This story was originally published on September 2, 2016.
When we first spot a new item, our gut reaction is to connect it to a past decade's aesthetic: "That's very '70s-ish," we'll say about a new cropped flare that tickles our fancy. Or, perhaps, "We're getting a '90s vibe," to describe basically any choker we've come across, ever. Nostalgic descriptors can become a lazy fallback. But designers frequently do, in fact, dig into fashion archives and trot out silhouettes, prints, and entire garments that would've looked dated a few years ago, perfectly normal a few decades ago, but are now trendy (yet again). We've seen it in our denim and jewelry , and it usually hits the runways before it arrives on racks.
As we gear up to devour a season's worth of new collections at Fashion Month beginning next week, take a look back at some of the seminal looks from actual '90s and early-aughts runways that could definitely make a comeback for spring '17 (or fall '16...or whatever designers want to call their "see-now, buy-now" presentations). These get-ups may be over a decade old, but the trends feel surprisingly relevant in 2016 — hey, we still can't get enough of slip dresses and good suiting; can you blame us?. Check out our favorites, ahead. (And while you're at it, relive some of our favorite '90s runway moments .)
This colorblocked maxi-dress could fit in nicely among the geometric patterns seen at Proenza Schouler, or even the slinky silhouettes at Altuzarra.
Ralph Lauren, spring '96
Photo: JON LEVY/AFP/Getty Images. Oscar de la Renta is known for timeless elegance, and we've seen a return to darker color palettes for the house under Peter Copping's creative direction, so a look like this could make a comeback. (Though we'll see if the darker side prevails on the de la Renta runway, since Copping has decamped .)
Oscar de la Renta, fall '95
Photo: Ron Galella, Ltd./WireImage. We may look to Zac Posen for a reliable dose of "oh, preeetty " every season, but let's not forget that the designer always has a few tricks up his sleeve: There was the glow-in-the-dark ball gown at the 2016 Met Gala, and there's this glittery fluted-skirt number that still makes us want to dance, a dozen years later.
Zac Posen, fall '04
Photo: Scott Gries/Getty Images. In case you haven't heard, the '90s are back in fashion . The choker and slinky slip dress in particular have led the charge, and we expect to see both crop up plenty on springy, warm-weather runways.
Todd Oldham, fall '94
Photo: Ron Galella, Ltd./WireImage. Turns out, jackets worn half off the shoulder isn't, in fact, Demna Gvasalia's own styling trick.
Chaiken, spring '04
Photo: Djamilla Rosa Cochran/WireImage. Pantsuits have been a recent favorite on the red carpet . If someone unearths this hot-pink embellished get-up from Isaac Mizrahi in time for awards show season, that would be amazing.
Isaac Mizrahi, fall '95
Photo: Victor VIRGILE/Gamma-Rapho/Getty Images. Maybe it's '90s Kate Moss, or maybe it's the sultriness of Gianni Versace's work. But this nostalgic aesthetic certainly resonates with new consumers .
Versus Versace, fall '97
Photo: JON LEVY/AFP/Getty Images. This particular diffusion label is no longer around, but the minimalist (and sportswear-inclined) vibe of this jersey dress certainly falls in line with what Dao-Yi Chow and Maxwell Osborne are doing with DKNY.
D by DKNY, spring '97
Photo: JON LEVY/AFP/Getty Images. Bold colorblocking is nothing new, of course — but this Anne Klein look reminds us of the bright pairings dreamt up by Miuccia Prada of late.
Anne Klein, fall '03
Photo: Lawrence Lucier / Stringer/ Getty Images. There's a reason why the Marc Jacobs show is one of the hottest tickets in town every season: You can easily revisit any past collection (like this bright coat with opaque tights from '03!), and his work still feels incredibly up-to-date.
Marc Jacobs, fall '03
Photo: J. Vespa/WireImage. This flowy, high-slitted number reminds us of the print-happy designs of contemporary brands like Prabal Gurung, Tanya Taylor, Misha Nonoo, and Thakoon.
