This article was originally published on Kueez
It's safe to say that we all have different fashion senses - and we love that. However, some ensembles are definitely more 'stand out' than others. So, in the spirit of lighthearted fun, we've listed some of the more ridiculous outfits we've stumbled across. Trust us, anyone in need of a laugh today is in the right place. So, without further ado, check out some hilarious fashion statements we really hope were intentional.
Does Anyone Know What This Is?
We’re guessing this has to be some kind of factory-made mistake. But even if that’s the case, how on earth did this outfit make it onto the shop floor? We’re big fans of versatile, unique clothes that make us stand out from the crowd (in a good way). But this? It’s a kind of freakish sweatshirt and sweatpants combo, the swants? Who knows. Why not tell us what you think this is?
Has anyone been gifted this creation? If so, is it just hanging in your closet at home because you're too embarrassed/have no idea how to wear it? If so, we want all the details!
For Fashionistas Who Don’t Scare Easily
Here’s the perfect outfit for proud Dads that want to proclaim their love for their kids to the world. This guy certainly doesn’t disappoint in this creepy matchy-matchy custom t-shirt and short outfit. It’s enough to scare off most passers-by, judging by the covert glances he’s attracting. Frankly, it’s a miracle his cute little bambino isn’t screaming the park down in horror. We’re wondering if perhaps he was dared to don such an outfit?
Or maybe he got dressed in the dark? Or just wanted to communicate just how much he loves his son or daughter by having his baby’s head repeatedly printed on his t-shirt and shorts? Who knows?
Honey, I Wore the Cat
Most of us love a cute kitten or puppy, and there’s nothing wrong with that. What is kind of weird is putting your size 11s into a pair of socks that inevitably stretch and make the cutesy kitten printed on them look all-out scary and creepy. Clearly, the designers of these socks didn’t think past the initial “yeah, let’s print a cute kitten on a pair of socks and make some money” part.
Kittens are pretty adorable and have a feel-good factor that most people can’t ignore, except in situations like this one, where they're plastered on a pair of big cheesy socks.
Don't Forget to Proofread... Oh, Wait...
Maybe this design is actually for real, or maybe, just maybe, it was the designer’s day off, and the guy doing work experience got a hold of the design software to have a little fun? We know it’s always essential for someone to proofread every aspect of a design before it goes to print. In this instance, the hoodie wearer is faced with a clear-cut choice. Keep the hoodie up at all times, or risk being yelled at (or worse) by animal lovers.
Needless to say, we think a few passers-by would be upset at the accidental message being broadcast when the hood is down. Maybe the easiest thing would be to recycle the hoodie, and try again?
Oh Dear
We’re hoping that the wearer of this t-shirt and sweatshirt has a sense of humor. Unfortunately, these plastic baubles or pearls (we're not 100% sure what they are!) were sewn in less than random places, and the result is...uhhh...interesting - to say the least! Clearly, the designer didn't think about what the shirt would look like under a sweater. Or, maybe they did, and they're just having a laugh with us?
Maybe this is just one of those girlfriend-to-girlfriend changing room moments, where the person trying on the outfit asks 'can you see my nipples in this shirt?' You would hope the answer from the friend would be a resounding “YES”!
And The Pointless Zipper Award Goes To...
The first prize for pointless detail on a t-shirt goes to whoever designed this denim-colored beauty. This tiny zipper sewn into the t-shirt collar is literally useless, apart from maybe itching the wearer’s neck and leaving a few nasty scratches behind? We’re especially loving the floppy pocket stitched to the front. Take a look at the golf club lettering. We think this tells us that it’s probably meant for storing your golf tees, right?
We’d love to know what you’d say to your buddy if he showed up wearing this for a guy’s day out. Or are you way too tactful and would keep it zipped? (Yes, the pun was intended!)
Stick To the Sat Nav
In today’s world, we live in the land of SatNavs and Google Maps. Consequently, map reading has become somewhat of a lost art. For anyone who doubts this is the case, just feast your eyes on this t-shirt. It’s the perfect example of the fact that so many of us don't know our geography very well! Maybe we should be a little more understanding; after all, the US is massive.
But when did New Mexico and Montana overlap? Here’s hoping no one’s planning on using this t-shirt as a legitimate map and traveling down some of those roads that lead to nowhere, right?
A Washing Tag With a Cryptic Code
Alongside checking the washing instruction labels on your clothes before throwing them in the laundry, some fashion lovers like to see what their stuff is actually made of. In this case, however, we think we’ve found the first item of clothing with a fabric composition that comes to a head-scratching 200%. Yes, that’s a ton of polyester, viscose, and Polyurethane, aka, PU in this t-shirt. And who knows what all those mysterious X's are for?
