5 key '90s trends to add to your wardrobe
From slim sunglasses to baggy jeans - here's how to add a dash of Kurt Cobain to your 2024 look.
IT WAS a decade of Friends and flannels, the grit and grunge of Nirvana and the preppy plaid of Clueless. I’m talking, of course, about the ’90s — a time when life was consumed by boy bands, Tamagotchis, and some really iconic style.
From your Chandler Bings and Jerry Seinfelds to your Justin Timberlakes and Leo DiCaprios, there’s something about ’90s trends that just work. Maybe it’s the simplicity of it all—staple pieces in proportions that are oft too big or too small, from tight tees to baggy pants. Maybe it’s the minimalistic classiness (take notes from the younger version of Brad Pitt if you want to know how a simple turtleneck and sunglasses can look especially cool).
It shouldn’t come as a surprise to hear that the ’90s are back, and I don’t just mean by way of all the revival shows and reunited bands out there. It was a decade of daringness (if David Beckham and Posh Spice could get married in purple outfits, anything was possible), and the biggest trends of the decade are still influencing our modern wardrobes, from ripped jeans to graphic tees. Below, browse some ’90s trends that you can effortlessly incorporate into your own wardrobe.
Slim Sunglasses
Matt Leblanc, 1996.
Sometimes, the best things in life are small. If you still can’t look at a pair of slim sunglasses without seeing the actual Matrix, fear not—there are tons of ’90s-esque styles that don’t emulate Neo. These days, you can catch the likes of Timothée Chalamet and Tom Holland wearing these sleek styles. From oval frames with nosepads to a rectangular, plastic silhouette, these are the retro sunnies that are still as cool as ever.
Baggy Jeans
Everything in the ’90s seemed so easy and breezy—even the jeans. If you know a thing or two about fashion, you know that we haven’t been wearing super-skinny jeans in a while, and you probably already have some relazxed jeans in your wardrobe. Well—make them even more relaxed. Go for a loose—even baggy—silhouette for the ultimate ’90s look and feel.
Graphic T-shirts
Once graphic tees entered the mainstream, they never really went away. Still, we pay tribute to the brave ’90s trailblazers who paved the way for the rest of us to boast our favorite beer brands across our chests today.
Flannels
You don’t have to channel Kurt Cobain or Noel Gallagher to pull off a flannel. Leave the guitar and the grunge behind and just pair any of these with your best jeans or chinos, maybe some loafers or sneakers.
Denim Jackets
Everybody was wearing a denim jacket way back when. On red carpets, to awards shows, and certainly in daily life. Turn on any episode from any season of Friends or Seinfeld to see what I mean, and then shop your own denim jacket right here.
Vintage by The Real Deal
SHOP NOW:
Pre loved – vintage Carhartt denim jacket, $259.95, from The Iconic.
This story originally appeared on Esquire US
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