing says "teenager in middle school" like a studded belt. These belts appeared on the punk and rock scenes, where they should stay. On adults, they look like someone's trying too hard to appear edgy.
Also, let's face it; studded belts are hard to use. They have to snake through the pant loops very slowly to get over all the studs. They're not practical or fashionable unless you're a rock star. Leave those in Hot Topic.
Bedazzled Anything
Bedazzled clothes made their way around the '90s and 2000s, usually on the backside of jeans. Most have faded into obscurity...fortunately. Bedazzled shirts, hats, pants--anything, really--look tacky. Plain and simple.
"Embellished" clothing, as they're often called, may look cute on kids who want a bit more sparkle. But on adults, it could make you appear older. Everyone knows you're not a kid anymore, so why are people still wearing bedazzled clothes? Without a doubt, they're definitely "out!"
The Mullet Hairstyle
Although the mullet has been around since before the 1970s, that doesn't make it look good. In a single word, mullets are "awful." And yet, some people brought the haircut back in 2019, with the addition of "steps"--sharp cuts that look like stairs leading to the bangs.
Mullets look so bad that they've become an internet meme. So can they die already? They're awkward and frame the face horribly. There's no positive word that can describe a mullet.
Bras As Shirts
2019 was the year of wearing bras as shirts, and it made a lot of people uncomfortable. It wasn't just that it looked like underwear (which some of them did), but it's not comfortable, period.
Although nobody bats an eye at celebrities showing their bras, everyday people wearing nothing but a bra may make people think that you forgot a shirt. Plus, bras certainly aren't cheaper alternatives to shirts. One year was all this trend needed to go out of style.
