Have you ever worn an outfit and had one of your parents or older family members told you that they used to wear the same look “back in their day?”
I have, and it’s always blown my mind that I can be into the same styles my parents were into over 20 years ago so, I thought it was only right to look deeper into this phenomenon.
Some of you may find yourself asking, “What exactly is a fashion trend?”
Fashion trends are distinct styles of both clothing and accessories that become prominent for a period of time until a new trend takes its place. Trends can refer to a specific color, print, pattern, silhouette, etc.
70’s Fashion. (Tim Graham / Getty Images)
“People tend to reminisce and often miss somewhat what once was fashionable during their youth or even, during their parents’ youth or even completely older eras where fashion classic and timeless pieces were created,” according to fashion trends expert and founder of Kay Flawless, Karine Laudort.
People often draw inspiration from past eras when creating their looks. Clothing and accessories are a great way for people to express themselves and what they’re into.
According to the DSN English report, fashion trends reappear in the limelight every 20 to 30 years. Although these trends are ever-changing, there are various styles that have always remained popular throughout the decades like animal and floral prints.
Particular trends tend to only come back during specific times of the year due to weather purposes.
Social media fuels fast fashion trends. (YouTube Screenshot)
Trends used to primarily be decided by fashion brands and their designers, but social media and its influencers have completely changed that.
Designers used to take months of deliberation deciding what would be the coolest styles for the next season. Now many brands — especially fast fashion brands — rely on trends emerging in real time to create styles that align with it.
Social media has had a huge impact on the resurgence of many fashion trends. Being that social media is the primary source of information for most people, it has made it so easy to find and stay up to date with all current trends.
Sites like Instagram, Twitter, TikTok and Pinterest have had the power to control fashion trends. “Get Ready With Me” videos is a popular hashtag on TikTok where the user shows the process of putting together an outfit. Nowadays, it only takes one viral video for a new trend to emerge into the mainstream; one example of a 1990s trend that’s made its way back are cargos — from cargos pants to cargo skirts, the utilitarian look is one of the many styles that’s making its way back around.
Once social media hops on a new trend, fast fashion brands like H&M, SHEIN and Zara take advantage and mass produce similar clothing. Fast fashion brands aid in the pleasure consumers feel when they are able to constantly keep up with trends for an affordable price.
“Nowadays, fast fashion brands produce about 52 ‘micro-seasons; a year—or one new ‘collection’ a week,” according to author Elizabeth Cline. Although these brands allow one to keep up with trends, the biggest downside is that they are very wasteful and generally bad for the environment.
Y2K Fashion (Getty Images/Dualstar/Tommy Hilfiger/ StyleCaster)
A prime example of a fashion trend coming back into style in front our eyes is the resurgence of Y2K fashion. The Y2K era originated in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The aesthetic was heavily influenced by the rise of technology at the time hence, bold and futuristic styles becoming popular.
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This era is known for its mesh tops, tight leather clothing, denim on denim, translucent/metallic clothing and much more. Many of these trends have remained relevant throughout the years but, being that we rely on technology now more than ever — especially since the pandemic — it’s clear how much influence the Y2K movement has had on our current trends.
History is forever repeating itself and that’s something that is definitely evident within the fashion industry and its many trends.
