Why Are Women Still Wearing These Outdated Fashion Trends?
Fashion trends come and go every year. While some styles are timeless, other trends continue to stick even after they're over. Just because these styles were popular for a while doesn't mean that they still look good.
You may be surprised which trends some people are still sporting, from Crocs to baggy hoodies to unnecessarily bringing in flannel. Are you still wearing these outdated styles? Learn the harsh truth about which fashion trends are officially "out."
Mismatching Patterns Too Much
On occasion, mismatching patterns can look good. Light grey on dark grey? Classic. But loud patterns--such as leopard print, plaid, polka-dots, or neon colors--shouldn't be mismatched. At worst, it's hard to look at, and at best, it's boring.
It's no secret that combining patterns doesn't usually work (unless you're in a music video). But combining bright shades of the same color can also make you look older. When in doubt, always pair loud colors or patterns with a neutral.
Hot Pink Lipstick
Hot pink lipstick doesn't look great on everyone. It may have looked classy in the twentieth century, but nowadays, we have so many colors of natural lipsticks. Why go for the most obnoxious color?
There are plenty of beautiful pink lipsticks that pop on different skin colors. Hot pink just blinds people, and it looks more like a costume than a fashion statement. As with most timeless makeup, subtle is better (unless it's classy red lipstick!).
Sheer Tops
Why some stores still sell see-through tops is a mystery. Although sheer tops may seem fun in theory, they're actually a hassle. You have to pick a shirt or tank top to wear under it, which raises the stress level of putting on a shirt.
Why wear a top if it doesn't cover anything? Fashion aside, clothes are meant to shelter us from the weather. The same goes for white shirts that end up being see-through. They just don't look good.
Capris
Despite their popularity, Capri pants don't look flattering on anyone. Their design is inherently flawed; they're not pants, but they're not shorts, which makes them always look like a mistake. Since they cut off above the ankle, they make peoples' legs look shorter.
Because they're a fashion Frankenstein, it's no secret that Capris are notoriously hard to style. To pull them off, people often resort to a baggy shirt, which makes them look older. Just don't buy Capris. Capeesh?
Crocs. Enough Said
Despite being invented in 2002, Crocs' best year in sales ended up being in 2018. Our question is: why? Crocs are marketed as functional, comfortable shoes, but they've also become a meme because of how ugly they are.
Plus, the largest Croc trend happened in the early 2000s, and many people still think about this era when they see the shoe. During their popularity, kids would get their feet stuck in an elevator, meaning that they're dangerous, too!
Overly-Thin Eyebrows
In the 1990s, thin eyebrows became the rage. Fashionistas in the punk scene would shave off their eyebrows and draw them back on. But these eyebrows don't look real, and worse, they make you look older.
As we age, our hair thins--including our eyebrows. Thick, bushy eyebrows are back in style, probably because they represent youth. So don't go overboard with the tweezers, and trust that your natural eyebrow shape is best suited to frame your face.
Applying Too Much Contour
There's a fine line between highlighting your facial features and covering them with too much contour. When contouring is over-done, people can notice it instantly. Although Kim Kardashian and YouTubers may have popularized contouring, it does not look appropriate (or even fashionable) on everyday people.
In short, the "too much makeup" appearance is outdated. It may make you look older or as if you're struggling to find makeup that matches your skin tone. If you want to contour, do so lightly.
Tying A Flannel Around Your Waist
The 2010s seemed filled with revived '90s trends, one of which is tying flannel shirts around the waist. These usually provided an accent for neutral skin-tight outfits of black workout pants and a nude shirt. But they don't flatter the hips at all.
Flannel can look nice, but tying it around the waist just for fashion isn't necessary. It widens the hips and changes a figure from natural to clunky. Either wear the flannel or don't.
Poofy Teased Hair
Did people tease their hair in the '70s and '80s? You bet they did! Back then, big hair became a symbol of alternative punk culture. But nowadays, the hairstyle only reminds people of the '80s. At best, teasing your hair may result in a '90s do--which is still old!
