Trendy or Cheugy?

Fashion trends like monogrammed clothing, the chevron pattern, and Ugg boots have all universally been deemed “cheugy” by the internet. But more controversially, low rise jeans and animal print among other trends wrestle between being “trendy” or “cheugy.”

In a New York Times interview, Hallie Cain, a copywriter from Los Angeles who first used the word cheugy on TikTok, said that the word “…can be used, broadly, to describe someone who is out of date or trying too hard.”

Low rise jeans gained popularity in the mid 1960’s, but have more recently been brought back into style. “I definitely think that low rise jeans are cheugy. They’re just so unflattering and uncomfortable,” says senior Sofia Frazer. However, senior Tori Perry disagrees saying, “I think low rise jeans are trendy.”

Although low rise jeans aren’t something I would personally wear, I don’t think they could be considered cheugy because they are styled to look like little effort was put in, not as if the outfit or the person wearing it is trying too hard.

Next is animal print, which has had a rising controversy in the cheugy or trendy debate. Both Frazer and Perry agree that animal print is cheugy, Frazer saying “…it looks very tacky and gives me Jersey Shore vibes” and Perry said “…anything animal print is cheugy.”

I disagree with both Frazer and Perry, because if worn to an appropriate extent and paired with other clothing items of a solid color, animal print can be a fun way to spice up an outfit.

Other controversial trendy or cheugy fashion trends include Gucci belts, Brandy Melville U.S.A tee shirts, and thigh high boots. So, what current fashion trends do you think are cheugy?