Looking back at the fashion of the past is a sure fire way to make me cringe. My parents often reminisce about how they looked when they were my age, which is never a satisfying experience. I can’t help but wonder what went through their minds when they were dressing themselves 40 years ago.

Bootcut jeans, floral designs, afros, and pretty much everything else was an eye sore.  Floral design was tacky looking in the past just as it is today. Yet, somehow, it appeared to be commonplace. The horrifying part is that, at one point, that looked good to people. “How?” I ask my parents. “It just doesn’t make sense.” Then they always respond, “it was the trend at the time.”

But how does a trend like that even begin? Why would anyone think those pieces were a good choice? I think about the trends of today and wonder how we’ll be perceived. One day, on the sofa with my kids, I will proudly show how I once looked to them. They’ll give me the same look as I once did to my parents: disgust. The hard truth is that our clothing is no less different than my parents. Both will face the test of time and fail miserably.

My skinny jeans will certainly not look good. While I thought of my parents’ relatively baggy clothing as a disgrace to the human figure, my skin-tight clothing will seem excessive. Skinny clothing was once considered feminine and if fashion repeats itself like it always has, that view will become common once again.The commonly-worn khaki shorts of today will be seen as hideous. Such a dull color could be conceived as boring and unoriginal.

If only my style could stay relevant forever because I’m satisfied with the way fashion is now. It’s clearly not perfect, but it represents my youth. Unfortunately, through time, I will become just like my parents: an embarrassed adult looking fondly back at my glory days.