Teasing and backcombing can also damage your hair because it can rip up your cuticle cells. It's a recipe for ripping out your hair. Stick to soft, naturally-styled hair.
"Old Lady" Handbags
The style of a purse can age a person. Although vintage handbags can complement a look, "old lady" bags often appear stiff and boring. If your handbag is relatively small, rectangular, and a single color like beige or black, it's probably an "old lady" purse.
Modern handbags look more loose and fun. They may have some creative patchwork or fun accent colors to make them look more youthful. Meanwhile, a boxy, dull purse may make you seem 20 years older.
Foundation That's Too Thick
Although thick foundation can cover any blemish and spot, it's also noticeably overdone. The caky, full-covered foundation dates back to the '90s when pale skin paired with mauve lipstick. It looks overdone--literally.
Nowadays, natural is always better. Thin foundations match your natural skin tone better and draw less attention. If you can see freckles or moles through your foundation, you're in the clear. But unless you're going on the red carpet or TV, skip the thick foundation.
Smoky Eye That's Only Black
Back in the days of Avril Lavigne, punk rockers wore a smoky eye that was only black with all-around black eyeliner. Even Avril has moved on from the all-black smoky eye! The look has "early 2000s edgy teenager" plastered all over it.
Nowadays, people pair their smokey eyes with another color. It could be a bright color on top of the smokey eye or a lighter, sparkly shade in the middle. Either way, it looks much more elegant than all black.
Overly Baggy Jeans
Another trend that started and ended in the '90s: baggy jeans, usually JNCO jeans. Wide, rectangular jeans don't compliment anyone's body type. They transform people into a tent. Even back then, they just looked silly.
Today, most jeans--even the wider styles--still show off some natural leg shape. If you look more like a robot than a human wearing pants, that's a hard "no." There's a style of jeans for everyone, but none of them are JNCO.
Juicy Couture Anything
Remember when celebrities wore Juicy Couture tracksuits on the daily? Yeah, we do too. The nearly universal fashion trend has disappeared since the early 2000s, and today, they only sell on a discount. Even when one New York fashion director tried to bring them back on the runway, people weren't having it.
The velvety sweatpants and sweatshirts just scream "outdated." The sparkly stripes and bedazzled words on the butt just don't look great in the 2020s. Although they're comfy (arguably), they're a fashion "no."
Patterned Tights
A relic of the 1960s, patterned tights, are slowly coming back into the public eye with celebrities like Kate Middleton wearing them. Multi-colored tights are a clothing item that looks good in theory, but it doesn't work for everyday life.
Patterned tights are notoriously hard to style. You'd need a neutral dress, and even then, multi-colored tights may look gaudy. Elaborate black lace tights can look good; yellow, red, and blue tights will probably blind anyone who walks by.
Metallic Clothing
The "futuristic" fashion of the 1960s resulted in skin-tight silver clothes. Believe it or not, metallic clothes reappeared on the 2013 runway, and it didn't look much better. Even if it's not skin-tight, it still looks "bleh."
The material of metallic clothing just seems so...synthetic. It never curves or wrinkles in the right way, and the reflective surface only distracts from peoples' natural body shape. You can't subtly style this clothing, either; it has to dominate the entire look.
Skin-Toned Pantyhose
Nude tights can look great as long as they match your skin tone. If you wear tan hose that are a shade or two darker than your skin tone, you may look like a lot older than you actually are. It's one of those fashion trends that's reserved for grandmas.
Black, multi-colored, and sheer tights are always in style. When in doubt, you can never go wrong with bare legs.
Incredibly Bulky Necklaces
When heading to a fancy restaurant, a statement necklace can round out the look. But bulky, clunky jewelry doesn't look great outside of royalty or a nice dinner party. It just looks unsophisticated and old.
You can't go wrong with a smaller, subtler necklace. The jewelry compliments the look, but it doesn't overtake it. In the same vein, don't layer too many necklaces, either. That's a '70s style that shouldn't come back in any era.
