When you think about the 90s, do you think of things like the Backstreet Boys and *NSYNC? Or, do you think about the era of Clueless? Or most importantly, do you think about plaid mini-skirts and suits? If so, do you really know what happened in the 90s? For example, we often confuse 90’s fashion with the early 2000’s layering and 80’s neon. In all actuality, 90’s fashion involved the rise of denim everything and basic colors being presented as chic. In this article, we will delve into all of the peculiar details that made the 90s so iconic.
In the 90s, the most common music that comes to mind is that of Madonna‘s Vogue. However, a mistake made in determining when music was made comes from the late 80s to early 90s strange transition of music. For example, Prince and Madonna still had some of their most famous hits come out in 1988 and 1989, which can often be mistaken for the 90s. A song that people find to be similar to the 90’s is the hit by Madonna Walking on Sunshine, which was actually made in the 80s. Another common example would be that of Bon Jovi, which many hits of his were made from the 80s, rather than the 90s. Both 80’s and 90’s top hits have the common beating of the drum and continuous beat with each line, as well as the rising mixture of rock and pop. Although, one aspect of 90’s hits, that proved a clear difference from 80’s hits, was that of the rise of boy bands and female singer groups. Obviously, former groups made entirely of men existed, such as KISS and Hall and Oates. However, groups such as the Backstreet Boys and TLC came to fruition during the 90s. These groups paved the way for the future bands of One Direction, Fifth Harmony, and many more. So, when one questions whether or not the mixture of music during the 90s was the after-effect of the 80s and the prerequisite to the 2000s was really All That (as the show states), the answer is undoubtedly yes. 90’s music is some of the greatest music we can jam out to in the car with friends and at family parties on holidays.
90’s films and tv shows are all of the classic shows that we still watch over and over again to this day. The Power-puff Girls and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are some examples, which are the animated tv shows of the 90s and are still extremely popular and highly referenced in 2020. Sitcoms like The Fresh Prince of Bel Air and Friends are constantly played on main television stations to remind us that 90’s tv shows were truly elite. Nothing makes a person feel emotions as strong as 90’s movies. These movies can make us feel a variety of emotions, from movies like Titanic pulling on our heartstrings, to movies like Forrest Gump giving all the historical laughs, to the action of Pulp Fiction having us finishing the popcorn before the movie is even half over from suspense. Modern movies take most of their storylines, main character personalities, and themes or backgrounds from the films of the 90s. When considering how iconic the 90s were in terms of entertainment, such tv shows and films, the answer is obvious that 90’s media was truly All That!
90’s fashion is a style that many modern stylists are still trying to recreate by capturing their simplistic nature. A trend that picked up popularity in the 90s was the idea of oversized tees and basic color schemes. Often seen in 90’s streetwear, the denim overalls and jumpsuits over primary color sweatshirts was a staple in 90’s fashion. Today, many fashion icons and designers try to portray these looks by using oversized graphic tees with slimmed pants, comparing quite similarly to that of Billie Eilish. The 90s was the decade of the white tee-shirt with jeans and a colorful or patterned jacket over top. However, the 90s also included the classic blazer and black tights looks inspired by the 80s and, of course, Heathers. Most major fashion companies use ads portraying modern style types as “vintage” and “90’s-inspired” to pull in customers through the attraction of the clothing and how it is paired together. Thus, 90’s fashion was clearly All That and even more!
Finally, the 90s had one iconic trait that our generation does not have. In the vision of teenagers now, 90’s teenagers did not have the social media and cellphone addictions we have. “90’s kids,” as seen in every so-called “relatable” chain page on major social media platforms, had the freedom to spend time with friends and not have to worry about checking their notifications or for news about a celebrity. Instead of being glued to their phone for updates, they read about it in a magazine several days later. However, this was clearly not something that held the 90’s back from being an inspiring number of years. While we enjoy our social media and ability to find anything we need at our fingertips, the methods of contacting friends and finding out the business of others was much different, and perhaps less toxic, than now. This is the final characteristic that made the 90s so unique. The 80s were known for their neon, crazy, pop dancing. The 70s were known for the flower child stage. The 60s were known for their peace movement. The 2000s were known for the velour track suit and the rise of a new style of just about every aspect of life. However, the 90s basically contained aspects from all of those decades, including the introduction to that of the 2000s, which made it so extraordinary. The 90s had the boy bands, the flare jeans, the hippie culture and music. the 80’s had pop, and the easy-going mindset. Upon having considered all of these factors, the 90’s clearly can be deemed All That!