I remember discovering trends as a youth and hearing a parental figure recall the first time that particular look was made popular.  Bell bottoms, velour tops, pea coats, it had all been done well before my time.  My initial question was always, “Well, where is garment X now?”  Grandma threw it out.  I don’t know.  Somewhere in the closet, probably.  Lost in time.  

The children of generations past have now decided for themselves that it’s time to make what’s old new again.  Either that, or our parents’ clothing has become so deeply ingrained in our psyches that we don’t even realize that we’re manifesting bizzaro versions of our elders via ready to wear.

This recent call for nostalgia is populating retailers in the form of floral prairie dresses.  They’re just like our mothers used to wear, only now they’re made of silk and cost $800.    Or they’re custom made, one of a kind pieces and advertised on Instagram.  I’m not going to say anything too disparaging though, because they always seem to be cut in my size...but out of my price range.

Dad’s inside out sweatshirt with the collar and sleeves cut off is the hottest look for hipster men, while carrying a hefty price tag as well.  I like to refer to this article as the “dadshirt” and have made it a point to call attention to it every time I see it styled as a new look for the sharply dressed man.  You can find them at various price points—from $15 at Target to $118 at Best Made Co.  Personally, I prefer the oversized version I currently wear, expertly torn by my father decades ago.  But the borrowed trends from our parents does not stop here.  

As we all know, Dad shoes have been in vogue for a minute now, and it doesn’t seem like the trend is waning, as it has given birth to what will be the most popular shoe of the summer—the ugly sandal.  Orthopedics are in, and heel ache is becoming a thing of the past, much like ringer tees and low slung hip huggers—oh wait, those are threatening to make a come back...though it seems at least half a generation too soon to resurrect those things.