Over time, few things are certain in fashion: Trends will fade, personal tastes will change and the one item you actually want will be way too expensive. And, don’t forget, there will always be a must-have item that simply doesn’t age well. So, in celebration of PureWow’s tenth anniversary, we dug through the archives to unearth five of the most questionable trends from the last decade. From clear shoes to cold-shoulder tops, we hope you’re prepared for this cringe-worthy trip down memory lane.
Phew, we should have let this “elevated” sneaker fade into obscurity after its first 15 minutes of fame. Instead, we gave wedge sneaks a second chance. Needless to say, the third time will not be the charm for glammed-up gym shoe.
If you wanted to show a little skin in the office around 2016—without a stern scolding from HR—you probably wore a cold-shoulder top. You know, the kind of shirt that lets just a sliver of your shoulders see the outside world. Hey, at least it was more meeting-appropriate than a tube top.
Which is it: Midi or maxi? The whole high-low trend made us wish that we stuck with a single-length hem for the entirety of 2017.
We wholly blame on Kim Kardashian for fostering the clear shoe trend, which gave rise to countless blisters and never really looked all that great with floral print. Or denim, for that matter.
This was not an easy accessory to pull off…unless, of course, you’ve got the cheekbones of a Hadid sister or happened to be just as effortlessly cool as Rihanna.
