The 90s fashion trend is back on campus. Immersing in the fashion scene among St.Edward’s students can be seen wearing classic 90s clothing like baggy jeans, cardigans, combat boots, and oval sunglasses, which all defined the turn of the fashion industry.
Coco Delgado, a co-writer for the St. Edwards fashion magazine “CABRA”, looked to the vintage skater subculture. The timeless skater-inspired outfit of a white T-shirt and baggy jeans has made a strong reappearance in her personal style. The Hello-Kitty belt which was bought at a smokeshop down in Dallas, references the commercial success that it had among Japanese teenager and adult consumers back in the 90s. Notably, she displayed her Adidas Sambas, a shoe that skyrocketed to fame in the 1990s skate scene. Later, Adidas created a more skater-focused Sambas in 2006 called the “Busenitz” named after the skater David Busenitz.
The local students are not the only ones participating in the 90s fashion resurgence. International students have embraced this trend and added their own distinctive spin, like freshman Japanese student Kento Nishimura. With the iconic oval spectacles, pink cargo pants, and beaded bracelets—all reminiscent of the 1990s fashion scene—Kento defines his look as “gaudy vintage.” Following the collapse of big-frame sunglasses, the oval sunglasses, made popular by celebrities like Brad Pitt, TLC, and Naomi Campbell, became a separate fashion trend.
Daniel Mendoza, a sophomore, describes his aesthetic as vintage quality with a minimal color pallet. He emphasizes the impact of the rock group “Tears Of Fear ” which was extremely popular in the British rock scene from the middle of the 1980s to the 1990s. His ensemble, which is highlighted by a brown vest and grey cardigan, wonderfully captures the spirit of 1990s rock attire. However, there’s no doubt that the black combat boots are the most notable item representing this influence. Combat boots were first featured on Vogue Runway in 1993 by Anna Sui, defining an important milestone in the development of 1990s fashion.
But why now, in 2023, and why this revival? Investigating the recurrent pattern of the trend cycle is necessary to understand this. Trends come back into fashion in cycles of about 25 to 30 years. In the late 1970s, 1950s fashion experienced a comeback, which was followed by 1960s fashion in the late 1980s and 1970s fashion in the middle of the 1990s. According to this viewpoint, the 1990s look is obviously due for a comeback as it represents a 20-year fashion echo.
As we can see, at St. Edwards University, the revival of 90s style has undoubtedly left a lasting impression on the student fashion scene, exhibiting a distinctive nostalgia-infused fashion sense. The 90s fashion trend, which includes everything we’ve seen throughout the interviews such as baggy pants to combat boots, is proof that fashion is cyclical and that older trends are frequently updated and adopted by new generations.
So, if you find yourself drawn to the nostalgia-inspired fashion style, think about embracing it and experimenting with your own twist. Let your wardrobe tell a story, bridging the gap between the past and the present, and establishing a timeless fashion narrative that cuts across generations.
