The 90s Fashion Comeback
Did someone say girl band?
If you wanna be my lover, you gotta get with my trends...and it’s no secret that the 90s were jam-packed with iconic fashion fads. Layered jewellery, butterfly clips, and bright eyeshadow - a fashion show that lasted a decade. We saw plenty of interesting fashion choices, but many more haute couture crazes. We hope you haven’t thrown away your chunky trainers and baggy jeans - the 90s trends are making their full return! Here are some of our favourite 90s trends that are making their comeback online in the 2020s.
Clueless. Courtesy Everett Collection
Clueless (1995) was a showcase of serves by costume designer Mona May. The 'gym class' outfit has got to be one of the most timeless looks of the movie. Here we see Cher Horowitz (Alicia Silverstone) styling biker shorts and a cropped, spaghetti strap vest; layered on top of a white t-shirt. Wasn't she a total Betty! Dionne Davenport (Stacey Dash) was also no stranger to couture - throughout the movie, we see a collection of nostalgic pieces, from leopard print pants and mini skirts to glistening accessories.
In 2024, the iconic cycling short look is back, especially as a one-piece ‘unitard’. Gen Z pair a plain unitard with a loose cardigan or jacket, some white socks, and an iconic trainer for an ultimate 90s throwback. To accessorize - sunglasses, claw clips, and chunky earrings. Is anyone else getting déjà vu?
Bella Hadid in cycling shorts. Splash News
Get Low
Did someone say low-waisted pants? Next up - maybe the most influential and successful trend from the late 90s and 00s (well - depends who you ask). Alexander McQueen was first to introduce them onto a runway in 1994 with his 1993 Taxi Driver collection - coining the ‘bumster’. Sitting below the tailbone to reveal the top of the model’s bum, the bumster lit a spark in the fashion industry (especially for denim lovers!). From then, the low-waisted jeans were born. Iconic. Throughout the late 90s and early 00s, low-rise pants became increasingly popular after stars (especially Britney Spears and Paris Hilton; the true 90s babes) were pictured in the latest attire. By 2000, Levis had released their own low-rise jeans, that sat low on the hips to reveal the navel and back, but didn’t cut so low as to expose the wearer, making them a fashionable and sought-after everyday denim slay. Although they really took off in the 2000s, they’re 90s born and raised. With the help of modern-day stars taking inspo from their 90s roots, they've been making a swift return over recent years. Marvellous! Or...not.
The internet seems pretty divided over the low waist style - some would rather step out into the street naked than look back at their 90s low-rise pants phase. Somewhat understandable. After the low-rise trend fizzled out, waistbands crept higher and higher - making the high waist, skinny jean the hot new star of the 2010s. The Kardashians and Jenners were notorious for a high-waist jean and crop top moment, making a simple outfit runway-ready. But mixed opinions are the joy of fashion, right? The truth is, the low-rise revolution is knocking its high-waist sister off the pedestal: fast. Gucci’s Spring Runway 2020 showcased models baring their midriffs and broke the fashion scene.
Gucci Fall 2020. Daniele Venturelli/Getty Images
The low waist trend also has a star-studded fanbase in the 2020s. Top models Bella Hadid and Hailey Bieber have encouraged the world - especially Gen Z - that low-rise pants will never not be couture, even in recent years. They style them, and they style them perfectly. TikTok is obsessed with bringing back old trends in 2024, which 90s asset will be back next?
Hailey Bieber Street Style. Courtesy of thecelebrityfinder/Bauer-Griffin
Shoulder To Cry On
Shoulder to style on! The shoulder bag dominated the 90s. In 1997, Fendi first released what we now know as the Fendi Baguette, which had a unique, boxy shape. Magnifique! It quickly became the hottest lust for luxury, with women all over the world showing them off. This catapulted the shoulder bag popularity, with designer brands like Prada releasing their own miniature bags throughout the decades.
Fendi Baguette on Sex and the City
Get that bag. The iconic slouchy silhouette is back in the 2020s - Prada released the Cleo Bag in their 2021 collection, which replicates the popular original Prada shape from the 90s archives. This trend is still going strong, and looks like it’s here to stay. What are you packing?
Courtesy of Prada
Baby one more time…is this the last we will see of 90s couture? Probably not. Is this decade going to keep resurfacing forever? Hopefully. We are patiently waiting to see what’s next, some of us are hiding from the low waist fad for as long as possible.
