Ugliest decade

80s crappy fashion

I’m horrified that my favorite decade is losing/winning. I adore the 70s.

I adored it, too, r2, but the clothing most people wore was unparalleled in its ugliness. That said, I voted for the current decade. Nearly all forms of culture are as ugly as they have ever been, and people are so crude and coarse.

There were many classics in the seventies. Yes, I agree R3, most people did wear some questionable ensembles. Still like full and flared leg trousers, vests/waistcoats, and many trends of that era.

The 80s were horrible. The damn neon colors and bad hair everywhere.

I agree the 1980's were ugly. Especially woman's hairstyles-permed and frizzed!

The only part of the 1970's that was tacky/ugly was the late 70's those tacky/hideous disco styles. The early 1970's fashions and styles were cool.

Nothing says ugly fashion like the 70s.

Although the 1970s had the ugliest visual aesthetic, it had the best music and sound.

Women had more classic and natural hairstyles, long all one-length hair looked beautiful on many. Men had cool sideburns and facial hair. The eighties no sideburn look, or notches looked ridiculous in comparison. So many great designers were in their prime, and their influence remains.

The 90s: shapeless suits, Frankenstein shoes, and wider ties. We were walking Starbucks décor.

the 90s: Heroin K-Mart "chic"

I am SO glad I was born in the 80’s. Everything about the 70’s aesthetic makes me want to vomit.

The current decade—everyone is so plucked, botoxed & tattooed. Tattoos on the arms, ok, but face, neck tattoos gross. Fake lips, dead soulless eyes, reality TV show president, “emo trap” music, bland clothes. At least the 70’s had a recognizable style, people looked more natural & the music was good for the most part.

The 70s were so ... 70s.

I agree OP. Glad I only had to spend three years in the 80s.

R14- You're right. In the 1970's at least men had natural slim bodies. No tattoos , no piercings, no rings, no shaved public hair.

Decades are weird. I feel like 1980-82 still had a distinctly 70s feel.

Every decade will go out of style in 5 years what will you say about the teens (2011-19)?

Well I was born in the 80s as well. Late 80s.

But in think the 50s we're pretty bad. Especially for minorities. And all of the assassinations of political and social leaders in the 60s.

I didn't live through all of that. But it looked pretty bad.

I ... I don't think you get the thread, r20

R21 of course not!

I used to think it was the 70s because of the awful colors- all brown and orange. But I'm starting to lean toward the present. Everybody looks vulgar and I hate that fat people are being encouraged to show their bodies. Plus the athleisure stuff is hideous.

I change my vote. The current era for just general sloppiness wins. When leggings replaced jeans it was the end.

[quote]The early 1970's fashions and styles were cool.

Like what?

The best of the 70's classics include: Frye boots, peasant blouses for women, paisley, chain-belts for women (like Gucci), beads, clogs, Clark's Desert boots, Chukka boots, DVF wrap dress, large hoop earrings, A-line skirts, anything suede or Ultra-Suede, Calvin Klein, Halston, Ralph Lauren, Cacharel, Fiorucci, need I say more?

I liked the tight pants look of the 70’s on men & sexy sideburns & beards but could have done without the long messy hair. Women & young boys had it worse with the perky bowl Hair cut. Blue eyeshadow, yuck! Some of the 70’s fashion was cool though—beats the ugly 80’s styles, especially the late 80’s—poodle haircuts. Acid wash jeans, & chunky Cosby sweaters.

R25- R7 here. That Marcia Brady long straight hair , mini skirts, swede jackets with tassels on men, paisley shirts.

'60s holdovers, r28.

There is no reason for separate categories for the 90s - today as everything has looked exactly the same since 1990. All a bad rehash or more streamlined version of the hideous 1970s - only with the added benefit of cheaper fabrics from our neo-liberal economy.

R30 I was a teen in the 90’s and disagree. The 90’s definitely had a different look than today. Skinny jeans were not in the 90’s, for example, it was baggy jeans, layers, flannels. Ear piercings at most or one or two tattoos—no plugs or facial tattoos. It’s just that every couple decades a decade look comes back—the 90’s were the 70’s, The 00’s The 80’s & now a watered down version of the 90’s, what Gen Z thinks is the 90’s look I guess, but we were much more natural looking in the 90’s. No strategically placed tattoos, fake lips, etc.

