Geek shirts, Toms and moustache accessories: Cringey Singapore fashion trends from 2010 that we hate ourselves for

Back in 2010, 15-year-old me spent many long nights browsing through Carousell for a cheaper version of the highly-coveted Topshop geek shirt. 

Almost all my friends had it and were flaunting it proudly on social media, alongside moustache-embellished rings, lensless glasses and those hideously ugly owl pendant necklaces. 

A decade on, these nauseating trends have pretty much disappeared from our radar. That is, until local TikTokers @lielnicole and @pale.nerves recently decided to relook some of our worst fashion choices.

@lielnicole

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♬ original sound - Culz?

So we thought we'd jump on the bandwagon and take a little walk down memory lane too. Warning: the following list may make you cringe.  

1. Geek shirts from Topshop

Like I said earlier, this shirt was the only thing that every teen girl wanted and if you didn't have one in your wardrobe, you just weren't cool enough. 

These were often paired with skater skirts and became some kind of national uniform — no matter where you go, you'd see someone wearing it. 

Riding on the demand for these shirts were places like Taobao, which sold imitation versions for a fraction of the price. Other variations with words such as Nerd and Dweeb started popping up too and people clamoured to get these in multiple colours. 

2. Little Miss and Little Mr shirts

If you weren't wearing a Geek shirt, you probably donned a Little Miss or Mr. Men shirt.

These came in a variety of designs, with the more popular ones being Little Miss Sunshine and Little Miss Bad. 

They were cute... until everyone started wearing them.

3. Anything with a moustache

If you were "cool" enough to have a geek shirt, you probably remember that it was the in thing to pair it with a moustache necklace or ring. 

Apart from being downright ugly, the moustache rings were also not the most functional accessory — most of us could barely wiggle our fingers while wearing them, yet we all put up with it in the name of fashion. 

4. Baggu bags

While Baggu bags were never really hideous to begin with, so many people carried them around to the point where they became an eyesore. 

I have to admit though — these were pretty roomy and could store plenty of things, but after a while, it got a bit much. 

5. Jeffery Campbell Lita boots

I have no idea why so many of us coveted a pair of sky-high Jeffery Campbell Lita boots, but at one point, it was the hottest shoe trend. Practically every fashion YouTuber worth their salt had at least one pair. 

Evidently these shoes, which retail for US$160 (S$215) were too pricey for the average teenager, so most people settled for the knock-off versions. 

Apart from taking up plenty of shoe cabinet space, these were ridiculously impractical and most of the girls who wore these could barely walk straight in them — imagine running after a bus in such tall heels! 

6. Toms

What did we ever see in Toms? They didn't have much foot support and aren't really the most practical option when it rains, but it seemed as if most guys had multiple pairs in different colours.  And yes, there were knock-offs for these too.

 

7. Owl pendant 

Am I the only one who never found this owl pendant cute, even when it was deemed trendy? In fact, I found its bulging black eyes somewhat unnerving. 

But apparently, the rest of Singapore didn't share the same sentiments because these were at almost every accessory store that I walked into.

8. G-Dragon One Of A Kind shirts and hoodies

I was never a K-pop fan but I could recognise the G-Dragon One of a Kind logo from a mile away because at one point, it was plastered everywhere. 

In fact, I suspect that some non-G-dragon fans may have purchased this because they just wanted to be part of the trend. 

9. Hello Kitty lensless glasses 

At one point, looking like a geek (cue the Topshop shirt) was the in thing and to do that, people would don large glasses. 

And it seemed like people who didn't require glasses still wanted to jump onto this trend too because everyone started purchasing lensless glasses, especially the legendary Hello Kitty ones. 

10. Zinc bunny bag

Last but not least — this bag that come in a variety of colours and designs, all equally terrifying. People who carried this bag looked like they had a dead body strung across their bodies. 

The bag wasn't just eerie-looking — it was impractical too. I always wondered why some kids bothered bringing these to school because you could barely fit a pencil case in them, let alone a textbook. 

If we missed out any of your favourite — or most hated — fashion trends, let us know!

melissteo@asiaone.com