Some trends are so ugly… that they’re actually kind of cute.
Trends that were once hated for how bad they looked are now being worn by everyone, literally everywhere. Think of Crocs, jorts, skorts, ballet flats, and chunky headphones.
Everyone thought these were ‘ugly’ trends that needed to go away. They did… and made a massive comeback.
The Comeback No One Saw Coming
Crocs were once trolled for looking like clown shoes or something that only dads and nurses wore. I literally used to hide mine so my mom wouldn’t make me wear them when I was six. Now, they’ve got a whole new personality. People love that you can customise them with charms, and they fit right into the streetwear vibe.
Jorts used to get roasted for giving off middle-aged dad energy (I see you, Adam Sandler) and being totally unflattering. But now? They’re everywhere. TikTok and Instagram users call them the chill older sister of denim shorts, and honestly, they kind of are.
Image Credit: Crocs sandals by Zhou Yuji1028 from Wikimedia Commons.
Ballet flats were once called boring and basic. Now? They’re a coquette-core essential, something every girl needs in her shoe lineup (guilty as charged <3).
Chunky headphones used to be seen as way too big for the average person. They were the kind of thing you’d expect on tech guys, not in everyday outfits. Now they’re a cool girl accessory. Almost everyone has a pair, and people are obsessed. They make it look like you’ve got taste in music and in style.
The It-Girl’s Oddest Obsession
No trend confuses people more than Labubus. They’re proof that cute and creepy can exist in the same outfit.
Labubu was created by Hong Kong artist Kasing Lung as part of his 2015 series The Monsters, but it didn’t hit the mainstream until Pop Mart introduced it in 2023 through their blind-box drops.
But even then, it only blew up in April of 2024 after Blackpink member, Lisa was spotted with a Labubu keychain on her bag. That moment basically kicked off the Labubu craze we see now.
People consider Labubus weirdly cute, with their wide eyes, toothy grin, and slightly unhinged energy; they’re not adorable in the usual way, they’re cute in a chaotic, what-is-that-kind- of-way. That is what makes people want them.
People started styling them as keychains on their bags, whereas some put them on belt loops, and even with coquette outfits, suddenly this creepy little creature became the ultimate cool-girl accessory. It’s confusing, a little cursed, and to some, cute.
Image Credit: Labubu pop-up store at Beijing from Wikimedia Commons.
Why Are We Obsessed With the Weird?
So, why is the internet suddenly so in love with all these trends that were deemed “ugly” at first?
One reason for this could be confidence and individuality. Fashion is about expressing yourself. People naturally gravitate toward trends that let them do just that.
Wearing something like Crocs or jorts speaks to people that I’m not here to follow trends, I’m here to do what I love. Psychologists like Carolyn Mair have spoken about how fashion lets people express identity beyond just trends. So-called “ugly” fashion is just another way of rejecting the need to please and embracing your own taste.
Maybe these trends didn’t change; it was the way people followed them that changed. What once felt like it was not, is now being styled in ways that actually make sense.
You’re not just throwing on Crocs anymore, you’re adding your personal touch with cute charms, wearing mini skirts, or full-on streetwear fits. Suddenly, it works.
Perhaps it could also be the generation following these trends that has changed. Gen Z isn’t afraid to wear stuff millennials swore off. The same jorts that were once ridiculed are now being styled like chill, oversized, comfy denim essentials that can be worn with shrugs, tanks, and sneakers, basically anything, making it super versatile too. It’s not ironic. It’s taste.
That’s the whole point
So, what’s the takeaway? Ugly isn’t really ugly anymore, not when it’s worn with confidence.
The same jorts, Crocs, or chunky headphones people used to laugh at? They’re now fashion favorites, all because someone decided to wear them like they meant it.
It’s not about chasing trends or looking picture-perfect. It’s about putting something on and owning it so hard that people stop and think, “Wait… maybe that actually is cute.”
Because sometimes, when you stop dressing to be liked and start dressing for yourself, that’s when the fun really begins.
