Think '90s Style Is All Bucket Hats and Tiny Shades? Think Again.
The shapeless, oversize clothing; the too-bold patterns; the bucket hats-you'd have to be crazy to want to time travel your closet back to the '90s, right?! Wrong.
Because they're baaaa-aaaack *The Shining voice*.
Suddenly, the decade that brought us butterfly clips, square necklines, and spaghetti straps is everywhere, from the runways and the streets of New York to hole-in-the-wall boutiques and fast-fashion retailers.
But how do you test the waters of nostalgic style without feeling like you're wearing a costume? Here, several It girls whose parents ruled the 1990s show how it's done today.
Visions of sullen-looking teens in chain-laden baggy pants and beat-up, oversize flannels may come to mind when you think of '90s grunge. Today's version draws inspiration from some of these styles but gives them a modern twist.
Amelia Hamlin, daughter of actors Lisa Rinna and Harry Hamlin, shows just how to turn this trend on its head. For example, instead of wearing those silver chains on her belt, she wears three of them, connected, as a chunky necklace. The effect is super cool and definitely grungy, without the weighed-down feeling of yore.
"Maybe three years ago I had a grunge phase," the 17-year-old says. "I wore a lot of checkered, big squares and dark colors. It's not really me anymore, but modeling-wise I can channel it very easily."
For Amelia, wearing '90s style in the wild means applying that timeless adage "less is more."
"The simpler you are, the more '90s you are in 2018. A big staple for '90s today is the baggy blue jean, which you can wear with a white tank top," she says. "The actual '90s was more extravagant-now, I think, it's less dramatized."
On Amelia: Jacket, Linder; Pants, Keith Lafuente; Shoes, Isa Tapia; Necklaces, Martine Ali; Right bracelet, Martine Ali; Right earring, Martine Ali; Sunglasses, Bonnie Clyde; Rings, Kota Okuda; Left bracelet, Kota Okuda; Left earring, Meiji Yang, Bag, Maison the Faux
Colorful chain prints, particularly by maximalist fashion house Versace, ruled the day in the '90s, but what makes the retro look work today is mixing and matching saturated patterns of all types for an unexpected yet effortlessly chic vibe.
For example, take Corinne Foxx, actor Jaime Foxx's daughter, in this quilt-like dress, paired with a crochet bucket hat and platform Tevas. You might suspect all the colors here would clash, but this dress gives zero f*cks what you think about its many hues-it knows it's the bomb. It even convinced Corinne, 24.
"I'm not super risky with my outfit choices," she says. "I'd normally balance a bold pattern with something subtle, like a jean, but I feel like a princess in this dress."
Cairo Peele, daughter of '90s supermodel Bridget Peele, is also a recent convert to the fun-with-colors movement. She played with vibrant prints in a skintight vintage dress and diamond-patterned blouse. "I would't have said I'm a bold patterns type of gal," the 24-year-old says, "but today, after being in the look that I was in, I feel way more comfortable with it."
On Corinne: Dress, Rosie Assoulin; Necklace, Rosie Assoulin; Hat, Opening Ceremony; Bracelet, Xinye Jiang, Shoes, model's own; On Cairo: Shirt, vintage Todd Oldham from James Veloria; Dress, vintage Jean Paul Gaultier from James Veloria; Turtleneck, Ph5; Earrings, Wilky Way; Shoes, John Fluevog
Much of the decade's fashion had an ultra comfy, sporty thing going for it that's not too far afield from today's athleisure look. Pieces with activewear company logos scored style points with fashionistas back then, just as they do now.
Amelia's scrunched blue skirt has a reflective, almost metallic coating. She wears it with a cropped, long-sleeve mock-neck top and a maroon fanny pack.
And while Amelia's look is definitely more on the warm weather side of things, Ming Lee Simmons, daughter of model and fashion designer Kimora Lee Simmons, could honestly hit the slopes in hers.
