Penny loafers make people think of the 1950s or the 1980s. When we hear the term "Nehru Jacket" we think of the 60s. The term "Bell Bottoms" conjures up memories of the 1970s. Izod, polo, leg warmers, Ug boots, parachute pants, and short shorts make us think of the 1980s. Flannel shirts, worn out loose fitting jeans induce memories of the 1990s. Low rise jeans, and layered camisoles have been popular over most of the first decade of the new millennium, but unlike decades gone by, for the first time in the history of modern fashion, all worlds have collided to create the hodgepodge that is fashion in 2009. .
Whereas in the 1980s you would be chastised for wearing bell bottoms, now they are as in style as they are out. Fashion has gone cliquey rather than global, and more than ever before people, at least in western society use fashion to communicate the sort of person that they want you to believe they are. In fact, there seem to be "Uniforms" that tell people who you hang with. .
For example, if one were to say "Name part of the lesbian uniform", most in today's culture would say things like "Birkenstocks, flannel shirt, Khaki shorts, and short hair". (Feminists are assumed to wear the same uniform) Artists wear lots of hand knit stuff, computer programmers wear jeans and t-shirts, The Barbie uniform is the double layered camisole, skinny jeans, and stiletto heels. Makeup, understated in the first part of the decade is back and outlandish among the Barbie crowd, Hip hop has left African America and now "gangsta" is mainstream. This includes hats worn sideways, zipped hoodies, pants worn "too low", and wide white leather sneakers". Tunic tops and oversized jewelery with scarves, and large rings or bracelets squeals "brown rice Yuppie". Sports fanatics will wear their team's jersey anywhere, anytime, and if you look like you haven't bathed, that's okay too, so long as you don't also smell.