The 1990s in popular culture is typically referred to as the decade of "anti-fashion". In reality, anti-fashion was only one of many trends in fashion in the 1990s. However the fashion of the 1990s was characterized by a rejection of the fashion of the 1980s. The fashion of the 1990s was also characterized by many contradictory trends. The most significant event in 1990s fashion was the rise of grunge fashion in 1992 and retro-clothing in the late years of the decade.
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Updated: Nov 1, 2021
The 90s fashion era was defined by the return of minimalist fashion which is a heavy contrast to the bright, colorful and bold trends of the 1980s.
/left side: example of 80s fashion, right side: example of 90s fashion/
"A fashion that does not reach the streets is not a fashion." -Coco Chanel
Early 1990s
Majority of the trends from the late 1980s were still relevant in the early ’90s, including the use of bright colors on t-shirts, sweatpants and jackets. The most popular colors used for clothing were green, orange, pink, blue and yellow which were sometimes mixed together into patterns inspired by comic books and pop art.
Popular looks for women were babydoll dresses over leggings, black leather jackets, jeans.
As for men: t-shirts, colored and basic jeans, striped sweaters, denim and leather jackets, as well as sneakers.
Mid 90s fashion
By 1994 style trends took a turn to creating a more polished form-fitting looks.
Popular outfits for women included tailored skirts and pantsuits, slip dresses and skirts made of satin, metallic or sequin fabrics. Animal prints and bright colors were popular carryovers from the early years of the decade.
Men’s looks also included bold prints, as well as graphic t-shirts, leather jackets and velvet blazers.
Late 90s fashion
The two main influences on late ’90s fashion were: the supermodels era that was reigning in high-fashion and popular culture during that time period in women’s clothing, and the return of the business casual style for men.
Popular fashion trends from 1997 to 1999 included glamour wear, plastic chokers, knee socks, tight pants, slip dresses, turtle-neck sweaters, high-waist trousers, and different cardigans.
Updated: Nov 1, 2021
Grunge
One of the most popular early ’90s looks was the grunge look that entered mainstream fashion in 1992, when bands like Nirvana were at their peak. This look incorporated plain t-shirts, dark colored shirts, ripped jeans, Doc Martens shoes, boots.
Modern Preppy look
The preppy look was popularized by the movie ”Clueless”. Women’s version of this look consisted of plaid skirts, slip dresses, knee high boots and the pastel colors, especially pink & yellow were extremely favored. Men’s clothing included sweaters, button-up shirts and blazers.
Hip-hop
Famous artists like Tupac and Biggie had a heavy influence on 1990s fashion. The hip-hop style included jeans, bomber jackets, gold chains, and hats.
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