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Explaining 1990’s Fashion
In today’s blog, I’ll be explaining 1990’s fashion so you can identify it when you’re out in the wild and find inspiration from it.
They are also available as Youtube videos over on my channel. If you prefer a watch and listen, check it out here.
Disclaimer! I’m not a historian, just a Personal Stylist with an interest in fashion history. I was born in the 90’s too which helps 🙂
Aesthetics
Fashion in the 90’s feels more relaxed and casual than the loudness of the 80’s. This is probably due to the recession which halted the earlier opulence.
Colours could be still fairly bright and funky but some of the garishness of the previous era had toned down. As well as the shapes generally relaxing too. Less big shoulders and hair.
More technology was being introduced like flip phones and the internet that brought about new aesthetics and gave more people access to fashion around the world.
Helmut Lang was one of the first fashion designers to live stream a show with this new internet phenomenon. Thierry Mugler’s 1995 collection had a range of sexy cyborgs. Recently Zendaya wore this iconic archival tribute at a Dune film premier.
In the later 90’s we see a cyber feeling in fashion, a bit like how in the 60’s space travel influenced fashion. And this spacey boom continues in Y2K fashion too.
There was also a gothic aesthetic that can be found in every era. A dark witchy medieval feeling. Could be full on or just a bit of velvet and lace and those grungy boots. Medieval in the corsets and long skirts too.
Menswear seemed to loosen up at work in keeping with the casualness of the era. Casual Fridays took over and companies like gap were bringing in the chino to offices.
Suits were quite baggy and pleated front. Off duty could be quite simple. Grunge aesthetics were popular for men also. That Kurt Cobain throw on cardigan and oversized jumper. Men also liked a sweater-vest and waistcoat over a tee.
Grunge
Marc Jacobs brought the urban street style of grunge into high fashion when he took over Perry Ellis, a more traditional brand in 1993. It felt throw on, casual and effortless yet still such thought on the layering and pattern clashing. Youthful and fun, totally reflecting a new era.
It took a minute for high fashion to get on board but Grace Coddington showcased this style in Vogue with her ‘Grunge and Glory’ photoshoot, therefore bringing it to high fashion with those big traditional brands on board.
This saw checked shirts in washed tones, a big 90’s staple. Worn closed, open and around the waist. Many flannels and denim shirts were loose and worn like jackets. I like the Kurt Cobain layering style of having a cardigan over them.
These checks were also in pleated skirts and dresses, long and short. Quite punky but worn in less scary and more everyday senses. Grunge was a softer version of punk really.
You’d pair these checks with a vintage tee. Plain, striped, with a picture or even a thermal top. Aged and ripped denims to compliment this look too. Accessories were beanies and bandanas, chokers and layered necklaces, round sunglasses, Converse trainers and boots. Very street, skate-wear like, rock and roll.
Dresses and dungarees
Another designer adding to the tone was Anna Sui. Introducing a cute femininity to grunge with child-like dolly dresses. Paired with edgier items to make them less sweet. Courtney Love from Hole (also dating Kurt Cobain) loved this style.
Little less structured softer fitting, the smock and baby doll styles were empire shaped. Meaning that they flared under the bust. Dresses like these were worn in a range of patterns and fabrics. A grungy choice would be the ditsy floral.
There was also a love of the 40’s tea dress which was similar in shape, with a bit more structure and the addition of a shirt collar and buttons. Paired with long socks and often Mary Jane’s so quite a youthful look still felt grunge.
The slip dress is another popular style. Like a night dress, usually strappy and plain in shape. Sometimes with lace details on edges like necklines, sleeves and hems. Fabrics tending to be the silky traditional style or the ditsy floral, check or a velvet.
Wearing something under the strappy dresses is a personal fave of mine. A t-shirt, shirt, thermal or knit work great. I love how this can make a piece more versatile across seasons. And being more creative with a piece rather than just throwing it on off the hanger.
I was obsessed with dungarees as a child. A big 90’s item worn by everyone any age or gender. Like the slip dress, a great layering piece to go over anything. The legs tended to be regular or baggy and there were many pinafores short and long. Denims ranging from classic blue, corduroy to bright shades.
Skirts and trousers
Many jeans and trousers had a straight leg and the mum-jean is very 80’s and 90’s. It comes from millennials like myself stealing the jeans of our parents who were young in the era.
