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Following a new, hot-of-the-press trend can be extremely enticing. Our need to fit in and belong is perhaps the main reason why. And let’s face it, making a fun little video to a viral song or updating your wardrobe with the latest fashion craze can give us the dash of serotonin we desperately need to get through the day.
But fads come and go, leaving us cringing at our old photos sporting frosted tips or grinning in a room decked out with Beanie Babies. Recently, millennials have been posting about the weird trends they've been a part of that don’t look as ‘dope’ today as they did back then.
Fancy a nostalgic throwback? Then all you have to do is scroll down!
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#1
I know the young kids have hated on millennials for their skinny jeans but mf you should have SEEN how baggy the pants were in the late 90s/early 2000s.
#2
Jeans so long the bottoms were just tatters. Was a weird matter of pride how destroyed your pants were.
ButImNot_Bitter_ replied:
And god forbid it was slightly damp outside. You were soaked up to your knees.
#3
I remember when bib overalls were fashionable but you were lame if you actually fastened both straps. I remember my grandma calling it hillbilly air conditioning.
What often drives us to adopt popular behaviors is the desire to fit in and be accepted by our peers. Humans are social creatures, and the need for approval is deeply ingrained in our nature. Following trends and keeping up with them fosters a sense of community among people who have similar interests and preferences and can provide a sense of comfort.
There’s also the fear of missing out (FOMO). In a fast-paced and advanced society, individuals may feel pressured to jump on the latest fad to avoid being left out or disconnected from current events. Social media magnifies this by constantly pushing new trends that people would want to imitate and experience.
#4
Whale tail: where your thong was visible above the waistband of your low-rise jeans.
#5
I have a tribal tramp stamp and waxed my eyebrows so thin they've never been the same. Good times.
Little Wonder 6 months ago
Yep, I know women to this day with basically no eyebrows due to overplucking/waxing in the 90s.
#6
Frosted boy band tips. I'm not proud.
Ovata Acronicta 6 months ago
This is something that definitely needs to stay back in 2000 and not appear again. Even just the little wiry spikes without the frosty...no.
However, this comes at a cost. And no, we’re not talking about you cringing at your photos sporting chunky highlights, but rather about the negative consequences it has on society and the environment.
With so many trends coming and going, the number of times an item of clothing is worn has gone down by around 36% in the last 15 years. It was found that the average American consumer throws out 81.5 lbs. of clothes each year, of which 66% end up in landfills, taking decades to decompose. Such wastefulness is not only a big problem for the environment but also causes rising amounts of textile waste.
#7
Two polos…with both collars popped. I’m ashamed. 🤦🏽♂️.
John Mosley 6 months ago
I appreciate the popped collar(s) especially with a fedora. I appreciate them showing me they're an asshat before I waste time talking to them.
#8
JNCO jeans. My largest pair had a 69 inch wide leg. I won an award for having the largest pant legs ever.
#9
Those shiny button down shirts in bright colors like lime green that everyone wore for a while. Frosted tips. Those bowling shirts with flames on them. There was a time when I was for all intents and purposes, Guy Fieri.
Michael None 6 months ago
Having been in my teens and early 20's in the late 1990's early 2000's I can honestly say that Guy Fieri was never a fashion icon. That was just you.
The need to be “in vogue” can additionally be harmful to our emotional state, leaving us dissatisfied every time we struggle to keep up with the latest fad. People may start feeling insecure when the fashion craze changes and we no longer get validation from imitating others.
It also limits personal growth and independent critical thinking, as people miss opportunities to improve and uncover their unique abilities when they concentrate on copying others.
#10
TYpiNg lyke DiS. What was I thinking? Thank goodness there’s no records of my communications from high school.
#11
Lace-up low-rise pants. There is a picture of 16-year-old me wearing jeans with an orange lace-up fly that I modified myself, and it is terrible. I thought I was so cute ugh.
troufaki13 6 months ago
I was always very self-conscious about my mid-section so I never wear low rise pants.
However, it’s possible to find a healthy balance by using caution when following trends. This can be done by focusing on an individual’s unique style, interests, values, and goals and adopting popular behaviors that really fit and resonate with their personal view.
#13
Facebook statuses being song lyrics about your mood. Basically we went from moody away messages, moody MySpace post, to moody Facebook post.
Ovata Acronicta 6 months ago
Memories allows me to see back into the time when Facebook was set up in such a way that it would make sense to talk about yourself in third person.
#15
Posting albums with hundreds of photos on Facebook. Here's every millisecond of the past weekend everyone! Enjoy!
#17
Tribal tattoo.
Mila Sliacka 6 months ago
Looking back tribals had expiration date written all over them. It was only one of my tattoos that I got covered.
