20 Style Mistakes We All Made in the '90s
In retrospect, tying flannel around your waist wasn't as cool as we once thought.
In retrospect, tying flannel around your waist wasn't as cool as we once thought.
Obviously Branded Gear
In theory, there's nothing wrong with wearing a brand you love. But splashing it all over your pants, jackets, jeans, and accessories? No. No, no, no — not even Destiny's Child can get away with this one.
Backpacks on One Shoulder
Remember when it was considered uncool to wear your backpack on both shoulders? Um, remember when you're back wasn't messed up?
Partially-Buttoned Outerwear
Jackets and dusters, for some reason, were only allowed to have one button done up. The better to show off our bellybutton piercings with, perhaps?
Men in Turtlenecks
Dear turtleneck: You had your chance to sway us into liking you during the '50s. It didn't work, yet you still came back in the '90s.
Barely-There Minidresses
The mini-skirt was not new in the '90s, but the decade did take this style to (literal) new heights. Skirts and dresses were no longer the length of, well, a skirt or dress — they were pretty much just skirted bathing suits.
Sheer Dresses
Show off your underwear by making your outerwear totally translucent! And while you're add it, add some hardcore brick red lipstick and way-too-thin eyebrows.
Oversize Jeans
Wearing jeans that you could practically use as a parachute seemed like such a good idea at the time. And yet, looking back ... yikes.
Platform Shoes
Despite being profoundly difficult to walk in, this is another one of those trends that just won't stop coming back.
Embellished Jeans
A pair of denim jeans is one of the only clothing items that doesn't need a whole lot of editing or altering. Once you've found a good pair, you can coordinate it with just about anything — or, if you were a '90s kid, you could add an obnoxious number of embellishments and render it virtually unwearable.
Short Sleeves Over Long Sleeves
Don't get me wrong — layering is wonderful, not to mention totally practical. Unless it's layering like this, in which case it doesn't really serve much of a purpose besides making you look disproportionate.
Low-Rise Pants
Pro-tip to the '90s: If you need a bikini wax in order to wear your pants, you probably should have just skipped those pants all together.
Tinted Sunglasses
Naturally, this accessory was paired with one of the worst beauty trends of the '90s: the goatee.
Sweater Vests
If you did, in fact, rock a sweater vest in the '90s, hopefully you were at least doing this incredibly awkward pose all the time — and going sans shirt, of course.
Bell Bottoms
Bell bottom pants aren't so bad, until you add all the embellishments, drawstrings, and shiny colors that the '90s was so full of.
Tube Tops
Tube tops: how '90s teens learned that strapless bras were useless.
Crop Tops & Low-Rise Jeans
Again, just another way to show off that totally '90s bellybutton piercing. (Or, if you're Reese Witherspoon, your most ridiculous facial expression.)
Oversized Plaid Flannel
The official uniform of grungy '90s high schoolers might as well have been plaid flannel shirts. Side note: You know you had a scrunchie just like this, once upon a time.
Overalls
If you are an adult who can pull off wearing overalls, I envy you beyond belief. This trend is invariably slouchy, sloppy, and makes you look like a toddler — yet somehow, it's still going strong.
Camouflage Everything
Camouflage pants, camo jackets, camo ... evening wear? Well, camouflage was printed on just about everything in the '90s, so this strappy dress totally makes sense for the decade.
Chokers
Have you ever read the The Girl With the Green Ribbon? Go do so now. You'll never look at chokers the same way again.
Sam's enthusiasm for makeup is only rivaled by their love of all things relating to cats. In their spare time, they enjoy watching scary movies, putting avocado on everything, and seeing how many shades of the rainbow they can dye their hair before 30.
Complete Your Outfit With Ree's New Accessories
Our Honest Review of Nuuly's Rental Service
The Best Swimsuits With Tummy Control
Rent the Runway Review
