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Nostalgia can evoke a range of emotions. Think about the rush of sheer joy you feel when you turn on your favorite old movie, like Clueless or The Parent Trap. The same concept applies to fashion: Slipping into a pair of jelly flats may spark childhood memories of frivolous summer days, and the comforting appeal of skinny jeans (back in full swing, BTW) just may triumph over any modern-day debate. From ’90s and Y2K favorites to the first major resurgence of 2010s motifs, throwbacks are the way forward when it comes to the trends we expect to see this fall. Ahead, learn about the current nostalgia takeover, plus learn how to integrate six resurgent trends into your wardrobe.
Why Nostalgia Is the Moment
Given the current climate, it makes total sense why the masses are gravitating toward throwback items. “Nostalgia continues to shape consumer behavior, product design, and marketing across industries—it’s now a key emotional driver, especially in times of uncertainty and rapid change,” explains Sofia Martellini, a senior strategist at trend forecasting company WGSN. “It offers comfort, escapism, and a sense of belonging, making it a powerful tool for brands to connect with consumers and foster loyalty.”
Of course, we don’t need to tell you about the Y2K comeback, as it’s reached every facet of fashion, from denim (low-rise, baby) to jewelry (two words: body chains). While early aughts style is still prominent, these days the industry has also been making way for another era to trickle back into the landscape: the 2010s. “Beyond a natural evolution of nostalgia (and the 20-year cycle), it’s also a time where social media was at its early stages and young people seemed to live a little less edited and a bit more hedonistic, which may offer a sense of relief to young consumers growing up in the ‘wellness boom,’” Martellini explains about the decade’s current grip on the industry. Peplum tops, for instance, are having a moment again, as are slim-fit pants.
Earlier eras have also found their way into designers’ fall 2025 collections. For example, Kendall Becker, the fashion and beauty director at Trendalytics, is noticing a growing interest in ’80s fashion. “There’s so much innovation happening within suiting,” she tells Byrdie. “We’re seeing a lot happening with blazers, like shoulder pads coming back.” Designers are also leaning into neon, in-your-face hues, beloved by Madonna during the decade.
Remember: What’s old will always be new again, notes Steve Dool, senior director of brand marketing and communications at Depop. “These [bygone] eras are being interpreted through a modern lens as new generations reminisce on the style and moments that came before them, whether they lived through them or are discovering them now via Netflix, TikTok, or wherever they consume content,” he explains. While the eras we look to for inspiration shift with the seasons, the power of nostalgia in creating fashion excitement is evergreen.
Nostalgic Trends to Try This Season
Polka Dot It
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Unless you’ve been off the grid over the past few months, you’ve likely noticed 2025’s polka-dot revival. According to experts, the trend shows no signs of slowing down for fall. It’s tricky to attribute the print to a specific decade, as it has fluctuated in and out of the trend cycle throughout the 20th century, with numerous celebrity endorsements along the way. Marilyn Monroe rocked the pattern in the ’50s, Twiggy was a polka-dot enthusiast in the ’60s, and Princess Diana donned it nonstop in the ’80s.
Why the sudden resurgence? “I think as women, we’ve been leaning into girlier things, and things that feel more youthful,” says stylist Pascia Obami-yao Sangoubadi, tying the trend back to fashion’s role in the current state of the world. The fall 2025 runways were awash with the classic motif, with designers like Jacquemus, Fendi, and Moschino reinvigorating the timeless look. Celebrities like Hailey Bieber, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kate Middleton have also recently cosigned the polka-dot trend, solidifying it as one to watch this fall.
Breaking News(boy)
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Many Y2K trends have run their course, but one look is quietly coming back into the fold. Enter the newsboy cap: Millennials remember when the hat, also referred to as a paperboy cap, was a celebrity go-to seen on the likes of Britney Spears, Jennifer Lopez, and Christina Aguilera. It made cameos on screen as well, specifically in The Devil Wears Prada (on Andy Sachs) and Sex and the City (a Carrie Bradshaw favorite).
