Throwback Thursday: The Wild Animals and Jungle Fashion of 2010

Throwback Thursday takes a look back into Beijing's past, using our 11-year-strong blog archives to glance at the weird and wonderful of yesteryear.

Beijing is not a shy city when it comes to fashion. We've rocked the plant sprouts as hairclips, jeans that look like you've just been attacked by a shark, and long before that, the tried and tested BB (Beijing Bikini). 

This Thursday, we take a look at what Beijing fashionistas were rocking nine years ago. With Spring (and the desire for a new wardrobe) fast approaching, may this throwback serve as (un)inspiration for you all.

It appears that back in 2010, Beijingers were raving about all things animal-shaped and decorated. Having long occupied a curious space in the fashion world, animal prints veer wildly every few years from being the epitome of cliché and the ultra-tacky, back up to the must-have pieces of the season. So stock up, we say, because even if prints aren't huge this year, they make for a great investment down the line (or just raid your mom's closet for vintage pieces that surely pack a punch of 味儿 (wèi'er, flavor, or in this case, charm). Here are a few of the best pieces.

Thanks to wonderful advances in garment technologies, animals no longer need to be harmed in order for you to ride around with a fabulous tiger-print bike seat cover.

Besides fashional saddle covers, 2010 also marked the apex of accessories fashioned after animal body parts, namely: adorable antler hats and puppy-earmuffs.

Finally, it wasn't just animal parts and prints that have infiltrated the mass market, by 2016 clothing that looked like it had been sullied by members of the animal kingdom became a hot commodity too. Take the aforementioned shark attack pants, for example. We assume their popularity lies in the flagrant edginess that they embody, something akin to the look rocked by teenage boys who don't care that their jeans are so baggy that they tread them into the ground.

Well, enough reminiscing, what animals are we wearing this year?

In the nine years since the original article was first published, Beijingers have taken a sharp turn towards street fashion, diving deeper into their love of cartoon crossovers. This trend has been jumped on by many a luxury brand who now espouse the joys of living as a juvenile deep into your 40s. It's not a phase, mom! Given this year's zodiac sign, and everyone's unabashed love for Peppa Pig (again, it's made for three-year-olds), we'll assume that this year's must-have pieces will all feature some kind of porcine branding, something akin to this:

... or this:

Whatever you end up wearing this year, remember that it pays not to blindly follow whatever is trendy right now. For that reason, you might want to look to the future and start dressing like a rat. Either that, or silence all the haters and embrace the hairdryer-headed pig.

READ: Promotional Video of Alibaba Pictures’ ‘Peppa Pig’ Movie Goes Viral

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Email: tautviledaugelaite@thebeijinger.com

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