The 18-year-old works her sporty side in a slate-blue mesh top with a denim-wash knit bikini and silver snow pants that "weren't actually as hot as you'd expect."
As far as logos go, her favorite is the Baby Phat cat-an obvious choice, considering it's her mom's company. "We find it now on eBay, like the ones in the big hoop earrings."
On Amelia: Top, Jeremy Scott; Skirt, Priscavera; Bag, Philipp Plein; Earring, Georgina Trevino; Shoes, model's own; On Ming Lee: Shirt, Priscavera, Bra, Knorts; Pants, Philipp Plein, Jewelry, model's own; Shoes, model's own
Even though Clueless came out in 1995, Cher Horowitz's impact on fashion is still relevant today-plaids of all kinds, little mini skirts, and cropped cardigans have almost never gone out of style. But even if it's been years since you stepped foot in a high school (bc, like, why would you ever go back?), you can try the look for yourself-and luckily, you can do so without being a dead ringer for Cher in her now-costumey yellow outfit.
Here, Cairo swaps Cher's brights for a darker print, knotting a vintage tee to switch things up. And she throws a cropped puffer cape over her shoulders-an obvious departure from a matching blazer.
"I definitely wear the school-girl trend. It's my signature," she says. "I love wearing high platform Doc Martens with bunched-up socks, maybe with frayed or pleated denim and the Catholic-girl look where you tie your shirt at the bottom."
Meanwhile, Atiana de la Hoya, daughter of famed boxer Oscar de la Hoya and model Shanna Moakler, prefers darker plaid pants, snakeskin boots, and a re-worked blouse. Her trick for nailing the era without looking dated: mixing vintage '90s pieces with staples from today.
"Taking a little bit from here and there really creates a whole new look," the 19-year-old says. "If you pair modern, basic pieces and with statement vintage styles from back then and make that the focus of your outfit, it really pulls everything together."
On Cairo: Cape, Fendi; Skirt, vintage Vivienne Westwood from James Veloria; Shirt, Goddess; Hat, Maison the Faux; Boots, Maryam Nassir Zadeh; Bracelet, Martine Ali; Earrings, Meiyi Yang; Rings, model's own; On Atiana: Shirt, Maison the Faux; Pants, Priscavera; Bra, Ph5; Boots, Fendi; Earrings, Earwack
There was a time in the '90s when you couldn't go anywhere without seeing someone in a blinding minidress. By contrast, for some, it's hard to even imagine leaving the house-for any other purpose other than going to the clurb or a New Year's Eve party-in a metallic piece.
Here, Amelia demonstrates how to make your day-to-day ensembles lit. Admittedly, the asymmetrical nature of her outfit is a tad OTT, but when you're serving baller looks, who cares?
If you still want to grab attention in something shiny but aren't sure if you can pull off silver separates, she suggests making one aspect of your outfit pop instead. "I would do a metallic skirt or a shoe but not the whole thing," she says. "This outfit is so cool, but toning it down for the real world may be necessary."
One way to embrace this idea is through sparkly outerwear. Enter Corinne. She sparkles in a cracked chrome shearling coat over a velvety green tank that also picks up on the silvery vibes. The belt chain also brings the theme front and center.
In her daily life, Corinne doesn't wear too many metals-except in jewelry-but she does admit she loves the look in a '90s-approved, night-on-the-town mini: "I'd style the dress with platform shoes-make it really '90s."
On Amelia: Jacket, Hardeman; Pants, Hardeman; Bra, Ph5; Earrings, Meiyi Yang; Shoes, Jeremy Scott; On Corinne: Jacket, Simon Miller; Jeans, Judi Rosen; Shoes, Maryam Nassir Zadeh; Chain, Martine Ali, Earrings, model's own
Photographer: Ruben Chamorro; Stylist: Mitch McGuire; Fashion Editor: Rachel Torgerson; Art Director: Abby Silverman; Beauty Director: Carly Cardellino; Hairstylist: Jerrod Roberts; Makeup Artist: Bob Scott
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