#18
Weird pointless asymmetry being the only cool way to wear anything. Wearing your backpack on one shoulder only instead of both because that's for nerds (my poor back!). Wearing your belt with the buckle waaay off to the side. Side bangs. Side ponytails. Baseball cap backwards and off-center.
Amanda Rose 6 months ago
I always wore my backpack on only one shoulder. Never realized that was a fad/issue. It was just what was comfortable and allowed for getting it on/off quickly.
#19
Gaucho pants and those wide circle belts 😭.
#20
The long sleeve shirt under the short sleeve shirt look 😂.
#21
Clear, neon colored furniture. I either ordered mine from the Delia's catalog, or bought it at Spencer's, in the mall. I'd buy a chair, blow it up, it would last 2 weeks, and I'd be out there buying another one.
The "Big Blowup Chair" industry had me by the throat.
Lingerie as a shirt. TY Paris Hilton
Mini denim skirt, leggings, and ballet flats.
#22
Puka shell necklaces or spiky hair probably.
#23
Sweat bands on the wrist, the chain wallet, and safety pins everywhere.
#24
Getting my belly button pierced 🤦♀️ my mom was right that the hole never goes away.
Aliaksadr Lukauski 6 months ago
Holes dont go away? I thought they would "grow away". Guess not everywhere
#25
Sun-in.
WillingnessOk1797:
My gateway drug to being blonde. But also made me think my untoned, box bleached hair later in college looked good bc i was used to the orange from sun in.
After-Leopard:
I can smell this comment.
#26
I planked at the summit of Mt kilimanjaro in 2011 when it was cool. Unfortunately its the only photo of me at the summit.
Lydsylou (she/her) 6 months ago
That was such an entertaining trend though! I never participated but scrolling through pictures of people planning on bins or car rooves was always so entertaining for some reason
#27
Skater aesthetic despite not being able to skateboard whatsoever 😂 I was obsessed with Blink-182 and pop punk and wore mostly brands like Hurley, Vans, Quicksilver and wanted my mom to buy my clothes from Pac Sun and Hot Topic. The “t-shirt over a long-sleeve shirt,” puka shell necklaces, and studded and seatbelt belts were frequent parts of my wardrobe. What I really wanted was a “skater” boyfriend. I lived in fear of being called a “poser.”.
Lydsylou (she/her) 6 months ago
I also can't skate but I do love the aesthetic and sometimes wear it anyway!
#28
The body glitter fad.
ElfVibratorGlitter 6 months ago
I wish this would come back. I must have been a crow in a former life because I love love love all things shiny and sparkly. Kinda have a thing for glitter.
#30
All the band buttons on my corduroy vans bag. I recently found it 20 years later and it’s such an artifact.
CrazyKnitter 6 months ago
I thought this was still a thing. Just enamel pins mostly, not the round ones?
#32
Tamagotchi. I didn't even have the real thing. I had some happy meal knock off.
Still wasted time on that instead of my gameboy.
Annik Perrot 6 months ago
I remember being "in charge" of them while my kids were at school. As if it was not enough to have 4 kids to keep fed, watered, clean and rested. Was glad when the fad went away... but not à single tamagotchi died on my watch! 😇
#33
LiveJournal. I found my old one once which I thought had been lost to time and had the worst cringe I’ve ever experienced.
#34
Those braided rope bracelets that shrunk around your wrist and that you didn't take off for a few months until it got nasty enough and then you cut it off?
Yeah, I loved those 😆.
Ample Aardvark 6 months ago
Like some of those entries, I had the rope/twine bracelets as a kid in the 70s
#35
I’d roll my socks down into my shoes to create ankle socks because my lame parents wouldn’t buy me ankle socks.
Display_Name 6 months ago
Mine wouldn't either so as an adult I skipped the ankle socks and went straight to no-show socks.
#36
That unspeakable moment in history where every white person was suddenly emo.
#37
I wore the livestrong bracelet but I (hipster voice) wore it before most people because my family are big cycling enthusiasts and we’ve always watched the Tour. So we were already very familiar with Lance Armstrong and supporting him(remember this was before s**t came out) so I was like the first person I knew to have a livestrong bracelet and I wore it for many, many years. Lowkey I wish I still had it for nostalgia sake.
Probably the dumbest fad I engages in was taking edgy MySpace photos lmao. I would go to like, some abandoned construction site or an old building or something “grungy” looking and stand around taking pics at that sky-high MySpace angle lmaooo. The angle where you’re bent over so we see your face huge and then lil legs dangling out below… good times.
#38
Any diet. Not worth it and definitely not worth my mental health.
CrazyKnitter 6 months ago
My mom would jump on diets like they were lifeboats. Scarred me for life. I am extremely skeptical about any diets.
#39
Wearing a tie with t-shirts a la avril lavigne 🙃 also popping the collar on my polo shirts (we had to wear them for our school uniform, it was my attempt at being ~fashionable with it).
