What Not To Wear...Ever

Our All Time Worst Fashion Trends

from The Friendship Files Archive



We all have blindly bought into a bad fashion trend at least once or twice in our lives. Okay, maybe more. But it's good sense and friendly advice that has saved us from repeating these vile style mistakes. While compiling this list, I polled some of my friends, asking them to rate their worst fashion trends of all time. At the top of the list, and not surprisingly, were harem pants. It's interesting to see that what some people consider as their 'worst' fashion trend, others may regard as their 'best'. Here is what made the list:

What is The Worst Fashion Trend Ever?

*Shoulder pads and giant puffy sleeves...Dynasty was cancelled for a reason.

*MC Hammer drop-crotch pants thats sneaked its way back into fashion. Please send them back to a sealed vault in the 80's where they belong.

*Wearing sock with flops. I don't know whether it's only a South African thing, but I see way too many people wearing fuzzy socks with their flip flops and Birkenstocks. Make it Stop!!!

*Crocs, I die every time I see a pair. Your feet may deserve comfort but not the fluorescent, rubbery, Teletubby kind.

*At the age of about 12, I wore leg warmers with stockings and skirts...Yuck! I looked like a clone of my 88 year old granny. Why didn't anyone warn me?

*Wearing every piece of the jewellery you own all at once. You just need to plug yourself into a socket to light up.

*High waisted trousers...I just can't...

*Aladdin or Jasmine or Genie pants, I have no clue what it's called. Taking your fashion cues from a fictional Disney character is a Huge No-No.

*Jelly babies! My friends and I had one in every colour when we were young. I think we were responsible for that ban on plastic.

*Those mocassin shoes that's everywhere again...omg and the glitter one's! Nooo!

*Everything the Spice Girls wore in the 90's was outright trashy. But back then, we all thought those crazy high platform sneakers were so 'cool'.

*I see girls wear strappy mini dresses with furry knee high boots...in 35 degree weather. It's scorching hot outside, people are basically melting in the heat - who knows whats going on with your feet? Gross!

*Remember when everyone was wearing low rise jeans with their Swarovski thong straps showing? It still gives me nightmares.

*Denim dungarees, it's only okay if you work on a farm, someplace no one will ever see you. 

*Cropped tops that show off your belly. Where is the rest of your top? Did it get caught in the dryer?

*My biggest fashion don't is wearing a black bra under a white see-through blouse. So tacky!

*I'm seeing these peep toe boots in stores now that can't decide if it's a boot or a sandal.

*People that are not nerds and not optically challenged that wear nerd glasses. It's like they're directly poking fun at those of us who are 'forced' to wear specs.

*Balloon dresses are horrid. They make everyone look fat, so why wear it? 

*Velvet tracksuits that the glossy posse wear out absolutely everywhere. Worse were the ones written 'Juicy' on the butt. Cringe! Keep your tracksuits at the gym, not the shopping mall.

*Skants or skousers - which is a hybrid of a skirt and trousers. Yes, I owned one but I was young and misinformed.

*Three letters - VPL.

*Wearing your PJ's, slippers or hair rollers out in public. No one wants to know what you wear to bed.

*Mum jeans that sit on the waist line are ridiculous and so old fashioned. But then again, super low jeans that show butt-cracks are also off-putting.

*Ripped jeans - did a dog get to it before you did?

*Wearing oversized clothes is just as bad as wearing clothes that are three sizes too small for you.

*Scrunchies - a fashion fad so bad that we had to learn just how bad it is on an episode of Sex & the City.





Thanks to all my friends for sharing their biggest fashion don'ts with me. What have been some of your all-time worst fashion trends?