Rest in Prints: A Eulogy for 10 Early 2010s Fashion Trends That Cannot Be Forgiven

Every generation gets the fashion era it deserves, and the early 2010s were — how do we put this charitably — a lot. It was a period of tremendous creative ambition and almost no editorial restraint, a time when the internet was new enough to inspire maximum experimentation but not yet powerful enough to enforce collective taste. Pinterest had just launched. Instagram was a baby. Nobody was stopping anyone from doing anything.

The results were, in many cases, crimes.

We're here today to bury them properly. Each trend below receives a brief eulogy — a celebration of what it was, a frank accounting of why it had to go, and an honest assessment of its chances of ironic revival. Pour one out.

1. Chevron Everything

Lived: 2011–2014 Died of: Overexposure and a fundamental misunderstanding of when to stop

Chevron didn't just appear on clothing — it colonized entire lifestyles. Scarves, infinity scarves, throw pillows, tote bags, phone cases, wall decals, and yes, pants. If a surface existed, someone put a zigzag on it and called it interior design.

The tragedy of chevron is that it wasn't even bad, exactly. It was just everywhere, like a catchy song that gets played until it physically causes pain. By 2013, seeing a chevron print triggered a kind of low-grade exhaustion in the human brain.

Revival chances: Low. Gen Z has enough of its own problems.

2. Galaxy Print

Lived: 2012–2015 Died of: The universe reclaiming its dignity

Galaxy print was what happened when Hot Topic and NASA had a child that nobody asked for. Leggings, hoodies, backpacks, and sneakers all got the nebula treatment — purple and blue airbrushed cosmos slapped onto every available textile surface. It was as if an entire generation decided the night sky needed to be more wearable and less contemplative.

Points for ambition. The cosmos is genuinely beautiful. It just doesn't need to be on a Forever 21 crop top.

Revival chances: Surprisingly possible. Y2K nostalgia is already here, and galaxy print is only a few years behind in the pipeline.

3. The Fedora (Teen Edition)

Lived: 2010–2014 Died of: Becoming a meme before memes had fully evolved

The fedora's fall from grace is one of fashion history's most dramatic arcs. Once a legitimate hat worn by legitimate adults, it was adopted by a specific subset of early 2010s teenager — typically male, typically accompanied by a novelty t-shirt and a strong opinion about 'real music' — and the hat never fully recovered.

The fedora didn't deserve what happened to it. It was an innocent piece of headwear. But context is everything in fashion, and the context became irreparably poisoned.

Revival chances: Zero. This is a closed case.

4. Neon Everything

Lived: 2011–2013 Died of: Retinal fatigue

Neon in the early 2010s wasn't an accent — it was the whole outfit. Neon yellow. Neon coral. Neon green. Paired with black, paired with each other, paired with things that had no business being paired with neon. If you weren't visible from space, were you even dressed?

The era produced some genuinely iconic looks in retrospect. It also produced some photographs that are difficult to look at directly.

Revival chances: Already happening, actually. Neon accents are back, just slightly more controlled. We learned from last time. Mostly.

5. Aztec Print (The Appropriative Era)

Lived: 2012–2016 Died of: A much-needed cultural conversation

This one gets a shorter eulogy because honestly the conversation about why it had to go has already been had and is worth having again. 'Aztec' and 'tribal' prints were slapped on everything from cardigans to swimwear with zero regard for what they actually meant or where they came from. It was a trend that said a lot about who was making the clothes and who wasn't being consulted.

Revival chances: Hard no.

6. The Infinity Scarf

Lived: 2011–2015 Died of: The question 'but what does it actually do?'

A scarf. But circular. No ends. Nowhere to go, nothing to tie, just a fabric loop you put around your neck and arranged artfully. The infinity scarf was fashion's answer to a question nobody had asked, and for three to four years, it was absolutely everywhere.

In fairness, it was cozy. It did not blow away in the wind. These are real advantages.

Revival chances: Medium. Comfort-driven fashion is having a moment, and the infinity scarf is nothing if not committed to comfort.

7. Ombre Hair (On Everything)

Lived: 2011–2016 Died of: Becoming the default setting for hair

Ombre hair started as a genuinely cool, low-maintenance look and then became so ubiquitous it stopped being a choice and started being the absence of one. At peak ombre, you could walk into any mall in America and see the gradient. Every mall. Every state. Every demographic.

It wasn't bad. It was just inescapable.

Revival chances: It never fully left. It just got quieter.

8. Lace-Up Everything

Lived: 2013–2017 Died of: Logistical inconvenience

Lace-up detailing showed up on tops, pants, shoes, boots, and dresses — anywhere a designer could put a small hole and thread something through it. The look was undeniably cool in its early iterations. By the time lace-up cold-shoulder tops were available at Target for $18.99, the moment had passed.

Revival chances: Low. The early 2010s had a complicated relationship with exposed skin and lacing, and we've moved on to different complications.

9. Peplum Tops

Lived: 2012–2015 Died of: The fashion industry collectively deciding it was done

The peplum top — a fitted blouse with a small ruffle flare at the waist — was positioned as the sophisticated, office-appropriate trend of the era. And for a minute, it worked. Then it appeared in every colorway, at every price point, on every rack, and the ruffle lost its charm through sheer repetition.

Revival chances: Moderate. Peplum is structurally a good idea. It'll be back when enough time has passed.

10. The Statement Necklace

Lived: 2010–2016 Died of: Accessory minimalism taking over

The statement necklace was the early 2010s answer to every outfit problem. Boring dress? Statement necklace. Plain blouse? Statement necklace. Going somewhere? Statement necklace. These chunky, architectural pieces of jewelry were styled as the finishing touch that tied everything together, and for a while, they genuinely were.

Then the 'clean girl' aesthetic arrived, layered gold chains became the move, and the statement necklace was quietly retired to the jewelry box where it now lives, waiting.

Revival chances: High, actually. Maximalist jewelry is creeping back. The statement necklace may be closer to its second act than we think.

Rest easy, fallen trends. You were a product of your time — chaotic, optimistic, and deeply unconcerned with restraint. Some of you deserved better. Some of you absolutely did not. Either way, we won't forget you. Mostly because the photos are still on Facebook and none of us have deleted them.