Maybe they’re just a friendly line of kisses? Or super-friendly big kisses? Or are they some kind of mysterious and impenetrable Pythagorean code only known to the manufacturers of this t-shirt?
How Would You Even Wear Such an Accessory?
Okay, so did someone’s dog eat these pants? Is this like the classic “the dog ate my homework” excuse? Only this time, it’s used when someone needs to explain to the nice police officer who's arresting them quite why they’re wearing so little. Initially, that was our best guess here. But no. Apparently, this is, in fact, a belt. Yep. Made from the waistband of a pair of jeans. Upcycling at its finest!
Maybe it has glow-in-the-dark properties? Given its orange color, you could always wear it trick-or-treating on Halloween. Perhaps threaded through your Freddy Krueger pants or the pantaloons of your pirate costume? Just a thought.
Always Check How You Look From the Back
School can be cruel. The playground can be a battle and a place where it’s survival of the fittest. So at first glance, we’d be forgiven for thinking that whoever this poor guy is, he’s probably found that out for himself. He's either been given or accidentally given himself a prize wedgie. But no, he looks kind of relaxed, and if you look closely, you’ll find it’s just an unfortunate t-shirt design!
In this case, it’s easily remedied. Guys, just don’t wear this t-shirt tucked in. Or, before you close your front door and head out, check your butt in the mirror first.
The Darker Side of Mickey Mouse
This image would fit in nicely with any of our embarrassing family photos, but no, here it's instead. We’ve got a large print of Mickey Mouse on this oversized blue sweatshirt. Except in this instance, it’s wrapped around this lady’s butt, with Mickey’s big hands seemingly gripping her mid-waist from behind. We think this is an excellent way of keeping people from standing too up close and personal behind you, don’t you think?
If this image teaches us anything, it's that there’s nothing wrong with anyone wearing their favorite Disney character on their sweatshirt. It’s just might be worth considering how you go about wearing it!
Another Reminder of Why Proofing Is Essential
Kid's clothes can be super cute and great fun to buy. However, we think we’re going to draw the line at this little bottle green sweater. Maybe the designer’s intention was to simply convey a cute and friendly hello with a smiley emoji in place of the o. But, instead, we find ourselves looking at a word most people would use to describe what the last couple of years in lockdown has been like!
It would be different if sweaters could talk, right? Then no meaning would be lost in translation. So, once again, here’s a reminder of why it’s always wise to proof designs before signing them off!
What in the World?!
If there was going to be one outrageous clothing design that literally made us choke on our morning coffee laughing, it’s this one. In what, or whose world is this design a good idea? Believe us or not, these are actually a thing, or they were. They look like they’re related to a jeans-shorts design based on Daisy Duke, the iconic 70s/80s Dukes of Hazzard character. We like to think of these pale blue shorts and their accompanying trouser legs as the embarrassing cousin version of the Daisy Dukes original.
We’re especially freaked out by the cut-out removable chaps-style legs. When the bottom comes away, they leave a pair of shorts that can only be described as resembling an adult diaper!
Literal Farty Pants
Okay, so either the wearer of these sweatpants literally has no clue, or they have a real cartoon sense of humor that they don’t mind sharing wherever they are. Happily here, this guy didn’t turn around to see someone taking a photo of his cartoon-themed butt. Maybe whoever designed these sweatpants is just a fan of good old-fashioned Road Runner cartoons. Or, given the position of the drawing, maybe they know exactly what this means when used as an emoji?
Our favorite speculation is that this gentleman is doing somewhat of a public service announcement by warning us he's feeling a little windy. As such, it would be wise for those nearby to step back and give him some space. We can only respect this kind of honesty.
Are We Seeing Double?
No list of hilarious clothing designs in 2021 would be complete without at least one mask. After all, over the last couple of years, we've seen an influx in what was once traditional surgical-style get-up given a facelift by fashion designers, stores, and home crafters alike. Anything to bring a little cheer to the new normal, right? And here we have one enterprising business owner’s attempt at attracting Frozen fans with their merch.
The result? What Elsa’s face would look like if she stood in front of a carnival mirror. A quick tip for wearers: just make sure people only see your side profile - that should do the trick.
This Takes Activewear To Whole New Heights
Uh oh...we actually squealed with laughter when we saw this. So now, we’re scratching our heads, wondering what this item of clothing is supposed to be. Our conclusion is that perhaps it’s a gym dress that’s designed to double up as a cocktail dress? That way, if the wearer runs out of time at the gym and has to jog to the bar for drinks, they're covered! It never hurts to be prepared, right?
