No! Wrong! Just because a celebrity endorses something doesn’t mean it’s right for the layperson, especially on the clothing front. (Recall: Will Smith and his notorious leather Converse hi-tops from the 2004 junket tour of I, Robot.) This year, if nothing else, was proof of that. Even Jeff Goldblum, that level-nine black belt of picture-perfect style, led us astray! Here, to illustrate where (and how) we all went wrong in the wardrobe department, are the biggest fashion misses of 2018 that happened to spawn bona fide trends. C’mon, people, let’s leave these in 2018—and let’s try to not copy celebs as much in 2019. And for a retrospective look at the year, check out 50 Biggest Pop Culture Moments from 2018.
When Kendall Jenner was photographed wearing a veritable sleeping bag as a jacket, the internet had a field day with funny jokes and photoshop contests. (Yes, the shot above is one such bit.) And even though the resulting memes were in jest, the point was heard loud and clear: This Michelin Man puffer jacket trend needs to stop. Not only is it unflattering, it’s wildly impractical. Imagine squeezing through a crowded subway car in one of these. And for some actually good styles from the past 12 months, check out The 30 Best Fashion Trends of 2018.
As if Jenner’s ridiculed red jacket wasn’t proof enough, Ezra Miller’s Moncler monstrosity—which he wore during the Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald premiere—should convince you: oversized puffer jackets need to go the way of the dodo. (No, that photo isn’t some clever piece of Photoshop.)
The Disney World tourist’s favorite carry-all accessory became a mainstay among the fashion set this year; even luxe designers, like Gucci ($750) and Coach ($175), offer fanny packs now. And it seemed every Instagram fashion influencer on the planet rocked one during street-style shoots this year. Worn a number of ways—around the waist, across the shoulder, over the torso—the fanny pack was 2018’s “it” bag, for better or for worse. (For worse. Just bring a clutch.)
Thanks to Kanye West’s brand YEEZY, transparent footwear has been gliding in and out of style for a few seasons now. And Kanye’s better half, Kim, may be the biggest offender of this plastic shoe fad. It begs the question: What’s so wrong with leather and suede? These just look sweaty and uncomfortable. And for more laughable looks from 2018, This Retro Men’s Style Trend Is Back and Exactly Zero People Are Happy About It.
We’re not sure how cowboy boots stomped their way off the ranch and onto the red carpet, but they did. The Western footwear has been spotted on many celebrities this year, but Post Malone seems to have a particular affection for them. Case in point: This monstrosity of a look. Yes, there’s a lot going on, from head to toe, but direct your eyes to those bedazzled boots: one part cowboy, one part disco king, seven parts “why in the world…?” If you’re thinking of wearing shoes like this, stop yourself, and instead consider a head-turning, style-savvy pair of Chelsea boots.
Everyone loves a good tracksuit, but these sweat sets showered in gaudy designer logos are beyond exhausted at this point. As if a burgundy satin tracksuit emblazoned with Gucci’s trademark “G” insignia wasn’t flashy enough, DJ Khaled made sure everyone knew what designer he was wearing by slapping a big fat Gucci logo right in the middle.
The menswear crowd, from Justin Beiber to Jonah Hill, couldn’t get enough tie-dye this year. But the biggest offender may have been Pete Wentz, the bassist for emo-punk band Fall Out Boy. Instead of wearing a stylized hoodie or pair of sweats, he went all-in on baggy t-shirts and—to really boost the hippie factor—a totally lackadaisical approach to grooming. Now, what are the chances he had anything but the Grateful Dead on his playlist?
Generally, Oscars outfits are as fretted over as the films the night celebrates. But this? She looks like a Teletubby. When it comes to dress-coded events, it can be okay to push against the strict guidelines, so long as you put the effort in.
From Amal Clooney’s overly complicated getup to Daniel Kaluuya’s ill-fitting prom suit, the Met Gala this year sure had plenty of fashion pitfalls. But Katy Perry’s angel-winged ensemble—where she clearly took the “Heavenly Bodies” theme a bit too literally—easily took the cake. When you’re invited to a highfalutin event, yes, dress to theme. But don’t go as far as humanly (or, in Perry’s case, inhumanly) possible. ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb Hawaiian shirts have long been a favorite among Floridian retirees and Miami beachgoers. And now, thanks to irrepressible style power of Jeff Goldblum, their popularity has seeped into the fashion world. To be fair, he actually can kinda-sorta pull off the look (because he’s Jeff Goldblum and can pull off anything). But what makes this a top fashion miss of the year is what it has inspired among the remaining 99.9999 percent of the population. In 2019, can we please leave this design to the folks on the panhandle (and Jeff Goldblum)?
Itty bitty sunglasses made a huge splash among the fashion set this year, thanks largely to leading it-girl Bella Hadid. But “this is a trend that I am happy to leave behind,” Colleen Babul, stylist operations manager for Snap+Style Business, told Best Life. “It only looks good on a small percentage of people, so unless you have the bone structure of Bella Hadid, I would stick to a shape that complements your face.”
There’s only one dude who looks good in bowling-alley-chic: The Dude. So if you’re not Jeff Bridges at his most slovenly—something you’re probably not, and something Ryan Gosling most certainly is not—it’s best to stay (far, far) away. Yes, that means no bright-orange bowling shirts buttoned to the collar. It also means no suit jackets with mile-wide lapels. (And while you’re at it, leave the Masters jackets to Masters winners.)
There are a number of occasions for which bike shorts are appropriate: on a trip to the gym, on a hiking trip, on a bike ride. (Or pretty much any other physical activity.) But incorporating them into an everyday look, à la Kourtney Kardashian, is just odd. And for more headlines from the year that was, here are 20 Major Pop Culture Moments From This Year You’ve Already Forgotten About.
The hottest trend of 2005, this type of gloriously ugly (but, admittedly, insanely comfortable) footwear made a surprising cameo on various high fashion runways this year. Their comeback served both as a nostalgic nod and a sartorial parody, though we’re not entirely sure every celeb—case in point, Amy Adams—that sported them was in on the joke. Don’t fall for the joke. Safest to steer clear altogether.
This fisherman headwear has been playing a consistent game of peek-a-boo in fashion for the last few years. Thanks in part to models like Kaia Gerber, bucket hats topped the heads of many celebrities this year—and trickled down to the hoi polloi. Thing is, there’s not much to like about the style: it has the unwanted side effect of totally masking facial features. If that’s what you’re going for, hey, sure—but we’re of the unshakable opinion that fashion’s purpose is to accentuate, not hide. To discover more amazing secrets about living your best life, click here to follow us on Instagram!