Skunk Highlights
These skunk highlights are straight out of the early 2000s and will definitely age a person by a few decades, at least. While the hair colors this lady chose are very pretty alone, the thick, bold and skunk-like highlights are too much for anyone to wear.
Honestly, leave the skunk look in the early 2000s where it belongs!
Tiny Sunglasses
Like micro-purses, tiny sunglasses are cringeworthy at best. These slim, minuscule sunglasses barely cover a guinea pig's eyes, much less a human's. Although they came into style in 2018, they didn't stay there.
Sunglasses are meant to protect your eyes from UV rays, and tiny glasses are not only uncomfortable to wear but also uncomfortable to look at. If you want to look like a cartoon villain, go for it. But there are plenty of other stylish and useful sunglasses to choose from.
Shutter Shades
Decades ago, Kanye West popularized shutter shades for seemingly no reason. But the glasses were also in style during the '80s, and before that, in the 1950s. Originally, they were called Venetian blinders, because you can't see anything while wearing these glasses.
To start: are they glasses? Hardly. Shutter shades are bars over your eyes, which don't help your eyesight in any way. They don't look cool, either. They're awkward all around and should never be sold again.
Glitter, Glitter Everywhere
Glitter on your clothes, your eyes, your face--sounds fun, right? It may have been fun when you were younger, but on adults, the glitter tends to be overkill. Going glitter may seem like you're trying too hard.
Here's how you know if you're overdoing the glitter: if an entire article of clothing, from your shirt to your pants, is glittery, you've crossed the line. If glitter sprinkles most of your eyes or face, that's out of fashion.
Shapeless Clothing
The shapeless, baggy dresses of the 1920s have no place in the 2020s. Wearing an over-sized shirt or skirt does nothing to flatter the figure. Inside of hiding less desirable features, shapeless clothing turns you into a blob.
No matter your body shape, a little style goes a long way. Over-sized clothes can make you seem older, larger, and plain lazy. Keep large shirts and dresses as pajamas, but don't wear them as a fashion statement.
Tie-Dye Anything
In 2019, tie-dye returned to the runway to a mixed response. No matter how hard people try to push tie-dye, they can't separate it from an association with hippies. Tie-dye shirts are also a cheap option for broke high schoolers and college students.
In the '60s and '70s, tie-dye was viewed as counter-cultural. Today, it's basic. It's everywhere, and it rarely looks good. It seems more like a quick DIY project than a though-out style choice.
Turtlenecks
Turtlenecks have fluctuated in and out of fashion, from the '50s to the '80s to even the 2010s. But do they ever stop looking stuffy and uptight? Nope, they're always too much. Scarves and collared shirts can protect your skin against the cold and look better.
Low turtlenecks, which stand up to the middle of the neck, can look nice in certain contexts. But turtlenecks that touch the chin are too much. They look suffocating.
Ugg Boots
Remember when everyone wore Ugg boots? Nowadays, hardly anyone sees another person in Uggs. The shoe has gone in and out of style since the 1980s. If you ask us, the boots should remain out of style. They never looked good in the first place.
Like Crocs, Uggs were designed for comfort, not appearance. But Uggs fail even at that. The flat sole provides no support, and with no circulation, Uggs are a recipe for feet sweat. Just no.
Trucker Hats
Please--anything but trucker hats. We'd rather see a thousand butterfly clips than these caps that have never looked good. These hats, with a mesh back and an obnoxious design on the front, are a fashion nightmare.
If trucker hats look like a company giveaway item, that's because they were a standard promotional giveaway in the early 2000s. They appear cheap, campy, and bulky because they are cheap, campy, and bulky. Never bring these hats back.
Frumpy Babydoll Dresses
Babydoll dresses can best be described as "grandma clothing": unshaped, poofy dresses that often feature lace accents. They came from the 1910s and were redesigned in the 1960s. Either way, they're still too old for the 2020s.
