The ‘90s Fashion Trends That Inspire Us Now

The ’90s. Although it may be tempting to condense a decade into a Polaroid album of slip dresses and brown lipstick, the true essence of this era is hard to define. Then as now, shock waves of cultural, political, and social turmoil sent a current of reactivity through America. Artists made a mess. Young people broke norms and stereotypes. Everyone wore great clothes. 

Although two decades have gone by, the bold and idiosyncratic spirit is more relevant than ever. Today there’s a lot of pressure to select a given aesthetic or fixed style identity. Looking to the ’90s, we are reminded that this is unnecessary when fashion is impossible to pin down – one’s personal style can be grunge and minimal, avant-garde and classic. And that is why we love it.

Viewed through the lens of different subcultures, here are the ’90s trends that continue to inspire us today.

grunge

“It’s all about freedom, really – and being proud of the holes in your jumper.” –Corinne Day

Grunge, based in protest against capitalism, was an inherently sustainable movement. The thrift style, which arose in the ’80s, centered around the music scene originating in Seattle. However, it quickly spread cross-country – and stormed the catwalks. MARC JACOBS for Perry Ellis was one of the first times casual dressers found their look recreated on the runway. Precariously heeled editors teetered out of the show in disgust. Marc Jacobs lost his job. Essentially, the show broke down boundaries and made the establishment uncomfortable. Though equally upset were the grunge kids who saw it as Marc appropriating their style to sell to the rich people. Rock and roll.

More than anything, grunge was an attitude. It wasn’t just Kurt Cobain’s baggy striped sweater or the now ubiquitous tee shirt. It was the slouch and freedom of movement, the indifference, anger, and charisma projected by Cobain wearing these garments.

Thrifting was popular for a reason – in throwing together unique pieces, one could hint at an autonomy that went beyond the clothes.

Let the editors walk out. The show was on in the streets, and the band would keep playing. Below are some grunge-style essentials for original interpretation only. Use them when you make your thrift store shopping list.

babydoll dress

distressed clothes

Rather than expressing your inner emotional turmoil with words, write it in the language of your style. From another view, wearing your clothes to literal shreds is a gesture of love. Orsola de Castro, the author of the sustainable fashion bible “Loved Clothes Last”, says, “For me, wear-and-tear is symbolic of a personal, individual path, with breakages (mended or raw) as a powerful visualization of our activities, memories of moments, the scars of our every day, an integral part of our clothes’ stories.” The black sheep of the family doesn’t have to dress to the nines when lived-in denim communicates independence just as well – if that isn’t the raw truth.

graphic tees

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minimalism

“What the hell is that?”
“A dress.”
“Says who?”
“Calvin Klein!”
-Clueless, 1995

By 1997, the glamour and excess of the early 90s had given way to a newer, more subtle form of luxury. Tailoring was crisp, colors were stark, and the overall impression was that far from getting strewn about in hotel rooms, the wearer of clothes might now wake up in a (terribly chic) board room.

Designers of the era proved that a seemingly simple approach could introduce layers of complexity while trimming away unnecessary fabric. A carefully chosen textile. A color. The unusual silhouette of otherwise nondescript boots.

Designers like Helmut Lang, Jil Sander and Calvin Klein proved that Less was not just More, but Most. It was a global phenomenon that went beyond the Western world, too – Japanese designers favored an eclectic approach. 

Minimalism also offers a seamless transition to apply the design philosophy to the rest of your life. After all, what’s more sustainable than simply consuming less? Simple pieces can also be re-worn repeatedly without worrying about the changing nature of the trend cycle. Below are some of the trademark trends of this inspirational shift.

unusual textures

Bow Wow Wow’s 1982 cover of “I Want Candy” goes like this: I want candy when it’s wrapped in a sweater. Well, with a new decade comes new possibilities. What if, for instance, instead of wanting candy, you could be the candy? That was Helmut Lang’s tantalizing frame of reference when he debuted a hot pink latex dress for SS94. The otherwise simple design lends the ensemble a perceived accessibility, rendering it a tempting sweet treat. 

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rave / Club Kid Style

The Spice Girls and Gwen Stefani helped popularize (commercialize?) rave and club kid aesthetics

In the 90s, we were all apart, ripping everything apart and putting it back together again and letting all the scars show. –Walt Cassidy

During the 90s, dance music culture hit the floor in unexpected places. Initially emerging in 1980s England, the rave scene spread to New York and LA, launching illicit electronic music dance parties in warehouses and fields. When law enforcement cracked down on raves, people took their love of electronic music to clubs like The Limelight in NYC.

Club Kids and the nightclub scene was run by the artists and creatives who drove the movement. They were fiercely experimental in what they wore and did not limit themselves to the ubiquitous nightclubs, either – at “outlaw parties,” Club Kids turned up in outrageous fits anywhere from parking lots to a McDonalds to The (pre-gentrified) High Line.

More than ever, clothes were a method of expression, but they didn’t need to be hoarded or curated to make an impact. Instead, Club Kids and Ravers embraced a deconstructive approach to fashion. A haute couture top might be paired with ripped jeans. A bold ensemble might come undone and be stitched together on a night-to-night basis. Signs of wear and tear were embraced, and a DIY ethos was integral. 

Rave culture embraced gender fluidity, but more importantly, doing whatever you wanted. The implication was that it didn’t matter, as people of all genders and identities gathered to rave the night away. Here are some trend suggestions drawn from the scene for your next dusk-to-dawn escapade.

–jayna rohslau

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