The '90s Fashion Comeback

By Alexia Gonzalez on October 17, 2014

Sure, “Contempo Casual” doesn’t exist anymore and it’s been two decades since you’ve needed a fuzzy fur backpack to hold your Lisa Frank trapper keeper, yet the style of the millennial’s childhood days remains a potent source of inspiration for current fashion.

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The 1990s brought us not only immortal icons such as Britney Spears, The Spice Girls, and Cher Horowitz from “Clueless,” but also the decade that just won’t die left behind an array of timeless trends (sans butterfly hair clips).

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From DKNY to Alexander Wang to Rag & Bone, designers have been showcasing some of the best styles of the decade, with variable twists to keep the looks relevant to our modern fashions.

Don’t think that this ’90s redux is an excuse to whip out those platform sneakers or trucker hats. There is a fine line between looking ’90s cool and appearing overly old school, and you must be wary not to cross it.

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Harmonize your look by rocking out only one ’90s trend at a time. Maintaining a balance between bright colors, loud patterns and funky textures (holographic halter tops, anyone?) is vital to the modernized 1990s get up.

Remember to use these trends wisely by keeping your usage of ’90s nostalgia (crazy) classy yet cool; and you’ll be looking all that and a bag of chips!

Chokers

Chokers were definitely the go to necklace of the ’90s. Whether elastic, neon colored, or adorned with teeny tiny hearts or peace signs, the choker never failed to impress.

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Today’s choker is certainly more chic, with the fit resting at the base of the neck instead of smack dab on the center of your throat, and with larger more abstract ornamentation. Spice up a simple outfit with a choker to add a dose of stylish flair.

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Faux Flannel Plaid

Kurt Cobain and the burgeoning grunge scene of the 1990s made sloppy casual a totally stylish approach. Be it tied around the waist, tucked into some jeans, or unbuttoned down over a tee, the flannel shirt exuded an effortless vibe of instant coolness.

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Although the basic flannel shirt is still acceptable, a more contemporary take on faux fashion can be seen through the use of the pattern. The current application of faux flannel can be seen on everything from skirts to dresses to pants.

Try donning the pattern on one article paired with surrounding solid colors, or really tackle a ’90s get up with plaid separate pieces, such as a matching skirt and blazer set.

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Baby Tees

When the baby tee was first introduced, the initial goal was to flaunt your stomach as much as possible by pairing it over some low-rise jeans.

Nowadays the baby tee has morphed into the crop top; a very versatile and chic item when styled correctly.

Crop tops are now worn with high waist bottoms or matching skirts that sit at or just below your natural waistline, no longer making it about showing off your belly button but about exuding trend and style in a more subdued way.

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Knee High Socks

Cher Horowitz is still one of the most relevant style muses of our generation. Her sassy approach to the ’90s aesthetic continues to influence the fashion sense of all ’90s babies.

We fell in love with her checkered skirt suits, party dresses -“You don’t understand, this is an Alaïa!”- and metallic Mary Jane’s. To finish off all of her legendary ensembles, Cher loved to accessorize her stems with knee high socks.

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Perfect for the fall season, knee high stockings look fabulous with just about any thigh-hemmed ensemble. Although Cher loved her white sheers, I recommend opting for darker knee-highs in brown or black. Layer them under a skater skirt or pleated dress and you will definitely look far from “ensembly challenged” (As if!).

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The Slip Dress

The thin-spaghetti-strapped slip dress is an easy to pull off item that can make any gal look model chic. Channel Carrie Bradshaw and feel your sexiest in a barely there satiny slip dress.

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From Carrie’s signature nude hue to Kate Moss’ infamous silver slip, this style of dress is minimal enough to wear all on its own with a pair of killer high heels, or layered under a chunky fall cardigan.

The dress’ simplicity allows you to play up accessories and accent pieces – try adding flair with a contemporary take on the ’90s choker.

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Destroyed Denim

Be it overalls, jackets, or jeans, the ’90s were all about fearlessly rocking destroyed denim wear. Back then, ripped jeans were dramatically wrecked and tight fitted usually reaching above the waist.

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Today’s ripped jeans are more relaxed and typically are a bit looser and sit lower on your hips. Wear your modern destroyed denim with a looser fitting top layer such as a buttoned up blouse, oversized knit, or boxy sweatshirt. Dress up your denim look with strappy high heels and sparkly jewelry for a glamorized finish.

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