Shorts were baggy, shoes were sneakers and hair was either shoulder length or a gelled down bowl fringe that suited boy bands and thugs (and not really anyone else).
Thankfully hats were big, too.
The 90s were a turnaround in terms of fashion. Street chic took the place of neon and moustaches from the 80s and the cargo pant was now a staple for men and women alike.
Seriously, I can’t wait another minute, let’s talk a walk down memory lane…
#11 Cargo Pants
Because we all needed multiple pockets for the then newly obligatory mobile phone (they became the norm just before the turn of the millennium).
Carhartt and any other skate brand did well during this era. Cos, let’s be honest, we all looked like skaters in the 90s.
#10 Nike Air Max
Shoes were history in the 90s when sneakers took over as the only footwear to be seen in.
They recently made a comeback but anyone who was around back then will tell you that Nike’s Air Max (preferably in silver) were one of the must-have runners of the decade.
#9 Kangol Hats
Check out any 90s memorabilia and you’ll see plenty of people wearing one of these. From ravers to hip hop legends, Kangol hats – the bucket hat and beret (worn back to front. Think Samuel L Jackson) – were a sign of street cred and a sign of the times.
#8 Adidas Campus
Back in the 90s, any man or boy worth his salt would have owned a pair of Adidas Campus. Unless you sat in the other Adidas camp which would mean you had a pair of Gazelles.
It was all about the stripes and whether you were a maroon, blue or black fan, these were the footwear of the day.
#7 Casio G Shock
The return of the digital watch was partly what made G-Shock so popular in the 90s. Built to last, these uber-chunky watches added another layer of military that sat snugly alongside the cargo pant.
Its female version was the Baby-G – as worn by Baby Spice. Naw.
#6 Hair Like This
To be honest, I’m not really sure what to call this haircut but it was rife in the 90s and it wasn’t just Brian from the Backstreet Boys who had the gaul to leave the house looking like this.
Real people like market traders, your local mechanic and the guy serving at Maccas spent good time in front of the mirror to look this good.
Bless.
#5 The Skater Look
Like I said, we all looked like skater boys and chicks in the 90s. There was no getting away from it. Grunge was big time and there was no room for fancy attire.
Whether you owned a deck or not, the 90s was the time for shorts that looked like they were hanging on for dear life, usually in combo with a key chain and mid length socks.
Oh, how I loved those days.
#4 Board Shorts
Ok, you could argue that board shorts are always the same, but this was a distinctive design seen towards the end of the 90s and into the noughties.
Neutral tones (or red) were the go. Shark tooth necklace and beaded bracelet optional.
#3 Leather Pants
Not everyone had leather pants but most of us knew someone who did. David Beckham (who also famously stepped out in a sarong in 1998) was a true trend setter, long before Victoria was anything other than a Spice Girl.
#2 The Raver Look
Acid House was a thing of the past but remnants of it stuck well into the 90s. Hello that guy at the rave.
He had sunnies on, white gloves, a backward baseball cap (or bucket hat) and before he danced himself into oblivion and stripped off his top, he might have been huddled under a zip-up weatherproof hoodie.
It’s more than likely he would have asked if he could have a sip of your water.
#1 Don’t Even Ask
In the 90s, long (oversized) coats that looked like you borrowed them from your dad were a thing.
Sometimes they were leather, paired with indoor sunnies (the ones with coloured lenses). Yup, men’s outfits in the 90s were not to be sneered at. Guys were also partial to a goatee and the occasional streak of Pepe le Pew blond hair.
I’m not sure if N’Sync were trying to look like the Russian Mafia but if you want to know what men were wearing in Melbourne and Sydney nightclubs in the 90s, this was it.
Yes, that is Justin Timberlake. And no, the 90s doesn’t want him back.
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