THE POWER OF NOSTALGIA

Nostalgia, a sentimental longing or wistful affection for the past, typically for a period or place with happy personal associations.

In the age of reboots and the cycle of fashion trends coming back around, it’s not uncommon that these different periods in time are being referenced, reimagined, and making its comeback to mainstream media.

Yves Saint Laurent 80s / Yves Saint Laurent ss22

In the wake of the y2k movement, fashion has continuously looks back at history and brought it into the modern age. We are seeing it now with the comeback of “Power Dressing”, which is a phrase created in the 1970s and later developed in the 80s, the term power dressing was a style that enabled women to dress in more masculine silhouettes which established their authority in a professional setting. This fashion style is now making its way back into mainstream as we see it walk down the runway as it once did. Designers such as Bluamrine, Miu Miu, and Diesel to name a few have been garnering the y2k aesthetic for a while now. As we have seen Miu Miu take over each and every editorial print with their infamous and widely popular micro mini skirt set. In addition to Blumarine butterfly motif outfits which have been seen on the likes of Dua Lipa. And most recently Diesels came back to stardom with its creative director being Glenn Martens. The latest fall 2022 collection debuted with the likes of the pop, y2k, futuristic aesthetic that was the early 2000s call back to the early days of Diesel. This form of call back to the past is what shapes the power of nostalgia. When things in the future seem so unclear it’s nice to look back at the past and look at how things used to be. It can be comforting looking back at our fashion pasts and seeing what the trend were and how people were dressing during those different times. Whether that’s the 60s Art Deco style, or the 80s disco era. All of it Is nostalgic to look back at and reminisce on.

From throw back Thursday to flashback Fridays, the iterate has been a beacon for longing to be back in the past where I felt the most happy or free. In recent months, I have been rediscovering every single childhood relic of mine that has been forgotten about in recent years. From forgotten wardrobe pieces to my own childhood toys such as Bratz dolls and iconic early 2000s movies such as ‘My Scene: Jammin in Jamaica’ and ‘Bratz: Rock Angelz’ and ‘Bratz: Diamondz’. Rediscovering these relics I think back to my ever so happy, fun loving childhood and my fondness of fashion. Now, in the present Bratz has come back in full force and the Y2K movement has made its presence known throughout the last three years since the pandemic. In times like this it is undoubtedly known that we are living in an age of nostalgia. As we know it, nostalgia is the future of fashion. Having spent hours rummaging through my wardrobe, many of the clothing pieces I have found are the kinds of items that are listed on depop as vintage items such as old kid tops now known as baby tees or mini purses for around $200. It’s these keepsakes that allow me and many urges to time travel to a time where these items are contained in distant memories and old photos.

Fendi Spring 2000 / Fendi Fall 2022

I have been that person who will keep an item in storage for many many years and hold onto it for sentimental reasons and the sense of nostalgia. I think we store and treasure these objects because it’s a way for us to reminisce about the past and stay feathered to it, at least for me. In fashion it is not uncommon to see a reference to the past as the industry as a whole is built off of inspiration and reflection. Looking back at this past Spring/ Summer 2022 fashion week, many fashion houses delved into their own memory boxes and took inspiration from different eras adapting it to the new era. Designers have long drawn inspiration from past decades and countless collections to create anew each season and initiate trends. In Vogues Life in Looks with Naomi Campbell she breaks down 13 distinct looks that are from the 90s. These looks are far from outdated, in fact these throwbacks feel like a breath of fresh air. A break from our usual overload and obsession of the next big trend.

Kim Kardashian copying Naomi Campbell's iconic fashion moments

We associate nostalgia with feeling good and in these times post quarantine and the onslaught of the pandemic, it is nice to look back and feel positive feelings when looking back on moments such as fashion. An example that comes to mind is old paparazzi pictures of the late Princess Diana and her effortless style that is still being reimagined and recreated today. In a shoot for Vogue Paris in 2019, Hailey Bieber was shoot dressed in similar Princess Diana fashion moments that uncandidly look just like the late Princess Diana. It’s moments like these where we feel the most comfortable and nostalgic.

Hailey Bieber, Vogue Paris in 2019/Princess Diana 90s streetstyle

In the new wave of nostalgia places like Instagram, high fashion twitter and TikTok have become the new breeding grounds for fashion nostalgia, particularly now that the influencer craze is occurring and everyone wants to see something different other than an influencer who tries hard to make new content and be relatable to their audience. It is undoubtedly known that Instagram and Twitter accounts such as Nineties Anxiety, TheKimbino, and NigelSatorial, give an insight and glimpse into today's fashion and how it dates back to the past. From nostalgic 90s posts to fashion history repeating itself on the runway, these fashion accounts have people like myself glued to their feeds fueled with shots of Carolyn Bessette and JFK Jr. in the 90s or a fashion reference donned on the runway. Whether it’s a throwback image or a fashion editorial, nostalgic content plays a significant portion of our lives as it resonates with so many of us.the desire to look back and reflect upon the past using nostalgic references as a foundation can make for amazing outcomes in the future as we are ever shifting and adapting to a new world.

For instance, in April of 2021 Heaven by Marc Jacobs opened their own boutique named Heaven on Fairfax in Los Angeles. In this store you can shop the Heaven collection as well as vintage, nostalgic memorabilia that gives their customers a glimpse into their past seasons, Jacob’s inspirations and cult like classics such as ‘E.T.’ and ‘The Virgin Suicides’. With the brand's cult-like fanbase of Gen-Z’ers, Heaven by Marc Jacobs has amassed its success off of 90s nostalgia itself. A particular collaboration that I can point out is Heaven x Nodaleto. The two collaborated on 90s grunge, schoolgirl inspired uniform footwear that encompassed 90s nostalgia to the fullest. From the strappy Mary Janes and the knee high boots, this collaboration screamed 90s as it so dutifully picked out the best 90s style moments. The store also creates their own vintage finds which play into the power of nostalgia as everyone is looking to own the next amazing vintage piece they can find. Similar to curated vintage stores, Heaven by Marc Jacobs is the boutique that stores archival vintage and streetwear finds that play into the nostalgic trope of comfort and sentiment.

For many many decades nostalgia has been at odds with the notion of innovation and youth. However, in the wake of Covid-19 and post quarantine all we want to do is settle down and watch countless episodes of ‘Living Single’, ‘The Nanny’ or ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’, while quietly tuning out the rest of the world and returning to that bubble of familiarity and comfort. It's time to rummage through your memory box and rediscover the old and make it anew. Just like with vintage pieces, regardless of the age, it still maintains its value and relevance.