As if ripped from a time capsule, the 90s are back in a big way. From fashion to music, the era's iconic trends are resurfacing, and what better way to celebrate than with a 90s-themed party? But with so many defining styles from that decade, choosing an outfit can be daunting. This ultimate guide will equip you with all the sartorial knowledge you need to rock the 90s party like nobody's business.
Grunge or Glam? Choosing Your 90s Vibe
The 90s weren't a monolithic decade; they were a kaleidoscope of clashing aesthetics. To nail your outfit, you first need to decide which vibe resonates with you.
Grunge
Flannel shirts, ripped jeans, combat boots, and band tees are the cornerstones of grunge fashion. Think Kurt Cobain, ripped fishnets, and a whole lotta attitude.
Grunge was a defining musical and cultural movement in the early 90s, centered in Seattle with bands like Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden and Alice in Chains leading the way.
The grunge look mirrored the gritty, angst-ridden music with its disheveled layers and distressed fabrics. Key elements included:
- Flannel Shirts: Oversized lumberjack-style plaid flannels worn open over t-shirts or thermal long sleeves.
- Ripped Jeans: Baggy jeans with holes, fraying hems and blown-out knees.
- Doc Martens: Clunky, military-style boots, often decorated with band logos or personal artwork.
- Band Tees: Faded graphic t-shirts representing favorite grunge and alternative rock bands.
- Plaid Skirts: Pleated plaid mini skirts paired with distressed tights or leggings.
- Leather Jackets: Boxy oversized leather or pleather jackets layered over flannels.
- Beanies: Slouchy knit beanies worn year-round.
Grunge style uses contrasting prints, textures and proportions for an edgy, thrifted aesthetic.
To embody the rebellious spirit of grunge, opt for darker colors like black, deep grey and burgundy accentuated with plaids and graphic prints. Add personal touches like band patches, pins and Sharpie art to customize your look.
The key to nailing grunge fashion is to keep it raw and unpolished. So break out your old flannels and band tees and get ready to rock!
Glam
Channel your inner Spice Girl or pop diva with slinky slip dresses, platform shoes, holographic fabrics, and plenty of glitter. Think neon brights, metallics, and anything that screams girl power!
The rise of teen pop in the late 90s ushered in an era of glitzy, glamorous fashion courtesy of artists like the Spice Girls, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera and Destiny's Child.
90s glam style favored exaggerated silhouettes, sparkly finishes and bright, bold colors. Common elements included:
- Slip Dresses: Bias-cut silky mini dresses with spaghetti straps. Often embellished with beads or rhinestones.
- Crop Tops: Tiny cropped tops baring the midriff. Usually paired with low rise pants.
- Vinyl: Shiny patent leather or pleather pants, dresses and accessories.
- Platform Shoes: Sky-high platform sandals or sneakers in bright neons and metallics
- Butterfly Clips: Decorative hair clips with glittery plastic butterfly wings.
- Chokers: Black velvet chokers with a pendant.
- Scrunchies: Stretchy, colorful fabric hair ties. Decorated with butterflies, bows or rhinestones.
The glam 90s vibe is all about standing out with eye-catching details so don't be afraid to pile on the accessories. Channel icons like Ginger Spice with her iconic Union Jack dress or slip into a slinky bodycon like J.Lo. Finish the look by teasing your hair sky-high for full 90s diva mode!
Skater
Ripped jeans, oversized graphic tees, bucket hats, and chunky sneakers are the skater essentials. Think backwards caps, checkerboard prints, and a touch of California cool.
In the 90s, skate culture exploded from the streets and skate parks of Southern California into the mainstream thanks to movies, TV and video games centered around the sport.
Skater style blended function and comfort with a laidback streetwear aesthetic:
- Oversized Tees: Faded, torn band or branding tees in muted colors.
- Windbreakers: Colorblocked nylon windbreakers with bold logo graphics.
- Bucket Hats: Reversible two-tone bucket hats, often in black and white or green and black.
- Cargo Pants: Super baggy cargo pants or shorts with big, low pockets.
- Vans: Classic black and white checkered Vans slip-on sneakers.
- Flannels Around Waist: Plaid flannel shirts tied loose around the waist over a tee.
- Backwards Caps: Flat-brim baseball caps worn backwards.
The key to the skater look is loose, relaxed pieces that can take a beating. Mix up iconic skate brands like Thrasher Magazine, Vans, and Supreme with band tees and beanies for an urban streetwear vibe with plenty of California soul.
