1990's Women's Fashion

It was the decade that ushered out flamboyant '80s styles and embraced grunge, so it's only fitting that 1990's women's fashions made such an impression. They are as memorable today as ever, but their popularity was relatively short-lived.

As with any shift from decade to decade, the transition from bold, over-the-top styles of the 1980s to the more quiet styles of the '90s may come as a shock as we reminisce today. Back then, though, the big hair, loud colors and love of great excess faded gradually. The old adage "less is more" seemed to become almost gospel for young people, who were especially influential in developing what would end up being the decade's most popular fashions.

The '90s embraced a sense of minimalism in a way that had not been witnessed for decades. While the '50s and '60s enjoyed a flirty, ladylike period, the '70s all but defined the punk and disco scenes and the '80 paid homage to all things colorful and retro, it seemed almost a shock to the industry that styles would suddenly shift so dramatically. Shift they did, though, in a completely different direction.

Of course, it wasn't a situation of waking up one day and throwing out the banana clips and tie-dyed t-shirts in favor of flannel shirts and Doc Martens. The process was obviously gradual, but the style preferences began to head in a more low-key direction very early in the decade. The industry witnessed a slow graduation from shoulder pads and off-the-shoulder sweatshirts to cleaner lines and sleeker silhouettes. Jackets became fitted, shoulder pads flattened out and eventually disappeared and accessories became exceedingly more casual and minimal as time passed.

Pop stars of the day who had once worn frilly mini skirts held up by suspenders, cutesy little fedoras and faces full of makeup were suddenly adopting newer, more simplistic looks. Celebrities were wearing trouser suits, and the always popular combination of jeans and smart blazers remained a mainstay (then, however, the blazers were much longer than they are today).

The early '90s also witnessed the birth of grunge style. This is often spoken of in the same breath as alternative rock bands from Seattle and oversized flannel shirts. Both suggestions are fitting, because the music of the decade played quite a prominent role in the style's popularity. Defined most notably by Doc Marten shoes, neutral colors that may have come across as completely nondescript at times, flannel shirts and baggy pants, the style was a favorite among young adults across the country for several years.

As the years progressed, fashions followed suit. While the moody styles and relatively somber color palette of the early decade had a strong following, it was slowly growing tired in favor of more color, more spirit and more focus on shape and influences from decades past. In fact, the years following 1995 saw the decade shift in more varied directions. There was no particular color that dominated the industry, nor did any one style seem to rule the roost. Instead, there was a newfound versatility that was expressed in a variety of ways.

Women, who early in the decade had embraced babydoll tops and stirrup pants with flat, pointed boots, now had chunkier footwear on their feet, bootcut denim on their legs and more fitted attire on their torsos. Then they began to wear their jeans larger, their shoes even chunkier and their tops shorter and even more fitted. The trend was largely influenced by young Hollywood.

Goth styles also enjoyed a period of great popularity, though its place in 1990's women's fashion was not as noteworthy as, say, that of the clothes influenced by the '60s and '70s. This style was defined by black – and lots of it. It wasn't just the clothes that were black. It was the eye makeup, the nails and the hair, in shades as deep and as rich as midnight.

The '90s may be most noteworthy for the fact that its styles have, for the majority, survived in some form or another throughout the 21st century. Though women may not walk around wearing flannel shirts and huge chunky shoes anymore, the spirit of these influences does continue to leave its mark on modern styles. It's seen in the thick platform shoes that have reigned supreme for years, in the fitted, belly-baring tops that young women favor almost a decade after Britney Spears first made it popular and in the bootcut jeans that may never go out of style. Clearly, the fashions of the '90s will long be remembered.

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