6 Outdated Trends We Can't Deny Are Staging Impressive Comebacks

From time to time, a fashion trend comes and goes, leaving nearly everyone rejoicing over the fact that it has moved on and wondering how it managed to get such a grasp on everyone in the first place. Case in point: the '90s denim craze that led to the infamous 2001 red carpet appearance of Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake at the American Music Awards wearing head-to-toe custom blue-jean ensembles. It's hard to imagine these types of trends ever managing to make a comeback. However, we're here to tell you that there are several trends widely considered to be completely outdated that are clawing their way back into the mainstream right now.

If you've been waiting for the day some of your favorite '80s, '90s, and '00s guilty pleasure fashion trends would become socially acceptable again, look no further. Here are six "outdated" trends that are coming back in a very big way in 2023. 

If you didn't have the pleasure of living through the '80s or '90s, you might be unaware of the history behind stirrup pants. Designed to hold the pants of horseback riders in place under their riding boots, these stretch pants exploded in mainstream popularity around the early '90s. Some may say they are responsible for the leggings-as-pants trend in general. While it was once considered taboo to leave the stirrups visible, showing them off is now becoming part of the trend. 

As fashion has become more focused on sex appeal, skirts have become more form-fitting. Full skirts haven't been fully in fashion in multiple decades. Finally, you can feel free to skip the mini and pencil skirts and embrace one with a little more forgiveness when you don't feel like putting your every angle on display. They're also way more fun to twirl in. 

If you've been waiting to release your inner 2001 Britney, we have good news for you. Formerly outdated trends involving denim live on. Denim maxi skirts are especially back in the public's good favor and widely available from retailers at all price points. Now is the time to go forth and denimize your wardrobe. If you like to carry more items than the average bear, take note that cargo maxis are having a moment as well. 

If the recent 2023 Oscars ceremony was any indication, metallic trends are back in a huge way. The awards show even swapped out its iconic red carpet for a champagne one. The fun part of this trend is that you can go as big or a small as you want with it. Add a metallic silver shoe to a little black dress for an extra pop or deck yourself out in a full metallic-on-metallic ensemble; the choice is yours.

Peplum tops have always been a divisive topic in the world of women's fashion. Some people love their roomy fit while others insist that they belong sequestered on the maternity rack. If you've ever been tempted to try one out, now is the time, before they end up back in the vault of fashions past. 

Other obvious favorites of celebs on the 2023 Oscars champagne carpet were gowns and other apparel crafted out of sheer fabrics. See-through fashions have been cycling in and out of fashion since the '20s, so it isn't a huge shock to see them back. However, it has been nearly that long since we've seen them in such sophisticated iterations.