Sometimes, looking at fashion magazines can cause serious déjà vu. Those flared jeans you donated to Goodwill decades ago keep going in and out of style and this season, chokers, a mega-accessories trend in the 90s, are back en vogue. But it’s not all rinse, wash and repeat. Designers and stylists typically make small but noteworthy changes when reviving an old fad, proving that a little time and space can be a good thing even in fashion.
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Chokers
Wear a choker to work and your Millennial co-workers will likely get nostalgic about their TRL and Britney Spears fan club days. But the necklace of the 90s is looking edgier and more elegant than the webbed-style chokers tweens used to sport. For a night out, sport a leather-and-metal choker, like Alexander Wang’s models did during Fall Fashion Week, or opt for a more feminine look by wrapping a silky ribbon around your neck.
Bell Bottoms
J Brand Helena High Rise Crop Boot Jeans. image: shopbop.com
Wardrobes are having another flare up—but unlike a reoccurring battle with runner’s knee, the return of bell-bottoms is a welcome one. It’s not exactly Disco Fever II, though. This season’s bell-bottoms are cropped and the flare is a bit more refined. Pair with a stiletto to make legs look longer.
Crop Top
Leave the belly button rings and frayed jorts in the closet where they belong. Crop tops are all grown up and—dare I say it—modest pieces these days. Jason Wu styled models in cropped knit tops and high-waisted skirts and shorts, making it so only a sliver of skin showed, at Spring Fashion Week. Long sleeved crop tops, which help wearers strike a balance between skin-baring and covered-up, have also been popping up in department stores and boutiques.
Full Skirts
The ladylike skirt has been popular for at least a century and a half and has had many re-incarnations over the years (poufy 80s prom dresses, anyone?). Thanks in part to Kate Middleton, they’ve taken a refined turn and haven’t left our wardrobes since. Keep it super-feminine by wearing one with floral prints or look opulent after hours in a pleated, coated skirt. Full skirts that hit below the knee can make even the tallest person appear short though—look long and lean in classic pumps.
Fringe
Rebecca Minkoff Fringe Jon Crossbody $145. image: mint boutiques/shopmint.com
After a heyday in the 70s, fringe became music-fest-only wear. But in 2015, the likes of BCBG and Ralph Lauren added it to everything from coats and jackets to shoes. Today, the style has captured the attention of jewelry designers, who are creating casual and elegant tassel necklaces, like these beauties available at Rose Jewelers in Southampton.