I was going to save you the secondhand cringe of describing one of my favorite outfits that I wore in the 9th grade, but since I'm talking about nostalgic trends, I think it's necessary. It was a striped sweater, bright red skinny jeans, a maxi crochet vest, and of course, tall black Uggs. Before you ask, no, I don't have any pictures. You may be as surprised as I am when I say that all of the pieces I wore back then are trending in 2021, but in a much more elevated way. They're not exactly the same as the pieces I scoured from the racks of Limited Too, Forever 21, and Wet Seal, but the common themes are all there.
There are a lot of comebacks made in 2021, from micro miniskirts to low-rise jeans, but the nine below are ones that I have vivid clear memory wearing all throughout the 2010s. Think the era of Tumblr, Polyvore, and fashion bloggers galore. There are even some early '2000s trends that have made it into the mix too. (I have a sister that is eight years older than me, so I tried real hard to incorporate what I saw in her TV shows into my wardrobe at a far too young age.)
I got a nostalgia trip just writing this story, but also got excited to incorporate these more modernized styles into my current wardrobe. Keep scrolling to have a look for yourself.
Colored Jeans
If you didn't own skinny jeans in all of the shades on the rainbow in the 2010s, what were you doing? Luckily, the ones on the market right now have a more relaxed fit and are a little more flattering.
Crochet
I always had some crochet pieces in my closet during high school. We saw plenty of the crochet theme in the summer, but it's starting to trickle into sweaters for the season as well.
Wedges
It was hard to be convinced on this one, but our editor Eliza made a good case for it. I'll just have to try extra hard to remove the wedge Toms I wore in middle school from my brain.
Preppy Striped Tops
Striped tops aren't exactly new, but the variety of options on the market right now is more than I've seen in a while. Plus, it seems like I see a new striped look on my Instagram feed everyday. I still remember pinning multiple looks from Alexa Chung wearing a simple striped top and high-waisted skinny jeans.
Cargo Pants
I remember the excitement when I wore my new cargo pants with converse to my first day of school. I felt like Kim Possible and Lindsay Lohan in Freaky Friday. And now they're back.
Uggs
Uggs sell in high volumes every year due to their comfort, but they're often worn very casually while running errands or with loungewear. I've spotted Uggs on my Instagram feed with tastefully styled outfits, and it's giving me flashbacks.
Leg Warmers
Whether it's actual leg warmers or tall socks, both will help you incorporate the nostalgic trend into your winter wardrobe. Pair with traditional leggings and boots, or style with a miniskirt like above.
Detached Sleeves
Yup, arm warmers are back too.
Ties
Avril Lavigne also used to wear ties, so I wore ties. I don't think my dad ever caught me stealing them from his closet once. With the pop-punk scene on the rise in music, I'm not surprised it's made its way into fashion.
Next: 10 Winter Trends I Found on Instagram After Scrolling for Way Too Long
