17 Cringey Fashion Trends We All Thought Were Cool
These fashion trends were all the rage back then, but now, they just make us cringe.
- Daisy Montero
- 4 min read
Some styles were everywhere — until they aged badly. This list goes through 17 fashion trends we once loved but now feel embarrassed about. Now, they are just funny reminders of what we thought looked cool.
1. Low‑Rise Jeans That Showed Too Much
https://www.flickr.com/photos/acidhelm/ (Michael Dunn) on Wikimedia Commons
Low‑rise jeans once ruled the fashion scene with their super low waistlines. They often exposed thong straps or midriff unintentionally. In hindsight, they feel more embarrassing than stylish.
2. Butterfly Clips as Hair Accessories
Kauey on Wikimedia Commons
Butterfly clips were beloved for adding a playful touch to hairstyles. They often failed to hold hair securely and looked more decorative than practical. Now, they feel outdated and overly nostalgic.
3. Popcorn Crop Tops / Baby Tees
90sbabe on Wikimedia Commons
Popcorn crop tops clung tight and often barely covered the torso. Paired with ultra‑low jeans, they created an overly revealing combo. Today, they read more like a relic of early 2000s youth fashion gone wrong.
4. Denim Miniskirts
No machine-readable author provided. Safedom assumed (based on copyright claims). on Wikimedia Commons
Denim miniskirts were mini in every sense of the word and often paired with leggings or fishnets. They carried a teenage soap opera aesthetic that feels overly juvenile now. Modern audiences usually see them as too flashy for most settings.
5. Flip‑Flop Platform Shoes
Ceddie2000 on Wikimedia Commons
Flip‑flop platforms tried to mix casual sandals with high heels. They ended up looking awkward and unsteady on the foot. People often describe them now as a style experiment that should never return.
6. Tube Tops, Often Bedazzled
TriviaKing (talk)DWS on Wikimedia Commons
Tube tops hugged the torso without straps and drew attention with sparkly embellishments. They were popular for parties and casual days alike. In retrospect they feel impractical and overly bold.
7. Dresses Worn Over Jeans
Ba Tik on Pexels
Layering a dress on top of jeans once seemed like a creative style hack. The effect often looked mismatched or bulky in practice. Today, it is seen as an awkward attempt at layering that rarely worked.
8. Indie Sleaze / Scene Kid Aesthetic
Justin Atkins on Wikimedia Commons
The indie sleaze look mixed thrifted band shirts with heavy eyeliner in a laid-back, intentionally messy style. It celebrated unpolished cool but often came across as a lazy costume. Now, it feels stale and overly ironic.
9. JNCO Super‑Wide Baggy Jeans
Schreckgespenst on Wikimedia Commons
JNCO jeans spread wide enough to nearly hide the wearer’s legs entirely. Their huge pockets and oversized fit made them a bold statement. Today, they look absurd rather than daring.
10. Teased Bangs and Frosted Tips
OnlyOneOf official on Wikimedia Commons
Teased hair created high volume at the top while frosted tips added bright blond streaks at the ends. The combo was dramatic and exaggerated. Now, it seems like a hair horror show from another era.
11. Shoulder Pads and Puffy Sleeves
Unknown author on Wikimedia Commons
Shoulder pads inflated the shoulder line to dramatic proportions. Puffy sleeves added even more volume to tops and jackets. The combination now looks costume like and overly theatrical.
12. Neon Overload and Jelly Prints
Yaritza on Wikimedia Commons
Neon outfits glowed from head to toe while jelly prints added translucent textures. These styles aimed to grab attention at all times. Now, they feel eye-searing and outdated.
13. Mustache Motif Everything
Mustafa Sabri Soymaç on Pexels
Tiny mustache graphics appeared on mugs, tees, and accessories in ironic celebration. The motif became associated with millennial humor at its most ironic. In 2025, it reads as too kitschy and tired to revisit.
14. Jeffrey Campbell Lita Platform Boots
Tu Foto on Wikimedia Commons
These platform boots rose high and looked edgy with chunky wooden soles. They became infamous as one of the boldest shoe designs of their time. Now, many recall them as uncomfortable and overly dramatic.
15. Visible Pop Punk Emo Style
Vít Hassan on Wikimedia Commons
Skinny jeans, check-patterned Vans, and dyed fringes defined early 2000s emo fashion. Band tees and snakebite piercings rounded out the edgy look. Now, it feels overly familiar and hard to take seriously.
16. Cold Shoulder Cutout Tops
Pete Bellis petebellis on Wikimedia Commons
Cold shoulder tops expose the upper arms through cutouts near the shoulder area. They were especially popular among more mature audiences seeking subtle skin exposure. Today, many view them as aging and unflattering.
17. Bootcut Flared Leggings (Shark Boots)
Yasintha Dinuk on Wikimedia Commons
Bootcut leggings flared over shoes, creating waves at the ankles in “shark tooth” style. They were a casual yet statement look for those wanting something different. Now, they strike many as poorly fitting and awkward to style.