The majority of Gen Z is obsessing over the art of layering clothes, the vintage styling of denim, and oversized baggy silhouette designs, all of which are today’s most popular fashion trends. What many people wouldn’t believe, is that this style is almost a spitting image of ‘90s fashion. Similar to history, fashion has a tendency to repeat itself.
Just a couple weeks ago, as I was rushing out the house, half eaten waffle still in my hand, my mom commented on my outfit, saying I looked like “someone straight out of the ‘90s.” My dad added on, saying, “It’s the exact same thing your mom would wear during college!” and they continued reminiscing on their college days and old outfits. At the time, this meant nothing to me, so I went on about my day. I was just wearing baggy jeans, (ripped at the knee) and an oversized graphic tee with Aaliyah on it (tied in the back) after all, so it seemed like a pretty common outfit. The denim pooled around my brand new green Jordan ones, and my huge, golden bamboo earrings slightly swung as I hurried out the door. Soon after the conversation I had with my parents,
I remembered a picture I saw of my mom. She was wearing baggy jeans and a cartoon graphic tee, with small golden hoops, (an outfit suspiciously similar to the one I was wearing), which got me thinking, how can current fashion trends be so popular today, if they aren’t even new? This inquiry is explained by the author Lea Codispot when she writes, “One of the most enduring theories in the industry is the ‘20-Year Rule,’ which suggests that popular styles tend to resurface two decades after their initial heyday” (Ayana Active). Today’s generation craves the nostalgic feel of rediscovering and reinterpreting old styles, which is why older fashion crazes are resurfacing and becoming popular again.
It was a bit hard to accept that this generation’s clothing aesthetics aren’t really ours, so research on the ‘90s style was conducted, and sure enough, Gen Z is borrowing their fashion. “Jean jackets, vests, and high-waist jeans were a cornerstone of 1990s fashion—all of which are still very much in” (InStyle). Jeans and other forms of denim have made themselves known to Gen Z stylists and trendsetters, demonstrating that they are just as popular now, as they were 30 years ago. Author Harlow uses percentages and data to prove her point on Gen Z’s adoption of past styles, saying, “With 54% of Gen Z liking the style of vintage clothes, many trends from the 90s and Y2K have experienced a resurgence in the last few years” (GWI). More than half of today’s age group is yearning for nostalgia, displaying the significance of the fashion renaissance. Although many casual wear from the 1990s have been resurfaced, everyday streetwear is not the only article of clothing making a comeback. Remy Farrell verifies this when she writes,
“Slip dresses have stood the test of time and solidified themselves as true wardrobe staples for their sheer versatility alone” (who what wear). Whether it is dressing up, or simply wearing day to day clothes, the nineties style is still very present today.
All this research gives an understanding of what specific clothes were resurfacing, and why fashion of the 1990s is being recycled, but the question of how these vintage trends are spreading remains unanswered. As I dove deeper into my research, it turns out, the primary cause of the rapid cultural spread is the same source of the expansion of many other events, ideas, and items in this generation… social media. According to Noémie Voyer “Social media has played a pivotal role in cementing the 90s as a lasting influence in fashion” (luxurynsight). Influencers and trend setters use core platforms including instagram, tiktok, pinterest, and youtube to show off their vintage looks, inspiring others and causing widespread “new” fashion. Although Gen Z finds ways of modifying new trends, thanks to social media, the ‘90s has become the inspiration to all of Gen Z’s “new” trends and fashion styles causing a renaissance of the 1990s aesthetic.
