The nineties were, to say the least, a questionable decade. It was a time when grunge and alternative rock were at their peak, a time when Britney and Christina rose to fame, and of course a time when Clueless’ Cher gave us major fashion goals. Some bad stuff happened too, like all the wars and the inexplicable popularity of the soul patch, (never forget, never repeat). Of course, who could forget the body glitter, scrunchies, neon clothes that glow in the dark, and finally, Macarena. A questionable time indeed. And apparently, Justin Timberlake was right, what goes around does come around, and those of us who grew up in the nineties have lived to see history repeat itself, fashion-wise at least. In honor of that, here are the trends that clawed their way back, despite us thinking they never would.
My So-Called Fashion
If you were a fan of My So-Called Life, (if you were not, start binge-watching immediately), you are all too familiar with the phenomenon of the mom jeans, the oversized flannel shirts and jean jackets, floral maxi dresses and their faithful companions – the t-shirts that go under them, and last but not least, the tiny knapsack. To nineties’ girls this was a Claire Danes starter pack kit, but once we crossed into the new millennium, we never thought we would see any of these things again. Still, here they are, alive and kicking in every major fast-fashion retail store. It is a true testament that we do grow older but not wiser. Jokes aside, the reemergence of some of these clothing items proves that they were not so bad to begin with, and if put together well, they can look pretty darn cool. Consider yourself warned on one thing, (two things) though: 1. mom jeans still look good only on skinny girls, and 2. The tiny knapsack remains too tiny to hold all your stuff.
If You Wanna Be My Lover You Gotta Get With My Shoes
Clunky shoes, Dr. Martens, patent leather platforms, or better yet, everything with platforms – these were the nineties’ staples when it comes to footwear. And they are back, baby, but thankfully the extent of megalomania has died down and we are left with a more subtle version in the form of a decent front platform with a block heel. The credits for the return of this trend go solely to teenage girls of today who nurture a false sense of nostalgia for a time they were not a part of. Whether the trend will survive in 2017 remains to be seen.
The Choker on Steroids
When thinking about the accessories of the era gone by, two items have left a permanent mark – the choker and the Lennon sunglasses. The resurgence of the choker has been met with great controversy. It seems it is one of those things you either adore or absolutely despise. Despite the haters, the choker is back and it appears to be bigger than ever. It comes in different sizes and compositions, from velvet and subtle, leather and bold, to silver and gold followed by an entourage of necklaces and pendants. The Lennon sunglasses on the other hand, have received nothing but love, some people even go as far as hunting for vintage ones that these days go for a staggering amount of money.
The Glitz and The Goth
Red, purple, burgundy, black – the entire dark lipstick gang is back, and ready to take over the world, at least that is the word on the street, Instagram, and pretty much everywhere else. Lip-liners are here too, yes, but thank heavens, now it is against the law to wear a lip-liner in a different shade than that of the lipstick. And finally, if high-end makeup retailers are to be trusted, metallic eye shadow, and oh lord, lip-creams will rule the scene in 2017. Guess we will have to wait and see how that story ends.
