Outdated Trends We Can't Believe Reese Witherspoon Wore

Reese Witherspoon is a star who made the rare transition from teen icon to A-list heavy hitter. In part, that's because this chic, savvy actress perfectly balances being relatable and aspirational. Her book club is a huge success because she's got a knack for selecting new authors that resonate with broad range of readers. Meanwhile, the movies that she stars in and produces are playful and often iconic — she did give us Elle Woods, unstoppable legal force and advocate for pink, after all. Consistently, Witherspoon's looks make our summer outfit inspiration board. Meanwhile, Witherspoon's stunning hair transformation has cemented her as one of the most memorable blonds of all time. She nearly always gets it right.

But being attuned to the ebbs and flows of trends means Witherspoon has plenty of dated looks in her archive. Like many Gen X-ers, she embraced skinny jeans and going out tops back in their heyday. Fashion is always crawling forward, which means that looking back on dated styles is just part of the process.

The sharp, padded shoulders and enormous bows of this über-'80s moment were probably fashion forward around the same time MTV hit the airwaves. Definitely not in 2018, when Reese Witherspoon donned this Dundas frock for an L.A. Dance Project gala.

Bold, Reagan-era silhouettes might have enjoyed a bit of a resurgence on the runway that year, but it turned out to be a pretty fleeting trend. From the taffeta bows to the animal print, this dress looks particularly maximalist when compared to the sleek, quiet luxury styles that are trending these days.

Such close-fitting trousers might have been in style when Reese Witherspoon donned this Mario BH pair, along with a Giambattista top, for the 26th Annual Producers Guild Awards in 2015, but there's no denying that this styling looks incredibly dated now.

Witherspoon would be more flattered by the voluminous pant styles that are trending today, for trousers and denim, which would have emphasized her petiteness and created visual interest through a dramatic contrast in proportions. Instead, these tight pants draw attention to the width of her hips, narrowing into an upside-down triangle shape that doesn't flatter anyone — even a hot starlet like Witherspoon.

In the mid-2010s, peplum tops had all the fashionable Millennials in a chokehold. It's easy to see why — these playful, feminine tops have plenty of character, which means they pair beautifully with jeans for an instant outfit. This look would have been super trendy when Witherspoon wore it to lunch in Los Angeles in 2014, and perfectly on point for her relatable brand.

Of course, these going-out tops are among the many Y2K styles currently enjoying a resurgence. But, like the butterfly top that we've revived and made modern, the peplum top is getting a modern makeover. The length and dramatic cinch are both clear signs that Witherspoon's top is outdated, since modern styles tend toward lengthened, subtler silhouettes.

This knee-length skirt street style look that Reese Witherspoon wore while out in LA in 2014 was perfectly on trend for the moment. Business casual had an outsize impact on casual style at the time, and not for the better, because a pencil skirt for a daytime stroll was a weird, and probably uncomfortable, choice. The knee-length is giving HBO's "Girls."

But the number one indicator that this look belongs back in the early 2010s? The heeled Aquazurra ankle boots, which leave an awkward length of leg exposed between her skirt hem and her shoe. The low-profile, lace-up style is an outdated boot trend you should walk away from. This look might have been fashionable, but that doesn't make it any less questionable.

During the late 2000s and early 2010s, short, full-skirted party dresses had a big moment as part of a full-throated revival of '80s trends. That helps to explain why Reese Witherspoon picked this gold and white Chanel number for the 2006 Golden Globes, a party frock that feels way too casual for an event that usually attracts glimmering, floor-length gowns.

You know who would have loved this dress? Jenny Humphries, the budding fashion designer and sometimes antagonist of "Gossip Girl," which aired starting the following year. Jenny loved an edgy metallic moment as much as she loved this trendy shape, which has largely gone out of favor. Witherspoon might have looked on trend at the time, but it's definitely a dress that's telegraphing its time period.