BY NICA DOBLES
Your childhood fashion faves are making a comeback
You might have noticed that hoop earrings and denim are having a moment. These were the cool girl staples of my childhood, and I was pretty surprised (and nostalgic) to see them everywhere again.
But the truth is that fashion is cyclical. A lot of “new” styles are actually revived from decades past, only with slight twists to update them for the modern-day palette. Trends supposedly come around every 20 years or so, so it makes sense that some of the hottest ’90s fashion is back in style.
Below, I’ve rounded up the best of these trends— and to give you an extra blast from the past, grouped them under three ’90s pop culture staples where you saw them first. Let’s get to it!
Fresh Prints
Fresh Prince of Bel-Air is one of the quintessential ‘90s TV shows — not only for its iconic theme song and Will Smith’s breakout role, but also for its faithful representation of the street style of the day. From bright suits to baggy denim, the show captured some of the ‘90s biggest trends:
Retro Stripes
These aren’t your classic Parisian chic stripes. They’re bigger and bolder, in bright colors that catch the eye and patterns that aren’t always even.
Pattern Play
Take a look at the best outfits from Fresh Prince and you’ll notice the wild prints that all the characters are pulling off, from Will’s red floral blazer to Hilary’s printed suits. The current psychotropics trend features patterns that are just as crazy.
Color Pop
Will wasn’t afraid to rock a neon or a primary hue. Now you can too, with these brights dominating new arrivals. Keep it from being too overwhelming with sharp, tailored silhouettes.
Sporty Spice
Each of the Spice Girls had their own distinct style, but it was Mel C’s sports-inspired wardrobe that predicted the rise of athleisure.
Track Pants
Thanks in part to Adidas, baggy track pants were everywhere in the ’90s. You can still find athletic sweats like the originals today, but even non-sports brands have jumped in with versions featuring luxe materials and slimmer silhouettes.
Logo Mania
For a while it was passé to display logos on your outfit — remember Louis Vuitton’s monogram fatigue a few years ago ?— but designer labels like Gucci and Tommy Hilfiger have brought visibly-branded t-shirts back. A slightly more affordable option is to wear tees from your fave sports brands instead.
Chunky Slides
People said they were ugly, but these old reliables are back with a vengeance. Whether you’re rocking pool sliders or classic footbed sandals, you’ll be super comfortable and super stylish. And who knows? Full-on flatforms might be up next.
Clueless Chic
Like Fresh Prince, Clueless is set in a rich neighborhood in west Los Angeles, but the aesthetic is pretty different. Will Smith’s wardrobe is hip-hop and grunge-inspired, but Cher Horowtiz’ wardrobe is preppy, designer chic.
Cher’s iconic yellow checked blazer + skirt combo is a Halloween costume staple, but now you can pull off her look any day, thanks to these trends:
Mini Dresses
One of my fave Clueless scenes is when Cher walks down the stairs in a tiny white slip dress. Her dad asks what she’s wearing, leading to this gem:
“A dress.”
“Says who?”
“Calvin Klein.”
We’re not one to argue with a classic fashion house. From slinky slip dresses like Cher’s to flirty babydolls, mini skirts and mini dresses are back in style, just in time for summer.
Plaid
We’ve covered this trend before, and it looks like it isn’t going away just yet. It started with checked blazers last fall, but now you can find this preppy print on pretty much any piece of clothing. Pair plaid flared pants or a plaid mini skirt with a crop top and hoop earrings for the ultimate ’90s girl look.
Which trends from your childhood are you rocking again?
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