High-waisted shorts, one-piece swimsuits and crop tops have made a comeback. Whether it’s a thank you to your mom’s closet, or a “good-lookin’ out” to Macklemore for his thrift shop suggestion, it seems that we can’t get away from the clothes from the past.
Every decade or two, it’s becoming more popular to see fashion trends repeat themselves by taking past looks and incorporating them into high-fashion shows. Eugenians have created a market for vintage looks both old and new. On the gently used side, Buffalo Exchange takes eccentric outfits and contrasts selectively chosen items to showcase a taste for an aged and new-wave taste. Just exactly what stores like this look for may be a secret, but the styles that repeat themselves come from a long line of trends from the last century.
Janelle Derven, manager of the Eugene Buffalo Exchange, talks a bit more about her idea of trends that are seen making a comeback in today’s market.
Derven notes styles that take us back to the “fit ‘n’ flare” styles from the 50s and newer “Boho Fashion” that bring forward bell bottom cuts from the 60s and 70s.
“There are a lot of 90s retro pieces getting updated, too – culottes, overalls, smiley face and daisy prints – I’m not so sure about the staying power of the 90s compared to some of the more classic revived styles, but it is a fun and playful way to mix up outfits,” Derven said.
She, like many other designers and stores, has enjoyed the comeback of high-waisted bottoms claiming them to be more flattering to an array of different bodies.
Buffalo Exchange is not the only store in Eugene to take new and used clothes and juxtapose them to showcase trends of the ages. American Apparel stands out on 13th Avenue with their retro looks displayed in the window.
Brooke Anderson, an employee at American Apparel, defines the styles on the mannequins by saying, “Right now our clothes are 80s and 90s.”
Derven and Anderson agree that high-waisted shorts are the favorite current comeback trend, claiming they are much more flattering than other cuts and styles. Anderson believes the current trend of loose fitting dresses will resurface in the future due to their comfort.
Luca Lin, a China native who doesn’t consider himself to be a fashion icon, has his own opinions on the matter. For him, capris are a thing that he loves and see’s a lot in Asian fashion. As far as reoccurring trends go, Lin has his own idea about it all.
“I grew up watching the movies, both western and eastern, from the 80s and 90s,” Lin said. “You know when you grew up with something you become nostalgic about it and you want to get back to it.”
For Lin, our obsession with bringing trends back isn’t for the fashion or trend itself, but rather a way to get back to another time or to emulate an idol.
No matter how you cut it, it’s clear that fashion has its way of coming back around, keeping some of the best and worst trends of all time.