From sky-high heels to tiny purses that hold nothing, these popular fashion trends look great on Instagram — but most women secretly can’t stand them.
The fashion world is full of trends that look fabulous on runways and Instagram feeds — but in real life?
They’re uncomfortable, impractical, or just downright weird.
Still, plenty of women smile and nod as they slip into these styles, pretending to love them while secretly counting down the minutes until they can rip them off.
Why do we do it?
Because no one wants to be the person who admits, “Actually, this looks ridiculous and I’m freezing.”
Here are nine popular fashion trends that many women claim to adore — but deep down, they’re over it.
1. Sky-high heels you can barely walk in
They look incredible in photos and make your legs look a mile long.
But let’s be real: walking more than ten feet in stilettos is basically a full-body workout.
Blisters, sore arches, and the constant fear of tripping make these shoes less glamorous in practice.
Most women put them on for events, smile through the pain, and immediately switch to flats the second they get home.
We’ve all done the “secret shoe swap” in a parking lot or bathroom stall.
Yet somehow, these heels keep coming back into fashion.
Because when it comes to beauty versus comfort, society still loves to test our limits.
2. Tiny purses that hold nothing
At some point, designers decided a purse that fits only a lip gloss and one credit card was fashion.
These mini bags look chic and photograph beautifully.
The problem? They’re completely useless for real life.
You can’t fit a phone, keys, wallet, and a snack — and snacks are non-negotiable.
Most women end up carrying a backup tote anyway, defeating the whole purpose.
But we still parade these tiny bags around, pretending we love the minimalist vibe.
Deep down, we’re all dreaming of the glorious, oversized bags of the early 2000s.
3. Strapless tops and dresses
Nothing looks more elegant in theory than a sleek strapless dress.
But in practice? It’s an endless battle to keep it in place.
There’s the constant tugging, adjusting, and paranoia about wardrobe malfunctions.
Plus, they’re rarely comfortable — especially when you have to pair them with a strapless bra that feels like medieval armor.
Most women spend the whole night thinking, “Why did I wear this?!”
Yet every summer wedding season, strapless styles return like clockwork.
Because no matter how annoying they are, they photograph beautifully — and sometimes, that’s all that matters.
4. Statement belts
A bold belt can absolutely make an outfit pop.
But giant, over-the-top statement belts often feel more like a costume than a fashion choice.
They cinch in all the wrong places and rarely stay put.
Instead of highlighting your waist, they emphasize every little thing you’d rather not.
Yet they continue to appear on runways and in style magazines as a “must-have accessory.”
The truth? Most women wear them once, hate the experience, and banish them to the back of the closet forever.
It’s a love-hate relationship that leans heavily toward hate.
5. Low-rise jeans
Some trends should have stayed in the early 2000s.
Low-rise jeans are one of them.
They look great on supermodels and teenagers with zero body fat.
For everyone else, they’re a daily exercise in discomfort and self-consciousness.
You can’t sit, bend, or move without constantly readjusting — and don’t even get us started on muffin tops.
Still, every few years, fashion magazines declare that low-rise is “back.”
And every few years, most women collectively groan while pretending to be excited.
High-rise jeans aren’t just a trend. They’re a way of life — and we’re not going back.
6. Cutout dresses and tops
Cutouts look edgy and cool… on Instagram.
In real life, they’re a nightmare.
Where are you supposed to wear a dress with a giant hole in the side?
How do you find the right bra for a top that has three random cutouts across the front?
And why are these pieces always designed for climates that require a jacket?
Cutouts are fun in theory but frustrating in practice.
Most women secretly hate the awkward tan lines and constant adjusting they require.
But we keep buying them because they look exciting — even if they’re not actually wearable.
7. Super-wide-leg pants
There’s flowy and elegant, and then there’s “accidentally tripped on your own hemline.”
Super-wide-leg pants fall firmly into the latter category.
Sure, they look dramatic and chic in photoshoots.
But walking in them is a hazard, especially if you’re short or clumsy.
They drag on the ground, get caught in escalators, and collect mysterious street grime.
Plus, they rarely pair well with practical shoes.
Most women wear them once, swear they’ll never do it again… and then buy another pair because they look so good in the store mirror.
Fashion is cruel like that.
8. Sheer fabrics that show everything
Sheer blouses and dresses are trendy, flirty, and very editorial.
But in the real world, they’re incredibly impractical.
You have to layer something underneath, which defeats the entire point of “sheer.”
Then there’s the issue of strategically placed panels that never quite line up right.
Most women spend the whole night tugging and adjusting, worried they’re showing more than they intended.
And while sheer looks glamorous on red carpets, it rarely works for school drop-off or a trip to the grocery store.
It’s one of those trends we love to scroll past online — but secretly hate wearing ourselves.
9. Corset tops and dresses
Corset-inspired fashion has made a huge comeback, but let’s be honest: it’s mostly torture disguised as trendiness.
These tops and dresses look stunning… if you can breathe in them.
They dig into your ribs, limit movement, and make eating a full meal nearly impossible.
Most women last a few hours before fantasizing about sweatpants.
And yet, corsets keep popping up every season because they’re undeniably dramatic.
It’s a perfect example of suffering for the sake of style — and pretending you love it while counting the minutes until you can take it off.
Closing reflection: fashion vs. reality
Fashion is meant to be fun, creative, and expressive.
But that doesn’t mean every trend is worth embracing wholeheartedly.
Most women have a love-hate relationship with at least a few of these styles.
We wear them, smile for the photos, and secretly sigh with relief when it’s time to change.
The truth is, great style isn’t about following every trend — it’s about knowing which ones to skip.
Because the most stylish thing you can wear is confidence, and that never goes out of fashion.
If You Were a Healing Herb, Which Would You Be?
Each herb holds a unique kind of magic — soothing, awakening, grounding, or clarifying.
This 9-question quiz reveals the healing plant that mirrors your energy right now and what it says about your natural rhythm.
✨ Instant results. Deeply insightful.
