For those of us who grew up in the 90s, something about the turn of the millennium threw our understanding of time for a loop. We’re definitely not getting any older (or at least we don’t feel older!), so how is time moving so fast? Think about it--doesn’t it feel like the 90s just happened? However, time continues even in the new century. As of the writing of this blog, 1990 was 30 years ago. Let that sink in.

Don’t get too bogged down in existential crisis, though, because there’s a lot to celebrate. One of the core rules of fashion is that “what goes around comes around,” and that couldn’t be more true today. After spending a couple of decades in fashion prison in favor of the more bohemian fashion of the 2000s, which sought to emulate the freedom and spirit of the 60’s, the grungy, minimalist vibe of 90s aesthetic clothing is back, and looking more devil-may-care than ever.

90’s Feel, 2010’s Zeitgeist

Everything about 90s streetwear was a statement of frustration with the aesthetic of the mainstream fashion industry. Two of the most defining fashion pioneers of the time, Kurt Cobain and Kate Moss, were known for throwing fashion norms to the wind and renouncing the extravagant and over the top looks of the previous decade. Famously, Cobain usually looked like he might have pulled what he was wearing out of a donations bin at random, and that struck a chord with fashion-conscious people who were tired of the hysteria of meticulously curated outfits, helping to create 90s aesthetic clothing.

Similarly, in the year 2020, we have seen a return to outfits whose charms lie in their minimalism and effortlessness. Fashionistas everywhere have abandoned the skinny jean fad of the past two decades in favor of a return to comfortable, loose jeans and cargo pants. Modern styles that have been developing since the advent of meme culture, such as ironic graphic printing with deliberately bootleg-inspired looks, are given the 90’s treatment with oversized hoodies and t-shirts. The playful sense of irony at the center of meme culture has found a perfect match in the carefree fashion aesthetic of the 90’s. One could even go so far as to call post-irony and 90s aesthetic clothing a perfect match.

See If I Care

The main idea behind 90s aesthetic outfits is simply not giving in to the fashions and standards of supposed “higher” culture. In fact, even outside of fashion, grunge values are permeating our society. In music and writing, we have seen a drift away from overproduced work in favor of raw, plain, and authentic expression. To us, this is what 90s aesthetic clothing, and 90’s feeling, is all about. Check out the Must-have Cargo Pants For women & streetwear grunge collections at AXCID Shop to see what’s new in the industry and keep your own wardrobe on trend with the times!