This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Along with finding a bunch of plaques when we cleaned out my parents' storage unit this summer, we unearthed a pair of overalls that I used to wear nonironically.

I wasn't the only one. Women all over America wore overalls nonironically back in the day. You saw them everywhere, grown women on city streets going about their daily business dressed like Farmer Green Jeans. It was a thing.

Still, I cringed when I saw my old overalls. What were we all thinking? Like my friend Sally says, the only people who look good in overalls are little kids and cute guys who just milked a cow.

When I saw my old overalls, I also had unpleasant flashbacks about that one time I strolled out of a gas station bathroom stall, still pulling up my overalls, only to realize I'd accidentally used the men's room, and actual men were in there.

Surprise! For everybody!

(In fairness to myself, the bathroom was empty when I first walked in there. So there's that.)

Anyway, when my sister-in-law saw my old overalls, she told me they were making a comeback. I was dumbstruck. Really? Could this even be a true thing? Overalls? Making a comeback? Did we learn NOTHING the last time adult women wore overalls and accidentally wandered into the men's room?

Maybe my sister-in-law got it wrong, I thought. But no. I pulled up the Old Navy website and saw photos of models wearing overalls. Flared overalls. Skinny overalls. Culotte overalls.

(Oh, culottes. I used to wear culottes in the sixth grade. But even though I wore culottes in the sixth grade, I don't get what's going on with them. It's like they can't make up their mind about what they really are. Are they shorts? Or are they skirts? I hate it when my clothes are more confused than I am.)

Meanwhile, the copy on the Old Navy website says this: "With their updated designs, affordable denim overalls from Old Navy are enjoying a resurgence in popularity. Denim overalls for women can take on different personalities when styled with the right accessories. By day they give off a relaxed, sporty vibe when worn rolled-up with a tee and slip-on sneakers. When worn with heels, they transform into their edgy counterpart. For the latest in on-trend denim, try a sassy denim romper. …"

OK. There's plenty of alarming information here, including the part about women wearing overalls with high heels and also the part about women wearing sassy rompers. Is it possible to take anybody — male or female — seriously in a sassy romper?

All of this raises the following two questions. How does something (like overalls) become a thing in the first place? And will I eventually decide overalls aren't so bad after all and start wearing them again? Talk among yourselves, please.

Meanwhile, I asked people on Facebook to identify styles they hope never "enjoy a resurgence in popularity," and WOW! The people, they had their opinions! Heinous retro looks include (but are not limited to) blue eye shadow, stretch pants with stirrups, frosted lipstick, big bangs, shoulder pads, mullets, side ponytails, double-knit polyester anything, parachute pants, skorts — SKORTS! — Spice Girl platform sneakers, platform shoes in general, leisure suits, pajama pants in public, flowing bell bottoms, gaucho pants, tube tops, halter tops, low-rider pants paired with thongs, pointy bras, velour tracksuits, high-waisted and front-pleated pants, and basically ANYTHING Kim Kardashian wears.

Feel free to add a few of your own to the list

And also feel free to mock me if I ever show up anywhere in overalls and heels.