words Dmytro Spilka
Every year in fashion there’s always at least one trend that everybody will look back on and wonder ‘what was I thinking?’ While we already know that 2023 will certainly be no different, working out what will go on to become the year’s most embarrassing trend can be a little harder without the benefit of hindsight. So, let’s explore the prime candidates to become the worst trend of the year.
The ‘90s had parachute pants, the ‘00s had velour tracksuits and shutter shades, and the ‘10s had the man-bun and leotards. We can already place a critical eye on the gas station sunglasses trend of 2022 as a prime candidate for last year’s style to forget.
But what will steal the limelight in 2023 and become the best-worst trend in fashion? As we get to grips with fashion weeks in Paris, New York, and Milan, as well as the launch of spring/summer collections the world over, it’s time to scour the year’s hottest trends that we’re most likely to look back on with disgust in the not-too-distant future. Let’s take a deeper look at the 2023 trends that we’ll soon be eager to forget:
The Double-Denim Revival
Some trends are stubborn enough to stay with us through the decades while others prefer to lay dormant for a few years before making a resounding comeback. The double-denim fashion trend appears to have snapped out of its slumber in late 2022 ready to take the world by storm again in 2023. Stars like Megan Fox boldly stepped out in the baggy denim look above in a move that resembles the Justin and Britney heyday of denim overkill.
The trend gathered momentum in 2023 with denim being the preferred choice of many contestants on the UK’s Love Island series in January, but will the style really be looked back on with a fondness in years to come?
Double-denim has long been regarded as a fashion faux pas, and although it’s possible to highlight a few stylish exceptions to the rule, for many mere mortals it’s simply a look that can be too tacky to sugarcoat. There’s little doubt that the double denim 2023 revival will be one that’s short lived.
Crocs’ Moment in the Limelight
Speaking of styles that were best left in other decades, we have the Crocs as our second consideration for 2023’s most embarrassing trend. So durable are these 21st Century rubbery reimagining of the clogs, Crocs have managed to survive widespread derision from their 2002 launch all the way into 2023 where they’ve actually managed to become a leading fashion accessory.
Crocs have even effectively marketed their product to be decorated by the wearers through ‘charms’, which can be added to the iconic vents on the top of the shoe to add a little personalization to the look.
This shoe has long been dividing opinion, so when Heidi Klum stepped out in yellow platform Crocs covered in charms, it sparked much debate about her choice in wardrobe. Complementing Klum’s look was a bright bodysuit and stylish aviator glasses as if to style out a shabby chic look. The end result is certainly an acquired taste. Could we create a striking look by combining the bright functionality of Crocs with some of Versace’s more elaborate selection of eyewear? The chances are that we’ll never find out because it’s a look that nobody would want to replicate in the future.
The Dysfunctional Sheer Dress
If the 2023 Oscars or recent Milan Fashion Week featuring Dua Lipa in the lacy number pictured above are anything to go by, sheer dresses have made a resounding impression on today’s fashion. However, as a trend that’s pretty exclusive to only the world’s most body confident individuals, it’s likely to be a trend that never escapes the catwalk or red carpet any time soon.
While it may not be an objectively embarrassing trend to emerge this year, its dysfunctional relationship with fashion and wearers in their 30s or over means that it’s a style that’s better off floating under the radar of mainstream fashion.
Sportswear’s Descent into Slobwear
There’s something quite refreshing about fashion’s descent into slobwear in 2023. Where sportswear was once the choice for lazy dressers, the pioneering brilliance of Portia in The White Lotus, played by Hayley Lu Richardson, has brought back the art of chaotic fashion.
Described by The Guardian’s fashion and lifestyle editor, Morwenna Ferrier as “a sort of Annie Hall imagined by TikTok,” Portia has helped to recapture the imagination of creating looks that appear as though no effort has been made.
Although slobwear seems inevitable in a society that exists in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic and one that’s becoming increasingly familiar with working in relaxing home environments, it’s unlikely that such chaos can stand the test of time. When society rediscovers its passion for matching attire, we could be looking at a slobwear in an entirely different way.
While it seems that 2023 is certainly going full throttle when it comes to both high fashion and casual wear, it’s still the trends that refuse to die like double-denim and Crocs that dominate our wardrobes this year. Perhaps in a society that’s learning to embrace their inner slob, shabby really can find its inner chic in 2023?
