5 trends I wish would come back in style
On looking back to look forward
What’s old could be new again, if we let it
I'm going on vacation soon (so you might not hear from me for a week or two) and as part of that break I'll be seeing my sister, Heather, who's very into the current Y2K fashion resurgence. She's killing it in her lil’ slip dresses and bell bottoms and velour trackies, while I’m more than happy to leave those looks in the past. But there are other trends I wish would come back into vogue.
All-over-print pants
Listen, if you saw me out anytime between 2011 and 2020 and the weather was even slightly cool, there’s a 100% chance I was wearing printed pants (typically flower print). I had them in denim, in satin, in cotton, and “dress pant” material, and I absolutely wore the hell out of the them. I bought a pair of flower-print jeans immediately after my stylish friend Ashley wore them to work one day in 2011 and never looked back. The only reason I’m not wearing them right now is they don’t really make them anymore and my old ones don’t fit me. Boohoo.
‘Shoe-ties’ (rhymes with booties)
This trend was pretty short-lived if I remember correctly, but it was a good era for my feet (and my style). These “shoe-ties” were basically Oxfords or other types of flat dress shoes but with a heel, and they were insanely comfortable for me. I could dance in them (almost never happens ) and they suited my vintage aesthetic. I lost my last favorite pair (pictured above) when I was mugged at a bus stop in Vancouver in 2010 and they were hard to find after that.
Blazers as going-out wear
I’ve seen the memes about millennials dressing for the club like we were going for a job interview, and the memes are not wrong. I almost exclusively wore an oversized blazer over my minidresses in the early 2000s and 2010s, and I have zero regrets. I would happily do this now if I could find a blazer that looked right on me. It’s fine if you don’t get it, Gen Z!!!!
Boxing boots
This trend was pretty niche (mostly dancers, I think) and happened so long ago I don’t even have a photo of myself wearing it But girl, did I rock a boxing boot. These still exist (of course — boxers actually wear them) but there was a time when brands like Puma were making them for everyday wear and sheesh was it a good time! They were comfortable and stylish and dancer-y and I wore them constantly — club, studio, class, you name it. I saw an older gentleman wearing a pair in my neighborhood recently and had a genuine pang of longing. Perhaps it’s time to investigate a new pair.
Long necklaces
I’ve written before about my love for long necklaces. And like it or not, I still wear them. It’s usually just a dainty crystal on a gold chain now, but back in the day I wore every long necklace under the sun (see exhibit A above). I know I'm getting sideways glances from Gen Z for my out-of-date style (here they go again invading my psyche), but I truly do not care. My wish for the youth is that they realize ASAP that a long necklace can make any outfit look 10% cuter. Don't ask me how, it's science.
That’s it. That’s my list of trends. As I was writing this I realized something: I should use it as style source material. If these are the trends I’m still thinking about 15-20 years later, that should tell me something — these are looks that worked for me and made me feel like myself. What better place to start as I’m reinventing and rediscovering my style than my own mental fashion journal?