Fashion, like many other aspects of life, is constantly changing. Quite often, it is influenced by culture and age. Over the years, some fashion trends have stood out, with others impacting positively while others not so much. This article compiles some of history’s most unusual fashion trends.
1. Bliauts
Bliauts are garments with long sleeves that sometimes extend to the floor. This trend was popular in the 12th century and was common amongst the upper class. Wearing a dress with very long sleeves was a sign that one didn’t have a job, nor did they engage in peasant tasks. The bliauts trend lasted for decades and is still embraced in modern fashion.
2. Paper Dresses
Those who may have been around during the 60s can testify about the strange paper dresses ladies used to wear. As the name implies, these dresses were made of paper and promoted when corporate brands campaigned for sustainability and eco-living. Though cheap and easy to dispose, paper dresses were very impractical. They would tear easily, and things got worse when it rained.
3. Live Insect Jewelry
Today, there are lots of jewelry that come in insect shapes. However, in the Victorian era, people walked around with live insect jewelry. The insects would be constrained with pins or strings, and you could see them moving while being worn as necklace pendants. This unusual fashion trend was viral in England during the late 1800s.
4. Bombasting
From the 16th to the 18th century, there was a popular fashion trend in England known as bombasting. It entailed excessive padding inside clothing to make the wearer appear larger than they usually are. This fashion trend was shared with upper-class society and was popularized by Queen Elizabeth I. Bombasting is still popular today but is less exaggerated.
5. Oversized Boyfriend Shirts
While it’s common for girlfriends to wear their boyfriend’s clothing when they visit, some have taken the practice beyond that. Around 2010, girls started wearing oversized boyfriend shirts outdoors. They would add some flair to the shirts by leaving several buttons open or throwing the collar back. Thankfully, the trend didn’t last long.
6. See-Through Clothes
In 2023, many celebrities, including Dua Lipa, Rihanna, and Kate Moss, walked the red carpet wearing see-through clothes. As the name implies, these are dresses, skirts, or tops that people can see through to the wearer’s body.
7. Different Colored Boots
This fashion trend mostly started on runways; models would catwalk while wearing different colored boots. Some celebrities, including football/soccer stars, embraced this fashion trend, and so did some enthusiasts. It was prevalent among the younger generation because it turned many heads.
8. Ripped Stockings
When a pair of stockings gets ripped, most people get a new one. However, some fashion enthusiasts wear ripped stockings as part of their craft. This trend became popular in the early 21st century and was embraced by popular brands and designers like Gucci and Alexander Wang.
9. Clear Plastic Jeans
In 2017, British fashion company Topshop took the internet by storm when they launched clear plastic jeans. This idea may have been inspired by Kim Kardashian, who was spotted wearing clear PVC boots earlier that year.
These clear plastic jeans were sold for $100 each during the launch. Topshop claimed that they invented clear plastic jeans to allow people to show off their legs confidently and still feel comfortable wearing a pair of jeans.
10. Huge Clown Shoes
The huge clown shoes trend started on TikTok, and in no time, celebrities such as Iggy Azalea and Lil Nas X were spotted rocking them. This prompted shoe companies such as Loewe and Prada to manufacture a wide range of huge clown shoe designs.
11. Extreme Cutouts
Cutout clothing has been around since the early 1900s. However, it was not until the 1990s that fashion designers decided to get serious with them. Today, clothing cutouts have become extreme. People are wearing clothes with cutouts on the belly button, breasts, and even their behinds. For instance, Julia Fox was spotted wearing an all-leather ensemble with circular cutouts in her behind last year. The outfit also had a horsetail to compliment the entire look.
12. Innerwear as Outerwear
Fashion enthusiasts are known for their ability to think outside the box. In 2023, a model for Miu Miu, Emma Corin, walked down the runway in innerwear coated with dazzling ornaments and a pull neck. A few months later, Gucci and Tom Ford embraced this fashion trend. Thankfully, this bizarre fashion trend has remained strictly confined to runways.
13. Codpieces
During the 15th century, men’s attire consisted of padded cloth connected with a metal codpiece that would be used to accentuate their private parts. These outfits were designed to draw attention to the men’s nether areas.
Though famous, this design didn’t sit right with scholars and academics. For instance, in the 1580s, French Philosopher Micheal de Montaigne attributed codpieces to hypocrisy and embarrassment.
14. Breast Flatteners
In the 1920s, women wore dresses with breast flatteners; the hourglass inspired the trend. Clothes would be fitted with undergarments such as brassieres and corsets to flatten the breasts and minimize curves.
