Fashion trends have always had a direct correlation to societal, environmental, and especially political matters going on. Just like how we can easily identify the 70s to the hippie movement which was a direct result of the effects of the Vietnam War, or the UK punk era being directly related to their fight against gender roles. We pick our clothes to make a statement, whether you want to admit it was consciously or subconsciously is your own prerogative.
Here are a few of the most iconic trends in fashion that have shaped us for better or for worse for the past three decades... curated by me, acting as the fashion police nobody asked for. 😂
Starting off with the 90s because of course -- the most iconic and influential fashion era, in my humble opinion! This was a jam packed decade nothing short of innovation. One of the most innovative ideas would be Afrofuturism. Now I know this was more of a concept than a trend, however it still carried a lot of impact. I believe this became such a great concept because late 90s, we were on the cusp of "entering the 21st century" and people wanted to stay fresh and experiment with what they felt would take them into the future, so to speak.
Afrofuturism consisted of very out of the box garments, actually very similar to the punk era. You had your metallics, oversized theme, platforms, etc.
I wouldn't credit any sole designer for this fashion period, however the tastemakers were definitely R&B artists like Missy Elliot, Aaliyah, Janet Jackson, and the list goes on.
The early to mid 2000s was honestly a horrific time for fashion. From the obsession with patchwork clothing to Von Dutch trucker hats and velour tracksuits e v e r y w h e r e , I surprisingly ran into a bit of difficulty pinpointing the most iconic trend of the time.
Alexander McQueen introduced the "bumster" or extremely low rise pants in his 1996 runway show. He accredited this garment to his love and fascination of the female body and lower back area. Controversial but not enough to be accepted in the wardrobes of most. That is until socialite Paris Hilton became one of the first to use her power to separate the brave from the weak and turn this into a real trend. The possibility of this resurgence is sure to trigger nightmares, especially for me!
Photos taken via. Stars Insider, MSN, and Allure.
Fast forward to 2018, where we saw an over saturation of fads and short-lived trends. We as a culture really emphasized this 'chic comfort' aesthetic, putting more focus on looking polished but somewhat casual; athleisure and streetwear taking the world by storm, even though it wasn't really a new concept. I would have to say the biggest trend of 2018 was *drum roll* fanny packs! I mean, c'mon, they were and still are everywhere!
This is a great example of two important theories in fashion which are the trickle up and trickle down theory. Trickle up essentially highlights how the average person wearing the product for its functionality and in turn, catching the attention of influencers, and seeing how they adopt/rebranded the product. Then seeing how these same tastemakers and people of high influence are now "passing down" this fashion trend back to the general public.
Gucci reintroduced us to the fanny pack for their 2017 pre-fall maximalist campaign, and my Instagram feed hasn't seen peace since. What was once seen as embarrassing and nerdy has become a extremely practical, innovative, and now, a staple. Thanks Gucci!
What has been your favorite iconic moment in fashion? Are there any trends you're praying never see the light of day again? Let's keep the conversation going!
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