History always has a way of repeating itself – especially when it comes to fashion. Coming back to school this fall, it is clear that many students have taken inspiration from past trends that are often portrayed in movies and TV shows.

Filled with pearls, fur coats, monochrome outfits, tea dresses and classic vintage jewelry, senior Abby Adkins’s closet looks like it came straight out of a classic old Hollywood movie. 

Time periods like the ‘40s, ‘70s, and early 2000s, are all eras of fashion that are incorporated into styles today. For Adkins, her passion for old Hollywood has influenced her personal style in major ways. 

Many of the accessories that people add to spice up what they see as a boring outfit are actually classic pieces of history. Even just a simple bracelet or necklace passed down from a grandparent could be something that was rocked in the 40’s, adding a vintage flare. For Adkins, that flare comes from an opal bracelet she has that was given to her by her grandmother. 

“It’s my favorite piece because it reminds me of something my favorite actress, Doris Day, would wear,” Adkins said. “I love my style because I can add little things into my outfits each day that some people wouldn’t even consider to be vintage.” 

In the ‘20s and ‘40s, old Hollywood stars like Lauren Bacall and Judy Garland were all the rage. When it came to fashion, glamor and elegance were the main goals behind the outfits that were rocked by all the classic old Hollywood figures. As this time was so loved, many of the trends have made a comeback. 

 While the ‘20s and 40’s were glitz and glamor, the ‘60s and ‘70s were flare pants sold out in stores and ‘hippie’ being the title everyone wanted to carry. This was a time of eclectic styles in their own colorful way, evolving from the teen rebellions from the strict values of decades past. It takes on a very laid-back yet chic vibe with figures of the time such as Cher, The Beatles and Jimi Hendrix popularizing it even more. Junior Aubry Bogdany takes inspiration from iconic ‘70s musician, Stevie Nicks, who used velvet and layering to create that ‘whimsy-goth’ style, influencing Bogdany’s fashion choices today. 

“I would describe my style as very hippie and a little bit of grunge. I love pairing different pieces together and layering. It creates a very flowy look,” Bogdany said.

More recently, the early 2000s featured Lizzie Mcguire, butterfly clips and frosted lip gloss. According to Bustle: 25 Nostalgic Fashion Trends From The Early 2000s, the 2000’s were when people started to view their personal style as an extension of their identity and who they wanted to be. Rhinestones were one of the biggest trends during this time; they were on pants, shirts, hats and jewelry. Junior Cherokee Penn expressed her love of this trend and her favorite pieces from it. 

“The rhinestone cross shirts, necklaces and skull patterns are my favorite.” Penn said. “I see people who emulate the style I want to have and get the motivation to try and recreate or create outfits inspired by them,” Penn said. 

Penn often takes inspiration from those around her, whether that be a friend or just someone passing by that inspires her. 

“One of my friends, Zoe, is a big inspiration for my style. I get inspiration from the movie Thirteen as well, just really people I see on Instagram as well and their style,” Penn said.

Alongside Penn, junior Misa Gibbs also expressed her love of early 2000s experimental fashion. According to Gibbs, she likes to keep people guessing, straying away from predictability and consistency, often getting inspiration from different cultures in the early 2000s trends. 

“I’m really inspired by black women that are either on social media or in person who have outfits that other black people may be scared to try. They deeply inspire me to also make a change with the stereotypes,” Gibbs said.  “Harajuku and Gyaru fashion have also had a big impact on me and a lot of my outfits this year” 

Harajuku is a neighborhood in Tokyo, known for its fashion district which features bold outfits and eye-catching street style . Similarly, Gyaru is a Japanese fashion subculture known for breaking away from traditional beauty standards. 

Not only does fashion have the power to motivate creativity and confidence, but it holds the power to motivate people to go to school. By taking advantage of the freedoms of different dress codes over the years, many people, such as Gibbs, find comfort in adding unique pieces to their fashion and expressing themselves through their style. 

“In elementary school, I used to wear different tiaras everyday to make my outfit unique. As I got older, I had realized that I have more freedom in school; I soon knew that going above and beyond with fashion really was what made me the happiest,” Gibbs said. 

One of the many things that fashion has had in common throughout all times in history, is the bold nature it holds. Fashion begs for freedom, creativity, and expression. Colors, funky pieces and jewelry are all ways that the classic early 2000’s trend is achieved. 

“What I like about 2000s fashion was how it was so free; no one really cared what you wore. And almost every trend at the time had such a bold statement, especially for POC women like Nicki Minaj, Rihanna and Beyonce,” Gibbs said.