Revisiting the best and worst trends of the decade

Thanks to the dedicated chronicling of retro fashion by accounts like @90sperspective and @doyoulovethe2000s, looking back on the styles that dominated each era from flower power to punk and Princess Diana to Paris Hilton is easier than ever. But as we get ready to ring in a new decade, we have to wonder what 2010s trends will be worth revisiting.

Ahead of 2020, we asked fashion’s favorite muses who have seen, and worn, it all, to break down the best trends they embraced over the past 10 years, as well as those they regret with the photo evidence to prove it.

Herizen Guardiola
Singer-songwriter, actress, model

What were the most influential — and your favorite — trends of the past decade? Oversized, “vintage” T-shirts with boots or chunky platforms!

What were the most misguided — and your least favorite — trends of the past decade?
I think the most misguided trend of the decade is the JUUL. I use to have one because all my friends were doing it, but I’ve stopped because I started to feel sick and was getting addicted, which is super gross. Also, cowboy hats, bolo ties, and tassels.

Devon Lee Carlson
Model, designer, co-founder of Wildflower Cases

What were the most influential — and your favorite — trends of the past decade?
Sweatsuits I think might be my favorite trend of the decade. Anything from a Juicy Couture tracksuit, to a comfy oversized set. Also I loved 90s small black sunnies, leopard print, cowboy boots, and platform sneakers. Out of all these faves, I think I'll forever wear leopard print. Platform sneakers were very fun, but I think I'm ready to move along.

What were the most misguided — and your least favorite — trends of the past decade?
Low, low-waisted jeans, sneaker wedges, gladiator sandals — I've participated in each of these trends and I am very sorry.

Evan Mock
Skater, surfer, model

What were the most influential — and your favorite — trends of the past decade?
For me, I’d say crop tops.

What were the most misguided — and your least favorite — trends of the past decade?
FILA shoes (you know the ones). Also long-ass shirts with a drop crotch sweatpants and fake YEEZYs — I definitely did not participate in any of those.

Shaquille Aaron-Keith
Poet, fine artist

What were the most influential — and your favorite — trends of the past decade?
There have been some really interesting trends. Things that I think a lot of people don’t really acknowledge or pay homage too now. For example, one of my favourites and most influential was the jerkin’ era — skinny jeans, snapbacks, Vans, and maybe even basketball jersey. It really blended with the Tumblr aesthetic of snapbacks and denim jackets, and made people more fashion-conscious. Another obvious influential trend was the ‘Dad’ shoe or the chunky sneaker, which again I partook in.

My next one isn’t really a trend, it’s a lifestyle: the queer scene. I love how the LGBTQ community has freedom of expression in their styles and influences. Brands like MMRMS that are heavily-influenced by the queer scene in London are now accepted and worn by celebrities, which is something that wouldn’t happen years ago.

What were the most misguided — and your least favorite — trends of the past decade?
The hypebeast will never die, which can be a bit cringey in my opinion, but I still admire it. It’s beautiful how people can build relationships over the latest Supreme drop and really get into a conversation about it.

The FILA Disruptor phase was a bit too strong, never have I seen one product create a culture within itself — everyone knows of it, whether you like them or not. But I’m sorry, the shoe should definitely be left in this decade in my opinion. Also, who can forget the trend of poking out the lenses of some 3D glasses from Cineworld etc. That ‘nerd’ era was definitely something worth noting down. I was involved — I’m not innocent. Thinking about how I can incorporate these glasses into my fits… we’ve definitely come a long way. Bring on the next decade!

SONIA
Singer-songwriter, model

What were the most influential — and your favorite — trends of the past decade?
My favorite was definitely oversized/men’s clothing. I wear blazers more than anything else. It ironically makes me feel sexy and feminine.

What were the most misguided — and your least favorite — trends of the past decade?
Chokers. Specifically the thick lace or leather ones, like in this photo. They’re unflattering and in this photo it looks like there are lace panties wrapped around my neck.

Gabrielle Richardson
Model, activist, art curator

What were the most influential — and your favorite — trends of the past decade?
I think the most influential trend of the past decade is the comeback of grills. I just love the concept of everyone having a smile covered in gold and jewels. The best thing about it is that grills are so personalized that no one has the same set, everyone has an individualized look. You can tell a lot about a person from their grill.

What were the most misguided — and your least favorite — trends of the past decade?
I think my least favorite trend of the last decade is probably highly-edited filters. When everyone was just using Instagram filter presets and every picture looked like it was from a Western film set in some strange alternate universe. Also, everyone wearing flowers crowns (including me). Just anything 2012-Coachella-energy needs to stay there.

FLETCHER
Singer-songwriter

What were the most influential — and your favorite — trends of the past decade?
Thrifted, vintage band T-shirts, platform sneakers, cute pantsuit moments, chains, denim-on-denim, neon colors, tiny sunglasses, and Euphoria-inspired makeup looks. These are all trends I very much support. I think the most important trend that has occurred over the past decade is fashion’s new, less-binary perspective as to how clothes relate to gender. It’s been really inspirational, and I hope to see this trend on a larger scale in the next decade to come.

What were the most misguided — and your least favorite — trends of the past decade?
My least favorite trends (and ones that I’m really guilty of participating in) were gladiator sandals, flowers in the hair, oversized sunglasses, really dark eyeliner inside the waterline, colored contacts, gaucho pants (honestly thank god I can’t find a single photo of me in these), the duck face, the front hair poof (but maybe this one is just because I’m from Jersey) and at times, multiple of these offenses in one outfit. Sometimes I look back at photos and think to myself who the hell let me out of that house wearing that? All of these things make me cringe desperately, but you live and learn right?