There were also the extreme JNCO jeans that were very wide. Baggier jeans and flares were popular too.
A legging, cycle short or pedal pusher were all pretty popular too. We saw this trend in the 80’s also and they tended to be paired with a baggy top, sweatshirt or knit. I know my mum enjoyed this and dressed me similarly.
There were some quite mini skirts as well as very maxi skirts. Plenty of cute pleated kilts, high waisted, A-line and tube shaped. And a lot of matching coordinate skirts sets in knitwear and suiting.
Waists in the early 90’s could vary from high, which people would tuck their tops into, to low especially in the later 90’s. A lot of bottoms would purposely show off your tummy.
Shoes, bags, accessories
I remember the shoe that was the thing was the platform. A chunky sandal like a mule or clog or buffalo trainers and boots. Everyone cool had them like the spice girls. My friends had chunky foamy heeled shoes even in a denim (I was very jealous).
The jelly shoe was also a fave. These were rubbery and see through, caged shaped and there were heeled and flat ones. I had a flat rainbow one and a heeled see-through sparkly pair. Both I still miss.
As well as the grungy trainers and boots mentioned before, Mary-Jane’s and t-bar shoes went with that child-like girliness of this time. Edged up with a thicker sole, akin to the kind you see on a Doc Marten.
Bag-wise, quite a few styles were popular from little backpacks, short-strapped under the arm bags and long cross-body’s, bum bags and sporty styles. Some more boho, some full on glittery and others more simple and chic. High end names and logos and matching sets to an outfit.
Jewellery was quite fun and funky. The choker is a personal fave. This is a cute short necklace that wraps around the neck or collar bone area. A plastic stretchy woven style that looked like a tattoo was very popular in a range of colours.
Many chokers were a plain cord with little charms hanging off like a smiley face, flowers, cross, heart or ying and yang. It’s pretty 90’s to wear a few at a time.
Hair was less big than the 80’s and more simply cut but there were many elaborate sweet styles. We loved a scrunchy which is back now. Clips in general were trending too. Big retro accessory resurgence!
Holding a fringe to the side, clawed at the back or just tiny and spread all over. The butterfly in particular was a hot pick! Lots of half-up styles like little buns and pigtails.
Hats could be quite out there still. Soft but floppy and large. Usually a big flower or something somewhere on a brim. Like I said before, a skate beanie was popular and the festival bucket hat.
Designer reboots
Now as well as all this we do see a minimalism in fashion also. Designers like Calvin Klein, Helmut Lang and Prada brought clean neutral pieces that had minimal details and rarely even a pattern.
Calvin Klein really bounced back from a bad start in the 90’s and went from underwear to chic collections and the first unisex perfume CK One.
And contrasting to that, young English creatives like John Galliano and Alexander McQueen produced theatrical catwalk shows fusing history and fantasy. Each collection had a story and captivated audiences with radical beauty.
Vivienne Westwood was still going strong with her Victoriana and iconic Anglomania lines. Of which came some iconic tartan suits worn by the big faces and platforms so high even Naomi Campbell fell!
The 90’s was big on labels, monograms and names – bit like now tbh. Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein, DKNY, D&G, Versace, Fendi. In pop culture it seemed like everyone knew these brands more – becoming household names.
The big British Invasion of designers took their creative talent to big name brands and gave them youthful updates. John Galliano at Dior, Alexander McQueen at Givenchy and Stella McCartney at Chloe.
Tom Ford took on Gucci and his 1995 collection showed a 70s sexiness with open silk shirts and velvet suits that restarted that fashion house also. Marc Jacobs moved to Louis Vuitton in 1998 and launched their first ready to wear collection.
Big fashion brands all wanted an update and Karl Lagerfield took Chanel and made it covetable again I think making such cute and iconic collections that are some of Chanel’s best in my opinion. Lots of sweet matching suit sets. Skirt suits like this were very popular.
In 1997, Gianni Versace was shot outside his house. This was a massive loss for the fashion world. That year, Anna Wintor who had just taken over the Met Gala (which had been mainly for socialites) honoured him and the whole fashion world and everyone in music and film came out.
This started to change future Met Galas to have more attendances like this which became this big fashion red carpet moments. And also having more people interested in seeing high fashion exhibitions.
Supermodels
Many of the big supers that were introduced into fame in the 80’s, stayed strong faces in the 90’s. Naomi, Linda, Christy, Cindy and Tatijana were still as popular as ever.
