These Were The Most Questionable Fashion Trends Of 2023
Trends come and go, but some stick around longer than most would prefer. While the year 2023 brought many exciting new and revived fashion fads, there were also plenty of looks that stylists prefer to leave behind as we enter a new year.
“Not all fashion trends are equal,” stylist and image consultant Annette Harris told HuffPost. “As a personal stylist who works with everyday women who lead full lives, I tend to ‘lean in’ to runway fashion trends that translate into slightly more understated, yet chic wearable pieces ― as opposed to over-the-top faddish items that sit in your closet just waiting to get worn.”
Looking back on this year in fashion, HuffPost asked Harris and other stylists to share which of this year’s trends just didn’t work for them.
“As we bid farewell to 2023, it’s essential to recogniSe that fashion is subjective where personal expression reigns supreme,” said stylist Ariana Weisner. “While these trends might not resonate with everyone, they undoubtedly sparked conversations and challenged conventional notions of style.”
The No-Pants Trend
Lori Harvey, Emma Corrin and Paige DeSorbo embraced the no-pants trend this year. “I think the no-pants trend was by far my least favourite fashion moment from 2023,” said Ashlyn Greer, a professional stylist and co-founder of Fashivly. “When I look at all the trends from the past year, this one is the least wearable, the most ridiculous and will be the one that future us look back on with a ‘what were we thinking?!’ sentiment.”
Greer was just one of several stylists who told HuffPost they’d be happy to leave the no-pants look behind as we enter 2024.
“Am I witnessing a decline in the art of dressing?” said stylist Stephanie Stimmler. “The rise of underwear as outerwear had me questioning if trend seekers had become too lax about their morning attire choices. Wearing undergarments to work seemed like a stretch, inviting skepticism about its workplace appropriateness. It’s a daring move, but one that might not earn the right kind of attention in a professional setting. ”
Tabi Shoes
Pedro Pascal, Dua Lipa and Black Sherif wore Tabi shoes in 2023. One of the more polarizing footwear trends of 2023 was the Tabi shoe. A signature of the French luxury fashion house Maison Margiela, this split-toed style of shoe draws inspiration from traditional Japanese work shoes that date back to the 15th century.
“There is no nice way to say this ... they’re hideous,” stylist Letam “Ley” Duson told HuffPost. “The split-toe shoes come in a variety of styles and colours, but they all have one thing in common: they look like a horse hoof and are a no for me.”
Although Margiela’s Tabi shoes first debuted in the late 1980s, they certainly had a moment in 2023 among celebrities and now anyone else who wants to partake in the trend. Fashion stylist and consultant Chelsea Volpe believes their time in the spotlight had undoubtedly passed.
“Simply put, the Maison Margiela Tabis are deader than a doornail,” she told HuffPost. “As a longstanding member of the New York fashion industry, let me speak for us all: ENOUGH with the Maison Margiela Tabis PLEASE! We get it folks, there is a toe-slit in your leather boot. Adorable. Let’s keep it moving.”
Y2K
Sydney Sweeney, Ice Spice and Hailey Bieber rocked Y2K looks in 2023.“The Y2K reveal was real this year ― dresses over jeans, huge chunky belts, low-rise jeans, baby tees and more!” said Kendra Sharpe, a wardrobe stylist and creative director. “My least favourite of all has to be low-rise jeans trying to have a moment again! Let’s leave those to Britney Spears and Britney Spears only!”
So perhaps not every Y2K revival trend has to go, but certain looks will not be welcome to fashion professionals in 2024.
“As a stylist, I would be living in a dark cave if I truly thought the Y2K aesthetic was going out of style anytime soon,” Volpe said. “However, what I do not want to see heading into the New Fab-u-lous Year are the ugly items of the 2000s ― re-traumatising us all for yet another season.”
Volpe is in favour of keeping updated cargo pants, silver studding and hardware, platform boots and oversized sunglasses. But Juicy Couture velour tracksuits, graphic baby tees and bedazzled trucker hats and below-the-waist belts are out as far as she’s concerned.
Opera Gloves
Beyoncé and Kate Middleton, Princess of Wales both wore opera gloves at awards shows this year.“One 2023 trend I am not a huge fan of is gloves on the red carpet,” said stylist and fashion director Zadrian Smith.
This year, we saw opera gloves on countless celebrities, from Beyoncé to Kate Middleton to Gigi Hadid.
“This trend can absolutely work on some occasions, with a very specific look but not always in my eyes,” Smith added. “It does feel as though this trend has been overdone throughout 2023.”
Micro Bags
Micro bags from brands like Jacquemus might be cute, but they're too impractical for stylists to recommend. “I have to say, when the micro bag wildfire initially caught wind here in the Big Apple, I was captivated,” Volpe said. “How cute, a tiny little bag capable of fitting your ... lipstick? I drank the Kool Aid and wanted nothing more than to get my eager fashionista hands on the Jacquemus Le Chiquito leather mini top handle bag in neon pink ― a perfect pairing for the Barbiecore mania that hit us like a tsunami!”
In 2023, nobody wanted to be caught carrying a “ludicrously capacious” handbag. But what all the itty bitty bags on the market have in curb appeal, they lack in practicality.
“After fighting to fit even a cell phone into these adorable yet highly inefficient bags, I was just as quickly over it!” Volpe added.
