Are the 90’s really coming back in style this year?
I wouldn’t call myself the authority on ’90s fashion (I was born in 1998), but I think that I’ve watched enough Seinfeld and listened to enough Britney Spears to know that what they’re calling ’90s fashion these days is an extremely watered down and overplayed version of what actually went down.
Therefore, I would like you all to stop calling your space buns, matte brown lipstick, and high-waisted American Apparel shorts “’90s attire.”
It’s not accurate. You’re seeing those glorious 15 years (let’s be real, the ’90s didn’t end until 2005) through 2016 tinted glasses. The ’90s were wonderfully hideous; mistakes were made and made frequently, and all of them were iconic fashion moments (example: the entirety of David Lynch’s Twin Peaks). I certainly don’t see any of you trying to emulate Sherilyn Fenn as Audrey Horne, and that’s absolutely tragic.
The ’90s were an absolute treasure trove of unique fashion, and we all chose to remember only the cropped tee and high waisted shorts? What about Christina Aguilara and her two-toned platinum and black hair and her jeans of the absolute lowest rise possible? What about Britney in the “Oops….I Did It Again” video? The red vinyl bodysuit! The slicked back side part with chunky brown highlights! The powder blue matte eye shadow! Cher and Dionne in their matching tartan schoolgirl ensembles? What about JNCO jeans in all their baggy, denim glory??? If you want to go early ’90s, there’s Courtney Love, a fashion icon for the gal who likes to be a little (or a lot) messy, Will Smith in overalls and baseball caps galore, and Jerry Seinfeld (the ultimate ’90s icon) in his sparkling white Nikes and “puffy shirt.”
We’ve turned ’90s fashion, something that was colorful and experimental and fun, bland and modernized (quite honestly if I see one more of you wearing a flannel from Brandy Melville on Decades Day, I’m going to lose it).
If you want to dress like the ’90s, don’t be afraid for it to get a little unusual. In other words, I better see one of you rocking a latex mini dress emblazoned with the Union Jack a la Ginger Spice in 1997 after this article comes out!