Kate Moss introduced a new take on beauty and standard for modelling in the 90’s. Launched into fame by The Face magazine and Calvin Klein. This saw less makeup and more of a real edgier girl as Kate was young, shorter and skinnier than the models who came before her.
Not everyone took to Kate’s frame (heroin chic as they called it) and today this is now what we still associate more models with. We have been seeing more inclusivity in the fashion world than before though.
With modelling changing, less classically gorgeous girls could come about. Kristen McMenamy with her dark and edginess, Amber Valletta with her stronger features and Jenny Shimizu who was openly gay with tattoos and a buzz cut. All totally different from the models who came before, showing that shift in beauty.
Claudia Schiffer and Elle MacPherson still had that blonde bombshell 80’s feeling to them and were very popular also. Tyra Banks, Heidi Klum and Gisele are names we still all know in popular culture today.
Yasmeen Ghuri born in Canada but being Pakistani, was one of the first South Asian women to appear on a Vogue cover who’s also known for her walk.
Also to talk about male models, the hottest name was Tyson Beckford. He was made big worldwide from his work with Ralph Lauren. Another brand revitalising themselves in the 90’s!
Music
In the world of music, Britpop emerged. Blur and Oasis were the big 2 who were pitted against each other.
Fashion influences from them were the mod-like haircuts, khaki parka coats and jackets. As well as sportier ones. Also that the bucket hat and the round sunglasses (Noel Gallagher was inspired by John Lennon).
Grunge in fashion tied in with the music and like Nirvana were huge influencers. As well as clothes, many guys had long hair like them too.
Another British export was the Spice Girls. 4 differing personalities with very distinct personal styles. They were all about girl power – a girl band for the girls. Empowering us to express our personalities.
There were many girl bands forming like this and strong female solo artists that sang and danced. Destiny’s child being where Beyoncé started out from.
Britney Spears was one of the biggest 90’s pop singers of the time. Everyone in the world knew her name and still knows her name. She was cute, athletic, sexy and basically did it all.
Opposing her we had the power vocals of Christina Aguilera who offered more edgier style than Britney’s good girl. Mariah Carey I think had some great 90’s looks too.
The women of hip hop were also making fashion waves and in 1991 TLC went from 80’s neons and parachutes to metallics, sports bras which were massive in pop and cargo pants. Cargos being very sought after I remember.
Mary J Blige comes on the R&B scene with a hip hop inspired look that was very tomboy and different. Lil Kim and Missey Elliot were also solo females wearing Puma and Adidas oversized sportswear. Moving to sexy and feminine direction later.
In menswear, hip hop was also huge and the brand FUBU (for rappers by rappers) popularised those baggy oversized shapes. Taking their hip hop style to pretty boys NSYNC, really furthering it.
Tommy Hilfiger had noticed street fashion and made baggier pieces with bigger logos. Snoop Dog wore this on Saturday Night Live in 1994 giving the brand youth status. Getting stars like Britney, Usher, Aaliyah, Beyoncé involved.
Boys bands were also having a moment and many were marketed to be posters on the wall. Backstreet Boys and NSYNC reined in the US and Take That and Westlife in the UK.
The curtain hairstyle was very popular in both music and film. This is a centre/side part with long straight fringes. Boy bands were full of them and young actors like Leonardo Di Caprio rocked this style too.
Hair also took a cyber influence and frosted tips in blonde tones were equally favoured by singers. Lots of kids in my schools weren’t dying their hair but gelling spikes into a short styles (especially in the early 00’s).
A lot of British hair was inspired by David Beckham. He had it all: curtains, spikes, shaved and everyone did it all in hopes to look like him.
He was an absolute icon and not afraid of fashion. David Beckham’s power union to Posh Spice saw icons collide and they delivered iconic couple looks. Across the pond, Britney and Justin Timberlake was another famous musical couple!
TV
Friends, arguably one of the biggest sitcoms like ever, debuted in 1994. Still a massive fashion influence today. All of the cast in my opinion, with their distinctive personal styles, delivered looks in both the early 90’s and 00’s.
Jennifer Anniston’s hair cut with the feathering and the streaky dyes was huge! Everyone went to the hairdressers in hopes to look like her.
In Seinfeld, although it’s not a fashiony show, I see people online saying that actually George Costanza actually had some petty good looks….and they are not wrong.
