What actually brings a clothing fashion back among the public?

Sometimes, that is all it takes but I often think it is a lack of new ideas.
That being said, I found a website that offers dresses in styles from the 1920’s on.
1940,here I come :)

Pop culture.

Acid wash is trendy right now.

Street wear trickles up.
Haute couture trickles down.
Something like that.

Vogue article from 2018

Instagram influencers start wearing stuff thats “vintage” to look cool because it isn’t popular. I saw a lot of instagram people wear mom jeans and next thing I knew kids at school wore them.

But I assume movie/music celebrities have something to do with it, I just feel that social media celebrities (people my age with a few thousand followers) do it more because a lot of it is actually affordable and cute, and because it’s people our age it makes it more likely to become a trend if that makes sense

I can’t offer name or link.
I viewed an interview once with a fashion marketer. They said they cruise by schools and hangouts to see what kids are doing, accessories, torn or other clothing modifications. They then make adaptations for their new lines.
I only remember what was said.
I regret having no source.

I haven’t kept up with the statistics; but when I was younger, just about every fad (starting with the 1920’s) came back around every 20 years or so. There was some cute little female singer on one of the late night talk shows with her jeans almost shredded. Don’t remember her name, but the acid wash look does seem to be re-emerging!!!

The thing is ripped jeans were a thing in the 70s but we didn’t buy them that way. They just wore out in places. On my desk top I have a pic of me in HS and you can see the rip in the knee of the jeans.

I never got into the ripped jeans thing. I had friends who paid over $100 for pre-ripped jeans. They thought they were kewl!!!

My younger brother used to run a comb back and forth across his knees to accelerate the fraying process.

A movie is a very powerful medium for starting trends like items of clothing. Just look at what the movie ET did for hoodies. Overnight every kid wants a hoodie.

Fashions come back around every couple of decades. Things that are fashionable now were things my mom had in her closet from the 60’s – big chain link necklaces, big graphic prints.

The other day, I saw teens walking on the side of the road with skippy sneakers and socks pulled up over their legging jeans. That’s a look that was popular in the early 80’s.

One look I hope does not come back is big square shoulder pads. That look was popular in the 80’s (for example, TV show “Dynasty”).