Written by Talia Elwyn
Every decade has a defining style. The ’70s were dominated by bohemian outfits, disco-inspired looks and, of course, bell-bottoms. The ’80s had huge hair, shoulder pads and neon athleisure. The ’90s saw the coexistence of grunge, minimalism and streetwear. Iconic 2000s fashion of layering and extremely low-rise jeans has had a major resurgence recently. Yet in the 2020s, when we seem to cycle through trends at the speed of light, what could we consider the defining style or fashion rules of our time?
The answer: breaking the rules. Between every TikTok styling tip and viral Pinterest inspiration photo, it is clear that our era of fashion is defined by going against traditional fashion rules. But how do we break the rules in a way that works?
Credit: Getty
The “Wrong-Shoe Theory”
Coined by stylist Allison Bornstein, the wrong-shoe theory is exactly what it sounds like: wearing a shoe that doesn’t match the rest of your outfit. For example, this Emily Ratajkowski outfit where she pairs a slip dress with cowboy boots is the wrong-shoe theory in action. The unexpected choice of boots instead of heels or flats gives the outfit an effortlessly cool look, rather than feeling predictable or stale. The look remains simple with minimal accessorization, but feels high-effort because of its visual interest. Instead of reinventing the pieces we wear, we can reinvent how we combine them. Wrong shoe theory has been around since before it had a name and a chokehold on the internet— it manifested as the popularization of wearing sneakers with dresses. From high school homecoming dances to a sneaker and a sundress, wearing the wrong shoes is often the right choice in our era of fashion.
Pattern Clashing
Dior Spring/Summer 2027 - Men, Vivienne Westwood Spring/Summer 2027 - Women, Miu Miu Spring/Summer 2027
Credit: @yellyily on Instagram
From Dior to Vivienne Westwood to Miu Miu, pattern clashing is dominating the Spring/Summer 2027 runways. It’s not just on the runway, either; in both real life and on social media, more and more people are choosing to combine multiple patterns in one outfit. This trend raises the question: what happened to the cardinal rule of only one pattern in a single look?
The rejection of strict pattern limits coincides with a general shift towards maximalism in fashion in the 2020s. Trends like the “clean girl” aesthetic and the recent revival of 90s minimalism show some opposition to the maximalist movement, but overwhelmingly, fashion is becoming bolder and busier. People are accessorizing more, bringing back bright colors, and dressing to stand out rather than fit in. While some may find pattern clashing to be too maximalist for their taste, it is a clear example of how the fashion of the 2020s is defined by breaking the rules. Plus, it can still be done without looking like you got dressed in the dark. Great ways to pattern clash while keeping an outfit cohesive are choosing patterns in the same color palette, choosing one big print pattern and one small print pattern, or doing one black and white pattern and one colorful pattern.
Credit: Pinterest
Mixing Metals
In the past, mixing metals has been a huge fashion faux pas. Many people go so far as to only own one type of jewelry, restricting themselves to a uniform palette. However, a huge trend recently has been mixing metals, whether that means an eclectic collection of bracelets and necklaces, or wearing silver rings on one hand and gold on the other.
Mixing metals can make an outfit visually interesting without being overwhelming. Plus, you can pick pieces based on what you like with your outfit— not just what metal they are.
Wearing Things “Wrong”
Another popular way to break fashion rules is to wear items differently than they are meant to be worn. While this includes some microtrends like wearing bloomer shorts as bottoms rather than underwear, this can also be a way to mix up your outfits using items you already own.
For example, mini skirts can be worn as babydoll tops, or longer skirts could be worn as dresses. You could do the reverse and turn a tube top into a mini skirt. Pieces could even be turned inside out or worn backwards. There are countless ways to wear old pieces for new purposes. Not only does this make your outfits more interesting and unique, but it makes your styling more sustainable by rewearing rather than buying new pieces to follow trends.
Ultimately, while our era of fashion may include rapidly changing trends, they are all united by the theme of breaking typical fashion rules. Whether that comes in the form of color, pattern, material, or method of wear, people are experimenting with styling more and more. While rules can be helpful for people starting to get into fashion, you shouldn’t let them define your personal style.
The fashion lesson of the 2020s?
Throw the rulebook out the window.
Edited by: Galilea Matus and Logan Lloyd