Babydoll dresses with wide shoulders, puffy sleeves, and overdone lace just say "old." However, modern versions of the babydoll dress, which flow delicately off the shoulder, can be fashion-forward. Modern babydolls are coming back as spring and summer dresses.
Micro-Purses
On the runway, mini-handbags may look stylish. But who would honestly find them useful in real life? Unless all you need to go out are a couple of paper clips, a micro-purse is likely unnecessary.
Because they're so useless, micro-bags give off the "try hard" vibe. Most people don't use small purses or clutches unless they're out on the town in the '60s and '70s. Just carry a normal-sized bag like the rest of us.
Silicone Wristbands
In the early 2000s, silicone wristbands skyrocketed in popularity. The main culprit, Livestrong bracelets, seemed to appear everywhere. They sold well because people could wear them forever, but that doesn't mean they stay in style forever.
Today, schools, companies, and nonprofits still give out these wristbands for charitable causes because they're cheap to make. But that doesn't mean silicone bracelets are fashionable. They look outdated, overused, and more like a kid's accessory than an adult's.
Creepers
Creepers, a shoe with an enormous flat sole, were initially worn by soldiers in World War II. Since then, creepers would phase in and out of fashion. Today's generation likely remembers creepers from the '70s and '90s, and they're definitely outdated.
Certain platformers and sneakers can give you the bold, thick-sole look without the in-your-face appearance of creepers. While creepers are too much, other thick-soled shoes are just enough to provide an accent to your look.
Pointlessly Short Bangs
Have you ever seen someone try to cut off their bangs? Well, that style became popular in the 1950s. Short bangs could look adorable on younger people, but they can also make others appear older. In both cases, they're awkward.
With short bangs, the abrupt line doesn't flatter any face in the world. Long bangs are acceptable since you have to grow them out to get rid of them. Cutting your bangs short doesn't make them disappear. It makes them worse.
Tweed
Tweed is a rough wool fabric that's usually used in dresses. It became popular in the 1920s, but that doesn't make it appropriate for the 2020s. Because it's so vintage, it can make people seem older than they are.
Along with looking old, tweed appears stiff, ragged, and uncomfortable. Although some models and celebrities have tried to bring it back, they look like they're wearing hay. You can wear so many other vintage fabrics that don't seem like they'll scratch you.
Denim Everything
Today, denim jeans are still stylish, and even denim jackets are making a comeback. But denim-on-denim? That's a late '80s trend that should never return. Denim dresses and suit jackets have no place in...well, ever.
Denim simply looks cheap and trashy. Although a lot of people own at least one denim item of clothing, few people wear a bunch of denim at once. People can try, like how Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake tried in 2001, but it never works.
Studded Belts
Nothing says "teenager in middle school" like a studded belt. These belts appeared on the punk and rock scenes, where they should stay. On adults, they look like someone's trying too hard to appear edgy.
Also, let's face it; studded belts are hard to use. They have to snake through the pant loops very slowly to get over all the studs. They're not practical or fashionable unless you're a rock star. Leave those in Hot Topic.
Bedazzled Anything
Bedazzled clothes made their way around the '90s and 2000s, usually on the backside of jeans. Most have faded into obscurity...fortunately. Bedazzled shirts, hats, pants--anything, really--look tacky. Plain and simple.
"Embellished" clothing, as they're often called, may look cute on kids who want a bit more sparkle. But on adults, it could make you appear older. Everyone knows you're not a kid anymore, so why are people still wearing bedazzled clothes? Without a doubt, they're definitely "out!"
The Polo Shirt And Skirt Combo
Ralph Lauren's polo shirts appeared in many movies and TV shows from the '80s and '90s. For women, polo shirts usually joined a mini-skirt in a terribly outdated outfit. This look may remind people of preppy school girls who date jocks. All unpleasant memories.
Pairing a sporty polo shirt with a mini-skirt may seem nice in theory, but it looks tacky when people wear it in real life. Fortunately, the polo-skirt-combo seems to have faded out of style.
