4 Millennial Fashion Trends That Need to Die

Mallory Sills is a Chicago-based personal stylist and Fashion Styling tutor at QC Makeup Academy. Today, Mallory shares 4 fashion styling trends that we’re completely over!

It’s no secret that millennials get a lot of heat from other generations for just about everything. Whether you’re a millennial or not, you’ve probably seen a lot of articles about millennial spending habits among other things.

Today, we’re talking about millennials but focusing on their fashion trends. As a millennial myself, I can fully accept that there are certain millennial fashion trends that need to die—sorry guys! When you’re a professional fashion stylist it’s important to stay up on the latest trends, whether you agree with them or not. In an effort to keep you on the cusp of the hottest trends, I wanted to update you on some truly bad millennial fashion trends.

On that note…let’s get into it!

Over-the-Top Festival Fashion

This one isn’t going to be popular with everyone, but as fashion stylists, we have to keep it real sometimes (AKA all the time). The thing about festival fashion is that it’s not very practical. I get it, when you’re attending a music festival, you want to fit in and rock an outfit you wouldn’t normally wear. However, some of the over-the-top festival trends have just gotten way out of hand. And even worse is that some festival fashions are making their way outside of music festivals and into “the real world.”

I’m sure you know some of these festival trends I’m referring to—a dress or outfit made entirely of mesh or sheer fabric, sequined shorts, head-to-toe holographic looks, and (likely one of the worst) wearing culturally insensitive accessories such as a tribal headdress.

Of course, as professional stylists we want our fashion clients to have fun with their style. But some of these festival looks are more about outdoing others as opposed to dressing to express who they are as individuals.

Wearing Sweatpants Everywhere

One of the stereotypes that millennials are often criticized for is being lazy, unmotivated, and entitled. It probably doesn’t help that millennials have been known to wear sweatpants all the time, everywhere. To a certain extent, I think we all get it—sweatpants are comfortable! However, there’s a time and place for everything, and sweatpants aren’t always appropriate.

Stop wearing sweatpants all the time! Now, don’t be fooled, it’s not only millennials who are pushing the sweatpants-boundaries in society. As a fashion stylist, you’ll quickly learn that people of all ages are seeking ways to slip into sweats for as many occasions as possible.

Stylist Tip: I’ve found throughout my years working as a personal fashion stylist that many people get themselves into a style-rut and wear sweatpants and comfortable clothes all the time. Many clients will stress how they “have to dress comfortably.” As a stylist, it’s your job to educate your clients and help them realize how all of their clothes can and should be comfortable.

Shapeless Clothing

This trend is a bit of a continuation from the sweatpants. In all honesty, I think it stemmed from sweatpants!

You may or may not have noticed that dresses, tops, jumpsuits, etc., that have little to no shape are popular. The reason people love some of these shapeless garments are because they’re “so comfortable.” However, the problem with this trend is that it tends to completely hide a person. It doesn’t do anything for them in terms of figure flattery. Not to mention, taking this trend into a professional environment isn’t the best.

Ariana Grande is the queen of the oversized t-shirts and sweatshirts worn as dresses (completed with over-the-knee boots). But it’s important to remember that she’s an artist and performer. What works for her over-the-top lifestyle doesn’t necessarily translate to that of the average person.

Plastic Shoes

This one is difficult to grasp because let’s be honest, they’re not comfortable. Plastic heels and shoes came onto the scene after the Kardashians were often seen wearing them. And then they spread like wild fire. I get it, we see our favorite celebrities wearing trends and think we should do it, too. However, the comfort (or lack thereof) level of this trend is enough to warrant death! Plus, let’s not forget that many doctors have since deemed the shoes a health risk!

Even though celebs are rocking plastic shoes, keep in mind that they likely aren’t spending entire days on their feet, unlike the rest of us.

While trends are a lot of fun to experiment with and educate clients about, there are a lot of trends that just aren’t feasible for the masses. As a personal fashion stylist it’s your job to keep up with trends and understand how certain trends should be avoided. You should also show your clients how to incorporate great trends into their wardrobes in a way that’s realistic for everyday life.

Are there any other terrible trends that need to die? Let us know in a comment!

Want to become a fashion expert yourself? Find out why a Fashion Styling Certification perfectly pairs with your makeup training!