Ah, 2014. A simpler time when fashion trends circulated on Tumblr, Buzzfeed’s YouTube had millions of views, and mustaches were popular for no reason. I was a pre-teen then, and I remember yearning to buy skater skirts, knee-high socks and galaxy-patterned tank tops from Hot Topic. Let’s dive into some trends, and why (or why not) they should return.
Mustaches
I don’t remember why mustaches were popular, but they were everywhere. You could find them on shirts, cups, nails, beanies, and necklaces from Justice. One theory behind the popular mustache trend originates with hipsters. This subculture rejects conventional trends. So, the mustache trend may have been used to poke fun at “standard” fashion.
Twee Fashion
When I look at twee fashion, I immediately think of Zooey Deschanel’s character in New Girl, Jess. She is the muse of the movement. Some hallmarks of this fashion trend include Peter-Pan collared shirts, various colored tights, ballet flats, mules, and flat-brim hipster hats. It usually includes bright colors, stripes, and polka dots all mixed in one ensemble. I think elements of this trend may return slowly; I’ve seen TikTok videos of people recreating Twee-inspired outfits.
YouTube Self-Care Routines
I ate these YouTube videos up: breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Ever heard of Bethany Mota? MyLifeAsEva? Nikki and Gabi? These are only some of the key YouTubers in this movement. The trend of filming daily routines started with Bethany Mota in the early 2010s. They became extremely popular, creating an entirely new genre of content for creators to share. The videos were primarily targeted toward teenage girls, emphasizing products creators used throughout their routines.
Variations of daily routines were widespread: morning, bedtime, back-to-school, summer, winter, fall, and more. This trend still prevails, although it looks different. I currently love watching daily routine TikTok videos. When I watch this content, it feels relaxing yet productive at the same time, like I am vicariously living through the creator’s routine.
Buzzfeed
Buzzfeed used to be a popular online platform that produced relatable YouTube videos and billions of personality quizzes. I used to scour through pages of quizzes from, “Which Disney Princess Are You?” to “Revealing Your Darkest Secrets Based on Which School Supplies You Pick” (which is unfortunately a real quiz, by the way).
Tumblr Fashion
I remember wanting to be like the Tumblr girls when I was younger. They had shirts with quirky text prints on them, like “Unicorns Are Real.” Not that I had that specific shirt. At all. Arctic Monkeys merch was everywhere, and black combat boots became a signature piece in any Tumblr grunge outfit. The most infamous fashion piece is the black choker necklace. I specifically remember a looped plastic one being very popular at my school. Once the concept of the choker necklace was born, there was no going back. Different colors, styles, and prints of chokers emerged. I don’t think they’ll make a comeback, but who knows?
Thanks for taking a painfully millennial nostalgia tour with me. These topics simply scratch the surface of early 2010s trends, and I don’t know if I want certain parts of history (especially the mustaches) to repeat itself.