Whispers of the hat’s resurgence began after Kendall Jenner embraced the silhouette in early 2025. Khaite only added fuel to the flame, including the piece in 15 out of 56 looks for its fall 2025 collection. Lately, Sangoubadi is noticing the silhouette getting bigger than ever before: “I see it being more oversize,” she says, joking that the latest styles are akin to Mario’s signature hat.
Peplum Power
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Quick question: Did you once own a peplum top? If you were in a room full of 20- and 30-somethings, you’d see countless heads nodding. It was impossible not to incorporate the playfully flared silhouette into your wardrobe in the era when it was all over television, most notably on Blair Waldorf in Gossip Girl and Hanna Marin in Pretty Little Liars. In the late 2000s and early 2010s, many teens got their peplum fix from Forever 21 and Wet Seal, channeling main character energy in a cinch.
But don’t be fooled: These mall brands didn’t pioneer the flouncy look. That would be Christian Dior, whose famous “New Look” collection in 1947 included a peplum blazer, often referred to as the Bar jacket. The flared silhouette was a bold move at the time, as it was a stark departure from the utilitarian looks that had been popular during World War II.
In 2024, Dior paid tribute to its age-old jacket, debuting a new version dubbed the 30 Montaigne Bar Jacket. This July, Kate Middleton wore a pale pink iteration to welcome French President Emmanuel Macron for a state visit. According to Sangoubadi, designers are bringing back the silhouette but not in a workwear way. Instead, they’re introducing edgier, cooler takes on the style, refreshing the controversial trend for 2025.
Slogan Tees 2.0
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Slogan tees were synonymous with Hollywood starlets in the early aughts. Britney Spears famously wore humorous styles with sayings like “Dump Him” and “I Am the American Dream,” while fellow It girl Paris Hilton stepped out in looks that read “Bite Me” and “Queen of the Universe.”
The graphic top revival started in spring 2024, when Loewe’s “I Told Ya” shirt made an appearance in Challengers. Other viral moments—like Sabrina Carpenter’s “Jesus Was a Carpenter” shirt at Coachella—happened around the same time, leading to a full-blown trend. “I feel like we’re still having fun with different slogans,” says Becker, confirming the phenomenon is far from over. “What’s so great about the slogan tee trend is that it’s easily adaptable. There’s a lot to play with there. It’s a cool way for people to be able to speak their mind in a less literal sense.”
Now, slogan tees with political messages are making a comeback as well. Perhaps you’ve come across Conner Ives’ “Protect the Dolls” T-shirt, which supports transgender women. Shirts like this allow designers to share their thoughts on the current climate and the rollback of LGBTQ+ rights while allowing their work to do all the talking.
Indie Sleaze Staples
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The indie sleaze aesthetic took hold of the style set in the mid-to-late 2000s, in the golden age of MySpace. The trend involved messy hair, smudged eyeliner, and grungy, club-ready ensembles like leather jackets, skinny jeans, and platform boots. From Glastonbury to downtown New York, it quickly became the go-to look for cool girls everywhere.
If you’re down for round two, you’ll be pleased to hear the aesthetic is destined to take over come fall. “Indie sleaze and hipster culture, what we refer to in the Depop Trends Report as indie vanguard, continues to build steam,” Dool says.
Next-Level Neon
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Neon shades were so popular in the ’80s that the era earned the nickname “the neon decade.” Madonna—aka the Queen of Pop—was no stranger to bold looks, frequently sporting vibrant greens, pinks, and yellows. Bold hues were associated with “jazzercise” workout classes, for which attendees often wore colorful athleisure looks: think a bodysuit over leggings finished with leg warmers.
Although neons are most closely associated with the ’80s, the colors also remind Sangoubadi of American Apparel’s heyday in the 2010s, when teens would flock to the retailer for their vivid sweatshirts, tees, and leggings. On the recent runways, the stylist points to Givenchy as one luxury label incorporating striking shades into its fall 2025 collection, having featured a highlighter-yellow dress on the catwalk. Recent summer color trends like Barbie pink and Brat green have also paved the way for a full-blown neon obsession, ensuring the future is bright for this unmissable trend.