Jean Maxi Skirts
Léna Mahfouf wears a long denim skirt outside the Victoria Beckham show at Paris Fashion Week in September. Another surprising trend of yore that returned in 2023 was the long jean skirt. And many took those lengths to the extreme with full maxi options.
“The floor-grazing, denim maxi skirt trend had a moment this year, albeit brief,” said Elizabeth Kosich, an image consultant and founder of Elizabeth Kosich Styling. “In truth, the boho chic look is tough to pull off. Denim tends to be coarse, heavy and stiff fabric and when there’s a lot of it, it quickly overwhelms.”
Ballet Flats
Guests wear flats at Fashion Week in Copenhagen in August.“I’m not the biggest fan of ballet flats,” Sharpe said. “I just don’t vibe with that aesthetic and think a loafer is a way better option for a flat.”
Still, 2023 was a big year for the ballet flat, with countless options lining store shelves: bedazzled, tied with a bow, silky, Mary Jane style, you name it! Volpe is similarly not fond of this look.
“Give me a block heel or wedge any day over a ballet flat ― a shoe reminiscent of the beyond-basic Upper East Side Park Avenue grandma running to Butterfield Market for fro-yo or better yet jetting to Sant Ambroeus for Sunday Brunch,” she said. “Leave the ballet flat where it belongs ― in the 1960s on Brigitte Bardot Bardot and Audrey Hepburn.”
Fringe
Harry Styles performs in a fringe outfit during the 65th Annual Grammy Awards on Feb. 5, 2023.“I am not a big fan of this year’s fringe fashion phenomenon,” Harris said. “I don’t think the trend is ghastly per se. It’s just that I could live without it in my closet.”
Skirts, jackets, bags, swimsuits ― fringe was everywhere this year! The trend has a certain fun appeal to those who like to be playful and embrace movement in their clothing. But it’s not for everyone.
“Don’t shoot the messenger here, but if I’m completely honest, to me the trend is a bit ‘meh,’” Harris added. “In fact, instead of fringe, I opted to integrate the more elegant, modish feather trend into my wardrobe.”
Oversized Blazers
Julia Fox wore an oversized blazer for her appearance on the 'Drew Barrymore Show' on Oct 11.“The trend of flaunting extra-large blazers may appear stylish on the runway, but in reality, it raises concerns,” Stimmler said. “Firstly, the excessive use of fabric raises eco-friendliness issues in a world increasingly focused on sustainability. Additionally, the practicality problem arises, as many struggle to carry off the oversized blazer style without feeling overwhelmed by excess material.”
She believes the big, boxy blazer could be replaced by “the nipped, cinched-waist blazer seen on the runway of Stella McCartney, Proenza Schouler, Versace, and Chanel, to name a few.”
Friendship Bracelets
A Taylor Swift fan wears stacks of friendship bracelets on Oct. 13, 2023.“I like Taylor Swift, so I hope the Swifties don’t come for me for this one, but I could have done without the comeback of beaded friendship bracelets,” Duson said.
Indeed, fans of the singer began making, wearing and sharing friendship bracelets as a nod to”You’re On Your Own, Kid,” a song off her 2022 “Midnights” album. In the track, Swift sings, “So make the friendship bracelets, take the moment and taste it,” and clearly many Swifties have taken that to heart ― with some amassing impressive collections that practically cover their entire arms.
“They add nothing to a look, style-wise, and are pretty distracting,” Duson said. “Kitschy but not cute.”
Peplum
Florence Pugh helped put peplum back in the spotlight with her ensemble at the London Critics' Circle Film Awards in February. Many were taken by surprise when the early 2010s peplum trend made a comeback in 2023. This particular silhouette involves tops and dresses with a piece of flared fabric attached to the waist.
“I also wasn’t a fan of peplum-style shirts coming back into style,” Sharpe said. “It’s not every day a trend comes back to haunt you and this one sure did.”
Metallics
Heart Evangelista wears metallics at Milan Fashion Week on Sept. 20, 2023.“Metallic garments and accessories have popped up everywhere in an array of colors, from hot pink to royal blue, and of course silver metallic,” Harris said. “In my humble style opinion, the ‘metallic’ fashion trend is too much of a good thing. I’m not an enthusiast of the metallic trend because it’s a limited look ― something you’d mostly wear just a few times, say during the holiday or to a party.”
Metallic looks might thrive on the red carpet, but you might have trouble capturing that glitzy vibe in other contexts.
“More importantly, if you don’t slay this fashion trend with precision, it can easily scream gaudy and cheap, becoming your worst style catastrophe,” Harris added. “Think Tin Man in ‘The Wizard of Oz.’”
Sheer Dresses
Emily Ratajkowski attends the 2023 Vanity Fair Oscar Party on March 12, 2023.
Ciara attends the same after party in a sheer dress.“This year saw the rise of the sheer dress trend, with many fashion-forward individuals embracing the bold choice of exposing what’s underneath,” Weisner said.
Florence Pugh, Ciara, Karol G and Emily Ratajkowski are among the stars who’ve sported sheer dresses on the red carpet, but this look has made its way to non-celebrity fashionistas as well.
“While self-expression is a cornerstone of fashion, I believe that the bra-and-panties reveal might be a step in the wrong direction,” Weisner added. “This trend blurs the line between tasteful and overly provocative. As we bid adieu to 2023, it’s worth contemplating whether this trend truly empowers the female or is just plain tacky.”
