Feb 14, 20233 min read

The Newest Form of Upcycling: Trends From the Past.

History always repeats itself-- and the same goes for fashion.

Trends always seem to replicate themselves like the cyclical nature of fashion history. Once a popular style has died, it eventually finds its way back into both designer and mainstream fashion. As for 2023, we’re predicting the rebirth of some of fashion’s most iconic trends in a way that’s never been done before. If you thought you’d seen the last of capris, asymmetry or layering dresses with pants, think again!

The Asymmetry to Handkerchief Hem Pipeline

Between one-shoulder tops and v-line pants, we saw a lot of asymmetry cycle through fashion starting at the beginning of quarantine. Though we love this trend and hate to see it go, from this came the birth of an angel: the handkerchief hem. This 2023, we’re expecting this trend to take over full throttle. Handkerchief hem any and everything!

Necklaces No More

Have you noticed the disappearance of necklaces in red-carpet and celebrity fashion? Pre-covid, dainty and minimalistic jewelry were all the rage. With lockdown, came all the colorful and chunky statement pieces in jewelry. Now, necklaces have gone missing all together. Some say it's to allow for more experimentation with texture and color in clothing, while some say it’s part of a newfound “recession core.” Either way, we can’t be blind to a trend especially when being followed by Hailey Bieber, Taylor Swift and Selena Gomez.

This 2023-- capris are back.

Yes, you read that right. No, we’re not talking about the kind a Disney Channel star would wear on the red carpet circa 2004. We’re talking about bringing back capris in a way that is effortless and chic, like paired with a cute bag and a pair of mules for a night out. With the height of Y2K fashion, cargo pants have become a staple in everybody’s closet and the same fate is next for capris. In summer 2022, we saw this trend picked up by fashion it-girls like Devon Lee Carlson and Bella Hadid, and we predict it to take over mainstream fashion this upcoming spring and summer.

Louis Vuitton Spring-Summer Show 2022 SOURCE: Getty Images

Zendaya at 'Dune' movie screening SOURCE: Getty Images

Layering Dresses Over Pants

While most of us swore off layering dresses with pants somewhere close to 10 years ago, it might be making a comeback. Although this time, instead of sneakers and wide-flare denim, we’re thinking of something much more high-fashion as we take inspiration from designers like Louis Vuitton, who sent a couple of dress-over-pants looks down the runway in 2022. Out of all the Y2K fashion trends to resurface, this one is the last we thought we would ever see, but with stars like Lizzo and Zendaya hopping on the revival, how can we not? InStyle even recommends upcycling old dresses that might’ve shrunk in the wash by pairing it with a pair of pants. We’ve officially taken this trend from tacky to sustainable and stylish.

Knit Bonnets To Replace Knit Balaclavas

This past year, niche knit and crochet accessories dominated the TikTok microtrends, and we don’t see them going anywhere just yet. Most notably, we saw many versions of the crochet balaclava circulating the internet and Etsy shops for weeks. As an extension of this trend and in light of TikTok’s latest buzzword, “coquette core,” we predict the rise of crochet and knit bonnets this year. Functional yet fashionable, this accessory can be customized in so many ways.

The Return of Cyber Core

With Y2K trends being the favored decade for nostalgic fashion last year, almost all of us were typing in “fairy core” into our pinterest boards at one point or another. Recently, Pinterest has a new rising trend: cyber core. This retro-futuristic aesthetic is somewhat Y2K streetwear inspired while incorporating a lot of metallic finishes, cutouts and space-age motifs. It’s giving very much Destiny’s Child and TLC music videos.

Sabrina Castro is an online writer at Rowdy Magazine as well as part of the social media team! When she's not obsessing over the latest TikTok trends with her cat, Lucifer, she's most likely at her at the local Gainesville thrift stores searching for hidden Y2K gems. You can find her @sabswurld across all socials!