Photo by Kleigh Balugo
A large amount of the biggest fashion trends today are actually reused styles from the past. Fashion will always be recycled! Retro-style flare jeans, 90s grunge, and Y2K are a few styles that have inspired modern trends.
Some of the contributors at Kindergarten Mag came together to share the trends they miss that haven’t quite made their way back yet and also gave their opinion on which ones should stay locked away in our memory boxes. Here are Kindergarten’s fashion misses and disses of 2021:
There are so many fashion trends from the past that I really admire and want to come back. If I had to narrow down my choices, I would like to see bright blazers with shoulder pads and bullet bras come back. Maybe not together at once, but still… Hear me out. Both trends entirely reinvent a person’s silhouette. I suppose I’d want to bring back these trends that alter the outlines of our bodies because both would make people appear sharper and almost comic book-like. Imagine what that’d do for your confidence! Who wouldn’t want to look straight out of a fantasy? Giving people broad shoulders and sharp boobs just screams power. The shape from shoulder pads in blazers or coats is so sleek. Then, creating a different shape for your boobs instead of having the classic smooth cup would be something you could control. Depending on whatever you feel is what type of bra you choose for your outfit. It just gives options… yes? The bullet shape would look especially cool in bustier tops. I swear.
A time I despised was when every brand would add athletic stripes to anything they could think of. I swear most of the time the athletic stripes wouldn’t even match the colors of the base item they were put on. To this day I can’t look at long sleeve shirts with side stripes or tennis skirts with the stripes across the bottom hem. I think the only time these stripes were acceptable was in Adidas clothing because that’s their whole brand identifier or on crew socks, but other than that please get rid of them. It was overdone and didn’t work for everything.
Don’t judge, but I wish Juicy Couture sweats would make a full comeback. Juicy was essential in any Y2K closet. I actually was not a huge fan of Juicy when I was young, even though my mom was a major fan and not only loved to dress in Juicy, but dressed my sister and me in head-to-toe Juicy as well. However, the pandemic has prompted my deep appreciation for loungewear, specifically sweatpants. A set of Juicy sweats is so comfortable and manages to perfectly remain casual yet trendy all at once. I believe they are slowly making comeback, through a collab with Forever 21. I don’t think it would become as big as it did back then, but I would love a chance to stay comfy and cute at the same time.
This trend is already making a comeback, but I do not like low-rise pants with tiny crop tops. Low-rise pants are also another very Y2K look. I admit, it looks amazing on certain people! But I would dare to say that most people are unable to put together the right pieces to make this look work. I prefer my jeans to be as high-waisted as possible to hide my food belly, thanks.
Like Tracy, I also cannot support a return to low-rise pants. Some of us that did low rise the first time around have now had a child or two, and I don’t want to be the bearer of bad news, but that means.. things have.. changed. I don’t harbor any ill will to my stomach, or the stretch marks, or even the way it jiggles. But I absolutely can not attempt the see-saw or god forbid, the monkey bars, in anything less than a super high rise, and no one else should have to either!
Don’t worry, I’m not a grumpy elder millennial against all trends returning: I love scrunchies (makes a necessity way cuter!); fanny packs (so functional!); the super cute beaded necklaces that Instagram keeps trying to sell me (total unnecessary but I covet!). I guess if it makes my life easier while being fashionable, I’m all for it! So please.. let me keep my mom jeans!
As much as I enjoy the new e-girl scene, I’m at the point in my life where I just can’t embody it. Being my age, it may seem a little strange even though I’m not older than 23. I just feel as if the style is better presented in those who strut around high schools or even better, middle school. I myself truly loved the original scene girl style. I honestly wish this would come back. I’ll restate, I do enjoy the e-girl scene, but I think it leans more towards gothic fashion than pop-punk. Being an OG scene girl from the skater-punk posse back in middle school, my inner pre-teen craves to be this once again.
Now about scrunchies, I really did not know this wasn’t in fashion! Also fanny packs!? I have been wearing both since I could remember. One, my hair is curly. Scrunchies just work. It’s probably the best decision I have ever made for my hair. Two, fanny packs are handy! You have all of your essential items right there in front of you to grab within seconds without digging around in a bag full of nonsense. I’m also glad these are coming back because I’m tired of being approached with “Wow, you’re the only person I know who can wear a fanny pack and make it look good.” What does that even mean…
As we moved further away from the 2000s, I sincerely wish all the fashion trends in that era would just stay in the past. I blame those fashion trends, from the whisker-fade or low-rise jeans combined with a crop top to studded everything as one of contributing factors to the disaster of my teenage years.
On the contrary, I wish we could go back to the 17th century with all the high-necked tops and wide collars dresses. My closet is filled with those fashion items for some years now. That’s why I’m so excited with the rise of the big (lace) collar —according to the Fall 2020 Runways, it was even stated that a removable collar is the accessory you never knew you needed. Well, it’s about time.
Kindergarten 