If you’re a fashion nerd like me (or just someone who loves a good vintage find), you have probably noticed that fashion is one giant revolving door. The same trends our mothers, grandmothers (and even great-grandmothers) wore have a funny way of sneaking back into our wardrobes—sometimes reinvented, sometimes questionably unchanged (looking at you miss sixty, 2000s low-rise jeans 😅).I love looking at how different fashion eras shaped what we wear today. Some trends have aged beautifully (hello, slip dresses), while others… well, we’re still emotionally recovering from.
The Roaring Twenties: Champagne, Fringe, and Freedom
The world was coming out of a time of restriction, women were embracing shorter hemlines, and people were living it up. The 1920s was all about breaking fashion rules, dancing all night, and wearing a ridiculous amount of fringe.
The Trends That Defined the 1920s
Flapper dresses – The original “I’m here to have a good time” dress.
Cloche hats – Think Downton Abbey meets The Great Gatsby.
Beaded everything – If it didn’t shimmer, it wasn’t worth wearing.
What We’ve Stolen from the 1920s
Drop-waist dresses (my personal favourite style of a dress for my long torso)
Art Deco-inspired accessories – If you own a geometric clutch or beaded earrings, thank the 1920s, and they never will really go out of style.
Dramatic eveningwear – Any time you see fringe or beading on a red carpet, just know a flapper would approve.
The Swinging Sixties
The 60s gave us youth culture in full force—this was the decade where fashion really became playful, bold, and full of personality (think Twiggy, go-go boots, and lots of geometric prints).
Sixties Fashion Staples
Mini skirts – Legs really got their moment.
Bold prints & colour blocking – Psychedelic swirls, polka dots, and checkerboard patterns.
Shift dresses – Cute, structured, and so easy to wear.
How the 60s Still Influence Your Wardrobe
Mini skirts? Still very much alive—whether in tweed, leather, or pleats.
Colour blocking remains a major trend.
The classic shift dress is still a go-to.
The Eighties: Power Dressing and Questionable Hair Decisions
The 80s was the era of bigger is better—bigger shoulders, bigger hair, bigger earrings.
Peak 80s Fashion Moments
Shoulder pads – Done right, these are still one of my favourite things to have in a wardrobe to balance a silhouette.
Metallic & neon everything – Subtlety? Never heard of it.
High-waisted jeans & leather jackets – Thank you 80’s, still a firm favourite of mine.
How the 80s Never Really Left Us
Oversized blazers? Still a wardrobe essential—now with slightly less aggressive padding.
Bold statement accessories are everywhere (although we have dialed it back from “earrings the size of your head”).
Metallics and bright colours continue to pop up, especially in eveningwear.
The Minimalist Nineties: Grunge & Slip Dresses
After the visual assault that was the 80s, the 90s took a cooler, more relaxed approach. Fashion became effortless, slightly rebellious, and weirdly obsessed with spaghetti straps.
90s Fashion Staples
Slip dresses – Kate Moss made them a thing, and we have never looked back.
Grunge – Flannel shirts, Doc Martens, and the “I stole this from my brother” look.
Denim on denim – Still can work so incredible well.
How We’re Still Dressing Like It’s 1995
Oversized flannel shirts & chunky boots – The uniform of every cool girl at a festival.
90s minimalism is everywhere—neutral colours, relaxed tailoring, and an effortlessly undone look, think the kids call it Scandi style, but a white vest top and jeans? We did that in the 90’s!!
The 2000s: Chaos, Glitter, and Low-Rise Jeans!
The 2000s were… a lot. It was the time of velour tracksuits, tiny handbags that held absolutely nothing, and denim miniskirts worn over leggings, skyscraper platforms. Unfortunately I was a teen in the 00’s (and camera phones became a thing) so there is multiple amounts of evidence that anything went style wise for me in this decade.
Peak 2000s Fashion Moments
Boho chic – Flowing dresses, peasant tops, and too many bangles.
Low-rise jeans – If you survived this trend, I hope you’re healing.
Slogan tees & trucker hats – The unofficial uniform of 2003.
The 2000s Are Back (Like It or Not)
Y2K fashion is having a major revival (and yes, Gen Z is fully committed to it).
Boho elements still sneak into summer wardrobes—flowy dresses, layered jewellery, etc.
Tracksuits are cool again, but thankfully, we have swapped rhinestones for slightly chicer versions.
I smiled so many times writing this blog post—mainly at the absolute fashion crimes I willingly committed over the years. The trends I thought made me look so cool at the time (hello, low-rise jeans and an unnecessary amount of butterfly clips) now live rent-free in my memory, and honestly? No regrets.
Fashion is cyclical, but it’s also a bit of a time capsule. Looking back at old trends is like flipping through an album of our past selves—the outfits we wore for big nights out, shared with friends, and still love today (even though we should not).
And while some trends deserve a second chance (blazers, slip dresses, anything that doesn’t involve a rhinestone slogan), others should probably stay in the archives where they belong. Either way, fashion keeps us on our toes—and gives us some great stories (and slightly mortifying photos) along the way.
Nichola xx