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90s Fashion: Womens 1990s Vintage Clothing

November 22, 2022

We get to relive fashion from the 1990s! Check out Womens 1990s Vintage Clothing that will leave you wondering if we were in a time warp! 

The ‘90s! It’s funny how the Womens 1990s vintage clothing we wore not so long ago are now referred to as vintage! It feels weird and wrong, but it still feels good that we can wear some of our favorite clothes again!

 

It’s not big news that this generation’s fashion is somewhat a resurgence of 90s fashion and trends. Many trends from the 90s are trending amongst today’s fashion icons. These include slip dresses, shoulder bags, miniskirts, leopard prints, etc.

 

So if you were to attend a 90-themed vintage party, what would you wear? How sure are you that what you plan to wear is a piece of vintage clothing? There’s much to know about this. This post contains valuable information about the 90s vintage fashions and how you can identify them.

Without further ado, let’s answer this question;

Womens 1990s Vintage Clothing

Womens 1990s Vintage Clothing

Is Womens 1990s Vintage Clothing Actually Vintage Clothing?

There has been a misconception and arguments about referring to 90s clothing as vintage for a few years now. Many designers and fashion influencers have pointed out that it shouldn’t be considered vintage yet. Well, we’ve got answers!

 

Although vintage fashion is trending now, there is a lot of confusion about using vintage, antique, and retro interchangeably. What is vintage referring to in style? How old is vintage?

 

Vintage isn’t just synonymous with ‘really old.’ Vintage (in fashion) describes an item, accessory, or clothing over 20 years old. The ‘vintage’ tag cannot be appended to an item that isn’t up to 20 years old.

 

So what does this mean? This means that things that trended in the 90s- grunge, neon colors, logomania, chokers are VINTAGE!

 

The ‘90s clothing and accessories are now officially deemed vintage because we are already two decades on.  

Victorian Black Lace Cape

Victorian Black Lace Cape

What about Retro and Antique?

Having understood vintage in fashion, you should know how it differs from these two terms often confused with -Retro and Antique.

 

Retro refers to clothes, accessories, or shoes inspired by older fashion designs and made to be copies of them. They are imitative of styles from the past (usually 20 years). Retro clothes are generally less expensive than vintage.

 

A dress inspired by a dress worn by a flapper (but not up to 20 years old) is retro, while an original dress worn by a flapper is vintage.

 

On the other hand, Antique depicts an item, clothing, jewelry, and furniture at least a hundred years old. Antiques are usually more expensive, and the age of the article must be verified before selling.

 

Girls and Womens 1990s Vintage Clothing

There are many fashion trends from the 90s that we wear today as vintage fashion. Below are some 90s vintage clothing you’d love to rock;

90s Vintage Jeans and Pants

Almost every woman rocked jeans in the ‘90s. The early ‘90s were characterized by acid-washed jeans, high-waisted jeans, wide-leg pants, and straight-leg jeans. Baggy and flared jeans were trendy, and they were usually worn with a pair of sneakers.

 

High-waisted jeans with straight legs, aka Mom jeans, were also every ladies’ go-to denim choice. They were generally paired with button-down shirts, crop tops, polo shirts, oversized tees, and knitted sweaters. A reigning trend was to tie the shirts and the waistband to add a casual vibe to the outfit.

Womens 1990s Vintage Clothing - 90s Lace up Acid Wash Mom Jeans

90s Lace up Acid Wash Mom Jeans

To show that loose-fitting and flared jeans are back to us, you can watch some of our celebrities. Supermodels like Bella Hadid, Hailey Beiber, and  Kendal Jenner have nailed down how to style these jeans for their day looks.

 

You can pair them with blazers, tailored shirts, pointy heels, or combat boots for a more polished look.

 

Bike shorts are also a 90s vintage clothing that’s back like it never left! You can wear them in and out of the gym. Icons like Princess Diana and Demi Moore from the ‘90s were big fans of the style and gave us reasons not to ignore its resurgence.

