Now, the ‘90s trend has been going strong for a few years now but it seems like designers and consumers alike aren’t getting sick of it anytime soon. Every season seems to introduce another new ‘90s trend that replaces an older one and the beautiful cycle continues (watch out for them during New York Fashion Week this September).
We’re not complaining though; there is something charming and soothing about ‘90s fashion that just makes you forget about the current state of the world and brings you back to simpler times. To keep riding on the nostalgia train, here are 4 new-ish ‘90s trends that you can give a go if you have gotten sick of fanny packs, slip dresses and platform heels.
Transparent Heels
We’ve seen jelly shoes and the chunky dad shoes but you know that’s a truly ‘90s shoe style? Transparent Heels! Sure, Kim K and Rihanna may have rocked clear shoes in the past few years but transparent heels aka clear heels have been stuck in the ‘90s.
Melissa, the Brazilian brand known for making 100% recyclable plastic shoes paired up with footwear designer Patrick Cox nearly 2 decades ago. He was one of the biggest designers back then, before the internet, and had a huge following including stars like David Beckham, Elton John, Kylie Minogue, Madonna, Nicole Kidman, Prince and Tom Cruise. They collaborated on the cult favourite ‘Eiffel Tower’ heels, which was inspired by snow globes. The shoes featured a clear liquid-filled block heel with an Eiffel Tower model encased within.
Now, they’re back with another collection that features an updated version of clear heels, with the purpose of introducing the whimsical transparent heel to a new generation. The new version features multi-coloured hearts in the heels instead of the slightly tacky Eiffel Tower (sorry!) which make for an eye-candy/ ‘pop-tastic’ style that is quite a popular niche style.
And it seems like Melissa and Patrick Cox are aware of that as well. “They are instantly recognisable and ‘instagram-able’ and are more than a shoe; they are an object of design, a toy, they are art,” said Patrick Cox about the shoes. And we definitely agree; they may not be everyone’s taste but are definitely something that could be fun to play around and experiment with.
Like the collaboration’s campaign shoot, we think the best way to modernise them is to pair them with clean and plain clothes to make the shoes pop which maintaining a wearable look. Or you could also wear them with a shift or dungaree dress and some sparkly or patterned socks for a more ‘90s look.
Available at Melissa boutiques and online at mdreams.com.sg.
Tie-dye
Logomania was the trendiest trend for a hot second but it seems to be finally dying down (hopefully?). Luckily for us, the print of the summer this year wasn’t logomania, but instead, the beloved tie-dye seems to be making a comeback as the print of the season. Basically, get to tie-dying everything.
Tie-dye is typically a Spring/Summer print and with Summer soon ending, you may be bummed about not having a try with it but remember, it’s always Summer in Singapore! So really, you can try this trend all year round and experiment with not just tie-dye tops and jeans but tie-dye dresses, bags and accessories. Go wild!
We love the look of this Rhode Eva dress in tie-dye. The dress has puffed balloon sleeves and form-fitting silhouette with shirring details, which makes the dress comfortable to wear even with its figure-hugging shape. Wear it with the sleeves off the shoulders and pair with sandals or strappy heels for a breezy resort look during holidays.
An easy way to try out the trend is through accessories such as this tie-dye scrunchie (bonus: it’s another ’90s trend!) from Ganni. It has a subtle tie-dye effect that is easy on the eyes and gives off more of a refined look.
You can also wear tie-dye in more formal looks, we’re not kidding. This wrap blouse Alice + Olivia is a great top for the workplace in a slightly more casual setting. Even with pleated details on the sleeves as well and an intense tie-dye print, this blouse remains classy.
And of course, if you want that old-school original tie-dye look, this Stella McCartney oversized tie-dye t-shirt is sure to give you all that.
One-piece Swimsuits
Athleisure is so big that it has basically become its own genre in fashion. The latest athleisure trend has been bike shorts, which we are a fan of, but it may not be the most practical to try in Singapore. On the other hand, many Singaporeans love to have a good swim now and then (to get away from the hot weather) which is why we recommend giving one-piece swimsuits a go.
The original Baywatch ran all through the ‘90s and made the one-piece swimsuit an iconic part of the decade and a coveted look by many. Speedo’s new Retro line features a range of Baywatch–esque one-piece swimsuits that we just absolutely love.
Speedo is actually an Australian brand of swimwear but it has been used as a proprietary eponym to refer to any racing bathing suits, especially one-pieces, and more famously, tiny and tight swim trunks for men.
The Shosin U-Back Swimsuit in the collection comes in a bright red, like the original Baywatch swimsuit and looks really similar, other than the Speedo logo in the front. And for those who are not really a Baywatch fan, the swimsuit is also available in black and navy. Although, we should mention that the Nightsea Long Sleeve Swimsuits that resemble rash guards are pretty too and definitely a little more functional / safer for your skin.
Available at Suntec City and ION Orchard Royal Sporting House stores.
There’s also this classic looking one from another Aussie brand, Rip Curl, for a no-frills look. We concur that you can even wear them out of the pool; simply style it with a pair of jeans like you would with a bodysuit.
For a more updated style, this one from Nicole Richie’s brand House of Harlow 1960 is a good option as it has a square neckline with a slight lettuce trim and a deeper red shade that makes it look more current.
The Zipped Up One-piece from Lovers + Friends is great for those who want a slightly retro look and a functional piece which is fuss-free.
Lastly, we have Seafolly’s Belted One Piece which is embellished to the utmost with striped elastic belts, logo buckles, button-down swim fronts, and scooped necklines. The belted detail helps to give a cinched waist look and the thicker stacks provide additional support.
Cardigans
So slip dresses/ lingerie as daywear was one of the defining trends of the ‘90s and it has been going strong on social media and IRL since it came back with a vengeance a few years ago. Slip dresses used to be a uniform for celebs on the red carpet back then, and now, they’re the uniform for Instagram Influencers. Same same.
But who can blame them? They’re sexy, comfortable and you won’t even have to change when you get out of the bed! I present to you its sister trend, the sexy cardigan. The sexy cardigan is the Fall version of the slip dress and perfect outerwear for air-con settings.
Compared to other outerwear, it’s light, comfy and takes up way less room. The new cardigans seem to be less flashy and childish than what we see in ‘90s movies like Jawbreakers and 10 Things I Hate About You. For an updated look, go for cardigans in either natural or pastels and always leave a few buttons unbuttoned.
We like this affordable cardigan from Nasty Gal. It’s a cropped fit which is more current and comes in a neutral shade for easy styling. It also has the perfect fit; not too loose and long that it hides your figure or outfit underneath, and also not too tight and cropped that you can’t even use it as a functional cardigan.
Mango’s Chunky Knit Cardigan is also pretty fantastic. You can play with it by pairing it with a bra or a crop top underneath or cover up properly when you do end up feeling a little chilly.
This Crop Cotton Cardigan from Victor Glemaud is perfect for leaving just the top button buttoned and the rest unbuttoned, which is also how Bella Hadid has been wearing her cardigans recently.
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