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Lead
In the ever-changing world of fashion and street-style, jumping on a trend is risky business. You might look fly one day, and super wack the next. But you were young. You were bound to make mistakes. You wore ski goggles to the mall. You had jeans with your favorite basketball team logo on the pockets. Maybe you even rocked frosted tips for a minute (ok, that's totally inexcusable, loser). But we can look back at those times and have some laughs, right? We examined the past couple of decades to find the 50 Men's Fashion Trends That Never Should Have Happened. How many are you guilty of?
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Fauxhawks
50. Fauxhawks
We're pretty sure if you're the type of parent to give your son a faux hawk, you're increasing the chances that he'll grow up to be a giant douche. We're talking to you, Brangelina.
Hammer/parachute pants
49. Hammer/parachute pants
I'm MC hammer, I'm about cream. We appreciate Rick Ross here at Complex, but MC Hammer wore ugly pants and lost his cream to bankruptcy. Two things that never should have happened.
Double popped polo shirts
48. Layering polo shirts
Oof. The prep-slash-douchebaggery that plagued frat houses everywhere starting in 2003. What was worse, wearing two polos or buying one that was pre-layered?
Hot Topic
47. Hot Topic
Hot Topic is an outcast's haven. If you don't fit in, you can just get weird! Nothing wrong with that, or punk culture for that matter. But when punk hits the malls, is it really still punk? And is wearing a Fall Out Boy T-shirt with tight jeans and a studded belt ever a good look?
Puffy skate shoes
46. Puffy skate shoes
These fat, moronic looking sneakers were made popular by pro skaters like Chad Muska back in the '90s. Not only are they totally worthless for skating (how's your board-feel when you're rocking pillows on your feet?), they look like low-cut moonboots.
Crystal studded belts
45. Crystal studded belts
Yo L, What Up? You have a gross belt. Nothing says "I'm a thug" more than bedazzled accessories.
Visors turned sideways
44. Visors turned sideways
In the '90s, we were all for the idea of the visor. It had all the benefits of a cap, but didn't mess up your gelled spiky hair. Turning the brim sideways was considered cool. Flipping it upside down was considered even cooler. Well today, all those cool guys are in jail for pissing in public.
Manic Panic hair dye
43. Manic Panic hair dye
This hair trend didn't die in the '80s. It stayed strong in the '90s. And we still see it today. Is it you? Green and blue hair is perfect for your upcoming job interview at the local meth lab.
Du-rags
42. Color coordinating du-rags with outfits
Your style icon is likely Flavor Flav.
Beanies in the summer
41. Beanies in the summer
Guys from Los Angeles seem to love this trend. Looking cool is looking comfortable, and sweat dripping from underneath your wool skully is not how you do it. Self-conscious of your bald spot? We feel for you dude, but you just look like a douchebag.
Wallet chains
40. Wallet chains
The club kids of the '90s loved to jingle these chains on their massive rave jeans. Maaaaaybe these would be acceptable if your were a mail carrier or a janitorial engineer, but it's not like your broke-ass has enough stacks to need chain security anyway.
Message shirts
39. Message T-shirts
We will forever have love for the graphic tee. Message shirts however, are the worst thing that Urban Outfitters ever popularized. "Jesus is my homeboy" is disrespectful. "Everyone loves a [insert nationality here] boy" is just flagrant.
Bieber-style hair
38. Bieber-style hair
The pop singer's trademark mop-top got so unbearable, even he had to get rid of it. Everyone else still rocking this hairstyle, please follow suit. Your eyes will thank you for your newfound peripheral vision.
Wearing clothes backwards like Kris Kross
37. Wearing clothes backwards like Kris Kross
Everything was backwards in the early '90s—thanks to Kris Kross—but that is no excuse for having your zipper on your backside. Good luck taking a leak!
Fleece half-zips
36. Fleece half-zips
Being a nerd might sound cool with guys like Mark Zuckerberg making billions of dollars these days, but if you wore a half-zip fleece pullover from Old Navy back in high school, it was game over for your sex life. Sadly, these suckers are still favored by lazy men today.
Tees over button-downs
35. Tees over button-downs
This look might've helped convey Chad Hugo's dorky image during his "N.E.R.D." days, but it's not doing anyone else any favors.
