The worst fashion trends of every decade
Some things are better left in the past.
It's easy to romanticise the style of past decades as always inspiring, elegant, and magical—but in reality, bad fashion has been around since the start of mankind. If you're still having PTSD from the traumatic trends of the early 2000s, take comfort in the fact that every other decade has also faced many questionable sartorial choices.
From squeezing into corsets to exercising in leg warmers to accessorising every outfit with a Von Dutch hat, here's a roundup of the most cringe-worthy fashion trends from the past century.
1900s: Corsets
Internal organ damage, broken ribs, hours to get dressed—there is such thing as doing too much for fashun and corsets are it.
1910s: The Hobble Skirt
Sure they look chic, but walking in these heavy and constricting floor-length hemlines is no easy task. Imagine wearing a tight, ankle-length pencil skirt and having no choice but to move at a glacial pace: no fun.
1920s: Bathing Suit Dresses
Props to all the women who managed to stay afloat whilst swimming in these taffeta dresses.
1940s: Mini Bowler Hats
Fact: miniature hats flatter very few heads.
1950s: White Gloves
Elegant? Yes. Practical? No. How is one supposed to indulge in finger food while wearing these?
1950s: Poodle Skirts
Look, everyone loves poodles but that isn't good enough reason to embroider them onto a skirt.
1960s: Patterned Tights
Whoever thought that multi-coloured, multi-patterned tights would flatter ANY HUMAN'S legs was seriously mistaken.
1960s: "Futuristic" Fashion
Let us all be grateful in knowing that the fashion of the future never actually ended up looking like this. These metallic skin-tight pants are nobody's friend.
1960s: Babydoll Dresses
Being an adult is pretty terrible but dressing like a small child is equally terrible and next-level creepy.
1970s: Patchwork Peasant Skirts
Very few people can manage to pull off wearing a quilt as a skirt.
1970s: Sweater Vests
Aside from really serving no purpose whatsoever, sweater vests are truly flattering on no one.
1970s: Jumpsuits for Men
The jumpsuit isn't for everyone and that's okay.
1970s: Safety Pin Face Jewelry
The whole punk rock movement went a little too far at times; let it serve as a general life lesson that we should never pierce our cheeks with office supplies.
1980s: Leg Warmers
Is it even humanly possible for someone's calves to get chilly while working out? Please advise.
1980s: Every Colour in the World at Once
Why? Why, why, why?
1980s: Everything On Madonna in This Photo
Colourful leggings. Mini skirt layered on top of said leggings. Neon everywhere. The worst colourful makeup in the history of makeup. 600 rubber bracelets to weight train your wrists. It all hurts so much.
1980s: MC Hammer Pants
When not even the founder of a fashion trend can manage to pull the look off, that's when you know there's a problem (Sorry, MC, you're still great).
1980s: Sweatbands
Just when you thought the act of sweating couldn't get any more unappealing, this "accessory" became a thing.
1980s: Sweaters Tied Around The Neck
PUT THE SWEATER ON OR TAKE THE SWEATER OFF.
1990s: Colour Tinted Sunglasses
Proving the world doesn't always look better through rose-coloured glass.
Lauren Alexis Fisher is the Senior Editor at Cosmopolitan, overseeing digital content across fashion, lifestyle, beauty, sex, and culture. Previously, she was the Market Editor at Harper’s BAZAAR and has written for publications including WWD, Bustle, and W Magazine. When she’s not busy taste-testing her way through every dirty martini in New York, you can follow her on Instagram for bad jokes, good outfits, and annoying vacation pics.
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