Photography: Koolshoot
Amy French Robson: Columnist
Nostalgia is a tricky little sneak. One day you are firmly existing in the present, going about your life content that skorts exist only in the depths of old photo albums. Then, out of nowhere, Zendaya steps out in one. Your mind starts playing games with you. Should we get a skort? Do we want a skort now? It’s that easy for a style we vowed we would never ever wear again to have a renaissance.
One might argue that it’s no secret that fashion is cyclical. We’ve all had to listen to an older relative drone on about how we have stolen their trend. For example, how they wore leg warmers back in the day and now you’re just copying them. ‘Now who’s fashionable?’ they declare. But in 2025 nostalgia is well and truly dominating. Gen Z seems to be influencing a rebellion against the millennial highly polished Instagram era. Instead of reviving trends through a careful and flattering curated selection, they laugh. They’re diving headfirst into the past and actively rejecting the concept of trying too hard. Emerging from vintage stores like they’re late for Woodstock.
Nostalgia in fashion can often give rise to mixed emotions. Living through the reemergence of a trend usually goes one of two ways. We could be thrilled and take delight in slipping back into those strappy sandals that we spent too much on. Thank goodness that despite their fall from the runways, there was no way you’d be throwing them out.
Now you can revel in your smart and timeless purchase. On the flip side, we might hear that cargo pants are now ‘in’ and be nothing short of horrified. We buried those didn’t we? Sometimes feeling that the fashion industry has betrayed us so badly that we are left personally offended.
There can be a darker side to fashion nostalgia. On a deeper level, when a style comes back around and starts being referred to as ‘retro’ or ‘vintage’ and you remember the first time you wore it like it was yesterday, it can be just a tad unsettling. Then you realise it’s being worn ironically too. Emotionally shattering. Time can be a cruel thing. This may influence whether you will be partaking in the latest style revival. But it opens an opportunity to make a statement. Another form of expression through fashion nostalgia is refusing to reject a style you love despite it specifically not being in style right now. If you don’t feel ready to say goodbye to your ankle socks, that’s your prerogative.
Sometimes nostalgia gets it right. When we embrace an old trend again, it can be like giving a past version of ourselves a big old hug. We often look back at the past through rose coloured glasses. Reminiscing about how much simpler things were back then. This could be why there is something so comforting and familiar about stepping back in time and breathing life back into our old favourites. Perhaps even taking things one step further and allowing for the realisation that we actually look cool in something our teenage self couldn’t pull off, we can finally make the trend work for us and get some closure while we’re at it.
…it’s denim. Back with pazazz. Baggy. Low-rise. Bootcut.
For some, it is about giving cooler times a good old hug. For others its about individuality.
So, is recycling fashion a good or a bad thing? Nostalgia in fashion is certainly a big win for anyone that hangs onto clothes in the hope that one day they might be back in style (hoarders). Which is also good news for your wallet and the planet. Take that fast fashion. So, who are we to complain about reaching into the archives instead of our purses? Some might argue (and it’s a decent argument) that fashion shouldn’t be about hiding behind the security of something you already know works. Fashion should be bold, original.
If we keep bringing back the old, then are we blocking the new? Playing it safe could be standing in the way of the next fashion revolution. If you want to embrace today’s fashion comebacks, there is one hot trend that is the nostalgic frontrunner in 2025 and it’s denim. Back with pazazz. Baggy. Low-rise. Bootcut. They are all dominating the shelves. The wider the leg the better. This trend is a prime example of fashion coming back in style but with a twist, which is regularly the case. This year it’s the bolder the better.
Think belts, trims, even… DIY crystals and rhinestones. You read that right. Embellished jeans are ruling the runways. Make of that what you will. Not sure where you stand? Above all, it’s key to remember that we have the ultimate choice here. We have the right to believe that there is a reason some trends ran their course, no matter what the fashion world is telling us.
“In order to be irreplaceable, one must always be different.” — Coco Chanel
Not every trend should be automatically entitled to a comeback. We pulled the plug on jeggings. Put newsboy caps out of their misery. These trends gave us the ick so bad they perished.
Yet these could be the looks that Gen Alpha find themselves laughing at 10 years from now, right before they revive them. There is certainly a balance to be had. You have the ultimate power to lean into nostalgia or resist it. Claim your style, make it your own and enjoy the wild ride that is the fashion time machine.
© 2025 Houghton & Mackay. All Rights Reserved. The content in this publication may not be reproduced in any form without prior permission to the rights owners. Header Photo: Bianca Van Dijk. Prose: Amy French Robson
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