Why else would you design something that basically looks like a bad fashion experiment that someone designed with their eyes closed? Maybe the designer likes to get their frills this way?! Again, unapologetically this pun was intended.
Isn’t This Supposed to Shield You From the Sun?
Sun visors like this are a rare sight these days. They’re kind of retro and not in a good way either. Here we have a great example of what happens when a manufacturer doesn't know the product’s intended purpose. Perhaps the idea behind this surprising design isn't to shield your eyes and face from the sun when you’re outdoors. But, instead, perhaps the cap is supposed to make you look eye-catching?
We’re wondering what would happen if you were wearing this when playing a super-competitive game of tennis when the sun is out? We're guessing it wouldn’t be a winning match, right?
To Squirrel: Those Are the Wrong Nuts
There’s nothing like shedding your work clothes after a long day and slipping into something more relaxing and comfortable, is there? Only we’re not sure we would want to hang out in these drawstring grey pants. Can you see why? Someone with a sense of humor has strategically placed this naughty squirrel right where it looks like it’s trying to grab the wearer’s crown jewels. Maybe they were a Christmas gift from grandma?
Some prefer the understated - you get the drift, less is more and all that? Something the manufacturer of these pants clearly didn’t consider when putting these on the market.
You Can Never Have Too Many Shoes?
There are no words to describe the horror that is these shoes. Sure, we are all in favor of expressing ourselves through our fashion sense and demonstrating our individuality via our clothes and accessories. However, for many, these white platform-heeled shoes are just a statement too far. Maybe the designer had adult Barbie fans with prominent personalities in their sights when they sat down and created these? Perhaps they're a joke? Or, part of a fancy dress costume? Who knows.
Truthfully, we're not 100% sure what they are. Is it supposed to be a shoe on top of a shoe? We're also confused as to how you would go about walking in such a complicated design! Any ideas?
Should I Stay or Should I Go Now?
We’re struggling to even start explaining this design. Why would anyone think it's a good idea to create a pair of cowboy/bondage/crocodile-style pointy boots that make the wearer look like they’re going nowhere very fast? Maybe they’re designed to scare away anyone who wants to get too close to the wearer? Perhaps a clever tactic to enforce social distancing? Whatever the reasoning behind this is, it just looks uncomfortable.
And we have absolutely no words for these see-through pants. Seriously? Maybe they’re some kind of on-trend rainwear that we didn't get the memo about? It’s a mystery to us.
Sheep Hooves: The Latest Footwear Trend... Said No-One Ever
This isn’t just a bad clothing design; it’s a scary clothing design. These slippers remind us of goat or sheep hooves or something out of an alien horror film. We're especially freaked out by the flesh-colored design that almost makes it look like the hooves are your actual feet. If you want to scare your family members this Christmas, buy them a pair of these and sit back and watch their faces as they open your carefully gift-wrapped present.
On second thoughts, they’d make the perfect revenge gift for the relative who knits you a terrible sweater every year that you have to wear all day to show you really love it.
Pepperoni Pizza: The Latest Inspo for Sports Gear
We’ve grown accustomed to seeing sports strips with unusual and eye-catching designs, but here’s an outfit that takes that a few steps further. Unfortunately, these soccer players look like they’ve either incurred the wrath of their fans. Or their opposition has responded by throwing a ton of spaghetti sauce or pepperoni pizza on them. Perhaps they’ve failed to score or knocked a great goal into the back of the net?
Rather than making assumptions about this team’s nationality, we’re going to throw the ball out and see if anyone can tell us who this team is and the background to that pizza sauce strip.
Crocs Are for Punks Too
And here we go again, another item of questionable footwear. That said, it’s entirely possible that these bad boys started out as a plain old pair of black crocs. Perhaps their owner has decided to tell the world just how individual they are by customizing them within an inch of their life? We love the spikes and the keychain that attaches the croc to the wearer’s leg. Perhaps this is a security measure?
Maybe the wearer was scared someone might try to pinch these beauties. Or, is this the shoe equivalent of securing a string to your mittens, so they don’t get lost? Asking for a friend.
The Irony
Talk about laboring the point. Or not, in this case. This design really slams it home. If anyone was in any doubt, the manufacturers have reprinted the same butterfly in triplicate to emphasize the wearer’s individuality. Unfortunately, they didn't realize this actually has the opposite effect. We also reserve a special place in fashion hell for anyone who has to wear something that literally tells the world how individual they really are.
