We live in a world of cyclical trends where what goes around comes around, particularly in the realm of fashion, but also in how we behave. While some trends are enduring and make habitual comebacks every once in a while, others are over before they even begin. From questionable interior design fads to useless text speak, here are 20 transient trends that became uncool in a flash.
Tanning Beds
Tanning beds have fallen out of favor in recent years, especially since the dangers of UV radiation were exposed to the public. Once ubiquitous throughout the states, indoor tanning salons have closed up shop, with more people valuing the health of their skin over achieving a sun-kissed look.
Crimped Hair
Anyone who lived through the ’80s and ’90s will remember using crimping irons to achieve the perfect zig-zag waves. This element of the “bigger is better” trend has made brief comebacks over the years but doesn’t stick around to become trendy again. People are looking for new ways to create the same voluminous look without frying their hair.
Text Speak
At one time, it seemed as though text abbreviations would replace normal speech, or “The King’s English.” Teenagers started missing syllables, letters, and words to replicate the speech used while texting. Thankfully, this brief trend has been replaced with the desire to be coherent.
In the nineties, Facebook was the virtual environment of the moment, with teens and grandparents alike creating accounts. Millions of Americans jumped at the chance to upload their favorite photos, send each other virtual pokes, and discard their MySpace accounts. But a decade later, Facebook would become another relic of online history.
Skinny Jeans
Not so long ago, skin-tight jeans were a must-have item for both men and women, dominating closets across the world. The more difficult it was to move, the better your skinny jeans were considered to be. But nowadays, tight-fitting denim has been replaced with baggier silhouettes.
Ultra Minimalist Homes
In a world of excess, people are often drawn to minimal homes and less clutter in general. However, ultra-minimalist homes featuring almost no furniture and an echoing church feeling were quick to become unpopular. It turns out that there’s a sweet spot between cluttered chaos and emptiness.
Chewing Gum
As teenagers, constantly chewing gum exuded the nonchalant cool that we were all trying to achieve. Soon enough, people of all ages were chewing these soft mint cubes to freshen their breath or show others they were on trend. But since then, chewing gum has been linked to various dental problems, including tooth decay and enamel erosion.
Cabbage Patch Kids
With their unblinking blue eyes and hamster-esque cheeks, cabbage patch dolls were the must-have toy of the nineties. After a few years of collecting various Cabbage Patch Kids, the craze died away as more interactive dolls appeared on the market.
DVD’s
In 1986, Warner Home Video advocated the development of an optical disc for storing movies. Soon after, the revolutionary DVD came into being and swept into homes across the US. But with the advent of streaming services and digital downloads, DVD sales have declined significantly and are unlikely to hit their previous popularity levels.
Pokemon
While Piccachu and the rest of the gang have a dedicated cult following, recent years haven’t been kind to Pokemon, and it’s considered decidedly uncool by Generation Z. This iconic game had a definite moment in the late 1990s, but has struggled to reclaim its lost fame, especially in the ever-changing gaming world.
Tie Dye
This bohemian, DIY fashion trend has always been on the periphery of cool. But let’s face it, these clashing swirly patterns have had their heyday.
Shag Rugs
Shag carpet flooring had a surprising popularity surge in the 1970s, coating homes in fluff across the US. But they wouldn’t stay trendy for long, with homeowners realizing how difficult it is to keep a high-pile white rug clean.
MTV
Throughout the 1980s, MTV was praised for giving music artists a platform to showcase their latest music videos, and consumers loved it. Though older generations fondly remember MTV, younger people are less likely to watch TV shows at all. Apps such as YouTube have replaced music shows, making it easier than ever to stream music videos.
Oversharing Online
During Facebook’s heyday, updating your status and answering the “What’s on your mind?” prompt was a part of daily life. This soon led to a culture of online oversharing that, while fashionable, became cringe-worthy.
Small Amounts of Facial Hair
In a trend that shocked most people, goatee beards had a brief moment in the 1990s cultural limelight. After celebrities such as Brad Pitt were pictured rocking a goatee, the trend took off, albeit briefly.
The Mullet
Little Richard and David Bowie made the mullet an infamous hairstyle in the 1970s and 80s, and it remained quasi-fashionable until the 2000s. While there was a brief mullet resurgence a couple of years ago, this controversial hairstyle is a transient trend for good reason.
Challenging Work Environments
In a society that favors remote positions and less stressful careers, it’s hard to believe that challenging work environments were once trendy. Once upon a time, “the 9-5 grind” was considered fashionable, as it showed others that you were productive and self-sufficient.
Disposable Cameras
After a brief resurgence of their retro, low-quality images, disposable cameras have once again fallen by the wayside. In addition to the hit-or-miss quality of their photos, disposable cameras raise environmental concerns. Single-use items have, in general, lost their popularity.
Neon Hues
For a few decades, neon clothing had a distinct moment in the fashion limelight, but this didn’t last for long. People are worried that there’s something immature about donning a bright pink cap or lime green leg warmers.
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