The Mullet
Although the mullet has been around since before the 1970s, that doesn't make it look good. In a single word, mullets are "awful." And yet, some people brought the haircut back in 2019, with the addition of "steps"--sharp cuts that look like stairs leading to the bangs.
Mullets look so bad that they've become an internet meme. So can they die already? They're awkward and frame the face horribly. There's no positive word that can describe a mullet.
Bras As Shirts
2019 was the year of wearing bras as shirts, and it made a lot of people uncomfortable. It wasn't just that it looked like underwear (which some of them did), but it's not comfortable, period.
Although nobody bats an eye at celebrities showing their bras, everyday people wearing nothing but a bra may make people think that you forgot a shirt. Plus, bras certainly aren't cheaper alternatives to shirts. One year was all this trend needed to go out of style.
Walking Was Impossible In Hobble Skirts
The hobble skirt debuted in the 1910s by French designer, Paul Poiret, who was dubbed "The King of Fashion in America." Thankfully, this notion didn't stick. These long, close-fitting skirts were quite the nuisance, forcing women (who unfortunately didn’t feel they had much of a choice in those days) who wore them to take tiny steps, leaving no room for any moving of the legs.
This style, at the time, was known for “liberating” women (hmmm, sure) from those heavy petticoats and compressing corsets. Poiret stated, “Yes, I freed the bust. But I shackled the legs.
Bottle-Green Dresses Were Dyed With Arsenic
Turns out, bottle-green dresses were all the rage in the Victorian era. When looking at such dresses, you can't deny their beauty for that specific time, but once you learn the truth behind them, it may make you think twice! To achieve this desired shade of green, the fabric used was dyed using large amounts of arsenic.
Some women suffered impaired vision, nausea, and skin reactions to the dye, and if that doesn't horrify you, these symptoms were basically shrugged off because the dresses were only worn for special occasions. However, the garment makers were the real sufferers as many died while producing this questionably fashionable trend to life.
People Wore Powdered Wigs Because They Were Balding From Syphilis
While you may be familiar with the powdered wigs of the Middle Ages, you may not know that they have been tied to syphilis. Author Sheldon J. Watts explains in Epidemics and History: Disease, Power, and Imperialism that back then, many of those in the upper and middle classes had the disease, which produced some raunchy smells, and not to mention, baldness.
To cover the smell, many people wore goat, horse, or human hair wigs called perukes, powdered in scents like lavender and orange to cover the stink. The trend caught on when Louis XIV started wearing them. He, too, had syphilis.
Lotus Shoes Prevented Foot Growth
Is it a pouch? A hand-warming device? A bed for a tiny pet? Slippers, even? More like lotus shoes. Lotus shoes were worn primarily by Chinese women with bound feet. It turns out that for centuries, families continually broke and folded the feet of their young daughters to create the tiny feet that represented femininity, even bounding the foot with long ribbons to prevent growth. Are you enraged yet?
While there were many attempts to ban this abhorrent ritual, it was officially outlawed in 1912, though it was secretly practiced in some areas of China for years after.
Corsets Were Legal Torture
Corsets have played a major part in women's fashion since the fifth century. Luckily, they are not as prevalent today, although some celebrities are promoting waist trainers. While most people believe that corsets were deadly, they often were the reason for indigestion and constipation and caused organs to shift around.
Director and chief curator of the Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology, Valerie Steele, explains, "Corsets did not cause scoliosis, the crushing of the liver, cancer, or tuberculosis. It doesn’t mean that corsets were without any health problems, but it does mean that most modern people are wildly naive in believing the most absurd antiquated medical accusations about corsetry."
Muslin Dresses Were Cute But Provided No Protection From The Elements
This one can be a hit or miss, especially if you adore vintage clothing. Muslin dresses were popularized by Marie Antoinette and were deemed quite risqué as they were often sheer, embodying a new age where women were showing off more skin. Because the thin fabric offered no insulation, the dresses were difficult to wear in the winter months.
