Mom jeans, tie-dye and platforms? Oh my!

In her feature article, “You Aughts to See That ‘00s Style,” USA Today author, Anika Reed said it best: “everything old is new again.” Popular trends among today’s teens have definitely been seen before, but not at the same time. Iconic looks from the 1960’s through the 2000’s have been a source of fashion inspiration for many, and oftentimes items from different decades can be seen pieced together to form today’s trendiest outfits. Perhaps the most significant source of fashion inspiration for today’s teens would be the 1980’s. USA Today contributor Charisse Jones notes in her article, “Old Brands Learn New Tricks to Be Cool Again,” how the once popular brands such as Dr. Marten’s, Vans, Champion and Fila have made a significant comeback and are industry leaders once again. When walking the halls of South Kingstown High School, you will be sure to see girls wearing every single one of those brands and rocking looks that have been seen before. Farla Efros, president of leading retail consultancy firm, HRC Retail Advisory, adds that another allure to many of these resurging brands are that many different products can easily be customized online and personalized to one’s individual style. With brands such as Nike and Vans, teens can easily pick their favorite product online and add colors, designs and even their names or initials to whatever shoe they like. Typically, sneakers are associated with exercise or are seen paired with athletic outfits, however, this is no longer the case. Today’s teens are drawn to the comfort and simplicity of stylish sneakers and often are worn with dresses, skirts and jeans. In fact, some of the trendiest, yet very comfortable, outfits pay tribute to the 2000’s. Some of these adorable, yet practical pieces include tube tops, and spaghetti strap tops, which can be dressed up or dressed down. Other trendy items include cargo pants and denim skirts which have popped up all over the fashion scene and among the social media accounts of teens and young women. All of these items are often paired with unique colors, animal prints and other simple, understated pieces. It truly depends on the person’s style, but it has all been seen! Girls constantly love to take trends from different eras and piece them together, which makes it hard to identify items that are specific to today’s fashion world since there is a bit of everything going on. Maureen Sullivan, President of AOL.com, also provides great insight into today’s fashion industry in her feature piece, “Flashback to the 80’s This Fall.” Sullivan specifically highlights the trend of animal prints, especially leopard and cheetah, and how they can be seen on shoes, jewelry, dresses, tops, handbags and more. She also adds that many teens love their acid-wash jeans, monochromatic looks, patterned tights and for more formal outings, (faux) fur jackets. In addition to the significant style elements of the 1980’s and 2000’s, today’s looks also feature trends seen in the 1960’s, 1970’s and 1990’s. Visuals Director at Harper’s Bazaar, Jennifer Algoo and fashion freelance writer, Nicole Saunders focus on 60’s style their featured gallery, “The Best 1960’s Fashion Moments That Continue to Inspire Today.” Throughout this gallery, many images correlate to looks that teens can be seen wearing today. Of the outfits, what stood out most were dresses layered over both short and long sleeve tops, silk dresses, one-piece swimsuits, cable-knit sweaters, classy plaid prints, mini-dresses, vinyl boots, high-waisted skirts and leather. Hannah Almassi, Editorial Director of fashion website, WHO WHAT WEAR, also contributes her expertise on the most relative trends from the 70’s in her editorial, “22 Very Old Trends I’m Still Wearing Today.” She lists over-the-knee boots, velvet, corduroy, wrap dresses, tie-dye, crochet, layered jewelry, and platform shoes as the trendiest elements. Algoo and Saunders also teamed up to create a 70’s fashion gallery, “A Look Back at the Greatest 1970s Fashion Moments,” to provide more insight into the inspiration found in this infamous fashion era. They specifically note crop-tops, turtle necks, oversized sunglasses, bell sleeves, espadrilles, and bell-bottom jeans. All of which today’s teens love! Last but certainly not least, the 1990’s continue to inspire the fashion industry today. Associate fashion editor for Cosmopolitan, Lauren Adhav, lists numerous items that have made a strong comeback over the last 20-30 years. These pieces include: cardigans, loose-fitted jeans, sheer tops, athletic slides, hair clips, bike shorts, chain belts, fanny packs, fishnet tights, high-waisted mom jeans, denim jackets, platform sneakers, scrunchies and colorful windbreakers. While all of these trendy pieces were great during their designated eras, they look best when combined together to form one cohesive, stylish and modern look.