Fads To Bring Back

No Need To Say Goodbye

By Devna Panda

Whatever happened to slap bracelets, Pogs, internet chat rooms, and Beanie Babies? Must the new always usher out the old? I say there’s an incredibly strong case to be made for fad endurance. The 90s were a decade of contentment, post-Cold War, with the internet bringing about new forms of communication and entertainment. While there are most definitely aspects of 90s culture that should not be romanticized, such as the popularization of smoking cigarettes amongst youth (yuck!), I would advocate that there are quite a few fashion fads that I would welcome the return of with open arms. The 90s were characterized by two major vibes: grunge and sporty. The perfect outfit to wear while listening to Pearl Jam’s “Last Kiss” on your Walkman would have been a graphic tee coupled with baggy dad jeans and a multicolored flannel artfully tied around your waist. And, if you were slightly more within the mainstream and enchanted with athleisure, you could be seen rocking a velour sweatsuit or hypercolor windbreaker. Who couldn’t love fashion in the 90s? After all, this was the decade that saw Cher Horowitz’s yellow, checkered skirt suit paired with knee-high socks and white ballet flats. Ugh!, as if this outfit could be left off the list of most notable outfits from the 90s. Not to mention, the bedazzled white collared top Julia Stiles wears during the famous poem reading scene in 10 Things I Hate About You is timeless in my eyes. New is not always better; there is no shortage of trends to borrow from this glorious decade. I would gladly trade in my flared leggings for a denim jumper. And why did we decide that jean jackets were no longer cool? I vote that we collectively step back as a society and reclaim the fashion trends that allow us to express ourselves with vibrance and pizazz.