Zendaya Revived This “Cheugy” Trend That Was Everywhere In The 2010s

A wave of nostalgia is hitting celebrities, especially sartorially. While the past couple of years have focused heavily on the early aughts, with Y2K-era styles dressing stars in UGGs, yoga pants, and whale-tail thongs, recent trends have seen a jump up a decade: the 2010s.

Styles dubbed “cheugy” like peplums (a former club staple), high-low dresses, and leggings as pants — all of which dominated at the time — are all circling back around, revived by the likes of Sydney Sweeney, Emily Ratajkowski, and Gigi Hadid. Fashion is cyclical, after all, for better or for worse. The latest A-lister to join the nostalgic cohort? Zendaya.

The Emmy winner is no stranger to pulling from the fashion archives for red carpets, digging into iconic gowns from the collections of Versace and Prada. On her off-duty days, she likes to take it back to a trend that dominated the 2010s: graphic tees.

Zendaya’s Graphic Tee & Trousers Combo

On Thursday, Oct. 17, the Euphoria star was spotted in Los Angeles in an off-duty look. The actor is rarely seen by paparazzi these days unless she’s dressed to the nines at a fashion event, so this outing was a much-needed Zendaya update.

She matched the vibe of her casual stroll in an equally low-key number. On top, she wore a baggy graphic tee, one of the now-“cheugy” styles from the mid-2010s. Actually, the shirt itself is from that decade, too. The white T-shirt, which featured Gilbert Young’s “He Ain’t Heavy” print, was vintage. Zendaya already stepped out in the same piece in 2017. To complete the trip down memory lane, she also tapped styling techniques of yore and did a haphazard semi-tuck.

Nothing about her ’fit felt dated, though. She paired the look with baggy trousers and white sneakers, both contemporary touches.

She’s A Graphic Tee Girl

Back in April, Zendaya already made waves for wearing a different graphic tee: the infamous “I TOLD YA” Loewe shirt from Challengers. While promoting the film in New York, she borrowed from her onscreen alter ego’s wardrobe.

If you’ll recall, Tashi Duncan wore the same gray item, a fashion choice that drove the plot in one pivotal scene.

She’s not the only one who thinks graphic tees are worth reviving. Kim Kardashian, Dua Lipa, and Jennifer Lawrence are also fans of the style. Dust off your old pairs, they’re officially back.