CrazyKnitter 6 months ago
I love the tie with the tee and vest. Still one of my favorite fashion trends.
#40
I bought a shake weight. Lol.
What do you think ?
ynyrhydref56 6 months ago
I feel personally victimised by this listicle. I maintain that many of these are still so cool! ;)
🩶🩷Marvin HoG🩷🩶 6 months ago
My JNCO's were awesome, I will never think otherwise!
Load More Replies...
FABULOUS1 6 months ago
I miss when people wore, and did what made them happy without feeling judge. Oh my bad never in history has this happened. I say if you like it I love it. If its not my style its not going to hurt me one bit.
Christopher Rayle 6 months ago
That totally happened in history. It was me. I wore whatever I felt like wearing whenever. Still do. I've always dressed for me instead of others.
Load More Replies... Little Wonder 6 months ago
I was too fat for most of the fashion trends, which sucked at the time but does mean I don't have too many cringy teen photos, apart from that one dress I was SURE I was adorable in and I looked like walnuts in a net bag.
That One 6 months ago
Unless the trend itself is to be skinny, body shape shouldn't be much of an issue. Most of those trends can be adjusted to look good on any body. People just have a nasty habit of discouraging others. Which honestly sucks.
Load More Replies...
Gavin Johnson 6 months ago
18 year old me, army boots (clogged), black pants, black t-shirt, long hair, long black coat. 49 year old me, army boots, black pants, black t-shirt, shaved head. I wish I could get my boots clogged now and my bald head means the long hair went LONG ago!
Gavin Johnson 6 months ago
This page is a warning to young people everywhere. If you DON’T enjoy messing about with your look or your hair or your clothing or your posters in your bedroom or whatever then you’ll have nothing to look back on and smile. Do the daft thing now. Experiment now. Enjoy now. It’s an essential part of growing, learning, being you, so do it before some stick-in-the-mud tells you to stop. PS Tattoos are the exception, be mindful, stick the image you want in your purse or wallet, look at it every day for a year, still love it after a year? Go for it.
Simon Chen 6 months ago
I am gen x and i have no idea what most of those things mentioned here are, maybe wrong country
Amy Smith 6 months ago
Mine was probably started off by wearing a blue shiny gillet everywhere with those alien eye sunglasses on top of my slicked back hair and had a couple of those sparkly little butterfly hair clips. Then got into flame shirts, used to have a long sleeved one I wore under my school shirts until I got told to take it off, chains everywhere, baggies, band hoodies.
DB 6 months ago (edited)
Late boomer/early gen x. Teen girls wore skintight jeans tucked into big, puffy socks, hiking boots, oversized men's flannel shirts and sweatshirts and knee length sweaters. Boys wore jeans, t-shirts, flannel shirts and hiking boots.
Carol LeMay 6 months ago
And they all had the same, shoulder length, feathered hairstyle.
Load More Replies...
Me Oh My (He/They) 6 months ago
Well, following a huge trend is hardly being unique, is it?
Load More Replies...
Tim Douglass 6 months ago
I find it funny, as Boomer, how many of these things echo what we did when we were young. I guess what goes around really does come around.
Der Kommissar 6 months ago
Baseball caps turned backwards. A fad that wouldn't die,,,for decades.
ConstantlyJon 6 months ago
For me it was studded belts from hot topic. I had a few of them. One was black and the studs orange. I had the typical black with chrome studs look as well. My favorite was all white with rainbow paint splatters on the studs. Kinda cool, but kinda cringe.
Dolevaal 6 months ago
I remember there was a trend about a game called Happy Three Friends. Three cute cartoon characters you killed in pretty cruel ways. I never played it bc it creeped me out but I remember it was a thing for a while.
Moosy Girl 6 months ago
A few months ago I was just in time to stop a friend from letting their 6 year old watch Happy Tree Friends on youtube, surprised it’s still around!
Load More Replies...
somnomania (she/her, queer) 6 months ago
i miss the 90s looks, and fortunately some of them are coming back around. not that i have money for brand new clothes but it's nice to think about.
Alessandra 6 months ago
Yeah, cringe and everything but I want my 20s back, with the horrible dress over jeans, whale tail, glitter everywhere.
Julie Ann Al buzbeba 6 months ago
I wasn't cool in grammar school and I wasn't cool in high school. I THOUGHT I was cool but I now realize I wasn't. And my kids tell me I am still not cool. I was just never meant to be cool I guess.
Andy Frobig 6 months ago
I got rid of my last Izod shirt in about 1983 and that was it for trends
Rick Seiden 6 months ago
Those shaped rubber bands that people would collect and wear on their wrists.
MrsFettesVette 6 months ago
Silly Bandz, we used to give them to children in the dental office.