Iconic 90s Outfit Ideas
Once you've chosen your vibe, it's time to get creative! Here are some iconic 90s outfit ideas to get you inspired:
Clueless Cher Horowitz
Embrace your inner fashionista with a yellow plaid skirt suit, knee-high socks, and Mary Jane shoes. Don't forget the half-up, half-down hairstyle and a touch of Clueless slang!
As if! When it comes to quintessential 90s style, nobody did it better than Cher Horowitz. The Beverly Hills fashion plate rocked designer outfits that always felt young, fun and just a little bit Valley Girl.
Channel Cher's penchant for plaid with an A-line mini skirt paired with a matching blazer on top. Look for similar yellow plaid fabric or swap in another bright color combo like pink and red or blue and green.
Bring in some prep with a crisp white button-down shirt underneath. Finish with knee-high socks and classic Mary Jane shoes with a mini platform heel.
Accessories can make the outfit with pearl choker necklaces, floral barrettes or a plaid beret hat like Cher wears in the movie.
A half-up top-knot hairstyle completes the Clueless transformation. To take it over the top, sprinkle your vocabulary with Cher-isms like "whatever" "as if!" and "so totally buggin'".
Beverly Hills, 90210 Brenda Walsh
Channel Brenda's good girl vibes with a floral dress, denim jacket, and chunky sandals. Add a scrunchie and a butterfly clip for extra 90s charm.
As the iconic teen drama Beverly Hills, 90210 launched in 1990, the fashion choices of leads Brenda and Brandon Walsh exemplified casual, suburban Los Angeles style.
Brenda Walsh favored a feminine, romantic look that balanced trendy details with girl-next-door accessibility.
Her signature style typically included:
- Floral maxi dresses or babydoll minis: Soft, breezy floral dresses with smocked tops or Peter Pan collars
- Oversized denim jackets: Faded and distressed jean jackets worn open over dresses
- Chunky sandals or clogs: Lug-sole sandals and platform clogs
- Scrunchies: Stretchy rayon or velvet hair scrunchies
- Butterfly clips: Plastic hair clips with iridescent wings
Channel girl-next-door Brenda Walsh with a ditsy floral babydoll dress or tiered maxi dress paired with a lightwash denim jacket. Finish with chunky brown sandals and top with a velvet scrunchie. For extra credit, clip back layers with a glittery hair butterfly.
Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Will Smith
Rock a bright colored bucket hat, a neon t-shirt, baggy jeans, and sneakers for a Will Smith-inspired look. Don't forget the swagger!
As streetwise Will Smith moved from the tough streets of West Philly to posh Bel-Air mansion, his colorful, hip hop-inspired outfits made a splash among his preppy rich relatives.
Will's style hallmarks included:
- Graphic tees: Brightly colored, often neon, t-shirts with large logos or graphics
- Reversible bucket hats: Black and red or green and black reversible bucket hats
- Bomber jackets: Bright nylon bomber jackets, sometimes colorblocked or reversible
- Baggy jeans: Super wide leg lightwash denim jeans
- Crisp white sneakers: White leather retro low-top sneakers, usually Adidas
- Bold prints and colors: Vibrant colors and bold prints and graphics
Channel the Fresh Prince himself with an oversized graphic tee in neon orange, yellow or green paired with extra baggy lightwash jeans. Top with a reversible black and red bucket hat tipped back at an angle. Finish with classic white Adidas sneakers and maybe a sly raised eyebrow smirk if you can pull it off!
TLC Crazy Sexy Cool
Channel your inner Left Eye Lopez with baggy overalls, a crop top, and chunky boots. Add a bandana and hoop earrings for a touch of TLC fierceness.
In the 1990s, R&B and hip hop girl trio TLC took the music world by storm, selling over 65 million records globally with bangers like "No Scrubs", "Waterfalls", and "Creep". Group members Tionni "T-Boz" Watkins, Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas and the late, great Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes brought bold personal style that channeled hip hop swagger through a feminine lens.