Bill Blass, fall '03
Photo: J. Vespa/WireImage. A cardigan tied around the shoulders can feel too country club-y — but slouched slightly off of the shoulders? Suddenly, it's got a downtown-cool touch.
Nanette Lepore, fall '03
Photo: John Roca/NY Daily News Archive/Getty Images. Rosie Assoulin? Nope, that's some '90s Oscar de la Renta volume for you.
Oscar de la Renta, spring '99
Photo: STAN HONDA/AFP/Getty Images. Graphic tights under a mini: a revolutionary styling trick then, a brilliant, nostalgic move today.
Jennifer Nicholson, fall '04
Photo: Matthew Peyton / Stringer/ Getty Images. Marc by Marc Jacobs may be no more, but we're certainly still coveting designs like this exquisite mod minidress (especially over a pastel turtleneck).
Marc by Marc Jacobs, fall '03
Photo: Dimitrios Kambouris/WireImage. Formalwear meets a '90s-inclined slip? This Carolina Herrera gown stands the test of time.
Carolina Herrera, fall '03
Photo: J. Vespa/WireImage. Present-day Balenciaga high-shouldered suiting meets DKNY's sophisticated, monochromatic basics. Except the year was 2003, and this look came courtesy of Luca Luca.
Luca Luca, fall '03
Photo: J. Vespa/WireImage. Naomi Campbell, ahead of curve on both the belly chain and exposed underthings.
Ghost Tanya Sarne, fall '94
Photo: Ron Galella, Ltd./WireImage. Black and navy paired together looks great when cut with white, as Alice Roi figured out a while back.
Alice Roi, spring '04
Photo: Stuart Ramson/Stringer/Getty Images. A daintily criss-crossed neckline with exposed shoulders reminds us of detailing we see at Proenza Schouler , season after season .
Catherine Malandrino, fall '04
Photo: Fernanda Calfat/Getty Images. High-waisted trousers with an exaggerated waistline, whether paper bag-style, or inverted, like the pair pictured here, wasn't a trend we expected to come back just yet.
Paco Rabbane Haute Couture, spring '92
Photo: Victor VIRGILE/Gamma-Rapho/Getty Images. Knit bodysuits as outerwear: First Givenchy, now Gigi Hadid — who will be the third brand or celeb to make this a bona fide trend?
Givenchy, spring '91
Photo: Victor VIRGILE/Gamma-Rapho/Getty Images. Way before Yeezy, Haider Ackermann balanced luxury with frayed hems and loose silhouettes.
Haider Ackermann, fall '03
Photo: Jean Baptiste Lacroix/WireImage. Our favorite 2016 outfit hack has to be solving every plunging neckline with a mock- or turtleneck underneath. Clearly, it's an old trick.
Vivienne Tam, fall '04
Photo: Mark Mainz/Getty Images. Very Delpozo, don't you think?
Yves Saint Laurent, spring '93
Photo: Victor VIRGILE/Gamma-Rapho/Getty Images. Nothing stands the test of time quite like good tailoring.
Givenchy Haute Couture, spring '91
Photo: Victor VIRGILE/Gamma-Rapho/Getty Images. Off-the-shoulder sweaters were a thing back in the early aughts. Hey, Karl's frequently ahead of the curve.
Karl Lagerfeld, fall '04
Photo: Hel/Prestige/Getty Images. The new way to wear your zip-up isn't that new.
Emporio Armani, spring '04
Photo: PATRICK HERTZOG/ Getty Images. What's more early aughts-esque (and also very right now) than skirts over pants?
Rebecca Taylor, fall '03
Photo: Djamilla Rosa Cochran/WireImage. Robe coats are a must to achieve lazy-day coziness.
Tom van Lingen, fall '04
Photo: Hel/Prestige/Getty Images. Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
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