Bad fashion belongs in decades of past, fond memories

Fashionab-Lee

Many heinous fashion trends exist. Each decade seems to usher in a few looks that we regret now — or at least we will someday.

Half of a century of unsightly trends were kicked off in the ’50s with the poodle skirt. These skirts may be antiques, but worn with white socks and saddle shoes, they were anything but grown-up. Leave the poodle skirts on the hanger and raid your grandmother’s closet for classy ’50s cardigans instead.

The British invasion of the ’60s brought the mod look — white knee boots worn with hot pants, which never are a good combination. Hippie styles, like leather fringe and gaucho (huge pant legs and sleeves), also were worn. Hopefully, we’ll never see those again.

Disco and John Travolta made their debuts in the ’70s. Unfortunately, bell-bottom pants also surfaced. These extremely tight pants — which appeared to cut off circulation in the (ahem) nether region — flared at the knee to form a bell shape. Thank goodness this look has been toned down to moderately flared — aka bootcut — pants.

Acid-washed jeans ranks No. 1 on my list of appalling ’80s looks. These jeans were high-waisted, tapered and the worst shade of blue imaginable. They were worn by the best of us until the early ’90s; I cringe when I reminisce my 8-year-old, side-ponytailed self in those jeans. Ladies also wore shoulder pads, presumably to keep them in touch with their inner football player.

Everyone has a favorite bad fashion memory. "I didn’t like the stirrup leggings because they never stayed on my feet, and they were just not flattering," senior Jennifer Dascher said.

Sophomore Kristen Lundsten said, "Slouch socks were pretty bad where you wore three or four different colors so your legs looked like stupid ice cream cones"

Although most of us spent our youth in the ’90s, many unsightly trends may have slipped our minds. Every guy’s Christmas list used to include a massive Starter jacket to wear over his sagging jeans.

One trend I detest from recent years is the Playboy Bunny gear. I regretfully admit that I briefly was a victim. This bunny symbol, sported both by girls and guys, was representative of Hugh Hefner’s prized possessions — his magazine and his "Bunnies." Did the Bunny on the clothes exude sexuality? Probably not.

Who knows what our children will think when they look back on the fashion of today — but for now — we can be safe knowing the fashion of the ’80s and ’90s appear to be taking a back seat.