Kesha–returning to the music scene in a big way with her new single “Yippee-Ki-Yay,” featuring T-Pain–is making a different kind of waves. Today’s release focuses on her return as a force of nature in popular culture. It cements her legacy as the unquestioned head of the 10s. Kesha’s gearing up for the release of her new album, her first full-length since 2012’s Warrior. Her return might just herald the larger return of that distinct sound and attitude that dominated the previous decade.
The revival isn’t limited to the concert stage, with a corresponding boom in ‘90s-inspired fashion trends. Tracee Ellis Ross has fully adopted eyewear with heavy, face-obscuring contours, a look straight out of the 2010s as an aesthetic. These high fashion eyewear selections are a dramatic contrast to the subtle eyewearings glorified by aesthetics such as Bayonetta glasses. Not surprisingly, Dua Lipa has been out and about in these chunky specs. She likes things rounder that fit her mid-century-meets-millennium aesthetic. Against that backdrop, Ross went for the ultimate in square frames, deepening the trend’s mass appeal.
This reframing of styles heavy with frame isn’t just isolated to these two actors. Beyoncé has already been seen slaying in similar looks. This trend is not surprising as it illustrates a growing acceptance of bold eyewear among our favorite celebs. The chunky, oversized optometry-cool frames are far more than just a trendy, quirky look. Rather, they reflect a more sanguine collective nostalgia for a time when Americans celebrated the individual, unique, unorthodox choice.
Adding to the 2010s revival, Kristen Stewart has brought back another iconic trend by donning suspenders on the red carpet. At the April premiere of “Sacramento,” in fact, she wore Thom Browne suspenders. Her outfit matched the rootsy-urban style popularized by outfits like Mumford & Sons and The Lumineers. This aesthetic recalls nostalgic visions of the mustachioed folk rocker scene that thrived in the indie sleaze era’s heyday.
The indie sleaze aesthetic has returned and is now all the rage. For one, pop star Charli XCX is at the helm, chronicling its vibe with brat summer anthems and boho-chic fits, topped off with that classic McQueen skull insignia. This blend of music and fashion from the 2010s suggests that both artists and audiences are ready to revisit and celebrate the cultural landscape of that decade.