The retro revival: the old from yesterday is new today

Aeowynn Ayres, Entertainment Editor

It is common for microtrends to resurface for a short period of time, but more recently, vintage has beena making a comeback.

Vintage clothing has become very popular through the resurgence of thrifting. More specifically, leather jackets and big blazers are now a popular choice of streetwear. These are often seen paired with baggy jeans of the 1990s and a platform shoe or pair of Converse. Flared pants were popular in the 70s and are making a return through the popular garment flare leggings.

In the 1960s and 1970s, curtain bangs started becoming popular and became a trending hairstyle again in late 2020. Scrunchies also became popular again in 2019 with the VSCO girl style.

In more recent years, Gothic style has returned in fullswing with makeup and clothing similar to that of the original scene in the 1980s.

Fashion and home decor are more often featuring bold colors and funky patterns of the late 20th century, specifically inspired by the mid-century modern style of the 1950s.

Restaurants like Dumsers in Ocean City and Vintage Cafe in Havre de Grace have chosen to decorate their establishments with retro glassware and menus.

Different genres of music are on the rise, along with the means of listening to that music. Vinyls and CDs are again becoming popular devices to listen to music on. According to Billboard, 2022 was the biggest year for vinyl LP album sales since 1991.

Bands like The Cure, Fleetwood Mac, and ABBA are popular with today’s generation, and their songs can be heard playing on the radio. Bands from the 1970s and 1980s like Motley Crüe and Def Leppard went on tour last summer or have tours planned for the summer of 2023.

Another form of pop culture that’s returning in the 2020s is television. Many older shows are either getting spin-offs or modern-day reenactments. That 70s Show and Karate Kid both have released spin-offs on Netflix, and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air has a new, modern take through the show Bel-Air.

Similarly, shows filmed in the present day that are set years in the past have much effect on what becomes trending.

For example, Stranger Things, which is set in the 1980s, has caused a revival in the board game “Dungeons and Dragons” and even got Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill” to top charts again.