Fashion don’ts turned do’s

From embellished bell-bottoms to furry leg warmers: West High has seen its fair share of fashion atrocities over the past 50 years but 2017 may just be the year that some of the most debatable make a comeback. Walking through the halls of West, it’s hard not to notice the staggering amount of girls sporting white Crocs or sandals paired with socks. It seems what were once considered fashion faux-pas are now the hottest trends – not only at West, but at schools across the nation.

“Wearing [socks and sandals] is definitely a fashion statement,” said Ellie Kouba ’19. Kouba is one of many West High girls that began wearing this unique look as a form of self expression.

“A few of my friends decided that we didn’t really care what other people think, we love the socks and sandals trend – it’s super comfy,” Kouba said. 

The trend – originally worn almost exclusively by the older generation – first made its comeback in 2014 during New York Fashion Week, where high profile designers like Tory Burch and Kate Spade utilized the eccentric style in their shows.  Ever since, sales at companies such as Birkenstock (a popular sandal brand) have skyrocketed. The brand reported that their US sales revenue increased by up to 40 percent in 2015.

But socks and sandals isn’t the only trend getting an encore this year. Crocs, originally branded as boat shoes, have been all the rage.

“I think a lot of people have caught on to [wearing Crocs]  and how easy they are to just throw on: put on your socks, put on your Crocs,” Kouba said.

Crocs are no longer just the chunky “Swiss-cheese”-esque clogs you’ve come to know. Since their rise in popularity circa 2014, Crocs have debuted several new styles. Fuzzy Crocs, sandal Crocs and flip-flop Crocs are among the new forms the shoe has taken in the last four years.

Crocs may be the hottest new fad, but ugly footwear isn’t the only thing coming back in style. The fabric covered elastics known as scrunchies aren’t reserved for 90’s throwback costumes anymore – they’re becoming a hair accessory of choice for West students and celebrities alike.

“I was introduced to [scrunchies] through my friends,” said Kenzie Donovan ‘21, “They started wearing scrunchies and I made fun of them, but now I wear them too because they’re comfortable.”

The non-creasing quality of the hair tie makes it especially attractive to students.

“If I do my hair nice but I have P.E. I’ll wear a scrunchie so it doesn’t get messed up,” Donovan said.

Aside from preserving your hair during a grueling workout, scrunchies may aid in maintaining healthy tresses. Traditional hair ties with metal attachments cause breakage to the hair, whereas scrunchies’ cloth exterior is gentler.

Students not only find these styles fun and practical, but they take pride in dressing outside the box.

“I felt a little weird at first but then I warmed up to [wearing strange trends]. I don’t really care who judges me,” Donovan said.