We have witnessed zillions of fashion trends come and go. Some left before we could even flaunt them, while others stayed longer and left slower. We often romanticize past trends and applaud them as elegant and enchanting. However, many of them would easily fall into bad fashion. While fashion is supposed to make us look better and trendy, some trends have been quite uncomfortable and downright ugly. For those, we are glad they never came back.
If you think some contemporary fashion trends are weird and unattractive, know that this is nothing new. Whether it is Eastern girls’ dresses with unflattering cuts or western wear in unappealing styles, know that history is full of bad choices in fashion, but stitched lawn suits are always in fashion.
Check out some of the most repulsive fashion trends, from cinching corsets to face jewelry.
Top 7 Cringe-Worthy Fashion Trends
- Decorative Gingiva.
- Cloche Hats.
- Ugg Boots and Crocs.
- Corsets.
- Face Jewelry and Safety Pins.
- Overly Thin Brows.
- Denim Overload.
Decorative Gingiva
Did you know that sugar was a rare commodity in the Elizabethan era? Not only was it rare, but it was also incredibly expensive. So much so that only the rich could afford to indulge. Today, when sugar is not only ubiquitous but also very cheap, it’s hard to imagine that an entire fashion trend came into being to flaunt the affordability of sugar.
The pearly white veneer was not much appealing. Instead, the rich and trendy Elizabethans declared tooth decay a hot trend as it showed that their sugar consumption was quite high. It led to the birth of a temporary (thankfully) fad for those who couldn’t afford sugar to fake tooth decay by applying black powder on their gingiva and teeth. Ew!
Soon enough, both excruciating toothaches and sugar became quite common. And this dumb trend died its death.
Cloche Hats
Who likes to look like an overgrown infant? Well, cloche hats look like the hat trend for newborns. Hats are supposed to add class and elegance to the overall look. But cloche hats do the opposite.
While this hat trend of the 1920s did make a comeback once, it is evident that this hat type flatter very few heads. People have tried to make these hats look better by embellishing them with rhinestones, feathers, and even ribbons. But the shape and look of cloche hats are completely distasteful and unattractive.
UGG Boots and Crocs
Ugg boots are warm and comfy, but don’t they seem like something straight out of the caves? In many classic movies, we have witnessed old warriors wearing gladiator sandals and ugg boots. Uggs became so popular that they spread like wildfire from Australia to the United States. They became a fashion statement, and celebs and fashionistas flaunted them all year long with miniskirts and shorts. Even fashion icons like Beyonce sported them with minis.
Thankfully, people realized that archaic-looking accessories could be more pleasant.
Corsets
Corsets have been coming and going in the fashion scene since as early as the 16th century. They are a symbol of sensuality and femininity. These ultra-uncomfy pieces not only cinch the waist to a piercing limit but also look like they will damage the organs inside. They constrict the body so tightly that we fear broken ribs and difficulty breathing. Moreover, it takes ages to wear this piece. You tie an endless number of ribbons/laces and make sure that your eyes pop out, and your breathing is constricted. What a relentless fashion trend!
To add to your cringe, the 16th-century corsets were made as an undergarment for models and were made of iron. Yikes!
Face Jewelry and Safety Pins
The punk rock movement could have been more pleasant than ever. But sometimes, they went a little too far. Piercing different parts of the face and ears is a regular part of punk fashion. But they took it to a different extreme when they started inserting safety pins into their cheeks, ears, and noses in the name of face jewelry. Imagine the torcher!
Imagine your face getting pierced with office supplies. This highly questionable fashion trend was completely absurd and painful. We are so glad that the trend left and never came back.
Overly Thin Brows
In the early ‘00s, the eyebrows were trimmed and threaded to a painful extent. So much so that what was left of the eyebrows was a thin arch just like it had been drawn with a pencil. Currently, full brows are the new rage on Instagram. Yes, we like full and thick brows, but those bushy and feathered brows are too much. We say why don’t we stick to moderate-sized brows?
Brows have been one feature experimented on a little too severely in the name of fashion. We should work on finding a happy medium!
Denim Overload
We love denim on denim with an addition of a white tee or something to make it subtle. But we have witnessed too much denim in fashion history. Do you remember Britney and Justin’s VMAs look of 2001? They should win the title of the hideous coordinated couple outfit. Brit went overboard with patches of denim on an already denim gown. She even held a denim purse, and Justin wore a denim hat. That was too much denim for one day! We actually tried to find something similar and browsed online women’s wear sites, but no! No one has reached that level of denim overdose.