This vest top is less of a lousy design and more like an overly literal and missing-the-point design. Or, perhaps the designer was trying to be ironic? If so, they succeeded!
Sandal? Or Boot?
Yay! Let’s hear it for the lone-star sandal! Here is a perfect example of why combining two separate footwear trends is a really, really bad idea. These cube-heeled cowboy sandals fit in beautifully with pictures #16,17,18 and 21. Maybe the wearer is a genuine old-school cowboy/girl and just can’t quite let go of their traditional footwear. Not even when they’ve finished rounding up the cattle and are out and about running errands.
Maybe these cowboy sandals/flops are what wannabe rodeo kings and queens wear to the beach or the park on a hot summer's day? There’s no real way of knowing. Thoughts?
You Have Permission to Give Up
Here is an outfit specifically designed for the faint-hearted. This cute-looking white t-shirt and duck egg blue short ensemble bucks the current trend for inspirational messages printed on clothes and bags and instead just tells us how it is. So instead of 'Carpe Diem,' 'Keep At It,' or even 'Love Conquers All' for the romantics out there - the cross through the word 'never' gives us permission to just not bother. Not today.
Although, in fairness, we think this might be another unfortunate design that wasn't thoroughly proofed before it went to print. Either that or the designer is just a pessimist, right?
Who Spilled The Coffee?
We think we’ve found the perfect after-match shirt for wearers of the football kit in featured earlier, or anyone who’s a lover of wearing shirts that look like someone threw their coffee or beer over them. This short-sleeved wonder sits perfectly in our list of bad clothing designs. We’re wondering what people in the office would say if they saw someone wearing one of these in an attempt to look smart.
This shirt is the perfect fit for anyone who’s into that whole smart-casual while trying to make a statement vibe. It’s definitely not the dress down Friday look, more the dress bad Friday look.
Who Needs Inspiration?
This sweatshirt is perfect for anyone looking for an accompaniment to the outfit in #24. Inspiration quotes are everywhere, especially on posters, Instagram and Facebook, but sometimes they get a bit much, right? Maybe that’s the designer's response before sitting down to present us with this somewhat confusing message? Or, perhaps it has a deeper, cryptic meaning, that we just can't wrap our heads around? On the upside, this slouchy sweater looks incredibly comfy!
This questionable and confusing message left us wondering what it actually means? Believe in yourself, don’t believe in yourself? Quit? Don’t quit? Maybe it’s perfect for the oversharing procrastinators among us?
Geography Is Hard
Fashion isn’t just about clothes. It can be worn to make statements, express identity, or create an ironic statement even. However, as far as this sludge-colored t-shirt is concerned, we just think that someone missed geography class at school. Since when did Asia or parts of Asia look like Africa? We get why someone might confuse the odd country or two, but an entire continent is a bit of a stretch!
Maybe the makers of this t-shirt just have a great sense of humor? Either that or they’re the same people responsible for the geographical disaster printed on the t-shirt featured earlier!
Sticking Out My Back Pocket
Here’s a super-practical outfit for your kid to wear to school. Or not. They can keep their lunch money or sandwiches in the buttoned back pocket there. Or is the idea for teachers to stuff notes for the kids to take home to parents? Potentially, there are tons of uses. However, there are also loads of things wrong with this design. There’s imaginative and forward-thinking fashion, and then there’s this beige creation.
Maybe this kid is wearing this outfit the wrong way round? Rather than cool for school to us, it’s saying: hey, go home and change! Or it's likely this poor child will face the inevitable all-day pranks.
The Hippo That Dreamed of Being a Unicorn
Animals, reptiles, and sealife disguise themselves all the time to protect themselves against imminent danger. Just a few examples include arctic hares, owls, toads, moths, spiders, and cuttlefish. - they're all masters of camouflage. So, maybe that’s what’s happening here. Forget the Happy Hippo logo. Instead, what we have is a Hippo hiding as a Unicorn, or is it a Unicorn hiding as a Hippo, or is it a Rhino hiding as a Hippo hiding as a Unicorn?
Whatever it is - we’re super confused, and who can blame us, right? Our heads are justifiably spinning at this t-shirt design, with its stitched-on Hippo/Unicorn/Rhino/whatever. It's cute, though, right?
An Unfortunate Mix-Up
We are wondering if there was some kind of mix-up at the merch factory here? How else can we explain what’s going on here? Either that or is the designer of this confusing t-shirt having a joke with us? Somehow, an image of 90s teen band Hanson has combined forces with rock powerhouse Nirvana. Official merchandise it definitely isn’t, and we’re pretty sure Kurt Cobain wasn’t a Hanson member either.