Sport sandals with socks
34. Sport sandals with socks
Unless you just took off your cleats, you shouldn't be rocking white socks with sports sandals. Strictly for the locker room, bro.
Eye brow alterations
33. Eye brow alterations
Your barber might trim your eyebrows down once in a while, but please leave waxing, tweezing, and altering your brows to the ladies.
Airbrushed tees
32. Airbrushed tees
Since the '80s, amateur graffiti artists everywhere have been making a living off airbrushed T-shirts. "R.I.P." tees with inaccurate Tupac faces fill amusement parks and Bar Mitzvahs everywhere. For shame.
Trucker hats
31. Trucker hats
Ashton Kutcher and Justin Timberlake made trucker hats cool for a hot minute, but then Ed Hardy took the market and made it completely despicable.
Bubble jackets and vests
30. Bubble jackets and vests
Bubble jackets: because for a time, dudes somehow thought the Michelin Man had serious swag. Polo, Nautica, and Tommy Hilfiger made serious paper off of this '90s trend.
Shutter shades
29. Shutter shades
Kanye, this is your fault. The shutter shades were meant for the stage only, but because of your killer fashion sense, it had us thinking we could pull off shutter shades, too. Oh, how we were so wrong. Soon after the "Stronger" video dropped, everyone owned a pair of knock-off versions. Now all we're left with are Myspace pictures of us in color-coordinated sunglasses that we can't even see out of.
Carpenter jeans
28. Carpenter jeans
1993 to 1995 was the peak of carpenter jeans. These high-waisted pants were the ugliest things our dads wore. The denim always came in the wackest wash and had more loops and pockets than even a construction worker could ever need.
Square toed and pointy toes shoes
27. Square toed and pointy toes shoes
The creepy guy's dress shoe. If by any chance you have a pair of these, and you don't give out roofies like candy, use them only for killing roaches hiding in the corners of your apartment.
Convertible pants/shorts
26. Convertible pants
Moms everywhere bought a pair of these convertible pants/shorts for their pre-pubescent sons in the '90s, but you can still see the horror in middle schools today. "Honey! Aren't these cool? I got you five pairs! They go perfectly with your rolling backpack!"
Neon dunks
25. Neon dunks
Rocking neon can be cool. Just be modest with it. But when Nike started releasing highlighter dunks in all sorts of neon combos in '06 and '07, the emo kids, skaters, and hypebeasts ate 'em up and took a massive L. Good luck reselling those deadstocks on eBay.
Hemp necklaces and shell chokers
24. Hemp necklaces and shell chokers
Puka is one letter away from "puke."
Pastel Timberland boots
23. Pastel Timberland boots
Timberland boots have always been a staple for the winter season. They're practical and badass because all the New York rappers wore them in the '90s. But you think Raekwon and Styles P would have street cred if they wore these joints in Easter egg colors? Nah, B.
Ski goggles
22. Ski goggles
Kenny! Seth Green's character in the 1998 teen movie classic Can't Hardly Wait immortalized this horrible trend. And save for the DTF chick at the end, the goggles didn't help him any ass.
Windpants
21. Windpants
Nylon is the leather of the activewear world. Awesome for jackets and outerwear, not so good for pants. Besides the fact that it feels like you're walking in a garbage bag, windpants are pretty annoying to wear when there's well, wind. The sound they make flapping in the breeze kind of makes you want to grab a pair of earplugs.
Deep V-necks
20. Deep V-necks
Deep V-necks are like the sweater vests of summertime: impractical, really hard to pull off, and its existence is pretty injustifiable. Is there really a type of weather where you need to keep your chest cool and biceps warm? Didn't think so. Friends don't let friends show man boob.
Mars Candy/M&M leather jackets
19. Mars Candy/M&M leather jackets
The best way to ruin a buttery leather jacket is to tack M&M characters on it. For some odd reason, it was cool to rock these in the '90s, but Soulja Boy isn't doing anyone favors by bringing it back. Fool looks like a walking cavity.
Velour tracksuits
18. Velour tracksuits
Brands are still making these—crazy right? Velour tracksuits have had a long run in the fashion community. It's made out of soft velour, but designed like a sweatsuit. Luxury meets casual lifestyle. But trust us when we say it sounds way better than it looks.