Load More Replies... ynyrhydref56 6 months ago
I feel personally victimised by this listicle. I maintain that many of these are still so cool! ;)
🩶🩷Marvin HoG🩷🩶 6 months ago
My JNCO's were awesome, I will never think otherwise!
Load More Replies... FABULOUS1 6 months ago
I miss when people wore, and did what made them happy without feeling judge. Oh my bad never in history has this happened. I say if you like it I love it. If its not my style its not going to hurt me one bit.
Christopher Rayle 6 months ago
That totally happened in history. It was me. I wore whatever I felt like wearing whenever. Still do. I've always dressed for me instead of others.
Load More Replies... Little Wonder 6 months ago
I was too fat for most of the fashion trends, which sucked at the time but does mean I don't have too many cringy teen photos, apart from that one dress I was SURE I was adorable in and I looked like walnuts in a net bag.
That One 6 months ago
Unless the trend itself is to be skinny, body shape shouldn't be much of an issue. Most of those trends can be adjusted to look good on any body. People just have a nasty habit of discouraging others. Which honestly sucks.
Load More Replies... Gavin Johnson 6 months ago
18 year old me, army boots (clogged), black pants, black t-shirt, long hair, long black coat. 49 year old me, army boots, black pants, black t-shirt, shaved head. I wish I could get my boots clogged now and my bald head means the long hair went LONG ago!
Gavin Johnson 6 months ago
This page is a warning to young people everywhere. If you DON’T enjoy messing about with your look or your hair or your clothing or your posters in your bedroom or whatever then you’ll have nothing to look back on and smile. Do the daft thing now. Experiment now. Enjoy now. It’s an essential part of growing, learning, being you, so do it before some stick-in-the-mud tells you to stop. PS Tattoos are the exception, be mindful, stick the image you want in your purse or wallet, look at it every day for a year, still love it after a year? Go for it.
Simon Chen 6 months ago
I am gen x and i have no idea what most of those things mentioned here are, maybe wrong country
Amy Smith 6 months ago
Mine was probably started off by wearing a blue shiny gillet everywhere with those alien eye sunglasses on top of my slicked back hair and had a couple of those sparkly little butterfly hair clips. Then got into flame shirts, used to have a long sleeved one I wore under my school shirts until I got told to take it off, chains everywhere, baggies, band hoodies.
DB 6 months ago (edited)
Late boomer/early gen x. Teen girls wore skintight jeans tucked into big, puffy socks, hiking boots, oversized men's flannel shirts and sweatshirts and knee length sweaters. Boys wore jeans, t-shirts, flannel shirts and hiking boots.
Carol LeMay 6 months ago
And they all had the same, shoulder length, feathered hairstyle.
Load More Replies... Me Oh My (He/They) 6 months ago
Well, following a huge trend is hardly being unique, is it?
Load More Replies... Tim Douglass 6 months ago
I find it funny, as Boomer, how many of these things echo what we did when we were young. I guess what goes around really does come around.
Der Kommissar 6 months ago
Baseball caps turned backwards. A fad that wouldn't die,,,for decades.
ConstantlyJon 6 months ago
For me it was studded belts from hot topic. I had a few of them. One was black and the studs orange. I had the typical black with chrome studs look as well. My favorite was all white with rainbow paint splatters on the studs. Kinda cool, but kinda cringe.
Dolevaal 6 months ago
I remember there was a trend about a game called Happy Three Friends. Three cute cartoon characters you killed in pretty cruel ways. I never played it bc it creeped me out but I remember it was a thing for a while.
Moosy Girl 6 months ago
A few months ago I was just in time to stop a friend from letting their 6 year old watch Happy Tree Friends on youtube, surprised it’s still around!
Load More Replies... somnomania (she/her, queer) 6 months ago
i miss the 90s looks, and fortunately some of them are coming back around. not that i have money for brand new clothes but it's nice to think about.
Alessandra 6 months ago
Yeah, cringe and everything but I want my 20s back, with the horrible dress over jeans, whale tail, glitter everywhere.
Julie Ann Al buzbeba 6 months ago
I wasn't cool in grammar school and I wasn't cool in high school. I THOUGHT I was cool but I now realize I wasn't. And my kids tell me I am still not cool. I was just never meant to be cool I guess.
Andy Frobig 6 months ago
I got rid of my last Izod shirt in about 1983 and that was it for trends
Rick Seiden 6 months ago
Those shaped rubber bands that people would collect and wear on their wrists.
MrsFettesVette 6 months ago
Silly Bandz, we used to give them to children in the dental office.
Load More Replies... You May Like People Are Pointing Out Things That Are Popular But They Don’t Get Why 35 Strange, Dangerous And Simply Silly Trends That Had No Reason To Be Created Doctors Share The Wildest Examples Of Correct Self-Diagnoses, Here Are The 30 Best Ones
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