22 of the Worst Fashion Trends We Hope Never Come Back

Everyone likes to think they are fashionable, but as trends come and go it is easy to find yourself suddenly out of the loop. What was once the in thing, like skinny jeans, is now frowned upon. It’s all about baggy pants and trousers. There’s a good chance by the time this article is published the fashion trends will have changed once again. If that is the case, we just pray that the worst fashion trends in history, such as saggy pants and Ed Hardy clothing, never come back. 

Fashion has certainly changed dramatically over the past two decades, with some of the most unforgivable fashion faux pas occurring during this time. That’s not to say our parents didn’t have some missteps along the way (neon spandex anyone?), but generally speaking, things haven’t been great since we hit the 00s. 

To make sure you don’t commit any fashion mistakes, we have come up with the worst fashion trends in recent years that we hope never make a return. Please stop wearing backside embroidered jeans. 

22 of the Worst Fashion Trends We Hope Never Come Back

1. Harem Pants

These baggy pants are loose around the hips and legs before tightening at the ankle. First introduced by Parisian fashion designer Paul Poiret, these pants are influenced by Middle Eastern clothing and are still worn by many today. We would prefer to see less harem pants on the market. 

2. Furry Boots

Snooki from Jersey Shore loved furry boots and helped make them popular for one hot minute. We don’t see the appeal of wearing an animal on your feet, but they are still a favorite among the rave crowd. 

3. Belly Chains

For those who weren’t allowed to pierce their belly buttons, a belly button chain was the next best option. These hideous pieces of jewelry are useless and don’t really add anything to an outfit. Even Christina Aguilera, who was a fan of the belly chain, couldn’t help it become a top fashion trend. 

4. Saggy Pants

Synonymous with rappers, saggy pants first became a thing in the 90s before exploding in the 00s with the likes of pop stars Justin Bieber and Justin Timberlake helping make this fashion trend a success.

Worn below the waist to show off a man’s underwear, this trend was so widespread it resulted in some schools banning students from wearing their pants low. 

5. Backside Embroidered Pants

This is a no from us here at the Next Luxury offices. Popular in the early 00s, pants and shorts with embroidered designs and words on the ass were everywhere, with many celebs caught wearing this style of pants in public.

They featured designs like butterflies and flowers along with messages such as “I Love Boys” and “Juicy,” and were loved by the Jersey Shore crowd. A great way to express your personality, these pants are unsightly and one of the worst fashion trends in recent memory. 

6. Happy Pants

MC Hammer was a big fan of happy pants. This 90s fashion disaster is basically a wide-legged pant that comes in a kaleidoscope of colors.

Happy pants were actually fashionable for much longer than they should have been, first originating in the 80s, hitting their peak in the 90s, and still hanging on for dear life in the 00s.  

7. Shutter Shades

Rising to popularity in the 80s, shutter shades had a renaissance in the 00s when Kanye West wore a pair in the music video for “Stronger.” The sunglasses are not practical in the slightest, with the cheap plastic shades not only hampering your vision but also failing to protect you from the sun. 

8. Popcorn Shirts

If you grew up in the 90s you might have owned a popcorn shirt. Made from very thin materials resembling popcorn kernels, these tops are up there with the puffy shirt from Seinfeld when it comes to horrible-looking clothing.

They looked super tiny until you put them on, that’s when they would expand to fit your body. This led them to be marked as “one-size-fits-all,” although that wasn’t exactly the reality. 

9. Boot Cut Jeans

Boot cut jeans are the modern version of flares. While they don’t flare out as much as their 60s counterparts, these jeans are reminiscent of the era of free love. While some still think they are fashionable, we disagree, but they are better than wearing an actual pair of flares that’s for sure. 

10. Ed Hardy

Tattoo artist Don Ed Hardy was ahead of the game. The talented artist, heavily influenced by Sailor Jerry Collins, became one of the top earners during the 80s and 90s and turned his art into fashion in 2002 when he licensed his designs. It didn’t take long for Ed Hardy clothing to catch fire and soon everybody in the fashion world took notice, with many celebrities snapped wearing Ed Hardy. 

