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The Worst Fashion Trends Of The Decade

Congrats team, we’ve officially (almost) completed a full decade… WOW. Hard to think about the fact that I started this decade as a naive high school junior with jet black hair, an unreasonably orange tan, and a wardrobe complete with Ed Hardy graphic tees. Oh, how far I’ve come! I can speak for us all when I say that we have all have changed significantly over the past ten years, as we should. And, just as we have all changed, fashion too has evolved (for better and for worse). Like, who back in 2010 could have predicted that in 2019 we’d all be wearing baggy sweats with crop tops and dad sneakers because Kim Kardashian West (a future lawyer) made it cool to do so? Trends are a weird thing and, of course, we’ve seen some terrible ones over this past decade. So now let’s all try to contain our cringe sweats as we dive into the worst fashion trends from each year of this decade, and try to forget that we voluntarily chose to participate in these hideous trends. 

2010: Jeggings

Chico’s Pull-On Jeggings 

What better way to kick off the worst trends of the decade than with jeggings! Oh, jeggings the true star of infomercials, weekend-deal-buster department store ads, and closet staple of all of the trashiest girls from your high school. No matter how hard anyone tried to “elevate” the jegging, it just simply couldn’t be done. At the end of the day, it was always still a legging-jean hybrid, two things that we should never have tried to mix. And thus, forever a great fashion tragedy.

2011: Toning Sneakers

Skechers Shape-ups 2.0 

Toning sneakers… anyone, anyone? I mean, it’s kind of a brilliant concept in theory, but they were just so terrible to look at that it was impossible for anyone to get on board with this trend who wasn’t a suburban mom. Not to mention, there’s no evidence they even work. So our moms we would be walking around with gigantic orthopedic shoes for nothing. Wait, you know what? I’m just realizing something…were these clunky toning sneakers foreshadowing of the chunky dad sneaker to come???

2012: Statement Necklaces

FSMILING Antique Gold Bib Statement Necklace

If Queen Stassi gave us anything, it was her hard endorsement of the statement necklace trend. Oh, along with, “It’s my f*cking birthday!” and “I’m not sure what I’ve done to you, but I’ll take a Pinot Grigio.” Okay, she’s given us A LOT this decade. Unfortunately, even with all that she has given us, she is still guilty of being a strong supporter of this terrible trend. I don’t know who told us we should be walking around with the entire Cave of Wonders from Aladdin strapped to our necks, but they should be burned at the stake for that crime against humanity.

2013: Wedge Sneakers

Cambridge Lace-Up Fashion Sneaker Wedge

Wedge sneakers… yikes. If there is an overarching theme of bad 2000s fashion, it’s that we thought we could mix things that never should go together. There’s a reason you have sneakers for the gym and wedges for the club, so I don’t know who initially thought “let’s take my most comfortable, least fashionable shoes and make them hideous and harder to walk in!” But that person needs to be put to justice. I’m going to go ahead and admit here that I MAY have had a pair of these…or two. But it didn’t matter because I was always too self-conscious to wear them. For all the trends I’ve embraced, this is one that I just never thought I could actually pull off. And like, fair, because really, no one could. 

2014: Printed Leggings

Idingding Galaxy Star Printed High Waist Leggings 

I honestly don’t know what’s worse, cheap-looking jeggings or tacky printed leggings. And somehow, we managed to combine both into one very unflattering and NSFW trend! If you are wearing paper-thin printed leggings for anything other than lounging around your house or a Halloween costume, please take a long, hard look in the mirror.

2015: Flower Crowns

Flower Crown Floral Headpiece 

If you didn’t wear a flower crown then you’re either a liar or you need to get out more. Everyone who is anyone has worn a flower crown at some point in time and, as cringe as that is, it’s the sad truth. Throwback to 2015 when flower crowns were the fashion icon of the festival trend. Every basic bitch who only listens to Top 40 hits was being #wanderlust and going to any music festival she could get her dad to buy her tickets to. And that was all fine and good, but then flower crowns made their way into weddings, and we officially had a fiasco on our hands, where any bitch who’d stepped outside one time thought she was a boho princess. This is why we can’t have nice things.

2016: Chokers

Forever 21 Cross Pendant Choker 

Not going to lie, I definitely gave this trend my approval along with my hard-earned dollars for legit a piece of string with a charm hanging off of it. And, if I’m still being honest, this is a trend I do still kind of like. However, it’s the worst trend of 2016 because EVERY GIRL across this great nation was wearing a choker. It became so basic that seeing a girl in a choker was as much a guarantee as seeing a girl in her Adidas three stripes. 

2017: Furry Sandals

Fluffy Sandals Faux Fur 

Okay, again, this was actually a trend I do support, but only in theory. This is because I, like most regular everyday civilians, have no f*cking idea how or when to wear these shoes. I have several pairs of these because I think they’re adorable, but the question still remains: WHEN THE F*CK DO I WEAR THEM!?! They’re sandals, but they have fur, so if I wear them in the summer then my feet will inevitably sweat and make the fur all gross and matted. And, if I wear them in the winter then I’ll be on the same level as those white guys who wear shorts year-round, and I’ll have to sacrifice a few toes to frostbite. And then what’s left? Spring or fall maybe? But with what? And in what context? Even if these may be cute, they still make zero sense.

2018: Tiny Sunglasses

Slocyclub Vintage Small Sunglasses 

Now, I know this is a trend that most of you probably hate and will fully get behind me crowning this the “worst trend of 2018.” Of course, as a self-proclaimed fashionista I admit that I do think this trend looks cool. Like, when I see Bella or Kendall wearing tiny sunglasses, it looks so chic. But therein lies the problem: You and I are not Bella or Kendall, and so there is no real-world occasion that these are useful. You’re wearing sunglasses that neither protect your eyes, nor the area around your eyes to help prevent wrinkles. This trend is legit just to look cool and, as much as I love to look cool, I still need my trends to, at the minimum, be somewhat practical. Not to mention, our kids are going to roast us so hard for this.

2019 – Micro Mini Bags

Pretty Little Thing Natural Snake Micro Mini Bag

Like I just stated, impractical trends are not my thing. I can’t justify spending money on sh*t that isn’t going to benefit my daily life. Unlike the sunglasses trend that, although impractical I still think looks cool, I don’t think the micro mini bag trend even looks cool, unless you’re Lizzo. And I just don’t see the point of a bag that can’t even fit my phone in it. What am I meant to put in here? A tube of Chapstick and one credit card? I’m good. Call me when Olsen-level oversized hobo bags come back in style, thanks.

So as we now approach the start of this totally new decade, I can’t help but think about how in 10 years from now I’ll again be looking back and cringing at all the terrible trends I actively participated in. Not to mention the fact that, unfortunately for us all, thanks to social media we will all have our fashion tragedies yet to come officially recorded for all eternity. And they say social media is bad for your mental health…

Images: Beauty Style / Shutterstock.com; Chicos; Skechers; Amazon (6); Forever 21; Pretty Little Thing

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Shannon McCormick
Shannon McCormick
Shannon McCormick (previously under the alias of 'Betch Dressed') is a self-proclaimed fashion expert with a sick obsession for all things Bravo. She primarily writes about everything fashion, but also dabbles in other areas because she's a talented overachieving Virgo. Follow her on Insta (@shanmccormick) and comment/DM topics you want to hear her incredible take on next!