In Europe and North America, hip-hop fashion went mainstream in 1992, with oversized baseball jackets, baggy jeans, bomber jackets, Baja Jackets, and tracksuits popular among young men as casual wear.
Comfort Meets Cool: Baggy jeans were more than just a fashion choice in the 90s; they were a lifestyle. GonePants channels this ethos, crafting jeans that not only look cool but prioritize comfort.
- Jeans all over. While pants were often loose-fitting in the early 90s, the trend in the mid-90s was toward a tighter fit and a more feminine style. Pantsuits, short skirts and dresses, hot pants and high-waisted, ankle-length mom jeans are in. In the nineties, any cut is welcome - as long as the material is denim.
The baggy trend can be partially attributed to a rejection of the form-fitting styles prevalent in the 1980s. After years of tight, body-conscious fashion, the pendulum swung dramatically in the opposite direction.
Baggy jeans emerged in the 1980s. The hip-hop and skateboarding communities first started wearing such loose fitting denim pants. These kinds of jeans first gained popularity in the 1990s. It is especially because skaters need loose clothing for movement.
Cargo pants may have originated in the '90s, but today's designers have breathed new life into this classic style, making it relevant for the contemporary wardrobe. One striking example is the mesh denim cargo pants by New York Fashion Week rising star PRIVATE POLICY, now available on SALE!
Sagging became less popular from the 2010s onwards, with a shift towards neater, more formal and well-fitting clothing amongst high school students and young people.
Celebrities have been seen embracing 90s fashion, adding to the influence. Straight-leg and wide-leg jeans have replaced the once popular skinny jeans, which all take clear inspirations from popular fashion styles a few decades ago.
Slip dresses, bomber jackets, scrunchies and plaid flannel shirts were all the rage during the '90s — and many of these fashion trends are working their way back into vogue (although some of these pieces may have never left your closet).
Young women in the UK and America wore tailored skirt and trouser suits, short skirts and dresses, baby doll dresses, skater dresses, animal prints, hot pants, slim pants, low waisted bell bottoms, wide leg jeans and pants, long and short skirts, and high heels.
Humor in television and film was marked by ironic self-references mixed with popular culture references. Alternative music movements like grunge, reggaeton, Eurodance, and hip-hop, became popular, aided by the rise in satellite and cable television, and the internet.
High Waisted Jeans + Turtleneck
There is no better ode to the '90s than high-waisted blue denim, fondly dubbed the “mom jean” in recent years. Stonewashed or basic blue, pleated or flat, any pair of high-waisted thick denim pants with a vintage cut (fitted waist, relaxed through the thigh) will do.
The modern version made from nylon and other synthetic materials came into use in the 1980s and they were especially en vogue in the 1990s, but gradually their popularity fell into decline by the mid-2000s. Their use was satirised by the American humorist Weird Al Yankovic in his song "White & Nerdy".
Harem pants or harem trousers are baggy, long pants caught in at the ankle. Early on, the style was also called a harem skirt.
1990s - The Oversized Clothing Trend and Nineties Cool
Representing a break from the formal looks in mainstream media, oversized fashion styles quickly became a defining look of the decade. At the same time, in Seattle, those leading the grunge were also adopting a looser look.
They were largely an underground trend in the early 1990s, but took off in popularity in the mid-1990s. The baggy jeans were very popular along with baggy bondage pants during the nu metal era which lasted from the late 90s to the early-to-mid 2000s along with pop punk during the same time.
From mom jeans and '90s boyfriend jeans, to loose-fit and baggy, to wide-leg, bootcut, and flare styles, the looks of the '90s have been fully embraced by fashion labels, and that includes Johnny Was!
'90s fashion for teens
For girls, common styles were babydoll and denim dresses over t-shirts and leggings, fuzzy sweaters, oversized sweatshirts, and plaid shirts over acid washed or light high-waisted straight leg jeans, capri pants, or denim and patterned shorts.
In summary, cargo pants were popular in the 90s because they encapsulated the decade's love for practicality, comfort, and a laid-back style. Their association with influential subcultures like grunge and hip-hop, along with their versatility and unisex appeal, made them a defining piece of 90s fashion.
Baggy clothing has been littered through many a decade from the 70's to modern day, but none capitalised on their appeal like the nineties. From TV shows like 'Friends' and 'Buffy the vampire slayer' to bands like 'Sonic Youth' and 'Nirvana', oversized and baggy clothing was everywhere you looked.
It was later declared a symbol of freedom and being aware of fashion culture with many teenagers and young adults. It was also the symbol for rejection of the values in the mainstream society. It is often said the style got started with the United States' prison system. In that system, belts are sometimes not allowed.