From the Back of Your Closet to the Front of Media
By Isabel Wallace
History tends to repeat itself, and fashion is not excluded from this reality. With the events of last year, social upheaval, pandemic, recessions, the world has been shaken and readjusted, making room for new trends in a brand-new world. With all the fears and uncertainties that 2020 brought with it leaves a society looking to the past for some sort of a constant. Nostalgia and escapism have become the demand from a world that has been faced with anxiety and paranoia, longing for a sense of something from outside the let-downs within the past year, and reminiscent of our childhoods in the early 2000s and 2013-14. Amidst the darkness and isolation there was a sense of passion and excitement coming from this new form of styling, allowing us to put our energy into collecting items that were stored in our closets since our Disney Channel and emo phases for a sense of comfort.
The trend cycle is the puppeteer behind the fashion industry, pulling strings of inspiration from the past decades. Like a wave, it has surges of new styles before gradually pulling back and spitting out more. Today, with the help of social media’s outreach and efficiency, the trend cycle moves much more rapidly, presenting trend after trend before we can catch our breath. This change in typical pace of trends seems like a waste of time and money as we attempt to keep up with the rapid, crashing waves that TikTok and other forms of social media have hastily given us. However, fashion revivalism is not a new phenomenon, and merely represents where society is and where it's going. The 1920s showed a sense of early 1800s Regency era with its high waisted, shapeless silhouettes and feather accessories. The 1980s saw certain similarities from the 40s with shoulder pads to create a diamond shaped silhouette and exaggerated, curly hair. Today, there has been a similar occurrence as young people begin to look to the past through thrifting and second-hand clothing, Depop for example, finding inspiration in their formative years; a resurgence of Y2k 2000s style and 2013 Tumblr core.
Our closets are a representation of time and history, with artefacts such as Ugg's, Juicy Couture track suits, Hello Kitty purses, and denim miniskirts. Luckily, it's time to dig out those now prized possessions, because with time comes wisdom, and we’re now old enough to do this era justice. This emergence into an era of Y2K, a term abbreviating a style of culture represented in the late 90s to early 2000s, is almost reminiscent of the then newly released iridescent CD, with metallic, translucent, sparkling fabrics being seen everywhere. Not just with clothing, there is also a trend of using outdated technology from this era as a form of accessory, with flip phones, chunky headphones, and Nintendo culture making its way back into our lives after a transition away from our childhood. All of this can be seen in the Queen of our era, Olivia Rodrigo, the pinnacle of young fashion today, who is constantly influencing and feeding the fire of Y2K culture. In her music video ‘good 4 u’, it opens with a filtered lens reminiscent of a fuzzy digital camera, immediately transporting us back into the 2000s. The entirety of the video also loosely follows the vibe of Jennifer’s Body, a classic ‘good for her’ movie from 2009, with the fusion of wholesome high school nostalgia, and chaotic, demonic images with fire, glowing eyes, and the frame of Olivia descending into an ominous lake amidst a dark forest, much like Megan Fox in her standout film. Similarly, the Y2K fashion that currently has our generation in a chokehold is pumped into Roderigo’s music video ‘Brutal’, as she struts around wearing beaded jewellery, double braids, and pigtails with streaks of dye, mesh tops, and mini pleated skirts. At one point, she sits atop of a retro convertible, wearing pink sunglasses that could be seen on fashion icon, Paris Hilton, and of course, adorning shimmering lip gloss. Roderigo is hyping up and strengthening a generation that is taking a strong inclination towards this era of time, but what is stronger, Olivia or the current trend cycle?
Imagine being stuck in 2020, sitting behind and staring at our computers, with all our friends trapped behind a screen, and thrown back into your childhood bedroom. There was a strong sense of loneliness and isolation that had us rummaging through the back of our closets, rediscovering the old flower crowns and band tees from punk and emo music that fuelled our pre teenage years. A poster of Twilight tucked away on the back wall and a box of at home hair dye hidden in the corner remind you of a time of similar feelings: confusion and angst. We have always searched for a sense of nostalgia in any given circumstance, however, the feeling is heightened when the present is so inescapable and your friends are once again, all online. 2013 was a simpler time, when we weren’t as afraid, and the only problems were going to school and fighting for tickets to a One Direction or Arctic Monkeys concert instead of a deadly pandemic filled with questions of morality and mental health. As horrible as this time might have felt for us, we now look back with wistful longing, preferring the worries we were so predisposed to over the fears that occupy us now. We yearn for familiarity, finding comfort in the difficulties of a thirteen-year-old. The edgy style that was so prominent during these years, with ripped tights and dark eyeliner coming back full swing. We find ourselves listening to indie pop just like before that rings the melancholy feeling we share during a collective trauma. A prime example of this era resurging is the usage of wired headphones, taking over air pods because of its aesthetic look and despite its lack of convenience. Following the lead of Lily Rose Depp, as she wears headphones to compliment her outfit, there is a trend of wearing these wires to fit the messy look that could have been seen in 2013 Tumblr fashion and shows the current preference for the simpler thing in life over complications. As we watch Doc Martens and black pleated skirts with fishnet tights force its way back into our lives, we watch a society reminisce a better time.
Society wants to feel comfort and knowing, using fashion as a sense of escapism and thinking ‘maybe if we dress like we aren’t in 2020, we suddenly won’t be.’ It’s been a messy couple of years and in turn the trends are just as messy, with clashing colours and exaggerated makeup, but they’re fun and exciting, allowing room for growth in the solace of our youth.
Fashion is a moment, and it represents society, and, in this moment, it represents a universal need for nostalgia, calling back the bold trends of the 2000s and 2013 to find both something to do and something else to feel.
Cover Photography by Jane McGlinchey
