Retro Rewind (Why vintage style is back in fashion)

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2000’S FLAIR: Mateo Sanchez, a junior at West Broward, dressed in 2000’s style fashion. Sanchez is one of many students who have expanded their fashion taste into earlier decades. Photo taken by Natalie Childers.

By: Natalie Childers

Vintage trends from vinyl records to polka dots are making a strong comeback among students. As teens enjoy experimenting with trends they never experienced, nostalgia plays a role. Proving the past still has a lot to offer.

The resurface of vintage trends is not only a fashion choice, it shows how teens deal with modern pressures. With the rise of social media platforms such as Instagram and TikTok, teens are influenced by aesthetics. They are now redefining style by looking to the decades before them.

“As we grow older, we can appreciate history. and how beautiful and different everything is while incorporating newer elements to it,” said West Broward senior, Ezra Bandin.

The economy has played a pivotal role in vintage style’s return. With prices increasing, teens are looking for a more affordable and sustainable way of shopping. The popularity of thrift stores has skyrocketed as people take old pieces and make them new again.

“I feel it’s not the style that’s coming back. It’s the person trying to understand what kind of style they’re presenting to the world. Because I am a true believer that what you present, how you present yourself is how the world will mirror back to you,” said Daryl Smith, Economics and World History teacher.

BACK IN STYLE: This is an example of 90’s fashion that is coming back in style. Recently, many people are now wearing windbreakers, colored sunglasses, and using digital cameras to replicate the style from back then, bringing back a sense of nostalgia and vintage flair. Photo courtesy of public domain.

There are several reasons why these trends have made a comeback. Social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram popularize the retro aesthetics. Thrifting has made vintage items more accessible, allowing teens to express themselves while choosing sustainable options. Shows such as Stranger Things that are based in the 80s, have also caused an uproar in vintage style. With all the advancements made with today’ s technology and way of living, teens find themselves longing for simpler times, therefore vintage trends have resurfaced.

“I think it starts with small amounts of people that genuinely enjoy it, they put it on the internet and people see it and think ‘that’s so cool. I want to try it.’ So it definitely helps with the popularity,” said Bandin.

Several vintage trends have returned around campus. Students are bringing back baggy jeans, chunky sneakers, wired headphones, graphic tees and more from brands such as Vivienne Westwood, Dr. Martens and numerous others. Outside of fashion, film cameras, vinyl records, old school gaming platforms and numerous other items have been made popular once again. These revived trends create a sense of nostalgia with old and new.

“Whatever you do, whatever you dress in, whatever you’re acting, all expresses how you are as a person.  Everything plays a key factor into how you are. Most people will dress to what they’re comfortable in and play the games that they like and just be their own person, to express themselves,” said West Broward senior and this year’s senior superlative “Fashion Famous”, Brandon Roca.