Ten Years of "Oh Honey, No..."

I am by no means the fashion police. I think I have OK taste, and I like to look nice, but I've addressed on several occasions the ways I've fallen prey to many a sartorial no-no. Even as I've been an offender of my current personal standards, I strongly feel that the darkest time that I've lived through, fashion wise, fell between 1996 and 2006. Not the outrageous 1980s or tacky 1970s. I'm talking the seemingly endless days of cheap, disposable, ill-fitting stuff that looked that way even in the moment. Spaghetti strap tank tops that cut straight across the chest. Ugh, chokers. Eyebrows plucked to non-existence. And the all-too-visible thong (the worst). Am I alone here, or do I make a compelling argument?

Exhibit A:  I think I like Drew Barrymore, and she looks great now, but this was not her finest moment.

And let's all take a moment to reflect on a poster child of the era, JLH. Belly button exposed + choker + mom jeans (note the waistband is only just beginning to make the exodus toward the hips- a look that would be a whole nother icky thing a couple years later) - I could make a bingo card from this.

Not coincidentally at all, some sketchy things were happening in music and culture as well, chiefly in the rise of reality TV and faux-lebrities.

Clearly the ugliness was a chronic condition across the sexes. Remember this douchery? (Ironically, "douche" means shower in French).

And even the red carpet stalwarts were looking pretty rough.

What in the world was happening?

It was just a very gross time to be dressing oneself. I don't think better looking things were even available for purchase, though I can't say that I looked too hard. Still, even as there will always be pits of unattractiveness in any time period, I'm glad that this particular mess is in the past. It'll be interesting to see how the 2010s fare in the annals of fashion history. I have to give props to the addictive tumblr Old Loves for providing many of these shots as well as distilling the essence of that decade for me enough to inspire this post (check it out if you haven't, but block out an afternoon because you won't be able to stop clicking through).

For a palate cleanser, the always impeccable Mr. Bryan Ferry.