Returning Fashion Trends
By: Sarah G and Parie K
Decade day is a common theme for school spirit days, a testament to how fashion can reflect an era. But fashion can also be a reflection of the self as it is a way to express oneself. Fashion has been a massive part of society for decades. Fashion allows people to express themselves, their emotion, and personality. One of the first things you see when you look at someone is their outfit. People form inferences from the first time we see anything; it’s human nature. Clothing itself says a lot about a person, forming a lot of assumptions when looked at by someone else. Since fashion and clothing have been around for so long, many trends have recently been brought back into style. This is called cyclical fashion. Often fashion goes out of style, but returns decades later, usually with some twist. This article will inform you about several of these resurfacing fashion trends!
Tie Die
Though you might associate tie-dye with the sixties, tie-dye was first introduced to American culture in the 1920s. Since then, people have been tie-dying their clothes and buying tie-dye apparel from stores. They have also been tie-dying fabrics to use as decoration for their homes. The 1960s, or “hippy era,” which was when tie-dye hit its stride. Since tie-dye has been discovered, it has been a way for people to express creativity. The “hippy era”, which lasted for two decades, and when it perished, so did tie-dye. Since then, it has made many short-lived comebacks, with one happening right now. Because tie-dye is more of a pattern than a plain shirt, it is commonly styled with something simple or as a matching set. This past summer, tie-dye was all over social media and has continued to be very trendy. Each time tie-dye comes into fashion, it adjusts to the new generations’ taste.
Scrunchies
The hair scrunchie was invented in the 1960s and was particularly popular in the 1990s, especially velvet scrunchies. But they have come back into style these past couple of years, specifically in the summer of 2019. The scrunchie is a necessary hair tie that prevents breakage. One prototype of the scrunchie was inspired by the waistband of pajama pants, crazy, right?! A brand that sold scrunchies was initially named “Sunchi” and later on “Sünchi”. However, since the fabric scrunches up, the creators thought it would be fitting to add an “r,” hence scrunchie. Recently, scrunchies have been worn not only for keeping hair up, but also as an accessory, often on the wrist. Scrunchies are often made from scrap fabric, which makes them more eco-friendly than other hair accessories. Not only do they help eliminate clothing waste, but they are sold at a low cost, and easy to DIY. Since scrunchies are minimal and come in many colors and textures, they can add to almost any outfit. Unlike the tie-dye trend, in which the tie-dye is the center of the outfit, scrunchies are a more subtle accessory.
Fanny Pack
The Fanny Pack was presumably made in 1962 by an Australian woman. By observing how kangaroos use their pouches, she was inspired to translate that idea to modern (back then) fashion. Fanny packs became popular in the late 1980s to early 1990s, mainly worn around the waist, like a kangaroo, and in neon colors. In the past couple of years, fanny packs have made a significant return, as big designers such as Gucci and YSL started to put a twist on the classic fanny pack. Nowadays, people wear it in multiple ways, including around the shoulder, like a cross-body bag. They come in many different shapes, patterns, colors, styles, and textures. A fanny pack is a substitute for wearing a purse, as it is practical and fashionable. Fanny packs have even made a breakthrough into the fitness world as they are convenient for holding a runner’s keys and phone.
Mom Jeans
Mom jeans are high waisted, ankle-length, loose-fitting jeans. Although jeans never go out of style, mom jeans stopped being as prevalent during the late 1990s and become the subject of cultural irony and humor, making frequent appearances on shows like SNL. Mom jeans have reoccurred during the 2000s, but they recently became one of the most popular jean styles. Mom jeans were given their name because middle-aged women mostly wore this style of jeans. During this time, mom jeans were not perceived as fashionable by the younger women, which contradicts how the trend resurfaced. This is because nowadays, mom jeans are commonly worn by teenagers. Even though mom jeans are a loose piece of clothing, they are worn with both oversized shirts and tight-fitting shirts, and commonly styled with sneakers or ankle boots.
Crocs
Crocs were invented in the early 2000s, and their original use was for boating. This is said to be a boating shoe because of the holes in the front and the waterproof material - they can even float! The reptile crocodile inspired the name Crocs. When Crocs came out, they quickly became highly sought-after. They eventually started selling worldwide with more than 120 different styles for everyone. Young children commonly wear Crocs, thanks to their laceless, slip-on style, and recently teenagers have found interest in Crocs as well. Since the Croc is a simple shoe, people have used charms for customization. The charms are placed in the holes of the Crocs. This past couple of years, Crocs have become a familiar shoe to wear out and about, and after a sports practice. As well as kids and teenagers, many adults in the work industry also invest in Crocs, such as doctors, nurses, and chefs. This is because they prevent sharp objects from hurting the toes or feet, and from puncturing the shoe.
Many fashion trends circle around, and these five are proof of that. The five trends above are just a part of a vast list. Overall, it is doubtful that a fashion trend is gone forever because new generations have a unique way of bringing back trends from the past and putting their spin on the original idea. Before you Marie Kondo your whole wardrobe and get rid of your favorite pieces from last season, hold on to your favorites because they are bound to circle back again.
Works Cited:
Callahan, Chrissy. “Fanny packs are so popular, they make up 25 percent of accessory sales growth.” Today, 17 Dec. 2018, www.today.com/style/fanny-packs-are-so-popular-they-make-25-percent-accessory-t145246. Accessed 11 Oct. 2020.
“Crocs.” Crocs, www.crocsaustralia.com.au/company/about-crocs.html. Accessed 11 Oct. 2020.
“Crocs.” Wikipedia, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crocs#:~:text=The%20shoe%20was%20originally%20developed,300%20million%20pairs%20of%20shoes. Accessed 11 Oct. 2020.
Granero, Kristin. “Everything You Need to Know about the History of the Scrunchie.” PureWow, 28 Aug. 2019, www.purewow.com/fashion/history-scrunchie. Accessed 11 Oct. 2020.
“The History of the Tie-dye Shirt.” The Adair Group, www.theadairgroup.com/blog/2018/12/04/the-history-of-the-tie-dye-shirt/.
Mason, Jennifer. “Back Story: A Brief History of the Fanny Pack.” InStyle, 21 Nov. 2017, www.instyle.com/fashion/accessories/bags/history-fanny-pack. Accessed 11 Oct. 2020.
“Mom Jeans.” Wikipedia, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mom_jeans#:~:text=Mom%20jeans%20is%20a%20slang,unhip%20by%20trendy%20younger%20women. Accessed 11 Oct. 2020.
“Tie-dye.” Wikipedia, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tie-dye#:~:text=Unlike%20regular%20resist%2Ddyeing%20techniques,in%20the%201960s%20and%201970s. Accessed 11 Oct. 2020.
