Paris Hilton, Destiny’s Child and Britney Spears
As we all know, nostalgia plays a huge part in fashion, with every generation thinking they have discovered something new. Meanwhile, those who lived-a-look the first time round, sit back and observe how it has changed and miraculously evolved into something new. Instagram and TikTok have escalated this desire for past times to another level, with new trends inspired by nostalgic pop culture springing-up, seemingly, out of nowhere.
Whether it be an obsession with early noughties fashion, 80’s mullets or nostalgia for peak-pandemic life (yes apparently thats a thing), harking back to a particular point in history, is particularly important to Gen Z. Born into a world of decline, their future is uncertain and hanging in the balance of countless crises, so it’s no wonder that these Zoomers find comfort in the past.
This interest in nostalgia-inspired fashion combined with Gen Z’s interest in sustainability has seen a huge move towards second-hand shopping, and recent studies found that “90% of the active users on the re-sale platform Depop are under 25.”
An obsession with the past has also filtered through to celebrity culture, with TV, Movie and Music Icons reviving their careers to tap into this desire for all-things vintage. So, who are the icons of the past – dead or alive – that are inspiring us in 2023?
- PAMELA ANDERSON
Pamela’s 90’s looks
Baywatch star, Canadian icon, animal rights activist, Playboy model and Nineties tabloid staple, until recently, Pamela Anderson meant nothing to anyone under 30. The 2022 release of the unauthorised (dreadful) Disney+ series Pam and Tommy created a surprise new fashion icon for Gen Z. Best known for her appearances in the 90’s TV series Baywatch, where her scenes mostly involved her running along the beach in a minuscule swimsuit, her real life style was re-imagined bombshell dressing for the 90’s. Along with barely-there diamanté, latex and lamé, she also embodied Cali Girl style with beachy waves and up-do’s, cut-off shorts, simple T-shirts and cowboy boots.
#PamelaAndersonHair
It didn’t take the TikTok generation to jump on the #pamcore hashtag, with users updating her famous high-bun hairdo with curtained bangs. The hashtag, #PamelaAndersonHair had 8 million views and emerged as one of the top hairstyles of 2022.
Pam & Tommy, Megan Fox channels Pamela, Audacy Beach Festival 2022, Pamela at Jacquemus S/S 23
A lover of a fur and feather hat, Pammie’s recent appearance at the S/S 23 Jacquemus show, wearing a hat reminiscent of the iconic pink chapeau she wore to the 1999 MTV VMA’s, caused quite the stir.
In a new Netflix documentary – Pamela, A Love Story due for release today (31st of January 23), Pamela will tell her own story through personal videos and diaries. Sharing her rise to fame, rocky romances and the infamous sex tape scandal, she will also talk about her relationship with her children and response to the Disney+ series.
- MADONNA: CELEBRATION TOUR
The Queen of reinvention, her Madge has announced her first ever greatest hits tour, in celebration of her 40-year long career. Since her debut album in 1983, Madonna has been expressing herself through style and has had a huge cultural impact with every era.
Madonna Blonde Ambition 1990, Vanity Fair’s Icon Issue 2023 and Desperately Seeking Susan 1985
After announcing the Celebration tour on Instagram (which sold out in minutes, despite the hefty ticket prices) Madonna was unveiled as the cover star for the first-ever ‘Icon Issue’ of Vanity Fair for three different European editions. Wearing full Virgin Mary mode, complete with gilded Dolce & Gabbana headpiece and vintage veil, religious iconography features throughout the spread, with Madonna recreating ‘The Last Supper’ — this time, surrounded exclusively by women.
“In this very special issue, Madonna becomes Madonna again: an icon. Not just the embodiment of a musical trend or a style of dress, but a figure as disturbing as she is sacred.”
Olivier Bouchara, Head of Editorial Content for Vanity Fair France.
- JENNIFER COOLIDGE
Jennifer Coolidge in White Lotus and Legally Blonde
Possibly the most iconic come back of 2022 was Jennifer Coolidge in White Lotus. Gay icon, older women icon or simply just the most iconic icon ever, how much did we love the complicated, privileged, selfish hot mess that was Tanya McQuoid.
After decades playing comic charcheters in films such as Legally Blonde and American Pie, Coolidge has just landed her first Emmy nomination, for her performance in White Lotus and has finally, become the icon she was always destined to be.
Without giving too much away if you haven’t watched White Lotus yet (er… why not?) we are all praying that Tanya has an identical twin that can appear in season 3.
- BARBIE
Barbiecore
Barbara Millicent Roberts made her debut on the American toy market in 1959, wearing a black & white swimsuit, matching sunnies, gold hoops, and black pumps. Many years and over one-billion looks later, she has evolved into a more inclusive body shape and has chosen impressive career paths, such as doctors and nurses, astronauts, air-force pilots, and more.
Barbiecore started bubbling under in 2022, with hyper-feminine, pretty in pink aesthetics inspiring everyone from TikTok’ers to celebrities wearing Valentino pink at awards ceremonies.
Margot Robbie as Barbie in Barbie Film 2023
The new live action movie starring Margot Robbie will see Barbie become a style icon for a new generation of fun-loving, pink obsessives, but will focus on the how perfection can only truly be found within. Feminist Greta Gerwig (Director of Lady Bird) is both writing and directing the movie, with input from her partner Noah Baumbach are sure to make us re-think our nostalgic, and sometimes triggering connections with the iconic doll.
The Navy Yard Hotel
If you have reached peak pink with clothing, maybe you’d like to check into a Barbie retreat? The Navy Yard hotel in Brooklyn has turned one of its suites into a Barbie retreat, featuring silk and velvet, retro style furniture, specially designed goodie bags from Wander Beauty and an updated minibar—all decked in pink.
No us neither!!
- AMY WINEHOUSE
Marisa Abela as Amy
Industry breakout Marisa Abela is set to star as Amy Winehouse in biopic, Back To Black directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson. The film has the full backing of the Winehouse estate and family, and will focus on Amy’s genius, creativity and honesty, unlike the controversial 2015 Amy documentary.
Amy’s iconic looks
Well known for her indie sleaze meets 50’s grunge starlet looks, we already see a return to ballet pumps – oops sorry #balletcore – but will heavy-winged eyeliner, beehives and 50’s dresses see TikTok’ers adopt early 00’s Hawley Arms as their new go-to look.
Iykyk! (If you know, you know!)
- FLO
Flo
First there was Spice Girls and All Saints, then Girls Aloud and Little Mix, now there’s Flo. The girl band burst onto the pop scene with ‘Cardboard Box‘, which quickly proved to be the ultimate 2020’s break-up song for Gen Z and millennials.
Their catchy tunes send messages of female empowerment, self-love and hop, as well as channel their 90’s R&B heroes. The video for Cardboard Box, which has nearly 900,000 hits, is reminiscent of Destiny’s Child and TLC, and their style is very much Y2K-inspired.
Heralded as the next big British R&B group, Flo beat Fred Again.., Nia Archives and Gabriels to win the BBC Sound of 2023, and are definitely ones to watch.