Rumor has it that some women even doused their dress with water or perfume to show off their figures, further exposing themselves to the elements. As a result, historians believe muslin dresses contributed to the 1803 influenza outbreak in Paris!
Starched Collars Were Deadly
Stiffened and starchy collars may have been popular in the 19th century, but they were deadly in some cases. These collars were starched to the point where they became unbendable and were attached with a pair of studs. The collar was known to slowly asphyxiate a man, particularly if he fell asleep or passed out drinking.
Its pointed corners were also another dangerous aspect. Known as "the father killer," the collar killed a St. Louis man as he tripped in the street, its pointed corners jabbing into his throat making two ugly gashes. Why would anyone wear these things?!
Some Crakowes Were Two Feet Long!
If these don't creep you out, you’re in luck. Crakowes – also known as the poulaine – are super long shoes that reigned highest with men across Europe in the late 14th century. Named after Krákow, Poland, as they were introduced to England by Polish nobles, crakowes were six to 24 inches long and were a quick indicator of social status. Chains were often strung from the toe to the knee to allow easier walking. Sounds like more trouble than it’s worth!
Crakowes were considered ridiculous, vain, and dangerous by many conservatives and church leaders, who called them "devil's fingers," and rightfully so.
Panniers Made Women Look Like Baskets
Deriving from the French word "pannier," meaning "basket," panniers were prevalent in the 17th and 18th centuries. Panniers expanded the width of skirts and dresses and stood out on both sides of the waistline.
The devices varied in size and were mostly made of wood, mental, whalebone and sometimes reeds. Larger panniers were worn mostly on special occasions as they reflected the wearer's social status. Needless to say, panniers were uncomfortable, limiting movement and activity. Don’t even think of having a seat!
Chopines Were Almost Impossible To Walk In
In the 16th century, noble ladies went crazy for chopines – extreme platform shoes that were made mostly from wood or cork. Can you say splinters galore? Covered in leather, brocade, or jewel-embroidered velvet, chopines were worn as a sign of social status, with higher shoes indicating a higher standing. People literally had way too much time on their hands back then.
Needless to say, chopines made the wearer wobbly on their feet. Some women even needed assistance to venture out in their extra tall shoes. You think Lady Gaga would be down for these?
Breast Flatteners Removed All Curves
During the Roaring '20s, the goal of every undergarment was to flatten the torso and breasts so flapper dresses could hang straight down without any curvy distractions. Crafted by corset-makers R. & W.H. Symington, the garment was called the Symington Side Lacer – a device that would instantly flatten the breasts with tight straps and side laces to smooth out curves.
Later on, The Miracle Reducing Rubber Brassiere was designed to make these awful devices more comfortable without bones or lacings, while the Bramley Corsele combined the brassiere and corset into one piece that easily layered under dresses.
Cloche Hats
The 1920s gave way to cloche hats. Deriving from "cloche," the French word for “bell,” cloche hats were invented in 1908 but were popularized during the early 1920s. The hats even matched the hairstyles of women, mostly known as the Eton crop: the short, slicked down cut worn by Josephine Baker. It became popular because back then, it was ideal to showcase the shape of cloche hats.
The cloche later enjoyed a resurgence in the 1960s, again in the 1980s, and later when they were featured in the Fall 2007 collections of many designers.
Crinolines Contributed To 19 Deaths In Just 2 Months
In the 1800s, it was all about the crinoline. The crinoline, better known as the hoop skirt, was a bell-shaped device that, like panniers, pushed the volume of skirts to an extreme degree. Worn by Victorian women, crinolines were originally petticoats made of linen stiffened with horsehair. Later on, an invention of the steel cage crinoline offered the same voluminous aesthetic without the bulk of petticoats and heat.
They may have looked glamorous, but crinolines were quite hazardous. A Boston woman died in 1858 when her skirt caught embers from a fireplace in her parlor and went up in flames. Nineteen deaths occurred within a two-month period. Yikes!
