What do Colonel Gaddafi, the Big Bang Theory and platform flip-flops all have in common? All of these things have officially gone…OUT OF FASHION.

Fashion is cyclical and every 20 years we will start to see the new/improved versions of the things we disparaged ten years before and swore by ten years before that; nothing ever really dies. Nevertheless, they must go out of fashion sometime and this year has been no different in ushering out ridiculous trends. Here’s our list of the top things that have fallen out of fashion in 2011.

Gauchos

These hideous flaring pajama pants have gone the way of Jodpuhrs and the Hitler ‘stache. What was once regarded as a comfortable billowy pant has now been cast aside in exchange for a similarly bogus trend – the tights with nothing on top; you know everyone can see everything, right? In any case, the sun has set on this summer garment. Let’s hope to never see the return of the ladies’ neo-bellbottom.

Platform flip-flops

I understand being short and wanting to artificially boost your height, but these chunky shoes were all the rage for far too long. An attempt to combine a ‘relaxed’ style and the height of ‘back-breaking high heels’, they were always a paradox, a contradiction in terms. I haven’t taken someone in platform sandals since eighth grade and even then, it was only because she was my teacher. I hesitate to bring up the vanilla white plat-sandals that dirtied with every touch or breath set upon them. Now they are forgotten.

Velour Track Suits

Velour tracksuits, thank God, are less popular than they were two years ago. We have all entertained fantasies of being a Soprano, but Jersey Shore’s explosion a few years ago deluded enough people into thinking the lifestyle was more than something to be gawked at from a distance, that we should actually go  out and buy these tracksuits. I’d like to think that every velour tracksuit that was not sold to Puff Daddy or a Wu-Tang member in 1999 was worn ironically, but even that doesn’t justify their popularity.

Boot Cut & Distressed Jeans

Boot cut and distressed jeans are out. We can remember asking our parents for $200 jeans for Christmas a few years ago and they refused because they looked already damaged. Some more enterprising friends of mine would buy a pair of regular jeans and take a razor to them to create the same look; many pairs of Goodwill jeans were sacrificed in the process. Skinny jeans are in. Preferably in a dark wash. And try to keep the razor away. It won’t end well.

The Kardashians

The Kardashians brand lost equity after the recent wedding debacle, but they can still get away with selling shirts that say ‘Dash’ for $60. Though the Kardashians as a whole might be enjoying their Sketchers sneaker deals, exercise videos and ridiculous pair-up TV shows, Kim’s elaborate wedding to a seemingly genuine guy was nullified just weeks later, after having raked in the dough. I guess when you are famous for nothing you have to get the money while you can.

Gypsy/Bohemia Skirts

These colorful, flowing psychedelic accoutrements had their moment in 2009-10. Who can forget the boho-chic era that saw celebrities dressing up like coffeehouse college-types and flighty, indie girls? It is officially over now. Bohemian skirts aren’t even worn by real Bohemians anymore, but the original hippies were happy to reclaim the awful look.

Middle Eastern Autocracy

Muammar Gaddafi, Hosni Mubarak, and Ben Ali are SOOOOOO last year. It’s springtime for Arabs and crippling oppression is out, in favor of people’s government, liberation and pastel colors, preferably paired with a pattern to make it pop!

Big Bang Theory

Big Bang Theory is out. Inflationary theory is in. According to our sources at CERN, it turns out the Big Bang Theory was contingent on the Theory of Relativity, which has no operative power in the first moments of the universe. For many years Big Bang Theory—and its greatest proponent Stephen Hawking—were the darlings of physicists everywhere. No longer. That doesn’t mean we don’t still love Stephen Hawking. The theoretical physicist has some of the biggest ideas of our time and uses machines as mundane as wheelchair accessible vehicles and as hi-tech as proton colliders. His courage remains inspiring to millions. And he’s still writing books! This is a man who will not be held back by anything! So Hawking gets a pass: he remains fashionable. His theory, however, is strictly de classe these days.