 

We also love Cargo Pants. You wouldn’t even need a purse with its wide and numerous pockets. These pants were adored in the 90s, and we still love them today.

90s Light Brown Suede Shirt

90s Light Brown Suede Shirt

Womens 1990s Vintage Clothing Blouses and Shirts

The ‘It Girls’ of today’s fashion are continuously slaying ‘90s vintage bloused in the best way possible. Many beautifully cut and designed tops from the 90s are topping charts today.

 

Meanwhile, wearing neon and brightly colored shirts (that could be referred to as tacky) was fabulous. Today, many fashion creatives are incorporating this into their tone. Indeed, we don’t have to lie that it is being embraced, especially in today’s street style collection.

Some vintage tops from the 90s we love include;

 

  • Crop Tops

You don’t have to be convinced to love crop tops. They have become a staple in every woman’s wardrobe. To look a little 90s-ish, you can wear them with a pair of boyfriend or mom jeans while having a flannel shirt tied around your waist.

 

  • Waistcoats

Waistcoats weren’t just for the gentlemen in the 90s. Women wore these vests (with shirts underneath or alone) and baggy trousers. Thanks to some of our celebrities, we see this vintage piece again in a hotter and brighter light.

 

  • Spaghetti Strap tops

The ‘going out style’ of the 90s included spaghetti strap tops. You would typically think they would wear it as a layering fabric underneath shirts, but they didn’t! They were worn alone with jeans or skirts.

 

Today, the vintage top can be worn over shirts, turtlenecks, or alone. They come in different designs (cropped, halter neck, square neckline, or elastic) and various materials (silk, cotton, satin, or nylon).

Womens 1990s Vintage Clothing - 90s animal print mini dress

90s animal print mini dress

90s Vintage Skirts and Dresses

Womens 1990s Vintage Clothing in the early ‘90s was about loose-fitting skirts and dresses. Maxi floral skirts and dresses were worn with button-down shirts or blazers.

 

The long maxi dresses were paired with big and bold belts (belted at the waist). These big belts were what made it ‘very ‘90s-ish. The dresses were also shoulder-padded for a more conservative look. For both summer and fall outfits, women of all ages would wear these long-sleeved dresses with a pair of sandals or flats.

 

A unique design of this dress style would be the tropical floral pattern that reigned supreme around summer 1992.

 

Popular 90s vintage dresses and skirts that are here again include:

  • Miniskirts

These youthful-looking skirts were featured on television shows in the early 90s. They were usually worn by the sassiest and fashion-savvy characters in these shows. Now they are back, and we can see many Instagram celebrities showing us why we should love them again. An authentic minimalist chic should have one of these in her closet. Pin them down for your next summer look!

Jane Leeves in blue slip dress at the Emmy Awards, 1995

Jane Leeves in blue slip dress at the Emmy Awards, 1995

  • Slip Dresses

We all love this oh-so-flattering slip dress. Although it started as an undergarment, we’ve ignored that and looked at the bright light. This silhouette is one of the most astounding Womens 1990s Vintage Clothing that has stood the test of time. Its great minimalistic vibe is evergreen.

 

Styling is made easy since it can be worn in different ways. For an evening dinner look, you can pair it with heels. Meanwhile, for a casual vibe, sneakers would suit perfectly. It comes in various fabrics, but silk slip dresses are trendy amongst women today because it is very body-flattering.

 

If you’re seeking style inspo on how to rock this dress, don’t look so far. Marilyn Monroe did justice to this dress and ate it up with remnants.

  • Midi Skirts

The button down midi-skirt is one of the most prominent Womens 1990s Vintage Clothing fashions ever revived. This skirt is soft, casual, yet elegant.  They were paired with neon-colored blouses and a pair of sandals for a conventional look. They could be cotton, denim, or silk skirts.

 

The vintage-style items described in this post are just the tip of the iceberg. There are many others available to us today. Others may include printed scarves, scrunchies, oversized headbands, bandanas, combat boots, etc. Who knows, you might be wearing one now without knowing!

 

 

 

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