You’ve all said it at least once before: “Hey, I used to wear a pair of those.” And although it’s a particularly depressing feeling when you are old enough to see a fashion come around again, in today’s fast-paced, soon-bored world, it has become increasingly easy to feel ancient. The past is cooler than ever, and every industry looks back to previous trends to find inspiration for future ones. What was once outdated is now kitsch, what was once “so last season” has now become collectible. Here is a look at five trends that have made a comeback (or two or three) over the years, from that bashed up pair of Converse All Stars you used to wear to school, to your mother’s garden clothesline. Welcome back to the future.

One foot in
Those ruby red heels, Carrie Bradshaw’s Manolos, Cinderella’s glass slipper… The list of iconic footwear from the past isn’t a short one. But in practical terms it’s a more casual type of shoe that keeps making its way back onto the sidewalks. The Converse All Star, originally released in the early 20th century on American basketball courts, became popular as streetwear in the 60s, then appeared in gym class in the 70s, on punk bands’ feet in the 80s (think The Ramones and The Clash), and then, just as they were fading away one more time, fashion designer Marc Jacobs made his beat up black pair his signature footwear. Since their release, the All Stars have gone out of fashion as many times as they have come back in style, thanks to all the stars that wore them. So much so that a 100th anniversary edition of the Converse Chuck Taylors was recently released, paving the way for many more years to come.

Hats off
Until the 50s, the well-mannered man was rarely seen without a hat on his head. Why, then, did he suddenly stop donning his cap? Some say it might be because of the increase in numbers of cars; those small confined spaces that make it difficult to keep a hat on. Others say it’s just because trends were getting more and more casual. Regardless, the hat saw a steady decline in popularity, until a host of celebrities started bringing them back into fashion. The basketball cap, the trucker hat, the trilby...every head cover saw a return.

But none so much as the fedora. Initially worn by prohibition-era gangsters, the fedora saw a sudden increase in demand as gangsta rappers started to make it their trademark. As shell suits and giant clock necklaces went out, in came a classier style of rapper like Jay-Z and Snoop Dogg, and with them a return to a type of headwear that, contrary to a cap worn back to front, lends an air of mystery and manliness that commands respect instead of contempt. As Frank Sinatra use to say, “cock your hat, angles are attitudes.”

Hanging out
By looking to the future, we have all more or less realised that we need to change our ways. In many cases, that has translated into a move back to the ways of the past, when we consumed less and weren’t doing so much harm to the planet. Before clothes dryers gained popularity as a must have convenience, the clothesline got the job done with just sun and wind, but somewhere along the line, they were considered unsightly and a nuisance compared to just stuffing the clothes into a machine.

In today’s energy conscious world, though, clotheslines have started making a romantic and practical comeback with many advocating the return of this low-tech, energy-saving device. And not just for the planet’s sake, either: letting the wind dry your clothes saves money as well as cutting down CO2 emissions. On average, using a clothesline to dry laundry can shave up to US$100 a year off of your energy bill. Your grandmother would be proud.

A stitch in time
The 1960s has made major comebacks in fashion, then its orange and green hues came back in style for our kitchens, and now its arts and crafts are making a return, too, as the new hip thing to do is… to knit. In today’s world of virtual interactions and transactions, men and women, old and young, are returning to this activity, that allows them to do something with their hands that will result in a physical product that they can actually hold and show off afterwards.

Knitting is no longer just for old ladies whiling away the hours, or pregnant women passing time; it’s a whole movement, from high school students to young urbanites. Girls who used to go out for a round of cosmopolitan cocktails now stay in for stitch’n’bitch parties, and the Cast Off club in London even stages “knit-ins”, filling entire carriages of the London Underground with enthusiasts who are there to spread their message: Join the knitting revolution.

What’s your poison?
No other alcohol has a cult following quite like absinthe, sometimes referred to as “la fée verte”, or the green fairy. Highly alcoholic and with a distinct anise flavour, absinthe is distilled from herbs - mainly anise, fennel, and wormwood. It is usually a clear emerald green, caused by the chlorophyll in the herbs. The wormwood that distinguishes it has been around for thousands of years, and apparently first started being used medicinally in ancient Egypt. But the reputation it has today is due to its popularity in French bistros during the 19th century. Famous playwright Oscar Wilde, artist Toulouse-Lautrec, and writer Edgar Allen Poe are all known to have been fans of the beverage.

Absinthe even appears in paintings by Picasso and Van Gogh. In fact, you know that story about Vincent chopping his ear off? Apparently that might have had something to do with the green fairy. That’s because absinthe contains small amounts of a chemical known as thujone, which at the time was believed to cause hallucinations, seizures, and just generally bizarre behaviour. The drink was blamed for a number of murders, and disappeared from bars everywhere. Until the fairy made her comeback: in the 90s, a British importer took note of the fact that absinthe had never been banned in the UK, and arranged for a Czech distillery to begin production. The version we drink today might not be as strong as the one that drove the artists mad, as the thujone content has been regulated, but things might just be better that way. I don’t know about you, but I’m quite happy for my ear to remain attached to my head…