Excellent question, Hilary.

And The Answer is…

Shoulder Pads.

I sometimes loose sleep thinking of their inevitable return. And then I wake up with Bags Under My Eyes. But, I would rather have Bags Under My Eyes than Pads On My Shoulders any day.

I would be really bummed if bell bottoms came back for a third time.

jellies.

The hair trend I hated (and I’m guilty of replicating) was when girls would split their bangs in half and the back portion would get curled back and teased and sprayed up really high and the front half would be down like normal bangs. Ew.

Hah. I had totally forgotten about jellies.

I wish I had too but I spotted a few girls wearing them in new york last week.

Oh, I’m with Eve! I remember, in the 6th grade, trying so hard to get my bangs to do that.

Hoop skirts & bustles. Not that they’re poised to make a return or anything, but you didn’t specify a timeframe. And in that spirit, how comfortable would togas be for casual Fridays?

I would be unhappy if acid wash jeans and neon colors were considered acceptable again. I also didn’t care for the bubble skirt the first time around, but too late, it’s already enjoying its comeback.

tapered jeans. Which are also already their comeback, regardless of how I feel about them.

I look really hot in a toga.

I think I’m with the leggings with leg warmers and coordinated keds

Jellies weren’t so bad. I am voting for acid washed and neon, and big hair. I live in Vermont, so the hair didn’t get too big, but whoa, bad hair trend.

Really bad ideas that need not be replicated:

1.) Little sailor suits for kids. Of any age.

2.) Dresses for young lads. Yeah, they had them. No one ever lives them down either.

3.) ‘Short pants’ for guys for everyday wear. This used to be a bit dressy back in the day, now, they just cover the territory with extra long butt draggin’ ‘cargo shorts’. They look horrible just the same. Shorts OR pants. Make the decision. Live with it.

4.) Mummies. ‘Nuf said.

5.) The ‘layered look’ for indoors for anyplace below the 48th parallel.

6.) The 2-3 cellphone pager ‘look’. If you’re that busy, try to simplify. And yeah, if you were really important you’d have a PA to handle all the accessories.

7.) Ever more ingenious glue like products for guy’s hair. Get it cut right, and more often and you’d not need to pollute the environment with these petroleum based toxic wastes. Ditto for the ‘wet look’ for 90% of the guys under (or over) the age of 60. We know you loved the 50’s, but like they’re so over man.

8.) Flamboyant and very expensive Cowboy boots on a business man. You got a ranch Tex? No, not a ranchette like our Dear Leader, a REAL working ranch with like animals and crops? That’s when you wear ‘em. Ditto for working ranch hands. This of course does not apply when you cross the Mississippi west, and east for a few 100 miles… But if you’re stomping the pavement all day, you’re either a westerner or someone who likes to dress up cowboy. The kids today…

9.) Big shiny expensive watches that keep lousier time than a standard issue Timex Quartz. Your time has come you 20K (!!) poorer poseur. I don’t care if your 21 Jewels Platinium & ruby encrusted wonder was made by famed former swiss bicycle workers. It spells ‘RUBE!’, and in the not so kindest ways. It tells everyone you’re talking to, ‘Yes, I’m proud to have spent too much on this bauble, and I’m a high maintenance bitch too’. Not attractive for a guy.

10.) Any ‘period’ costume that you’re trying to pull off (as a guy) short of being a ‘re-enactor’ for local history dramas. You think you’re a Hell’s Angel simply with the garb dude and your matching Harley? Let’s hope you never actually run into one.

I thought you needed a few from the guys POV. Cheers, ‘VJ’

Parachute pants.

Especially the peace/gray ones I had in college.

Can’t touch this.

Things I hated back in my day vs things that oughta comeback:
Baggy shirts on girls that went down to their thighs, but I kinda liked the stirrup pants — I dunno, it showed off girls’ calves… even if they did make their asses look baggy.
I second Randi on the shoulder pads BUT I would love unstructured jackets to make a comeback — those were awesome.
Similarly, I hated the rat-tails and ponytails on guys, but I think on the right person, the mullet would be cool.
And finally, I hated that 90210-influenced sideburn resurgence, but I hope the mustache makes a comeback, like My Name is Earl. I wouldn’t grow one, but it’d be great if others guys did. Maybe ’cause I’d be the only one not looking like a schmuck.

Two words: stirrup pants.

Oh, thought of another one: side ponytails. Not the low ones, because those can sometimes be pulled off elegantly if done right, but the big, high ponytails.

pleather.