The 70s is the ugliest decade... the decade of avocado green, mustard yellow, and burnt orange.

It's shag carpet, wood paneling, fringe on everything, and just gross fabrics (too much polyester).

Every decade since the 80s has gotten progressively worse. I did like the New Wave style of the early 80s.

50s and 60s were great. 70s were ugly. 80s were kind of ridiculous. 90s was an over-correction for the excesses of the 80s. I don't think there's anything that really defines the 00s and 10s to be honest.

I used to think the 70s were ugly and the 80s were tacky, but now is much uglier than both. 85% of people are now very badly dressed. Very few know how to dress professionally or attractively. The majority dress like bums, criminals, and hos.

I agree R24.

The Nineties had its own style that only smart people can see now. The Seventies and Eighties are easily understandable because of the easy stereotypes.

The 90's is easily the blandest decade when it comes to fashion. Each decade at least had something unique that stood out from the rest. The 90's had flannel, overalls?

R38 —raver jeans (like Jncos). ripped jeans. Dark lipstick, goth look, hip hop look (sagging, do-rags, looney toon T shirts, flannel), cargo pants, Tommy Hilfiger, flannels, backward baseball caps, skater look, converse one stars and air walks, mom jeans (at the beginning of the decade), hoop earrings, power pixie cut for women (beginning of decade), MC Hammer pants (beginning), New Jack Swing Look, Cross Colors, Hushpuppies, Overalls (with one strap down !), Racheal cut from Friends for women, George Clooney “Ceaser” cut for men, bleached hair, long hair comeback for men, gotees, etc.

In the 70s I had an orange leisure suit.

....jellies, Joe Boxer, slap wrap bracelets, dark lip liner, CK one cologne, Rave look with Dr.Suess hats & pacifiers, long sleeved shirts under shirt sleeved shirts...

R32, you left out "Harvest Gold"

The 1970s was the butt-ugliest, tackiest decade by far. It was mind-numbingly awful on every conceivable level. Ugly colors (earth and fruit-colored tones, like avocado, carrot and mustard); unflattering tailoring; garish or tacky fabrics like lame and polyester, and patterned suits for men (what on earth were they thinking?!).

The 1980s weren't ugly, but very stuffy and boring. I remember outfits consisting of layers upon layers of bulky, over sized clothes. It was like everyone had to be buried under piles of fabric. Everyone imagines that the 1980s was all New Wave but it wasn't. Everyone looked more or less like something out of an episode of Mr. Belvedere.

At the moment I'm wearing a cropped sweatshirt with leggings. throw any decade at me and I'll give you a Laura Petrie dance.

The 1970s definitely, those ugly deformed looking platform shoes on men as well as women. Horrible 'disco' clothing. Men looked like pimps and women looked like hookers. Not a great time in fashion.

POLYESTER everywhere! Talk about a breeding ground for bacteria and BO!

Loud PLAID suits for men, even slim men looked awful in large plaids. My father had several horrible plaid suits, at least they were wool, not stinky polyester.

R45, don't forget FLAIRS.... and BELL BOTTOMS... and LEISURE SUITS with WIDE LAPELS. Ugh. So ugly.

"Everybody looks vulgar and I hate that fat people are being encouraged to show their bodies."

Yes, body shame is so important to the human psyche.

I told my daughter time and time again, but she wouldn't listen.

I just didn't have the patience to wait for her to become anorexic. There are just so many hours in the day.

2010's is just awful from the clothes which is shitty beyond words. Fake face, hair and body with no talent people getting famous. Young people dressing like homeless people. and being trigger over everything you say and do. Reality TV shows with showcase the worst that society have to offer for your viewing. Last but not least look who sits in that White House. Hell we living in it.

I choose now. I was tempted to vote 70s but having been there, there was just an excitement about the period. Also an innocence. Plus, glamour back then MEANT glamour, it was a dirty sweaty sort but glam non the less.

