90s: a fashion decade?

I commented recently that the 90s look is back. At the Clothes Show Live I noticed an abundance  of youngsters wearing the key looks from the decade. I commented on Facebook and Twitter and most of you shouted…..NO!!!! But some were actually questioning whether there were any major fashion moments at all.

Of course there were! So here goes…here is a round up of the 90s look (with a few photos of me thrown in for good measure).

So lets start with this one. It’s about 1992 and I’m sporting a bakerboy patchwork hat. Hats were big in the early 90s…I had loads. I’m also wearing a long chiffon blouse…another key look. What you can’t see is probably a pair of cut off shorts over footless tights and my trusty doc martin boots. The boy next to me sums up the early 90s look…bright colours, logo T’s and a woolly hat. This is Craigy B. Not known simply as Craig, but as Craigy B. This again is how people referred to each other in the 90s!

(I sold sooooo many cut off shorts this month.)

So the decade started with the biggest look of the whole 10 years: Grunge. Jodi Kidd meandered slowly down the catwalk looking gaunt and the term Heroin Chic evolved. Grunge was cool from then on in. However the catwalk was only responding to the music scene straight out of Seattle. The king was of course Kurt Cobain although he was simply following the likes of REM and Sonic Youth. Loose light denim, logo T’s, plaid shirts and sneakers……not trainers but sneakers.

The look became mainstream. Doc martins or dirty converse were worn by all.

His love, Courtney, brought us the bleached, tousled hair. It was normal to blow dry your hair upside down then. She also introduced underwear as outerwear: sheer, lacy pretty negligee dresses, always teamed with leather.

This look continued throughout the decade with Baby Spice making it mainstream in 96.

The indie music scene in the UK also impacted what we wore. We had the baggies from Madchester in 91….actually just think what my friend Craigy B is wearing and you will get the picture.

Then there was the Britpop look of the mid to late 90s. The foppish hair of Brett Anderson, the mod look of Daman Alburn, the 70s suit of Jarvis Cocker.

The union jack was owned by the Brit Pop boys, but it was Gerri who took it one step further.

The 70s hippy vibe was back with the rise of Ibiza clubbing. Long sheer maxi skirts over hotpants was a key look.

Jewellery was handmade, perfect for this 70s feel. We all wore crystals…I had a long crystal necklace tied on string which I wore for years. Check me out here in 1992…ear buns, liquid eyeliner, my Grandmas vintage dress….have you noticed the handmade wooden piece around my neck (as well as the nose ring). I would have been wearing Red or Dead shoes…….now this is what we all wanted. We trudged up to Neal Street to pay, a then, fortune on the wackiest shoes we could find. I remember platforms from them  in purple and black patent…very early 70s. I think they cost £80 and for a student this was alot of money but I didn’t care…

We also wore chunky knits from Nepal….a look we have all been selling well this winter. I had a bright blue one bought from Camden Market.

You had to have a flat stomach in the 90s because the crop top was HUGE. Britney wore heres with low slung trackies. All Saints wore theres with low slung combats and Timberland boots.

Natalie Imbruglia wasnt always so glam..here she is in her Torn video with combats and a hoody. I don’t believe we wore hoodies before the 90s.

We all had a Rachel hair cut. Flicking out with blonde highlights.

If we chose not to befriend her look then it was probably Louise from Sleepers hair we had.

My main memories of the 90s are of very, very short dresses usually worn with hotpants to protect my modesty (remember that Gerri picture) and of the skate look. High top trainers, Vision Street Wear hoodies and baggy pants. Oh and leggings, DMs, and undone shirts over T shirts.

Here I am in 1990…I look so young and happy (well it was 20 years ago).

And for some more memories…..some of the great tunes of this decade: Baby D, Grace, Courtney Love in Hole and Natalie Imbruglia

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Wt1nvsoKno&w=420&h=315] [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBUT0cxtHlg&w=420&h=315] [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3dWBLoU–E&w=420&h=315] [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VV1XWJN3nJo&w=420&h=315]
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8 Comments

  1. 19 January 2012 / 9:19 pm

    Definitely lots of defining trends, I think I went through most of the male fashions, from indie, industrial, retro revival, cyberpunk, it really was a pick and mix period! Post Post Modern!

    • 19 January 2012 / 9:21 pm

      Photos pleeese? I need to know what cyber punk was? Mr YVL tells me there was a shop in Camden selling it..but alas that one passed me by! I was so into industrial music for a time too! They were good days!

  2. 19 January 2012 / 10:56 pm

    Cyberdog in Camden…loved it! The 90s were a favourite decade of mine, I was old enough to earn and spend, young enough to party and wear OUTRAGEOUS stuff, so I went for it with gusto. I was what they called ‘retro’ and ‘disco’ then- picking up what was then too recent to be vintage (70s and 60s- probs worth LOADS now, must check my mum’s attic) for a few quid and combining it with glittery pop-tastic or indie-denim.

    The other day I found a 90s Moschino tartan skirt/kilt in a charity shop and had to buy it for old times sake…I will have to wear it with leggings now (much too short for the 10s) but even though I call it ‘old clothes’ not vintage, it’s a fave at the moment.

    • 19 January 2012 / 11:00 pm

      Excellent comment thanks!!!! I wouldnt wear it personally but it was a great time! I wore my 60s stuff with pride..i carbooted all my 90s stuff probably about 10 years ago…should have kept it!! All those Kangol hats and 90s does 70s platforms! Kate

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