Maybe the manufacturer knows something we don’t? Or, is it just one of those two for the price of one special offers explicitly made for the millions of Hanson/Nirvana fans out there?
Lost For Words
And here we are again, in the beautiful land of inspiration. Apparently, meaningful quotes are stuck on t-shirts to make them sell. Except that here, someone either didn’t run this one through a grammar check or just ran out of space and thought, “it’s ok, it’ll work it out.” We believe it’s supposed to say, “Imagine how it feels to touch the sky” or some other allegedly inspirational or philosophical quote.
We’re guessing that this t-shirt is supposed to make the wearer seem optimistic, full of life, or a deep thinker. Who knows, at least this lousy clothing design has talking point potential.
Using Your Arms Is So Last Season...
Creative designer clothes can be an excellent investment. They’re certainly one way of making a fashion statement, albeit, in this case, a costly $5,300 one. However, this vivid green dress looks more like a restraint method than an evening dress. We’re wondering how the wearer manages to move their arms to say hello or maybe do human essentials like eating, drink and visiting the bathroom?! It’s basically a boundary-pushing statement straight jacket.
We’re loving the shoes, however. They’re certainly an improvement on all the other pairs of shoes and boots featured in this list. Of course, we’re talking about you #16,17,18, 21, and 23!
One Idea Too Many
This is what happens when a brainstorm goes wrong. Or at least that’s what we think happened here when this t-shirt was printed. We’re also guessing it wasn’t a big seller either. Either that or it’s some kind of statement garment that’s trying to tell us there’s literally no hope for humanity whatsoever. A sort of nihilistic fashion statement for the modern-day. Or maybe we’re being a little fanciful here?
Chances are it’s just another howling printing error. Or whoever was involved in this just had a bad day and decided to mix things up a little and have a bit of fun.
Of All the Still Images They Could Have Used...
We all know that sticking a famous Disney face on pretty much any item of clothing sells. Here, however, the designers of this swimsuit got a little over-enthusiastic in their endeavors. They’ve hastily printed Simba from the Lion King right across the front of this swimsuit without checking what it might look like once it’s worn. Maybe this design is from the same people who made the kitten socks from earlier?
We wouldn’t be surprised if that was the case. We’re trying to imagine the reaction you might get if you hit the beach or the pool dressed in this little number.
Lost in Translation
While some fashion fans choose to express themselves by wearing loud shirts or funny hats, this wordy t-shirt is designed for someone who doesn’t mind attracting a little attention. Or perhaps this is just a great example of how a design somehow got lost in translation somewhere along the way? Either that or the creators had one too many beers when they sat down to finish this interesting t-shirt design.
We’d love to see the sales figures for this particular item. But maybe it’s just one of those t-shirts that makes a ton more sense after a few dozen shots on Friday night.
So Much To Say, so Little Space!
Oh! There’s so much to say here and so little time! It’s hard to know where to start, and we hurt after laughing so much. Okay, big deep breath. So here we have a remarkable pair of jeans with a denim front and back, while the sides are made of see-through mesh that leaves little to the imagination. Just as bad are the gold suspenders holding this astonishing design together.
Put simply, it’s a terrifying look. Whoever wears this would need a lot of courage, Tequila, or possibly, both. Have you ever seen anyone wearing a pair of these horrors?
That’s Not How You Play Polo
Fun fact: Polo is one of the oldest team sports on the planet? In fact, it was first created over two millennia ago as a military training exercise. However, the shirt pictured here is far from any sort of official uniform. Correct us if we're wrong, but we didn't think polo involved the players giving their horsey friends a piggyback? Is that even possible? Unless you're the Incredible Hulk, we certainly didn't think so!
If we were to place a bet, we would say this shirt is a knock-off Ralph Lauren polo. Either way, it’s eye-catching for all the wrong reasons, and, as such, it has a well-deserved place on this list!
An Unfortunate Choice of Colors
Two-tone pants aren't necessarily a fashion disaster in and of themselves. There are plenty of trends that work pretty well - tie-dye patterns, different hues, ombre effects, etc. However, when it comes to picking the colors, you need to tread carefully. Otherwise, you could end up with a horror like the one in this snap. The last thing anyone is looking for in a pair of pants is the illusion that they've wet themselves!
Either the designer didn't think this color choice through, or they wanted to play a prank on unsuspecting purchasers! We like to think it was a latter, because how on earth could someone miss this mistake?!