Left Eye's signature look showed her feisty spirit through pieces like:
- Overalls: Baggy denim overalls, sometimes with custom graffiti art
- Bandanas: Colorful paisley bandanas wrapped around the head
- Crop tops: Tiny jersey crop tops in bright colors
- Bomber jackets: Oversized nylon bomber jackets
- Combat boots: Lace-up black leather combat boots
Pay homage to fiery Lisa "Left Eye" Lopez with loose lightwash denim overalls rolled up at the bottom to show black lace-up combat boots underneath. Pair with a tight neon crop top in pink, green or yellow with a bold graffiti font. Wrap a black and white or red and black paisley bandana around your head, letting the tails drape down long over one shoulder. Top with a reversible colorblock windbreaker jacket. Finish with big gold hoops, neon lipstick and plenty of sass!
Accessorize Like a 90s Pro
The right accessories can elevate your 90s outfit from good to great. Here are some must-have items:
Fanny Packs
Ditch the purse and rock a hands-free fanny pack for ultimate 90s vibes.
Part practical accessory, part fashion "don't", fanny packs somehow emerged from the 90s unscathed with their reputation intact, enjoying somewhat of a renaissance now.
Lean into the utilitarian retro trend with a classic black nylon style or opt for neon colors, hypercolor fabrics or crazy patterns for a bolder look. Wear it loose and low around the hips or cinch it high 1980s dad-style. Load it up with scrunchies, lip gloss and temporary tats or other 90s nostalgia party favors to pass out.
Can't find an authentic vintage fanny pack? Just take a normal one and sling it way too low for bonus 90s points.
Chokers
From velvet to plastic, chokers were all the rage in the 90s. Layer them on for a statement look.
Choker necklaces had a moment back in the 90s when fashion was all about crop tops and exposed midriffs. The snug-fitting collars drew the eye and focused attention on the neck and face.
Look for black stretchy velvet tattoo chokers with sparkly initial or gemstone pendants. Or rock plastic neon brights for a playful, candy-colored vibe. The more chokers you can layer on, the better so stock up!
For choker layering inspo, channel 90s icons like Aaliyah, Gwen Stefani or Buffy Summers, Vampire Slayer extraordinaire. Just maybe don't grab the crucifix one like Buffy if vampires aren't your thing.
Scrunchies
Scrunchies were more than just hair ties; they were fashion statements. Rock a colorful scruncy around your wrist or your hair.
Before sleek hair elastics, squishy fabric-covered scrunchies were the height of 90s hair accessory cool. Spotted on stars like Kelly Kapowski and Topanga Lawrence, these colorful hair ties added some whimsy to high ponytails and other upswept hairstyles.
Look for vintage rayon or velvet scrunchies in bright prints and colors. Fold them over your wrist as a bracelet or pull up your hair with them. Up the nostalgia with scrunchies decorated with iridescent butterflies or yarn pom poms.
Go full Sarah Sanderson from Hocus Pocus this Halloween by rocking a whole wrist full of mixed and matched scrunchies crawling up your arm for a fun 90s witch vibe.
Butterfly Clips
These playful clips were a 90s hair staple. Use them to add a touch of whimsy to your hairstyle.
No 90s hairdo was complete without a butterfly clip or two... or five. These fun hair accessories featured sparkly plastic wings that opened and closed to clip sections of hair back.
Look for metal clamp styles with glittery polyester or iridescent fabric butterfly wings in rainbow colors. Slide them in to pull back hair from your face or position them whimsically throughout an updo as accent pieces.
Go full Mariah Carey fantasy with a whole halo of butterfly clips circling your head, or keep it simple with just one as a focal point. However many you choose, these nostalgic clips are a perfect finishing touch for a party-ready 90s 'do.
Remember, the 90s were all about self-expression and individuality. So don't be afraid to mix and match trends and most importantly, have fun!
Bonus Tips
Raid Your Parents' Closet
Vintage clothing is a treasure trove of 90s gems. Ask your parents if you can borrow anything for the party and add it into your look. Alternatively, thrift stores can offer some great throwback finds.
Key items to look out for include mom jeans, rugby polo shirts, windbreakers, plaid flannels, slip dresses, crop tops, fanny packs and more. The bolder, the better!
Mix in a couple vintage accessories like chokers, scrunchies and butterfly clips pulled straight from the decade. The more authentic, the better so get those folks to raid their closets!
Conclusion
As if ripped from a time capsule, the tubular trends of the 90s have made a major comeback. Choose your vibes - be it the attitude of grunge, the glitter of pop glam or the chill factor of skate style.
Look to icons like Cher Horowitz in Clueless, Brenda Walsh from 90210 or Will Smith's Fresh Prince for outfit inspo. Accessorize to the max with fanny packs, chokers, scrunchies and butterfly clips for added 90s realness.
