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Naked dresses
Liz Hurley arriving on the arm of then-boyfriend Hugh Grant at the Four Weddings and a Funeral premiere wearing *that* Versace safety pin dress is easily one of the most iconic fashion moments of the ‘90s. Three decades on and A-listers are still recreating this look to tap into the naked dressing aesthetic.
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Sheer fabric
And the second most talked about ‘90s fashion moment may be Kate Moss in her totally transparent silver slip dress, with just a pair of black knickers worn underneath. Sheer dresses dominated red carpets in the ‘90s, but no one did it quite like Kate. A true fashion muse if ever there was one.
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Platform shoes
Of course, we can’t talk about the ‘90s without mentioning the Spice Girls. As well as all the girl power, Scary, Baby, Posh, Ginger and Sporty also brought us major fashion inspo. We’re talking mini dresses, crop tops, boob tubes, chunky trainers and primarily platform heels, as modelled by four out of the five band members here. Whether boots or Mary Janes, there was no wrong footwear as long as it was elevated. Alexa, play ‘Spice Up Your Life.’
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Mom Jeans
‘90s denim styles were largely limited to two things: light wash and boot cuts. And if you weren’t wearing a mom jean à la Cindy Crawford, you better have been in an extra baggy, low-rise pair.
Shop mom jeans
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Faux Fur Coats
You’d be hard-pressed to discuss ’90s fashion without Kate Moss or Naomi Campbell’s names crossing your lips. The pair spent the best part of the decade on the runways and magazine covers, while their off-duty style shaped some of the key trends. Kate’s faux fur-trimmed coat is definitely a look we’d wear today, and we’ll be copying her mini skirt, too.
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Coordinating Couple Outfits
Now this is peak ‘90s: matching leather couple outfits. Honestly, David and Victoria walked so Britney and Justin could run.
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Waistcoats
Want to nail the ‘90s look? Just replicate any of Rachel Green’s outfits from season 1 through 6 of Friends. Jennifer Aniston’s alter ego was one of the first to rep a waistcoat casually and with just a simple tank top layered underneath, a look we’re loving today.
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Little Black Dresses
Yes, this was the era of Princess Diana’s revenge dress. Worn three years after her separation from the then-Prince Charles, Diana broke Royal protocol by stepping out at a Vanity Fair party in the off-the-shoulder, form-fitting, black silk mini dress. The same night, Prince Charles confessed to his affair with Camilla. Eek. We can’t imagine a better dress to say “Charles, who?’ hence its ‘revenge’ moniker.
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Double Denim
Double leather, double denim… For a decade where minimalism was the agenda, more of one fabric actually met the brief by creating a streamlined look. Obvs Tyra Banks’ denim was light wash, with the model styling her look with a backwards baseball cap, choker necklace (natch), and cowboy boots.
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Boob tubes
In her ‘Baby One More Time’ era, Britney was the embodiment of ‘90s fashion thanks to her penchant for boob tubes, crop tops, low-rise and of course, bunches. It wasn’t just Emma Bunton rocking the pigtails.
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Slip dresses
The slip dress is to ‘90s fashion what shoulder pads are to ‘80s fashion. As long as it had spaghetti straps, a figure-hugging fit falling to a loosely draped skirt, and was preferably floor sweeping (or at the very least ankle grazing) it didn’t matter what print or colourway the dress was. Seen here on a 1996 runway during New York Fashion Week, modelled by Claudia Schiffer.
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Chain belts
Destiny’s Child are all repping *plenty* of ‘90s trends. We’re talking maxi skirts, all the leather, and roll necks – Colin Firth, eat your heart out. But nothing is more synonymous with the ‘90s than chain waist belts, per Kelly and Beyoncé. Michelle must not have got the memo…
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Tank tops and maxi skirts
Gwen Stefani in her No Doubt days is a ‘90s kween. She was often seen sporting space buns during the decade, perfectly styled here with a cropped strappy top, low-rise maxi skirt and platform sandals. A nineties outfit if ever we saw one! Recreate the look today in your own tank top and maxi skirt, or give a more subtle nod to the decade by wearing separately.
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Asymmetric one-shoulder necklines
The MTV Music Video Awards (since rebranded to the Video Music Awards, AKA the VMAs) are renowned for outrageous fashion moments. And if we had to describe Lil’ Kim’s asymmetric purple bedazzled jumpsuit with nipple sticker in one word, it would be outrageous.
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Babydoll dresses
Pam and Tommy were the couple of the decade, with their fashion style responsible for just as many headlines as their relationship. Pamela Anderson is *still* a style icon to this day, but we love her look for the American Music Awards in 1996. With its loose silhouette, the sparkly spaghetti strap mini dress and glitzy platform heels are peak ‘90s.
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Plaid shirts
Janet Jackson ruled the ‘90s, alternating between ab-flashing red carpet looks and a more grunge aesthetic on stage defined by oversized plaid shirts, light wash denim and combat boots.
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Monochrome outfits
Perhaps needing a respite from the neon bright colours of the ‘80s, the ‘90s saw many adopt a monochrome palette for their wardrobe, complemented by a grungey aesthetic in the form of loose silhouettes and oversized tailoring. Perfectly illustrated here by a baby, fresh-faced Gwyneth Paltrow.
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Underwear-as-outerwear trend
That’s not to say that colour never made an appearance. Photographed out in New York City, Iman tapped into one of the ‘90s other biggest trends – underwear as outerwear. The lace detailing, sheer panels, and satin fabrication all lend a negligee style to this mini dress.
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Capri pants
Attending a film premiere’s red carpet in a cardigan and capris is practically unheard of today, but that’s exactly what JLo did in 1998. Looking like she’d come straight from the office, her low-cut crop top and tie-up heels made the look more evening.
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Spaghetti straps
Be it a dress or top, as long as it had spaghetti straps, it was on trend in the ‘90s. That barely-there neckline tapped into the minimal aesthetic all the top designers were showcasing, seen here on Halle Berry attending a red carpet film premiere back in 1998. Strappy heeled sandals completed the look. The basic aesthetic is yet another contrast to the ‘more is more’ attitude of the ’80s.
Alexandria Dale is the Digital Fashion Writer at Cosmopolitan UK. Covering everything from the celebrity style moments worth knowing about to the latest fashion news, there’s nothing she loves more than finding a high street dupe of a must-have designer item. As well as discovering new brands, she’s passionate about sustainable fashion and establishing the trends that are actually worth investing in. Having worked in fashion journalism for six years, she has experience at both digital and print publications including Glamour and Ok!
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