back when we wore things we would be mortified to be caught dead in now

I admit it. I used to think these fashion trends were cool. But they're hideous. They just seemed like a good idea at the time, but now that we are older (and supposedly wiser), it's quite embarrassing to recall how the need to project some sort of image often won over common sense. I'm pretty sure anyone who was alive at that time could come up with lengthier list of '90s fashion faux pas, but these are some of the most impractical and baffling.


1. Cycling shorts as casual wear
Image from here.

Cycling shorts are fine and absolutely appropriate at the gym - or well, when you're cycling. But how this was once considered sexy outerwear is beyond me. As if the tight fit and the sheerness of the fabric weren't enough to showcase your legs' deformities, designers thought of producing them in prints and bright colors.

Cycling shorts on men was particularly disturbing.

Image from here.

2. Platform sneakers, a.k.a., Spice Girls shoes

Platforms made a comeback from the '70s but the Spice Girls took them to absurd heights. Ladies in the '90s have Baby Spice to thank for many a twisted ankle.

Image from here.

Sandals, I get - they went with flared pants as part of the '70s retro thing going on in the '90s. But sneakers? The whole point of wearing sneakers is for added mobility; platform sneakers just don't make sense.


3. Matted hair

Nicked from here.

You would've rocked it if you were a grunge demigod making a huge dent in pop culture. It would've been rebelliously rad if you owned your unwashed hair, hopefully without smelling unwashed yourself. But whether you smelled nice or not, this sort of look is just unattractive, especially on a woman.


4. Sandals worn with socks and shorts

From here.

This is actually quite practical for wearing indoors during cold weather, when you just want to be comfy and at the same time warm. Wear this on a sunny day with shorts - the way we did back then - you would be a walking contradiction.


6. Tapered non-fit jeans

Nicked from here.

Shown here worn by the cast of the original cast of 90210. I cannot believe these people were considered cool.

Whenever I look at a photo from the '80s and early '90s of someone wearing tapered jeans, it makes me shudder. This trend is quite baffling. For one, it doesn't look comfortable at all. For another, it makes your pelvis appear longer and your a&& bigger. It makes your thighs and hips look chunkier, and your legs shorter.


7. Baggy, saggy pants

Nicked from here.

I don't think I have to explain why this is an atrocity.