I think we are in a equally ugly period at present. The slithery succubi Kardsahian influence is everywhere still, and I hate seeing young girls going out to work wearing literally 50 kinds of product on their faces. Old people are encouraged to wear inappropriately youthful styles, and as mentioned up-thread FAT people. People are zombies in public staring blankly at there phones which I find incredibly unattractive. Clothing does not really even seem to be a thing anymore, good things don't even last and need to be thrown out after a couple of wears. Lady Gaga wearing a meat dress in 2010 seemed to prophetically sum up this decades fashion - Desperate.

I don't think overweight women should wear tight T shirts that expose their big bellies and leggings that show off huge asses. Maybe they could wear something more flattering. They don't have to be anorexic just wear clothes appropriate to their body size.

[quote]I don't think overweight women should wear tight T shirts that expose their big bellies and leggings that show off huge asses. Maybe they could wear something more flattering. They don't have to be anorexic just wear clothes appropriate to their body size.

NO ONE should dress like that, including men and teens and even kids.

If you are obese, not one wants to see you sloppy belly hanging out of your pants or from your 'belly' shirt. Let alone your ass crack.

Blame trash culture and reality 'stars' like the KarTrashians for making moronic ignoramus people think that skin tight see-through clothing is suitable wear while going about your everyday life. Female pornstars don't even dress that trashy in public!

The wearing your pants around your ankle from mid 90s to presents, means that every other decade is ahead, WAY ahead, on just that alone.

Tentatively, I'd say the 1990s. Maybe it's too early to tell. I'm thinking about the over-plucked eyebrows.

I don't think the 70s were all bad.

R52, I think many men look just fine with their pants around their ankles.

The 80s big, frizzy hair, and the huge should pads were really ugly.

*shoulder pads*.. sheesh.. lol

2000s

In 1910 NOTHING was tacky. Not clothing nor architecture.

1970's without a doubt.

I loved the preppy and New Wave looks of the early '80s, before crap like this became the norm.

I like preppy with a bit of seventies flair thrown into the mix.

r62 Alligator shirts + bell bottoms?

R63 Lacoste for sure, flared leg trousers, or boot cut denim. Bell bottoms a bit much, unless you're a hot chick.

I gave up bell bottoms when I began acquiring alligator shirts. 501s and khakis from then on.

If you eschew the peg leg Thom Brown suits, as well as the skinny jeans, you sound as if you look alright in my book then. Hopefully you have longer hair, and sideburns too. Extra credit points for a trim beard.

^ Browne

70’s for sure , did people really like olive green , orange and brown so damn much? When these colors represent your decade it’s just ugly!

Yes, I like all of those colours actually R68. We did wear other colours too though. Your picture oddly resembles a kidney pillow I have made of silk ribbons. If I knew how to post a pic, I'd share it.

The 80s are safe, because [italic]I attest[/italic] nothing with Miss Brooke in it can be ugly.

If one either wasn't yet born or too young to remember the 70s how would they possibly know the 70s was the ugliest decade?

Well R71 however could they realise there were cool looks too? Through pictures, movies, and fashion magazines.

You don't need to have seen these on someone's feet to recognize their ugliness, r71.

^ People at that time didn't think the colors were ugly. They were the ones who picked them.

As far as the shoes, you rarely ever saw anyone wearing them, unless you were in a NYC nightclub known to be frequented by weirdos.

I see your clunky, Oz green platforms, r73. And up you some strawberries.

It's not simply the color, r74. That would be one ugly shoe if it only came in black and cordovan.

Also, I first noticed platform shoes in Pittsburgh, in the winter of 1972. All the JAPpiest people were wearing them.

When did men wear those black square-toed oxfords? The 90s or 00s?

I though most of the 90s were pretty nondescript. Like any one on a college campus still wears that stuff - khakis, button-down shirts, Oxford shoes.

The 90s were close to normcore.

Mainstream fashion stopped being bad in the mid-90s. It was generally fine from thereon. Nothing terribly offensive or obnoxious. Lots of retro fads ever few years (80s two years ago, 70s for the last 5-7 years, 90s a tiny bit recently). Everyone got very self-aware in the mid-90s and realized that there are just these cycles, and the safest thing was to dress with a time-tested "base" of normal clean-cut clothing (Gap basics basically, except people stopped shopping at Gap).