Bustles Were Meant To Emphasize Women's Back Ends
The well-known Victorian bustle came to prominence in the 1870s. Also known as the "Grecian bend," bustles exaggerated the back ends of women with fabric gathered up and draped at the back of a dress.
Justifiably so, the bustle was a frequent target of ridicule back in the day. In 1868, Laura Redden Searing – who went by the pen name Howard Glyndon – shared a piece in the New York Times about the agony women put themselves through for fashion, sharing, “If you knew the Spartan courage which is required to go through an ordeal of this sort for two or three hours at a time, you would not wonder that she has not an idea left in her head after her daily display is over.”
Bloomer Skirts "Revealed Too Much"
Bloomer skirts were the result of newspaper editor and temperance advocate Amelia Bloom's efforts to start a wave of more practical and less constricting clothing for women in the 1850s. The bloomer suit consisted of trousers under a knee-length skirt with a vest. The suit caught on with temperance activists and other like-minded women, causing a major sensation.
While the downside is that women were often harassed while wearing bloomer suits due to them being deemed "scandalous," it marked an important time in history for women. The press and society lamented that the suit robbed a woman of her mystery by revealing too much. Seriously? Look at the thing!
Poodle Skirts Were The First "Teenage Fashion Trend"
While there's no denying everyone’s love for poodles, was it really necessary to embroider them onto a skirt? Poodle skirts were popularized in the 1950s but were originally invented in 1947 by Juli Lynn Charlot who wanted the skirts to tell a story and become conversation starters.
One of the most memorable symbols of the 1950s Americana, poodle skirts were commonly worn by movie stars and teenage girls. As they began to reach a wider audience, they were featured in fashion magazines and advertisements. Known as the first "teenage fashion trend," poodle skirts were perfect for dancing…oddly enough in diners with milkshakes as a reward.
Bliauts Hindered Movement
Bliaut or bliaud is a word from Old French and German origins, which in modern terms means "blouse." Worn by European men and women during the 12th century, the most notable features on bliauts were their extremely long sleeves that may have looked dramatic but likely hindered any movement.
Bliauts were mostly made out of wool, but silk was also a known fabric. The exact origin isn't known, but historians believe the bliaut made its way to Europe during the Crusades.
Macaroni You Don't Want To Eat
While macaroni may be your favorite side dish covered in gooey cheese, back in the 1700s, this was a rather strange fashion trend. Remember Yankee Doodle Dandy as he stuck a feature in his cap and called it macaroni? Well, that's all about to make sense now.
That lyric was referring to young French men in the 1750s who took Italian fashion to the extreme. The most notable element of this atrocity was a huge wig with a tiny hat or feather on top. They also donned bright stockings, flashy waistcoats, and fancy buckled shoes. Are you cringing yet?
Codpieces Accentuated Unmentionables
Luckily, this one stayed in the past. Fifteenth and 16th-century men used codpieces (which we're sure, if used today, would be called something totally different) to accentuate their...packages. Most often made with padded cloth and embroidered fabrics, metal codpieces were also worn. Ouch? Codpieces were designed to draw praise, as the term "cod" was slang for scrotum (cue eye roll).
Luckily, someone came to their senses as philosopher Michel de Montaigne called out the utter hypocrisy of the device, deeming the codpiece, “an empty and useless model of a member that we cannot even decently mention by name, which however we show off and parade in public.”
Bombasts Were Super Puffy
People of the 16th century were seriously obsessed with embellished body stuffing. Bombasts were popular with both men and women back in the day, and just imagining this style as a popular entity today is quite amusing. Let's be real though – we all know we’d be dying to take mid-afternoon naps on those things!
Bombasts were made with cotton, wool, and even sawdust to add volume to areas of clothing, particularly the sleeves. We think it’s safe to say that the shoulder pad resurgence of the 1980s is more preferred when it comes to being puffy!
