People Are Sharing Their Most Embarrassing Old Photos and It’s Priceless

John Summers • Contributor

Sep 28, 2024 11:00 PM EDT

This needs to become a trend—normalize the cringe, embrace it! We all have photos from the past that are absolutely embarrassing. Maybe it's a photo our mom forced us to take when we were small children, maybe it's a yearbook photo exposing how clueless and cringey we were in our formative years, or maybe it's that one time we tried to cut our own hair, and the results were captured for all eternity on film by one of our older siblings. These are the kinds of photos we usually tuck away in some old photo album or hide in the back of a drawer, hoping they'll vanish and never see the light of day again.

But the good people in the Reddit group r/blunderyears decided to do the opposite and embrace the cringe. They posted their most embarrassing photos from the past and, by making them public, allowed themselves to move on and accept who they were. Perhaps we should all do the same.

01
MySpace photo

via r/blunderyear

2004. Trying to take a MySpace photo while no one was at home.
02
Two pairs of sunglasses.

via u/xMaxxAmmox

Me in 2004, when all I ever watched was Fight Club and The Matrix while blasting The Prodigy "Smack My Bitch Up". So cool I had to wear two sunglasses.
03
That is a haircut

via u/LATL21

As a 10yr old male I was a 30yr old lesbian.
04
KNEX body armor

via u/mistermajik2000

Thought it would be cool to make KNEX body armor
05
first family photo

via u/Skissored

10 years ago and our first family photo, it looked like we stole someones kid.
06
"Me at 16"

via u/ttaylor0murphyy

This was me at 16... I'm a dude
07
Angsty teens

via u/strangebutalsogood

2004 family road trip: obligatory angsty teens against picturesque backdrop
08
Eminem phase

via u/Anewhopeless

13-14 year old me during my "Eminem phase". That's a hairbrush hanging from my lamp and all of my pictures from that time are made black and grey with Gimp. Good times.
09
Brandon Bloodbath.

via u/KINGCOMEDOWN

Me in 2009, I called myself Brandon Bloodbath.
10
Real head

via u/the-gmail

yes that is my real head, no this photo was not edited.
11
Wife's favorite photo

via u/Zienth

This is my wife's favorite photo of me.
12
Lesson learned

via u/leafydew

I learned my lesson about taking a razor to my eyebrows. Big oof.
13
Homemade vest

via u/Hockeylove

Why YES!! My vest WAS homemade! PM me for orders!!! ;)
14
Ice cold sisters

via u/mrspetie

Hawaii wasn't ready for my ice cold sister and I in 2003.
15
Serious warrior

via u/lionguardant

Mum told me to smile for the camera, I refused because I was a serious warrior
16
Easy to spot

via u/pluckems

My mom dressed me like this so I was easy to spot when she picked me up.
17
Rough childhood

via u/ThunderousDong

My childhood was destined to be a rough one...
18
She had proof

via r/blunderyears

In middle school, I told everyone I had a older boyfriend, who also happened to be an Abercrombie model. This was my proof....
19
Bangs

via u/Evilrazzberi09

I was 10 when I realized people with no bangs had grown them out, not cut them off.
20
Incredible

via u/kikiglitz

My dad always thought this haircut looked incredible on me. My mom thought the shirt was incredible. Looking back at 2nd grade me is incredible. I'm a female.
21
60-year old librarian

via u/Al_E77

School photo looking like 60-year old librarian with my cardigan, turtleneck and thick glasses Date and age unknown.
22
Internet famous

via u/jamesdavidsaul

The pic that started it all (and yes it's really me)
23
Twin sisters

via u/Yogabbagaabbaa

Me and my twin sister at sophomore formal, you can guess which one is me
24
Mature for her age

via u/lacylove314

I was a 40 year old woman at 13
25
Sequined Queen

via u/a2gemma

It was the Seventies. Disco was King and I was its Satiny, Sequined Queen!
26
Emotionally ready

via u/StephieCupcakes

I think I'm finally emotionally ready to share this pic with the world
27
Spikey!

via u/shortnblu

Homecoming 2012. Yes that's my real hair. Yes I spent an hour on it every day.
28
Level the playing field

via r/blunderyears

'Ginger hair? Freckles? Pale skin? This kids going to be too popular at school. Can you level the playing field a bit?' - Parents to hairdresser
29
Frosted tips

via u/CatMaster3000

My Senior yearbook photo.. it was 2002, frosted tips and N*Sync were actually cool..
30
No regrets

via u/KillerIsJed

"You'll regret this senior picture" said my mom's boyfriend. Turns out, he was wrong.