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The 25 Best Iconic 90s Style Trends You Can Wear Now

The 25 Best Iconic 90s Style Trends You Can Wear Now

Every decade has its own unique look, and the ’90s were no different. While grunge rockers wore flannel and combat boots, stars wore baby dresses, spaghetti strap T-shirts, and plaid. As with all fashion trends, if you wait long enough, they’ll come back. And now The 90s are back in a big way. Here are some 1990s style Trends gaining popularity this year.

As usual, current events had a big impact on the style of the time. Grunge music was a big influence in Seattle, while West and East Coast rappers were struggling with their rhymes. The internet and computer use were on the rise, and Titanic was big at the box office. All of this had a big impact on the clothing and accessories of the day. If Kurt Cobain wore oval glasses and a cardigan, so did everyone else. And if you saw the latest pop group wearing animal prints and crop tops, so did you. People were designing clothes based on their favorite characters from the biggest box office hits Craft, No clue, Empire Records or MTV An arsenal of music videos from the Backstreet Boys to Pearl Jam.

So what were the biggest fashion trends of the ’90s? From bucket hats and overalls to work boots and oval sunglasses, ’90s trends are back in a big way. And while there are some ’90s trends we’d rather forget (kitten heels, that is), there are plenty that are making a comeback.


Flannel

If you wanted to be cool in the ’90s, you had to wear flannel. Everyone from grunge rock singers to skateboarding kids were wearing these big plaid button-down shirts.

Edward Berthelot – Getty Images

Spaghetti Straps

Showing off your shoulders was all the rage in the ’90s, and what better way to do it than by wearing spaghetti straps?

Vinnie Zuffante – Getty Images

Combat Boots

A flannel shirt and cargo pants combo wouldn’t be complete without combat boots. Whether ankle-high or higher, these shoes were the ultimate ’90s accessory.

Edward Berthelot – Getty Images

Bucket Hats

Bucket hats up the cool factor of any outfit, and if you wear them in trendy colors and textures, even better.

James Devaney – Getty Images

Biker Shorts

Lady Diana was famous for wearing oversized sweatshirts and biker shorts. This look became popular among teens and adults in the 90s. The level of comfort was second to none.

Bellocqimages/Bauer-Griffin – Getty Images

Overalls

Jumpsuits in the ’90s combined high fashion and comfort, with plenty of pocket space for accessories like keys, lip balm, and a Discman. And if you wore one strap up and the other down, you were super cool.

Jena Ardell – Getty Images

Headbands

Headbands offer function and fashion by keeping your hair out of your eyes and adding an extra layer of color and dimension. The only problem was deciding which one to wear because ’90s girls literally had dozens of them.

Jena Ardell – Getty Images

Cardigans

You can’t go wrong with a cardigan today. And it was the same in the ’90s. You could wear it chic with a collared shirt or grunge with a striped tee.

Jeremy Moeller – Getty Images

Slip Dresses

Slip dresses were very popular with young people as they were an effortless way to look polished. Some wore them with combat boots to create a contrast between fem and punk.

Jeremy Moeller – Getty Images

Hair clips

Scrunchies weren’t just for your hair. They were also worn on the arm for fashion. High ponytails wouldn’t be complete without one or two of these elastic and fabric contraptions.

Dani Serrano – Getty Images

Work Boots

Overalls and oversized jeans looked great with a pair of work boots. While they were functional and stylish, they weren’t the most comfortable because of their weight.

twity1 – Getty Images

Wide Leg Jeans

Forget skinny jeans, in the 90s it was the other way around. In fact, the looser the jeans, the better.

matt_scherf – Getty Images

Snapback Hats

In the 90s, baseball caps, especially snapbacks, were all the rage and most people had a large collection, but no matter how many hats you owned, you always had a favorite that you could wear comfortably.

Mads Sea Bass – Getty Images

Oval Glasses

The oval sunglasses trend started when Kurt Cobain of Nirvana wore a pair in an MTV interview. Since then, they’ve been the staple sunglasses of the era.

Jonathan Storey – Getty Images

Leather Blazer

Leather blazers provided just the right amount of edginess. Pair them with a button-down shirt and jeans, or wear them over a floral dress.

Cavan Images – Getty Images

Small Bag

Although they didn’t hold much, tiny bags were very popular in the 1990s. They could be pastel, neon, or even lined with faux fur.

Olena Ruban – Getty Images

Graphic T-Shirts

Sure, people still wear graphic t-shirts today, but in the ’90s these were all the rage and featured everything from favorite cartoon characters to catchy quotes.

Diana Haronis – Getty Images

Bomber Jacket

If you weren’t wearing flannel, you were probably wearing a bomber jacket. These loose-fitting jackets come in a variety of colors.

Justin Case – Getty Images

Tie Dye

The ’80s were a tough decade to get over, so it’s surprising that the tie-dye craze carried over into the ’90s. Just like today, tie-dyeing your own T-shirts was the perfect slumber party activity.

Flashpop – Getty Images

Sports Jerseys

It didn’t matter if you were a sports fan. People in the 90s loved sports jerseys. They wore them with just about everything.

Good Brigade – Getty Images

Plaid

Plaid was very popular at the time and came in many shapes and sizes, from shirts to dresses to skirts to accessories.

Klaus Vedfelt – Getty Images

Animal Pattern

Whether it was leopard or zebra, animal prints were all the rage in the ’90s and took the form of jackets, shirts, totes, and backpacks. The only rule? Stick to one animal print at a time.

Kathrin Ziegler – Getty Images

Berets

Wearing a beanie had nothing to do with cool in the 90s. It just looked cool and that’s all anyone cared about.

Robin Skjoldborg – Getty Images

Handkerchiefs

Bandanas were worn as handkerchiefs, the ultimate accessory of the 90s. They were cheap and came in many different colors.

Mascot – Getty Images

Chokers

If you were wearing jewelry in the ’90s, you probably wore a choker. And they wore chokers. If it was too tight, you’d be fumbling with it all day long.

Elizabeth Fernandez – Getty Images

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