RELATED: Outfits For Your Next '90s Fancy Dress Up Party
The Top 8 Nineties Fashion Trends
8. Grunge
Looks like teen spirit!
Grunge rock became mainstream during the '90s thanks to bands like Nirvana, Alice in Chains, and Soundgarden. Hordes of their fans dressed up like their idols forcing the fashion industry to pay attention. Concert halls were filled with people clad in oversized flannel shirts, vintage ripped jeans, and Doc Martens. People today might turn their nose up and the unpolished look, but back then the grungy style was all the rage!
7. Funky Hair Accessories
Nothing says '90s quite like a million butterfly clips.
If you’re in the mood to spend hours on your hair, then maybe you should take a page out of the ‘90s fashion playbook! Back then, girls would flaunt intricate ‘dos held together by quirky hair accessories; think butterfly clips, colourful barrettes, bobby pins, and scrunchies! Teenagers would study fashion magazines for hours just to copy the hairstyles of teen idols like Gwen Stefani, Britney Spears, and Mandy Moore.
6. Chokers
The chokers were no joke!
‘90s chokers came in many different styles – chunky, lacey, covered in hardware, or even attached to large pendants! And of course, who can forget the henna-esque illusion chokers that every girl seemed to have? Layering chokers were also a very popular trend, which often complimented the looser and more revealing necklines of the decade.
5. Chunky Shoes
Chunky, funky, and fun.
Chunky shoes are pretty much non-negotiable when it comes to '90s outfits. Whether they were sky-high platform shoes, classic Reeboks, or Air Jordans, every nineties fashion aficionado had a pair in their closet. A quick google search will show you that celebrities like the Spice Girls or Bone Thugz n Harmony went as far as to take their chunky shoes onto the red carpet. Talk about bold!
4. Overalls
Cute hillbilly vibes!
While the most popular kind was the classic denim overall, they came in a bunch of different styles like corduroy jumpers and even overall/dress hybrids. For a sexier look, ‘90s it-girls often paired them with sleeveless tops or off-the-shoulder blouses. For some inspo, just take a look at Rachel from friends who looked killer in a pair of overalls.
3. Crop Tops
The original ‘boob tube’.
Midriffs all across the world were exposed thanks to the humble crop top. It came in dozens of varieties like halters, tanks and the infamous boob tube. They were often paired with a jacket tied around the waist or worn over because let’s face it – those things get cold!
2. Denim Fever
Denim on denim? Hold up I’m gonna hurl!
Let’s be honest: denim will never go out of style, but there is such a thing as too much denim. We dare say that no other decade loved denim more than the '90s did. They liked it so much that people wore denim on top of denim! There were denim pieces that you couldn’t even imagine: denim hats, denim skirts, denim tank tops, denim blouses, denim shoes… I think I’m going to be sick!
1. Baggy Clothing
Oversized was the right size!
When it comes to 1990s fashion, the baggier, the better! Interestingly enough, this trend was translated all across different subcultures; the grunge crowd had oversized flannel polos, the preppy kids wore blazers that were too big, and the urban hip-hop scene had super baggy pants and shirts. All these oversized 90s clothes do look a bit dated nowadays, but at least they were hella comfy!
Conclusion
While the '90s had its fair share of hits and misses, we think there were a lot more hits. After all, there’s a reason why there’s been a sudden resurgence of '90s fashion trends in the past few years. While we may cringe a bit at some of the more flamboyant styles of the era, the '90s were hugely instrumental in defining our modern fashion sensibilities.