Hi there! My name is Sanam Moazed and for this semester’s inquiry project, I will be taking a different route and researching the cycle of trends and societies’ tendency to revert back to past trends. Specifically, “As a society, why do we revert to past trends?”
This is almost an age-old question. Whether we see our parents reminisce about the 2000s and ’90s fashion they see resurface or the incorporation of songs with similar beats and rythms from past times like the upscale rhythm of songs from the 80s. The blend of the past and future is something I have been interested for such a long time and I would like to have a closer look at what an answer to this complex question could be.
There are three specific instances that made me want to pursue this topic, and most of them are deja vu’s or memories that made me realize this phenomenon. Firstly, recently I was able to take a trip to Europe with my family and unconsciously I gravitated towards using a film camera to document my findings. Specifically, I used one roll of colour and one black-and-white roll of film. Additionally, my sister also bought a digital camera (not her phone) to capture the expansive sights! Overall, having this physical form of taking pictures that were detached from our phones made us both feel ‘fresh’ and almost cleansed because we were able to see the world with a ‘fresh’ new set of eyes. This feeling was what started my fascination with this topic.
Secondly, recently there has been an upsurge in a specific genre of songs. While I was queuing through songs on the radio with my dad while driving around, I was shocked to find a collection of recent songs that sound like they’re straight from the 80s! There was an electric upbeat theme to almost all of the songs on the radio to the point where my dad questioned whether we were on an 80s music station. This made me realize that again, this was another example of us using the past in the present.
Additionally, while music and photography are one of the largest parts of human culture, fashion was what really put this point through. This semester I have had the chance to partake in my school’s fashion industry class which consists of comparing a lot of runway designs to each other, whether that is current couture fashion, the shoe industry, or ready to wear fashion. While comparing these garments I was able to see a pattern of reoccurring trends from the 90’s and 2000’s being used as references for current fashion. Mostly in the silhouette of the garments, like low waist jeans, capris, platform shoes, etc. Additionally, I have noticed a surge of brands going back to their ‘principle’ designs of the 90s and 2000s which is something I researched in my last semesters inquiry project but came to more light currently.
It is these instances of culture which made me want to pursue my inquiry project around this topic, and I hope you enjoy following my journey through this project as much as I will!
hi sanam.
I have always wondered why society always almost goes in a cycle where something is dropped then picked up but I never really thought about it to much but reading your blog post I realized just how much we try to almost recreate the past in different aspects like music and fashion even furniture, I’m really excited to read your future posts and learn more on this topic
Hi Sanam,
This sounds very interesting! I too have noticed a return of the 80’s and 90’s trends and wondered what determined what came back and what didn’t. Do you find yourself partaking in these trends as well?
Here’s an article that you might find useful for this topic: https://currentboutique.com/blogs/cravingcurrent/why-do-fashion-trends-come-back
Good luck with your future posts!
Aniela
Hey Sanam,
This is such an interesting topic! Whenever I would wear things like high-waisted jeans or scrunchies, my mom would always tell me that I was copying her generation! This also makes me wonder, have trends ever been original? For example, were the fashion trends in the 80s inspired by things from the past, or were they completely brand new? I think this could be something interesting to explore, but your project already sounds awesome!
Here are some references that may help you:
https://www.lofficielbaltic.com/en/fashion/why-are-fashion-trends-returning
https://glamobserver.com/the-history-of-fashion-through-the-decades/
Good luck!
-Shaila
Hi Sanam,
I also find this topic relatable and interesting. I notice how old trends are coming back like boot cut jeans and low rise jeans. Fashion trends tend to change so often like how clothes from the 80-90s are coming back today. Maybe it’s to feel some nostalgia for the past? I wonder if trends today would come back in the future as well. Here are some resources that can help: https://www.leftyproductionco.com/post/history-repeats-itself-why-cant-fashion#:~:text=Generational%20Changes,2000s%20in%20the%20coming%20decade. https://currentboutique.com/blogs/cravingcurrent/why-do-fashion-trends-come-back
Hi Sanam,
This inquiry project sound super interesting! I as well have realized trends have been resurfacing, and my mom and I talk about it frequently. I love how you used examples in your blog post, and it made me realize how many old trends I participate in. My question for you is why some of the other trends during those decades did not resurface and become popular once more? Another question is what trends during this time period do you think will return in the future?
These are a few resources that I hope will help with your research
https://custommapposter.com/articles/why-do-trends-come-back-every-20-years/1337#:~:text=According%20to%20the%20DSN%20English%20report%20on%20fashion,seeking%20inspiration%20to%20translate%20that%20into%20%E2%80%9Cmodern%E2%80%9D%20clothing.
https://shirleyjonesluke.medium.com/the-endless-cycle-of-fashion-trends-why-they-repeat-and-their-popularity-73f5e912ec30
https://www.thelist.com/1231543/understanding-trend-cycles-why-90s-styles-are-in-and-whats-coming-back-next/
Goodluck!
Sarang
Hey Sanam!
I loved reading your blog post because of how interesting it is and how it is a topic so many people today wonder about. I also love how you gave personal experiences about trends you find your family and yourself following and talked about why this topic interests you.
Here is a link to a website that addresses your research topic and talks about why history repeats itself even in small areas like these.
https://zeefeed.com.au/trends-come-back-every-20-years/
I can’t wait to follow you along as you research this topic and learn more about this topic!
Best of luck,
Anannya B.
Hi Sanam!
I loved reading your blog post and found it fascinating how old trends find a way of reintroducing themselves to society. I liked your perspective on how digital cameras and monochrome photography were a way for you and your sister to see the world with a “fresh set of eyes”. I also liked how you gave personal examples of the topics you’re researching. Something I have noticed is how social media plays a huge factor in this. I can’t wait to read more of your blog posts!
Here are some links that might help you with your research!
https://shirleyjonesluke.medium.com/the-endless-cycle-of-fashion-trends-why-they-repeat-and-their-popularity-73f5e912ec30#:~:text=Fashion%20trends%20repeat%20and%20remain,all%20contribute%20to%20this%20phenomenon.
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2022/01/old-music-killing-new-music/621339/
Hi Sanam,
You wrote a really great post and I thought that your topic was super interesting. I think it will be really interesting for you to do this research and find out about past fashion trends and why they keep coming back and I know that this is definetly a topic of interest for a lot of people. I’m looking forward to reading your future post and finding out the answer to your question. Here are some sites you could look into. Good luck!
https://glamobserver.com/the-history-of-fashion-through-the-decades/
https://www.instyle.com/fashion/early-2000s-fashion-trends-style-came-back