MILLENNIALS survived Robbie Williams leaving Take That, the Y2K bug . . . and low-slung waists.
Yet despite slating us every chance they get, Gen Z are now busy rifling through second-hand shops and pop culture archives trying to bring back our most disastrous trends.
They told us skinny jeans were uncool and, while I agree with them, it’s hard to take fashion advice from someone wearing a skirt over jeans and a knit Andi Peters would have worn on kids’ TV.
More upsetting, celeb millennials – under Gen Z influence – are harping back to fugly fashion from their 90s wardrobes.
I WAS astonished when I recently saw Topshop pedal pushers stocked on Asos.
They were the go-to trew of fashion’s most unstylish era – the late Nineties, early Noughties.
From superstar singer J Lo to Sex And The City actress Sarah Jessica Parker, the cut-offs were all over the legs of celebs.
And now they’re back on Emily Ratajkowski and Alexa Chung, and being sold on the high street.
Ending between the knee and mid calf, they are one of the most unflattering style of trousers out there, enlarging both the tops and bottoms of your legs.
They began life in the Fifties (think American diners and pink gingham), and should have remained there.
But then Madonna and Bananarama reclaimed them in the Eighties before Irish girl band B*Witched finally wore them to death – and there they should have laid buried in Fashion History forever.
But fast forward to 2024, and designer labels Jacquemus and Tory Burch are flogging them again.
Plus, capri pants now has 12.4million TikTok views.
Be warned, unless you have neverending, pole-like pins, you’ll look like you’re auditioning for the local am-dram production of Grease.
My calf muscles are clenching at the thought.
NAFF knitted jumpers are flooding the high street and model Gigi Hadid has been spotted in them on more than one occasion.
It would appear the inspiration is This Morning’s Gyles Brandreth, or Nineties knitwear brand The Sweater Shop.
Incidentally, the Nineties is the only era in which Gyles didn’t wear a knitted sweater as he was in Parliament representing his Chester constituents.
But plenty of other telly stars had taken on the zany style – I think it was probably in the contract for kids’ TV presenters at the time.
More recently, bold jumpers are everywhere.
And the former politician’s brand Gyles & George is one of the biggest influencers.
Princess Diana famously wore one of its bold tops in the Eighties, which had the words “I’m a luxury” on the front and “Few can afford” on the back.
It’s still on the market for a cool £320, but 40 years after Di styled it out, it has sold out.
Designers Ganni, Damson Madder and Monki have also got into the jumper game.
A bright, bold and bonkers knit is nothing to be sniffed at, but if you’re going to do it, make sure your slogan is something you can actually get away with saying.
THE naffest of all the Nineties fash deemed acceptable right now has to be the fleece – you probably had a knock-off Berghaus one back in the day.
Jennifer Aniston’s Friends character Rachel wore this blue Nike version to go jogging in a 1999 episode.
Now, every high street store is flogging them.
In October, customers went wild for F&F at Tesco’s North Face dupe, which cost £37 (£283 less than the £320 original) and got seven million TikTok views.
Actress Florence Pugh had Parisians gaing last month at Couture Fashion Week when she hit the pavement in an off-white number.
The 28-year-old has designers falling over themselves to dress her, but did the face of Valentino choose an oh-so-chic trench coat for the event?
She did not.
Instead, she sported an orienteering staple in the most fashion-focused city in the world.
Although you might think of the hardy zip-up as something to pull on to walk the dog (handy pockets for poo bags), Florence’s one is from French brand Patou and costs just a tenner shy of £900.
Celebrities including millennial Taylor Swift and Gen-Z model Kaia Gerber are also fans of the look.
Usually seen on young hipsters in coffee shops, the trend has hit the mainstream.
Unless you are preparing for the Duke of Edinburgh award, I’d say it’s one to be avoided.
THE slightly padded waterproof coat is a hit with celebs at the moment.
As far as I can see, this coat is inspired by one of TV’s most unlikely fashion muses, Coronation Street character Roy Cropper.
It’s that bloody coat he’s worn for the past 30 years on the cobbles.
But brands such as Prada and Bottega have seemingly been inspired by Roy’s beige jacket.
As has model Hailey Bieber, 27, who has been wearing the look with lycra gym shorts and trainers.
You have to admit, even she looks a bit daft.
The Sunday Times Style magazine noted that a “matching shopper” bag is essential, but if you’re really going to stick to Cropper’s style you’ll be needing a striped pinny, and plastic bag to pop your Roy’s rolls in.
While I’m sure OAP men will be rejoicing that their sensible, all-weather coat is in style, it isn’t something you can look “cool” in when off into town.
AND finally, the most offensive fashion item of the Nineties – I never thought I’d see the day, but the skouser has crept back into the fashion fold.
Last season Fendi featured the look in its autumn/winter catwalk show, when models wore pleated miniskirts over straight-leg trousers.
Thankfully, fashionistas panicked at the thought of dressing up like High School Musical’s Sharpay Evans and the trend didn’t spread as quickly as feared.
But one year later, it seems the look is gaining traction with influencers and the high street.
As well as being spotted at the ultra-cool Copenhagen Fashion Week recently, videos of “Skirts Over Trousers” have amassed more than 2.5billion views on TikTok.
And singer Shakira, 47, has been spotted in the skouser, too.
A quick Google shows an array of skousers available at Asos and Monki, mostly styled with low-slung waists and the odd addition of a chain. Gulp.
The look needs to be updated from the mini-skirt-over-flares style of the Noughties into a sleek silhouette to get my seal of approval.
Alternatively, the look you wore at your Year Six school disco should be passed to your daughter.
Anyone over the age of 30 shouldn’t be wearing them.
