Two millennials were left stunned after realizing that the fashion trends they wore as teenagers are now back in style, completing a full fashion cycle.
Astrid Aschenbrenner, 35, and Sophie Förster-Vogelsberger, 32, were shopping together when they stumbled upon items that instantly took them back to the 1990s and early 2000s. From faux fur bucket hats and Ed Hardy low-rise jeans to Paul Frank T-shirts, it was a nostalgic trip down memory lane — but one that left them surprised.
Aschenbrenner, speaking to Newsweek, admitted that at first, she thought the retro trends were a joke. “I thought it must be some sort of prank,” she said. The resurgence of these styles, which had faded from fashion by the late 2000s, made her realize that she had experienced an entire fashion cycle.
The two friends, from Vienna, Austria, couldn’t resist trying on the clothes for fun. Aschenbrenner later shared their reactions in a viral Instagram video, which has since garnered over a million views.
A Fashion Throwback
The duo was particularly taken aback by the return of Ed Hardy and ultra-low-rise jeans, which were once the epitome of early 2000s fashion. “The worst one is by far Ed Hardy,” Aschenbrenner said. “And the super low-waisted jeans that barely cover anything.”
As they reflected on the moment, the two recalled how their mothers used to comment on trends from their youth coming back. Aschenbrenner recalled the first time she experienced this with Converse shoes in the early 2000s. “I couldn’t believe my mom wore them, but then I had to get a pair for myself,” she said.
Despite the initial shock, Aschenbrenner has embraced some of the vintage styles with a sense of fun and nostalgia. “It’s like getting to relive that teenage freedom,” she said. “You get to wear things you couldn’t afford or didn’t get to have back then.”
A Body-Positive Approach
While Aschenbrenner enjoys revisiting some of her teenage fashion choices, she hopes certain aspects of 90s and 00s fashion don’t make a full return. Specifically, she noted that many of those styles were designed for a very slim body type, something she feels should remain in the past. “A lot of that fashion was designed for size zero, but thankfully, society is moving toward a healthier body image now,” she said.
Social Media Reactions
Since posting the video on November 20, Aschenbrenner has been overwhelmed by the response from others who shared her disbelief. Many fellow millennials have expressed similar shock at the return of brands like Ed Hardy and Paul Frank.
“The video has reached so many people worldwide,” Aschenbrenner said. “And a lot of millennials are just as shocked as we are.” Some Instagram users expressed their surprise with comments like, “Friends don’t let friends wear Ed Hardy!” and “I should have saved my clothes from middle school.”
Others revealed they still had items from the era, with one comment reading, “I still have my Ed Hardy T-shirt from 14 years ago.”
For Aschenbrenner and Förster-Vogelsberger, the return of these nostalgic fashion pieces is both a reminder of the past and an opportunity to embrace it with a more modern, body-positive mindset.
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