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air rose Will Smith to fame who brought about many zany fun styles. I also think the girls showed a range of great looks too. Those chic matching suits and many grungy looks to feast upon.
My So Called Life was a teen show that made Jared Leto famous as another teen heartthrob. You can see him ticking the choker, soft grunge and hair trends. Also Clare Danes and her gothic friend had some real looks.
Melissa Joanheart filmed Clarissa from late 80’s to early 90’s with a fun grungy style. Sabrina The Teenage Witch is a personal fave in the 90’s to early 00’s too. I always thought the fashions were really cool. Wearing a lot of velvet and lightly gothic styles.
We also forget that The Simpsons first aired in 1990. Yes the character design is clean and simple but definitely still had an effect on street wear and the characters themselves would be on fashion rather than imitating them.
On fashion in TV, Sex and The City has to be mentioned. I haven’t watched it, I was too young when it came out, and I know I should now but here’s what I’ve researched.
From 1998, we see a frank group of women talking about real topics. Inviting the TV watching public into the world of fashion with a backdrop of New York and relatability. The characters starting in thrift store clothes, then big name designers were getting involved.
Carrie getting her Fendi ‘baguette’ bag stolen making it the IT-bag. Giving the show a much bigger budget. Fendi had loaned this bag and seeing what that could do, fashion houses now have entire departments dedicated to getting their products on TV and film – the best advert really.
Also a personal mention is Sailor Moon. One of my all time favourite mangas and anime. Growing up I saw a version that had been brought to the UK for TV but revisiting it as an adult, it’s so beautifully drawn and you can tell Naoko Takeuchi loves fashion.
Lots of runway references throughout and it’s so nice to see animation where the daily street outfits are all different. It inspired me as a kid and I still love it as an adult – would totally recommend. There’s a girl power feeling to it just like the Spice Girls. All female superheroes is pretty cool for the time too.
Film
Clueless is a great 90’s fashion film serving many iconic looks. Great suiting and funky stand out pieces! Also introducing Alaia to a generation and still has many of us dreaming of a digital wardrobe like hers.
On that, 90’s romcoms are a great place to get a slice of fashion. Never been kissed, 10 Things I Hate About You, Pretty Woman, Four Weddings and a Funeral and She’s All That for example.
As a kid, my all time favourite movie was The Parent Trap, not just being a twin myself but I genuinely loved the looks from both the kids and adults. Little matchy two piece sets, cute everyday denims, and all sorts of vibes.
Speaking of twins, Mary Kate and Ashley’s TV and films were filled with fashion and they have always been on top of style. Matching and coordinating together in the earlier 90’s. Growing up, they carved more distinctive fashion identities. Mary-Kate more tomboy and Ashley more feminine.
No surprise they quietly started their own fashion brand. The Row is a highly sought after high end label – I don’t think many people would know they design it!
Romeo and Juliet by Baz Lurmen was very stylisized. The heavy theme of romance reflected in the clothes and sets. Hawaiian shirts feel so 90’s and you’ll see them in plenty of other movies too. Leonardo Di Caprio was peak curtain poster boy in this as well!
There were many big block busters in this era too like Jersassic Park, Forrest Gump, The Sixth Sense, Titanic, Independence Day and Mission:Impossible to name a few.
I think fashion wise, Trainspotting although dark and feeding into a dislike of ‘heroin chic’ had a lot of fashion moments. And in Leon the Proffesional a young Natalie Portman had quite an iconic look.
In early 90’s Hollywood, red carpets weren’t such a big deals. Celebrities were understated and casual. Until an unknown Liz Hurley joined Hugh Grant (floppy haired fave) at the Four Weddings and a Funeral premier. Wearing an iconic Versace safety pin dress that kick-started red carpet glamour.
Gweneth Paltrow picked that red velvet suit from the sexy Tom ford Gucci collection. Nicole Kidman had John Galliano design a couture dress for her at the Oscar’s. Going forward, more actors gained relationships with designers, stylists, hair and makeup.
I hope this has started to paint a picture of the 1990’s in fashion for you. This era is very easy to shop and style today. But I’m always here to chat and help you find ways of making 1990’s fashion work for you if you need a hand!
If you’d like to discover what your style personality might be (could be 90’s) check out my online service where I help you find your identity through clothing – it’s a great place to start your style journey!