Styles From Previous Decades Are Back
These are the most popular fashion eras in 2026, ranked…
The 1970s is the most trending fashion era right now, beating out the '80s, '90s, and Y2K for retro appeal. The May 2026 report by FashioNica, a vintage handbag shop, reveals which periods people get inspired by when they want to pull off a throwback look.
Flared denim and wrap dresses are back in a big way, with nearly 4 million people searching for the 1970s disco-era looks every month.
The Chanel Classic Flap from the 1980s now resells for $5,900, up nearly 80%, as bold accessories are making a comeback.
The Nike Air Max 95 is the most iconic sneaker from the 90s, getting looked up 9 million times to this day.
The research examined iconic items across five fashion eras to find which retro looks people want to wear today. The report tracked how often people search for period-specific fashion terms like "1970s outfits" and "Y2K style," showing which eras inspire the most people. "There's a shift away from fast fashion. Gen Z and younger millennials are way more conscious about the environment than their parents were, so secondhand clothes are trending like never before,” explains FashioNica.
The study also looked at resale prices, comparing what they originally cost against their current value after adjusting for inflation. Items were selected based on their cultural impact during their launch period and their continued presence in resale markets. “It makes sense why they found the biggest appeal in the 1970s. That's the last decade before fashion became disposable. Back then, brands weren't designing clothes to fall apart after one season. They used thicker denim, real leather, and construction methods that cost more but lasted decades," continues FashioNica.
Here's a look at the top five fashion eras and the most popular items from each decade:
The 70s shag is the most famous era of fashion | Photo Credit: Sarah O’Shea
1970s
· Era fashion searches: 3.9M monthly
· Item-specific searches: 9.61M monthly
· Top-searched item: Cartier Love bracelet (9.5M searches)
· Best value performer: Cartier Love bracelet (+261%)
The 1970s are having their moment right now. People look up '70s style nearly 4 million times each month, way more than any other decade. And it's not just the vibe people are after: the Cartier Love bracelet alone gets looked up by 9.5 million shoppers, making it one of the most wanted accessories out there. Other '70s favorites like the DVF wrap dress and Levi's 501 flares are also getting plenty of love these days, with those flares actually worth 192% more than they used to be.
1980s
The '80s come second with 3.8 million people searching for that decade's fashion each month. This was the era of power dressing and statement accessories, and it looks like those vibes are coming back. For example, the Chanel Classic Flap bag from 1983 is now up 79% from its original price. Levi's 501 stonewashed jeans from the same period also rose 358% in value, and the Hermès Clic Clac H bracelet gets looked up by 80K+ people nowadays.
Y2K
Y2K fashion, like low-rise jeans and velour tracksuits, is also making a comeback, with over 2 million people looking up the outfits from this period. Those Juicy Couture tracksuits that everyone wore in 2001 used to cost $155 back then, but now go for more than double at $341. The Von Dutch trucker hat is another throwback from that time, and they are searched by over half a million people every month nowadays.
1990s
Next comes the '90s fashion, which inspires 1.8 million people each month. This decade is most famous for its sneaker culture, with the Nike Air Max 95 being the most iconic trainer from the period, getting looked up 9+ million times to this day. Another popular piece from the ‘90s is the Calvin Klein slip dress, which can be picked up at vintage stores for just $100. Then there’s also Chanel's oval sunglasses that are still trendy these days, reselling for $866.
2010s
The 2010s round out the list. This recent decade hasn't hit nostalgia mode yet, as only 178K people are looking up outfits from this period. But this also means that it's actually a great time to pick up some iconic pieces from that era, as most of them are on discount now. For example, frame skinny jeans are selling at 86% lower prices, while The Row coats dropped 65%. Those Isabel Marant wedge sneakers that were everywhere a few years back are also reselling for $644, half the original price.
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