You’re Not Ready to Revisit These Embarrassing Trends From High School
Imagine this: You're back in high school (I know, sorry for that), you go to put your Coca-Cola-flavored Lip Smacker chapstick on in your locker mirror, and proceed to walk down your high school hallway feeling like straight up Paris Hilton—complete with a big "JUICY" logo across your butt. Or maybe you were wearing padded shoulders...or skirts over jeans...or studded belts. The point is, no matter when you graduated high school, the fashion was a complete dumpster fire, probably—and there's plenty to be embarrassed about. Lucky for you, I am here to break it allllll down. So get in losers, we're going down memory lane.
Literally nothing was off-limits when it came to your sock game. See here: A young Demi Moore rocking striped leg warmers with gym shorts and a Nike polo. The '80s were truly wild.
Back when clowns were clearly used as style inspo, everything had frills. Here, Beetlejuice actress Jennifer Beals proves bigger isn't always better.
Did the zebra and leopard combo, leather skirt, dice earrings, and sheer stockings distract you from her one (yes, singular) mesh glove? Bc it sure didn't for me.
Sorry if high school ended for you in the mid-'80s, because you probably wore chunky belts and earrings, then contoured your entire face with red blush and finished it all off with a lopsided ponytail.
I'll forgive the cardigan-slash-blazer thing Molly Ringwald is wearing, but I will NOT forgive her for passing this floral bowler hat trend on to a nation of teens during the Pretty in Pink era. Truly tragic.
In the late '80s, being a Madonna fan meant one thing: Lace headbands, lace jackets, lace shirts. Hey, even your lace leggings were worn over lace skirts. IT WAS TOO MUCH.
Thanks to 1988's Heathers, kids embraced the preppy linebacker look. Because nothing pairs better with a button-up than a blazer with enough padding to supply an entire NFL team.
Forget regular bags. A fanny pack was way more ~edgy~ in the '80s—just look to Ally Sheedy for proof. I can hear the "It'S nOt a PhAsE, mOm!" from here.
Admit it: Not only did you live for the moment you went to the mall to nab one, but you proudly wore your own name across your chest way more than you should have.
All I'll say is when you wear a belted pleather jacket the right way, you look like Vanessa Williams. When you wear it the wrong way, you look like a giant trash bag. It's that simple.
Ah, the '90s. The days of denim vests and matching jeans. Looking back, maybe we should've left the Canadian tuxedos to the pros. And by pros, I mean Britney and Justin, obvi.
Cold, hard truth time: Were high schoolers too old for this trend? Yup. Did it stop us from buying a Mickey Mouse jacket anyway? Nope.
Looser fits, layers, and (what do ya know?) more vests. Put it all together and it kinda gives Phoebe "Smelly Cat" Buffay vibes.
Sure, taking style advice from Dionne and Cher seemed like the right thing to do at the time, but do you still love those pics of you in so much plaid it makes your eyes hurt? Didn't think so.
Behold, Emily in Paris class. At one point in time, students like Juliette Lewis in The Evening Star went to school looking like they just came from the Louvre.
The dELiA*s catalog was the fashion bible of the '90s. Case in point: Brandy's marble print bootcut pants, which I clearly remember circling in the catalog for my mom.
Sure, because cargo pants weren't bad enough. After chopping off the bottom half, they became capris that paired best with ridiculous flip flops. Melissa Joan Hart, how could you???
Cheetah, leopard, zebra....it didn't matter what animal print you were wearing, all of them were popular in the late '90s. Should we call Xtina's look a Jungle Tuxedo?? Get it??
In the new millennium, it was cool to announce you're a "Control Freak" to the world. Other popular sayings you'll hate to remember you wore: "Angel," "I'm With Stupid," and "Flirt."
The frameless, un-tinted lenses didn't shield your eyes from UV rays, but, then again, sun protection wasn't cool for at least another decade. Bonus trend alert: Peep Jessica Simpson's initials necklace ??.
