In the past decade, more and more people have taken an interest in vintage fashion. It’s not difficult to see why, as there are so many different trends and specific items that still work today.
There are however, some trends that we’d love to never lay eyes on again, and still don’t understand their existence in the first place.
If you’re curious about some vintage fashion trends that are still popular today, as well as some that have faded into obscurity, keep reading, as we take a look below.
The Good
First of all, let’s take a look at some of the fashion trends that have truly stood the test of time, and continue to be popular today.
Below you’ll find some of the very best vintage fashion trends in modern society.
In fact, there aren’t many things that we can imagine wouldn’t work well with mom jeans.
They’re known for their classic tapered ankle, high waist, and loose fitting appearance.
These jeans first became popular in the 1990’s, and many style defining celebrities of the decade could be seen wearing them, including Courtney Love and Drew Barrymore.
They gradually faded in popularity as the 2000’s hit, and skinny jeans took the forefront. More and more people are feeling the luxury of mom jeans again, however, and love the effortlessly stylish look they give.
2. Corduroy
Corduroy is actually so popular today that many people reading this article might be unaware that it ever went out of style.
Corduroy has its fashion origins in the 1970’s, when trousers made of this material were considered to be highly fashionable (check out ‘15 Best 70s Theme Party Outfits To Try Today‘).
Nowadays, we see people wearing corduroy shirts, headbands, jackets, and overalls, and we’re honestly so here for it.
3. Scrunchies
Scrunchies weren’t as popular as they used to be around a decade ago. People were opting to use thinner, more disguisable hair elastics instead.
Scrunchies were initially popular during the 1980’s, where they could be used to compliment a person’s overall look (check out ‘Popular Brands And Styles Of The 80s‘).
We’ve seen the scrunchie rise again in popularity during the last decade, and it’s such a great accessory for matching your hair with your outfit.
4. Chunky Sneakers
Another vintage fashion trend that we still adore today is chunky sneakers. Chunky sneakers can help you to look effortlessly cool, as well as providing your feet with the comfort they deserve.
Balenciaga and Gucci have taken note of this trend, and you’ll find many high end luxury sneakers on sale by these brands today.
5. Pleated Skirts
Honestly, who doesn’t love a good pleated tennis skirt (see also ‘How To Style A Pleated Skirt‘). These actually rose to popularity in the 1960s, when women were just beginning to experiment with short skirts.
They’ve continued to be popular into the modern day, and are a super sexy style that’s perfectly preppy.
The Bad
Now that we’ve taken a look at some of the vintage fashion trends that we still love today, now let’s take a look at some which aren’t so trendy anymore.
If you want to relive some truly horrendous fashions from the past, keep reading below.
1. Suspenders
One of the worst fashion trends that were worn ubiquitously in the 1970s were suspenders.
We’re not saying that these don’t look great when paired with a crisp back suit, but in the 70’s, suspenders were worn with everything.
We’re not quite sure why these used to be so popular, and it also seems as though the more colorful the suspenders were, the better.
Rainbow suspenders, in particular, were considered to be uber cool in this decade.
2. Oversized Collars
Another trend that we’d love to forget is oversized collars. No, we’re not talking about the cute peter pan style collars you find on ditzy dresses, but rather the garishly oversized ones donned by Elton John.
These collars were worn a lot during the latter portion of the 1970s, and they’re almost laughable to look at, rather than horrifying.
3. Male Jumpsuits
That’s right, jumpsuits in the 80’s were considered to be something that was predominantly male.
These jumpsuits aren’t the cutesy playful ones that we’re accustomed to today, but rather full body suits with long sleeves which zipped up at the front.
4. Legwarmers
Another thing that we really hope doesn’t make its way back into fashion today, are the dreaded leg warmers.
These were worn ubiquitously during the 1980’s, and can often be seen featured in Jane Fonda workout videos, along with some very questionable neon spandex leggings.
They weren’t just worn for working out however, as young teenage girls of the decade would pair them with miniskirts, a truly horrendous fashion look.
5. Low Rise Jeans
We’re honestly so happy that the low rise jeans of previous decades are no longer a thing. Give us a high waisted pair of mom jeans anyday over these.
Who wants to have their stomach hanging out on display for the world to see? Especially after eating just a little too much at Taco Bell.
Final Thoughts
To sum up, there are a whole bunch of different trends from the past that we still love today, some of which include mom jeans, pleated skirts, chunky sneakers, and scrunchies.
Wearing items that were popular in the past can help us to recreate a period in history, and make us feel closer to the decade.
There are however, some trends that we’d rather forget about, such as low rise jeans, legwarmers, and oversized collars, and we hope never come back into fashion again.
Have you ever thought that you were born in the wrong generation? That you would have suited the 80s better? The 70s, 50s, or even the 30s?
Then welcome to my website, where you’ll fit right in. Hi, my name is Willa Price and I am a self-confessed fashion lover.
I specialize in vintage fashion at a designer label, and it is my dream job. I spend my days reinventing old pieces and reworking them into modern fashion trends.
Please, enjoy my website as you take a step back in time to relive the fashion evolution that we are still moving through now.
