Bedazzling You

Creative Director: Mavis Parks

Writer: Aliyah Rivero

Makeup: Liz Eike & Kait Patton

Models: CJ Parker Wideman @cj_parker06, Edmund Albert-Rambo , Mia Klauhberg, Hope Goodyear

Who does not want to add a little razzle-dazzle to their wardrobe? Bedazzled clothing is nothing we haven't seen before, but it's a timeless way to spruce up your outfit. Whether you purchase your clothes pre-bedazzled or follow a do-it-yourself tutorial, bedazzled clothing has always been, in some way, trending. Brands like Ed Hardy, Versace, and Victoria’s Secret are known for a number of their bedazzled pieces. Victoria’s Secret recently had its 2025 Fashion Show with many of the pieces featuring a rhinestone of some sort. It is a way to make you feel more empowered in your clothing and a way to make a statement.

Maximalism was huge in the ‘90s and Y2K Era, people were bedazzling any kind of surface or cloth they could get their hands on. Items that were notably bedazzled were flip-phones, jean pockets, bra straps, sunglasses, and shirts. Tools like the Bedazzler made this process easier and also cheaper for those who wanted to add a new feel to their belongings. There has been a resurgence of this with influences/influencers like Tumblr, Ayesha Erotica, and the indie sleaze aesthetic pushing this look full of mixed patterns, blinged out, studs, and animal print. The point of this type of look is to be loud,bold, and you. It can also be seen as a way to participate in more luxurious living without breaking the bank, especially because many pop culture icons were pulling out these eye-catching looks full of rhinestones.

This is not to say that rhinestones are the extent of this bedazzling and adding a bit of dazzle-dazzle to a look. One trend that has been on the rise is adding buttons as embellishments to clothing and accessories, a big influence to this has been the twee aesthetic and Zooey Deschanel. Personalization of clothing is nothing new, but in a world full of DIY videos and other places on the internet, it has never been more accessible. Honorable embellishments that would be important to mention are studs, ribbons, and big jewelry that add to the maximalist look. 

Something worth noting is that in a poor economy, when people are conforming to workforce normalities and keeping it simple with their day-to-day look due to not having extra bills in their pockets to spend, nightlife fashion also shifts. Bedazzling plays a big role in this, and as was mentioned previously, it can be a cheap way to feel luxurious and upcycle clothes you might already have in your closet. For some people, Friday night is the only time they get to feel glamorous, so they really want to maximize their look and enjoy the shinier things in life. It provides a form of getting away from corporate minimalism, so whether it be a night on the town or your day off, adding rhinestones to your look can give you the security that you are still you outside of work.

Bedazzling will continuously fade in and out of style; it always finds a way to reinvent itself and appeal YO to different groups of folks, whether it be the Y2K diva you see on Instagram or the western baddie line dancing at Club Rodeo. Fashion cycles consistently, and bedazzled clothes have such versatility that they will never truly fade away. They are a way of communicating who you are through fashion, and as time goes on, it seems like individuality starts to be more in style.