Why every teen in 2002 wanted to go out in public showing off their thong is beyond me. Side note: I know TikTok is trying to bring back this trend, which may or may not be my worst nightmare. *Laughs nervously*
Okay, okay, I know this is a bonus beauty trend and not something people technically wear, but that lipstick is a CRIME and needs to be brought to justice, mmkay?? If living goddess J.Lo can't pull it off, no one can. Moving on.
If you were lucky enough to totally beg talk your parents into splurging on a Juicy Couture tracksuit, you might have been the coolest kid in class. Tbh, I'd still wear this today.
I cannot accept the fact that society thought this was acceptable. Scroll on to see the rest of the Disney Channel portion of this list. Warning: It's....disheartening.
When I tell you the sheer willpower it took to only use one Ashley Tisdale pic. She is the MOMENT when it comes to early '00s fashion—the gift that truly keeps on giving. For now, pls enjoy this skirt over a pair of jeans look—aka pure chaos.
All hail the Coachella Queen! Vanessa knew the power of a scarf headband to transform any outfit—just don't forget to pull the silky tail to the front of your shoulders so everyone can see how ~boho~ you are.
Too short to be a dress, too long to be a shirt. A true identity crisis of a top.
I can name "7 Things" I hate about this outfit, but I won't. *Takes deep breath* Sequined mini-vest, layered stud belts, pink newsboy cap, blue bracelet that doesn't match, giant red ring. There, that's only five!
Raise your hand if you had a slight scarf addiction. It's okay, Hil, we all did. Sigh, it was the times.
Sasha Pieterse had to wear the iconic yellow tank—you know the one—so much throughout the SEVEN (!) years of the show that she once called it the "bane of [her] existence." And as someone who shamelessly watched all seven years worth of episodes: Same, Sasha. Same.
Looking back, I have questions. It looks like Victoria Justice (and tbh, all of us who copied this from her) got into a fight with a sparrow and lost.
UGGs (especially paired with leggings) were a socially acceptable way to show up to school in pajamas. Minimal effort? Check. Minimal style? Also check.
This was the year it was decided that scarves were out and giant rhinestones and chains clasped tightly around your neck were somehow in.
Random person: "Oh, I think you lost an earring!"
Me in 2014: "Nope, it's the style now..."
List of things you can't do with sleeves this long: Wash your hands, look at a watch, write, type, eat—basically, ya know, live.
Unless you booked a lead role in a Western movie, leave the fringe at home. Otherwise you'll end up looking back at photos like this, wondering where it all went wrong.
Once again proving that literally anything can go viral (this was before TikTok!!), these jeans—with clear, plastic and very sweaty panels on the knees—were a huge thing back in 2017. LOL.
Between the dad sneakers and the dad socks, it's giving Cher dad.
Head-to-toe tie-dye is cute if you're on the bus to summer camp. Not so cute if you're, you know, an adult.
If you graduated high school in 2020, 1) I am so sorry and 2) at least you got to put style to the side and stay comfy in baggy T-shirts for the entire year?
For the love of all things Von Dutch, DO NOT bring this trend back, kids. Trust me, you won't look as good as Rihanna, and you will look like 2003-era Ashton Kutcher. Is that what you want??
And we've made it to 2022. Listen up, kids: I get it. You're young, wild, and nothing embarrasses you yet. But when you're looking back at yourself one day wearing platform shoes, bows, butterfly clips, and a truly absurd amount of pink and purple, don't say I didn't warn you.
You’re Not Ready to Revisit These Embarrassing Trends From High School
Imagine this: You're back in high school (I know, sorry for that), you go to put your Coca-Cola-flavored Lip Smacker chapstick on in your locker mirror, and proceed to walk down your high school hallway feeling like straight up Paris Hilton—complete with a big "JUICY" logo across your butt. Or maybe you were wearing padded shoulders...or skirts over jeans...or studded belts. The point is, no matter when you graduated high school, the fashion was a complete dumpster fire, probably—and there's plenty to be embarrassed about. Lucky for you, I am here to break it allllll down. So get in losers, we're going down memory lane.
High school fashion wasn't great. From Juicy tracksuits to skirts over jeans, here's a look at the most embarrassing style trend the year you graduated.
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