A Decade by Decade view of Women’s Fashion in the 20th Century. This 10-part series covers the styles and changes in women’s fashion from 1900 to the year 2000. We discuss everything from designers to fabrics, hem lengths to sleeves. This week we look at vintage fashion from 1990 to 2000. Follow along with us each week as we delve into another decade.
Women’s fashion from 1990 to 2000 was a mix of old and new. Due to both the rise of the internet and MTV, fashion was highly influenced by the music of the time. While we were still wearing the bright neon colors of the late 80s, post-punk rock gave us a more defiant and severe look that included combat boots and black leather motorcycle jackets, ripped t-shirts, and brightly colored spiked hair.
Then came Madonna with her underwear as outerwear and bold sex appeal. Suddenly the slip as a dress was chic. Kate Moss with her “heroin chic” emaciated and pale silhouette had young women everywhere dieting to emulate the look. Slinky and sexy were back in fashion alongside those flannel shirts and jeans.
On the other end of the spectrum was the Seattle grunge look with plaid flannel shirts, loose-fitting jeans, and an overall unkempt look. Messy hair and oversized sweaters with a well-worn pair of Converse All-Stars completed the look. All the better if you were sporting a beat-up guitar.
Alexander McQueen brought fashion into the realm of fantasy with clothing and shoes right out of a fairytale. His style was over the top and meant to shock. The elevation from runway model to “Supermodel” was complete. Linda Evangelista, Christy Turlington, Naomi Campbell, and Cindy Crawford’s faces were often more popular than the clothing they wore.
While the runway became a fantasy land, Tommy Hilfiger ruled the working-class look. Everything from t-shirts to socks was branded with the familiar red white and black stripes. Basic clothing items including men’s underwear became seductive “designer must-haves” simply by adding a Calvin Klein logo. The era of branded clothing with prominent logos was upon us.
The antithesis of all this was the dark and haunted goth look. The darker side of fashion brought about an entirely different look. Chokers fashioned out of thin stretchy black rubber were made to look like neck tattoos and were worn with black trench coats and tall boots, underneath were black slim jeans and worn t-shirts. Accenting the goth look was dark eye makeup and lipstick.
Others took to wearing fanny packs and Mary Jane’s with our jeans and t-shirts. wide-leg skater jeans loaded with pockets and Birkenstock sandals. Depending on where you lived and the music you listened to, you might wear anything from a pair of overalls and crop tops to wide-leg pants, slouchy blouses, or oversized sweaters with leggings.
Between the years of 1990 and 2000, women’s fashion spread its wings and took on many different looks, ranging from grunge to “Clueless” by design. With the wide range of tastes and styles in clothing the idea of shopping for vintage clothes blossomed.
Thrift stores everywhere were scoured for dresses, jeans, tops, and accessories from bygone eras. The idea of the vintage boutique took off and shops selling vintage clothing popped up everywhere. Kids who had grown up during the eco-conscience 70s and 80s were ready to shop for clothing that their parents and grandparents had worn. It was not only eco-friendly, it was an individualized way to dress that could be tweaked to suit any style or look.
Wear the Look of the 1990s
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From the stiff corsetted styles of the 1900s to the vintage-loving casual looks of the 1990s. The 20th century was 100 years of fashion revolution like no other. No other period of time has fashion evolved so drastically. In one hundred years women’s fashion moved from high-necked, long-sleeved, full-length layered gowns to thong bikinis and tiny crop tops in bright colors not found in nature. What a ride!
Let us know what your favorite era of 20th-century fashion is in the comments below. Explore the other decades by clicking here.
