The return of galaxy print and Brandy Melville tanktops

We spoke to Grazia about the return of 2010s fashion, from Brandy Melville tank tops and galaxy leggings, and whether or not the trend cycle is actually moving as fast as we think it is.

Grazia: Have you noticed a 2010s style resurgence and, if so, what does it look like?

Digi: While we are yet to see full 2010s-inspired looks on the runway (as we have with Y2K styles a la Blumarine, etc.), there are smaller signals around culture that are pointing towards a 2010 style resurgence – the first being the rise of indie sleaze in all its glory! From the growing popularity of digital cameras (blurry shots, over-exposed flash, slightly pixelated quality), indie-rock-ready runway looks by Celine, YSL that look like they could be worn by Alex Turner circa 2013 to Skims’ American Apparel-esque photoshoots, we are embracing chaos by moving into an era of sleaze. Digging deeper, within indie sleaze is the Tumblr aesthetic trending on social media, as demonstrated by Gen Z romanticising the ‘2014 Tumblr era’ on Tiktok by styling themselves in pleated skirts, knee socks and photo carousels paying homage to the dark, edgy aesthetic and this iconic photo. The twee aesthetic has also been noted to seep into culture since last year (elements of its quirky style can now be found in the coquette aesthetic, too!). Finally, a noteworthy mention to the comeback of Miley Cyrus that is bringing back memories of her being the blueprint of 2010s Tumblr style – who knows, maybe that will be our gateway into wearing baby Brandy Melville tank tops and galaxy leggings again. 

Grazia: Why do you think the trend cycle has become so much shorter (trends used to come back around every 20 years, but now its more like 10?

Digi: I actually don’t think it’s moving as fast as the general public thinks it is. In one of the videos I posted on our TikTok, I spoke about how the trend cycle is still 20 years, but what we’re actually seeing now is multiple micro trends coming and going at a super fast pace due to technology and social media, which wasn’t the case 20 years ago.

Our current macro trend is Y2K and many people seem to think that it started a few years ago, roughly around 2019, but it’s actually been in the making since as early as 2012. Remnants of early adopters of the trend can be found all over Tumblr, Imgur and other photo sharing platforms across the internet.

The early 2010s is currently being spoken about a lot but the everyday person isn’t referencing the 2010s in their style, nor are we seeing 2010s fashion in the mainstream. What we are seeing are early adopters such as designers like Laura Andraschko, low-key fashion enthusiasts megstarprincess, badnewsisalwaystrue, isalocsin, silvervolant and Tumblr pages like thatbitchsimone  beginning to look to the 2010s for inspiration and isolate the mainstream trend (Y2K) from their personal style. Not to mention the rise of digital camera-based flash photography on Instagram amongst the fashion girlies like Bella Hadid. This is exactly 10 years from when the Y2K trend first began, which means that it will take perhaps up to another 10 years for the 2010s to fully transition into the mainstream.

Read full article by Daisy Jones in the March 2023 issue of Grazia.

✨ Contributing Fairies

• Rachel Lee, Insights & Cultural Analyst
• Rukiat Ashawe, Cultural Specialist

✨ Digi Reading Recs

• How Indie Sleaze went High-Fashion, (Elle, 2022)

For more content like this, explore the rest of the Digiverse, or connect with us on TikTok or Instagram. If you’re a brand or business and want to inspire your audience in innovative ways, reach out to our strategic & creative lab eve@thedigitalfairy.co.uk