We're not the only ones who sometimes long for days gone by and the fashion trends we never got to bask in - right? Maybe you want to relive your favorite outfits from your own youth, your parent's youth, and the iconic looks of Marilyn Monroe, Christina Aguilera, and Madonna. We're so unbelievably pumped, because we're already seeing this spring season reviving the trends you may have believed dead, gone, and buried for good. So dust off the old garments or hit up your local thrift shop, because these style trends from Vogue's historic pages have stepped back into the spotlight.
1. Y2K Denim
Image: Vogue India
At the turn of the century we were swimming in an ocean of blue denim (among other fashion choices we’d rather leave in the past). Love it or hate it, TikTok fashion influencers are bringing back all the fashionable and questionable choices we made in the young years of the millennium. We’re seeing trucker hats, high sheen lip gloss, and bedazzled belts creep their way back into mainstream and these Y2K trends are only going to continue. We also can't ignore the jean skirts, jean jackets, and whether we like it or not, the ever-controversial low-rise jeans rocking the streets this season in what is either going to be a glorifying reliving of the good old days, or a horrifying reminder of our more dubious choices we wish our parents had nixed before we left the house.
Image: 7News
2. '90s Mini Skirts
Whether you were too young, too shy, or too nervous to rock the mini-skirt of the '90s, here is your second chance. Although we started seeing short skirts popping up as early as the 1960s, the '90s added its own flair to the popular style making them shorter, tighter, and more popular than ever before. Who didn’t want to be Alicia Silverstone’s “Cher” in her iconic plaid mini-skirt and matching blazer?
Image: Refinery29
This season may be taking more from the Clueless playbook than just short skirts. We’re seeing this fashion trope making its way into the business world with chic mini-skirt suits. Although we’re not exactly sure it screams “business formal”, the trend is sure to turn heads as it already has with this Miu Miu look (pictured above) from the Spring 2022 collection.
3. '80s Glam Rock
Image: Rex Features
The '80s were all about going big: big hair, big accessories, big statements - and now 2022 is too. The precursor to the grunge movement, glam rock was pushed, in large part, by the music industry thanks to the likes of Cyndi Lauper, David Bowie, and Madonna (among others). In glam rock, anything goes, as long as it pushes the envelope and challenges the status quo and gender norms. David Bowie perfected the art, but we’re seeing recent revivals in the way of Miley Cyrus, Harry Styles, and Ruby Rose.
Image: From Vogue, December 2020
You don’t have to wear big platform shoes or cover yourself in body glitter to revive this iconic style. Bold colors, leather, studded jackets, and boots are bringing this flamboyant style into the 21st century, where it belongs.
Image: Us Weekly
4. '70s Sequins
Image: Popsugar
While sequins traditionally give us serious Studio 54 vibes, or more recently New Year’s Eve cocktail dress, the flashy fabric is breaking tradition in a big way this spring. Already dazzling the runways by Balenciaga and Michael Kors, sequins will be the sparkle in everyone’s eye this season. No longer just a night out ensemble, sequin dresses, shirts, and accessories will be layered amongst everyday garb to be that bit of flash every outfit is begging for.
Image: Vogue Runway
5. '60s Cut-outs
Photographer: Olga Miljko, Dress: Galia Lahav
This season is again all about the fabric that isn’t there. Cut-out dresses were a trend last summer and based on New York Fashion Week’s runways this past week, expertly and strategically missing fabric throughout an array of pieces are back for the spring, summer, and fall 2022 seasons. Cut-outs, especially knit pieces, were all the rage in the '60s and this spring they’re once again making the cut. Deliberate geometrics or full back exposure, a strategic cut-out walks that fine line between casual and elegant like some sort of delicate tightrope walker.
Image: Christian Siriano
A great cut-out can accentuate all the parts of your body you want to showcase, while leaving the rest to the imagination. Christian Siriano and Michael Kors both showed off a beautiful variety of 'daring' cut-outs from this past week's Spring/Summer '22 shows.
Image: Michael Kors
6. '60s Crocheted Creations
Image: Marie Claire
As I mentioned before, the crochet detailing is as much at home in a polaroid from Woodstock as it is on the Spring/Summer 2022 runways. Specifically, crochet and knitted detailing over blouses, under blazers, in butterfly silhouettes, and as full matching skirt and top outfits. A favorite we saw from Milan's Spring 2022 runway was Tod's summer crochet dress that is somewhere between a sexy cut-out and a beach cover-up. Either way, we're loving the free-form, thick-knitted style.
Image: hastaglegend
7. '50s Cat Eye Sunglasses
Image: Pinterest
You’d be hard-pressed to think of an iconic '50s movie or television show without seeing images of glamorous starlets and fashionista homemakers alike rocking the cat eye sunglasses. The upturned, plastic frames were popular in either regular lenses or stylist pieces and were typically adorned with a bit of sparkle in the form of a jewel or two at each point. This year we’ll be seeing this feline frenzy make a major comeback in a newly inspired way. Rounder lenses and a slightly more subtle upturn make the 21st century version of this '60s classic an agreeable eyewear for any face shape, whether you require vision assistance or are simply UV conscious.
Photo: Julia Spicer. Verie, Grace Sunglasses
