5 of the Most Peculiar Fashion Trends of All Time
Produced for Teen Vogue with Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children
Tell you a secret: When it comes to fashion, sometimes (most of the time) being different, unique, and “extraordinary” is actually a good thing. After all, style (and overall general) icons are never followers. They’re trailblazers. Because our most crush-worthy trend-makers and early adopters are the ones with that special ability to find beauty in the rare, unexpected or, what some might consider peculiar — before the masses even have a clue. That’s an inherent talent, if not sartorial superpower akin to invisibility, telekinesis, or [insert your choice of otherworldly strength], kind of like the specially gifted kids bunking at Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children.
The lesson here? Embrace the individual and offbeat when it comes to fashion — and life, really. If the situation gives you all the uncomfy, awkward feels, you’re doing something right. Don’t believe us? Check out these five most peculiar fashion trends throughout history. And you know what? We want to keep it that way: #staypeculiar.
1/5Creepers
The utilitarian thick-soled shoe of varying heights has been embraced by the most impossibly cool, misunderstood kids that probably wanted to be misunderstood in the first place. Think: punk rockers, the girls who refused to wear platform Mary Janes with their floral dresses out of the Delia’s catalog, those goth kids you were too intimidated to approach at lunch, and the phenomenally talented Emma Bloom in her sky-high creeper boots that look straight out of Alexander Wang’s fall 2015 collection.
2/5Ripped Pants
Long before distressed bottoms didn’t offend the dress-code police at black-tie events and hacked-hem straight legs became a thing, ripped pants were the ultimate anti-establishment wardrobe essential. Musicians, downtown kids, hippies — they wore mangled pants and screamed out to the world about their art, their tunes, and their anarchic sensibility. Meanwhile, everyone else just gripped their pearls, tugged on their cardigans, and wondered, “why would you pay to wear intentionally damaged clothing?” Even though distressed clothing isn’t so outrageous anymore, the look still retains that rebellious, righteous vibe and continues to be inspired — if not peculiar — depending on how you wear it. Like to the formal homecoming dance, maybe?
3/5Grungy Flannel
Along with baby-doll dresses and lace combat boots (preferably Docs), a plaid flannel will forever reign as the hero piece in any self-respecting grunge aficionado’s wardrobe. See, back in the old days of yore — i.e., the ‘90s — beat up, possibly unwashed, and definitely untailored checked print button-downs, worn over an old non-ironic T-shirt and with mom jeans, made for a peculiar revolution from the overly eager color-blocked, blindingly neon, oversized mainstream style leftover from the ‘80s.
4/5Dresses With Sneakers
Back in the big haired ‘80s, women weirdly wore their aerobics shoes to the buttoned-up office, but it was more about functionality to commute to their #girlboss jobs. Fast forward to current day when the fashion cool girls started wearing their retro Stan Smiths with their ultra-femme printed dresses. The contrasting combo also first caused some head-scratching from the non-believers, but these forward-thinkers realized that sporty kicks gave a surprising and ultra-empowering feeling to all our pretty dresses. And 30 years later, the look still helps us commute comfortably to our 21st century #girlboss duties.
5/5Capes
The cape has been around basically forever, shielding medieval knights from the elements and providing layering options for corseted ladies in full-skirted ball gowns. A cape in 2016 might feel a bit peculiar because on one hand the outerwear piece gives any outfit a sense of refined elegance, but it also creates this confident, superhero-ish swagger as you go about your day. So even if don’t have powers that make you float lighter than air, you can still feel like it with a chic cape fluttering behind you as you’re out saving the world. (Or acing that trig exam.)