Fox tail belt accessories
17. Fox tail belt accessories
Pin the tail on the donkey—literally, you ass!
Mandals
16. Mandals
Whether you call these chancletas, sandals, or mandals, there's no excuse for wearing these in the city streets. Unless you're at the beach, no man should be flaunting his corns or pedicured toes. We said to keep it gully, not girly.
15. True Religion jeans
The obtrusive pocket stitching and obnoxious flare of the bootcut legs make True Religions the ugliest of designer denim. Not to mention, there are even uglier fake ones being sold in Chinatowns nationwide.
Sleeveless hoodies
14. Sleeveless hoodies
Dear scientist who invented the sleeveless hoodie, thank you for making clothing for the idiots confused by the climate change. Without your help, what would they have worn?
Tattoo designed long-sleeved shirts
12. Tattoo designed long-sleeved shirts
Either you have tattoos or you don't. You either have sleeves, or you have a real job. Well, a bunch of tools decided to design sheer shirts with tattoo designs so it looks like you have sleeves. What in the hell???
Fitted hats with stickers on the brims
12. Fitted hats with stickers on the brims
O.K. we get it, you have over $50. And if you think girls are correlating hat size with your junk, you've already failed at life.
Tall tees
11. Tall tees
Hip-hop's love affair with the tall tee still blows our minds. White tall tees, specifically, were rap's uniform for a while in the early 2000s. Seriously, hip-hop red carpet events looked like giant toga parties. We're glad the trend died down, along with snap music and ringtone rap.
New rave
10. New rave
Remember when YELLE came out, Justice's "D.A.N.C.E." was all over the place, and M.I.A. wasn't a mom? That was when someone took a collection of highlighter markers and spilled them all over club kids. You couldn't walk into a rave and not see someone wearing neon. Yeah, day-glo is tolerable in moderation, but when you're head-to-toe in brights, you're probably gonna blind someone—might be yourself when you look in the mirror.
Name plate belts
9. Name plate belts
Pretty much all statement belts are awful, but the fact that name plates are customizable makes it even more embarrassing for the people who followed the trend in the early 2000s.
White people with cornrows and dreadlocks
8. White people with cornrows and dreadlocks
Google image search "white people cornrows" and you will see a ton of photos of Kevin Federline. Now ask yourself: "do I want to be associated with Kevin Federline?"
Girls' jeans
7. Girls' jeans
Now that labels have been putting out slimmer jeans with guys in mind for years, it's time to hang up your girl's pair back in her closet and give the boys below some room to breathe. Don't you miss that extra front pocket space? Besides, no one really listens to screamo anymore and you're far too old to be spotted at Warped Tour.
Vests with no shirt underneath
6. Vests with no shirt underneath
Layering works like this: shirt, then vest, then jacket. The vest and the jacket are pretty interchangeable, but for every time someone rocks a vest with nothing underneath, God kills a stylist.
Frosted tips
5. Frosted tips
Sugar Ray's Mark McGrath and celeb chef Guy Fieri have sported this spiky 'do. We prefer to call it a spiky don't. Nick Lachey, what hath you wrought?
Drop crotch anything
4. Drop crotch anything
Prominent in the early 2000s, drop crotch pants started out in women's collections before popping up on select dudes. Keep this in mind: "drop crotch" is a euphimism for "droopy butt." Now imagine yourself rocking "droopy butt pants." Yeah, not so fashion-forward now is it?
Ed Hardy/MMA T-Shirts
3. Ed Hardy/Affliction/MMA T-Shirts
The only good to come out of MMA style is material for us to laugh at: Jersey Shore and Bobby Bottleservice.
Crocs
2. Crocs
Crocs. Foam clogs. What's the difference? These horrible shoes became a hit in '06, with the selling point being that they're so comfortable, you won't want to take them off. Wrong! We wanted to rip them off the feet of every dude we saw rocking them. Of course, the three founders made a fortune off of the fashion fail—lucky, unstylish bastards.
JNCOs
1. JNCOs
Wide leg jeans from brands like JNCO and Kikwear were another example of how horrible '90s style was. These things ate up your shoe and looked like an ugly denim skirt cut in half and sewn together to form a pair of legs. Forget bell bottoms, these things were more like "hell bottoms."