While the brand was a big seller for many years (and to be honest, still does well), it didn’t take long for people to start trashing it. The large, colorful, over-the-top designs are offensive to the eyes and Ed Hardy soon became associated with muscled gym junkies. 

11. Lace Up Jeans

As the name suggests, these 00s jeans had to be laced up from the front. Instead of a button or clasp to keep the jeans in place, this style of denim used laces that the wearer would need to tie up to keep the jeans in place. Lindsay Lohan and Paris Hilton were fans, but due to the fidgety nature of the laces and the gimmicky look of the jeans, they quickly became obsolete. 

12. Bathing Suit Dress

This item of clothing does exactly what it says on the label. It’s a bathing suit that also works as a dress. We can see the ease of having this two-in-one outfit, as you can take a dip, dry off, then head to the pub, but it’s just as easy to have another set of clothes ready to go. This trend is one that still exists today, although you don’t see too many people wearing bathing suit dresses when out and about, for obvious reasons. 

13. Corsets

Originating in Italy, corsets became all the rage in Paris during the 1500s. The tight undergarment was worn beneath a woman’s clothing and used to flatten the stomach and enhance the breasts. For some reason, in the 00s, it became fashionable to wear a corset over your clothes. Why? We don’t know, but it wasn’t a good look and thankfully is hardly seen these days. 

14. Von Dutch 

Von Dutch is another gaudy fashion brand that was everywhere in the 00s. Paris Hilton, Madonna, Justin Timberlake, and Britney Spears were just some of the celebrities who were snapped wearing this horrible designer brand. Its fast rise to the top of the fashion tree was quickly cut down due to oversaturation and high-end fashion looking down on Von Dutch. 

The brand has had a resurgence in recent years thanks to the hip-hop community and several influencers making big money deals with Von Dutch, but hopefully this will be short-lived and Von Dutch will be relegated to the sale racks sooner rather than later. 

15. Denim Shorts With Exposed Pockets

This one just doesn’t make sense. Why would you want people to see the inside of your pockets? Apparently, it was meant to make jean shorts look sexier, but as anyone who has seen someone wearing denim shorts with the pockets exposed knows, it’s not a good look. 

16. Crocs

This one is sure to upset some people, but Crocs are horrible. There, we said it. Despite becoming fashionable in the past decade and one of the biggest selling forms of footwear in the world, we still can’t support the wearing of Crocs. These clunky alternatives to slides and flip-flops are extremely ugly and are one fashion accessory we wish never existed. 

17. Leather Trench Coats

Made famous by the Backstreet Boys and Keanu Reeves in the Matrix, leather trench coats are a no-no these days. Hot and heavy, they make you look like a goth and don’t have any place in modern fashion. Let’s not forget the Columbine killers also wore black leather trench coats, which should be all the urging you need to never wear one of these again. 

18. Leg Warmers

Popular in the 80s, leg warmers are worn over leggings to keep a person’s lower legs warm. Made from a variety of different materials and often coming in bright colors and featuring interesting designs, they are also hideous and have thankfully gone the way of the dodo. 

19. Poodle Skirts

Fashion started to become big in the 50s, although we don’t think the poodle skirt was one of the reasons why. Popular with young girls, these skirts featured designs of poodles on them. The poodles were usually embroidered onto the skirt and are now only found in vintage stores. 

20. Shoulder Pads

They look ugly, but shoulder pads served a purpose during the 80s and 90s. Women were finally being allowed to make an impact in male-dominated offices and the power suit became a thing. Many of these women’s suits came with shoulder pads that were meant to give an impression of authority and strength.

They might have done the trick 40 years ago, but today shoulder pads look clumsy and obtrusive and are a big no no when it comes to modern fashion. 

21. Giant Sunglasses

Just no. Sported by every famous person at some stage in the mid-00s, this form of eyewear has not aged well. Due to the size of the sunglasses, they often didn’t fit a person’s face and looked strange, often making beautiful people look less than desirable. 

22. Patterned Tights

You still see these on occasion, but thankfully they pretty much died out in the 60s around the same time Woodstock ended and the summer of free love became a distant memory. Patterned tights might have a place in the gym, but not when the designs are likely to cause seizures for people who stare at them too long.