The 2010s: We loved them and then we hated them…and now we love them again? With Coachella kicking off festival season a few weeks back, trends that were popular when many of us were children are coming back in full swing. Now is the perfect time to become the Tumblr baddie you always dreamed of being when you grew up.
Pop is back on the rise. It’s cool and maybe even “alternative” to like pop again. What is more early-2010s than the headliner of Coachella, Lady Gaga? Gaga was the talk of the festival, putting on an intense performance filled with old hits and new releases from her recent album, “Mayhem.”
Other artists, such as Charli XCX, who was popular in the 2010s, and FKA Twigs, who debuted in the early 2010s, also performed at Coachella with pop heavy sets. Charli has boosted pop tremendously, riding on her “Brat Summer” for the past year and drawing attention to hyperpop. Twigs also performed electronic and art pop that is reminiscent of the era.
Artists such as Ty Dolla $ign and T-Pain also performed traditional 2010s party hits at Coachella.
Two of the most defining artists of the 2012-2015 Tumblr era, Marina Diamandis and Lana Del Rey, were also present at music festivals recently. Both artists have recently put out new music that is similar to their earlier work.
MARINA performed “Cuntissimo,” which was released in early April, and has a sound similar to her most popular album, “Electra Heart.” Del Rey headlined Stagecoach last weekend, performing new songs, “Henry, Come on,” “Blue Bird” and “57.5.”
Similar alternative pop artist from the era, Lorde, released a new single, “What Was That,” on Friday, April 24, which returns the indie singer back to her roots, drawing parallels to her album, “Melodrama.”
Music is not the only thing coming back from the 2010s. Throwback fashion from the early ‘10s is making a complete comeback, especially at festivals.
Exaggerated fringe is everywhere. Fringe on boots. Fringe on jackets. Fringe on pants. Fringe that is similar to pieces worn by Del Rey and other artists in the early ‘10s.
Indie sleaze fashion is at an all-time high. Oversized t-shirts hanging off the shoulder as fashion, paired with belts and boots have come back in full swing. Studded items such as belts, tops, hats and gloves. Hair feathers—need I say more?
Chunky jewelry is also back. The bigger and the uglier, the better. Dangling earrings and decked out headpieces are being worn in masses.
Not to mention, Coca-Cola has names on their bottles again for the first time since 2017, and the “Ice Bucket Challenge”—originally created in 2014 for ALS and a defining memory of that summer—has returned to promote mental health.
The most common theme among all these older trends is fun. Creativity, fun, vibrance and party lifestyles defined the 2010s. It is refreshing to see people get so excited about festival season again post-COVID-19.
It is only expected that the 2010s movement continues to permeate through music festivals as they progress through summer. Remember to keep calm and throwback on!