You may not have been born, but the ’90s was an iconic era in pop culture and fashion. It was a time before Facebook, smartphones, and Wi-Fi. Teenagers used dial-up internet, played the only retro game on their black-and-white cellphones called Snake, and listened to music on handheld CD players. During this era, fashion trends were unusual. Women wore slip dresses, choker necklaces, and dark berry-colored lipstick. Men swaggered around in baggy jeans and humongous shirts. Everyone’s wardrobe was filled with either flannel, denim, or leather.
The ’90s might feel outdated for today’s teens. However, current fashionable celebrities and runway models are strutting down the streets and catwalks with ’90s style outfits. Designers are always recycling fashion trends with a modernized edge. For example, Rihanna, Jennifer Lawrence, and Jamie Chung have worn slip dresses, a style worn by actress Jennifer Aniston who played Rachel in the famous sitcom Friends. Along with Rachel, the rest of the gang’s looks are also coming back, from Phoebe’s colorful bohemian look or Monica’s classy simple dress to Chandler’s oversized shirts! Classic ’90s sitcoms like Fresh Prince, 90210, and Saved by the Bell have become the theme that designers utilize to make their ready-to-wear clothing.
Should designers recycle the work of ’90s fashion icons? Supporters say that the ’90s introduced simpler designs and added stylistic elements that challenged the fashion world’s ideals of perfection. The quintessential ’90s looks weren’t perfect or polished, but they were a genuine reflection of one’s personality. “Perhaps the most important message of fashion in the ’90s was the idea of authenticity,” writes Alexander Fury of The New York Times. The ’90s fashion trendsetters sought for the freedom to express themselves through style, and it’s exciting to see that same trend today.