How many times have you thought to yourself, “What was I thinking?” regarding succumbing to certain Fads of yesterday? This thought process brought a large group of people together in an online forum where they revealed, among other things, a handful of awful fads that they're happy are no longer with us. 

1. Double Polo Shirts With Popped Collars

Although many people consider polo shirts a timeless fashion statement, Wearing two simultaneously, along with double-popped collars, is the opposite of timeless. This fad was popular in the early-2000s when every twentysomething male thought this looked cool. Spoiler alert: It did not. 

2. “Who Let the Dogs Out?”

I apologize for even writing this song title because I'm sure you're now singing its cringe-worthy refrain in your head. “There was a two-year period in the late 1990s when ‘Who Let the Dogs Out?' was featured on the soundtrack of every single motion picture,” laments one woman.

3. Mustasche Finger Tattoos

Even tattoo artists are glad this fad died out. According to one artist, one of the biggest pains was that they would have to touch up the tattoos every few weeks — for free. Also, joke tattoos are never as funny as you think they are. 

4. Everything Being Labeled “Extreme”

In the late 90s, it felt like every marketing department tried to attach the word “extreme” to their products. From extreme sports to extreme soft drinks and everything in between, this fad – often accompanied by scratchy neon fonts – exemplified 90s culture.

5. 3D Televisions

Technology is ever-changing, but not always for the better! For example, televisions with 3D-viewing technology were thrust upon consumers in the latter part of the 2010s. It didn't stick, thankfully: the technology was ultimately underwhelming and expensive.

6. Rubber Livestrong Bracelets

Initially developed to increase awareness for cancer research, you couldn't walk outside at one point in the 2000s without seeing people wearing these ubiquitous yellow rubber bracelets that became a fashion staple. One person puts it all in perspective: “Those bracelets died out with Lance Armstrong's career.”

7. Duck Lips When Being Photographed

For some reason, when selfies rose to prominence, so did countless women making duck-lip faces at the camera. This unorthodox method of posing for pictures died out quickly, although it still leaves a permanent scar in our minds.

8. NFTs

One of the recent fads that thankfully are no longer with us is the popularity of digital NFTs. These collectible art pieces were proof of concept for scam artists in the Internet age. “Gone so fast, almost like it was completely unsustainable,” says one man of NFTs. “The billions of dollars made and stolen during this craze is mindboggling.”

9. Teenagers Wearing Pants Too Low

Growing up in the 90s meant one thing for teenage boys: Wearing extremely low pants was a rite of passage! However, one person remembers classmates who took this practice too far. “Had a couple of geniuses at my school that avoided the wrath of the teachers by wearing three pairs of basketball shorts layered in various stages of pulled-down-ness, so they could still get their low pants vibe without showing everyone their undies,” he remembers. “Looked more ridiculous than the original iteration.”

10. Low-Rise Jeans

The boys didn't have all the fun in the 90s. Low-rise jeans were in fashion for a few years, and looking back, many women are still appalled. “I couldn't go about my life knowing my butt crack is only one centimeter away from being flashed,” one woman confesses.

11. Fidget Spinners

A few years ago, fidget spinners burst onto the scene, marketed as another distraction for our ADHD-riddled young minds. In a cruel twist of irony, these little toys faded quickly into oblivion once we all collectively moved on to something else. 

12. The Ice Bucket Challenge

Over the years, there have been plenty of social media-driven fads, and the ice bucket challenge is a perfect example! For a few weeks in the mid-2010s, every single one of us was dumping buckets of ice onto our heads for reasons none of us can remember. It was weird.

This article was produced and syndicated by Wealth of Geeks.