90s Clothes Women: Top Trends We Love To Bring Back

As we continue 2024, 90s clothes women loved are calling… But what trends are good to bring back? From leather to gingham to animal print, let’s have a closer look!

90s Clothes Women

When you think of the 90s clothes women loved, a couple of things might spring to mind: the birth of ‘Friends’, Nickelodeon’s reigning era, the slightly scary age of the Furbies (is it just me or are do they look terrifying?!)… but there’s one 90s-created movement that champions over them all. Enter: 90s clothes!

We’re talking colour-blocking, crop tops, hip hop, bright colourful scrunchies, fanny-packs and of course, bomber jackets. And these clothing staples were not limited to women either – anyone of any gender could enjoy the funky fashions the 90s had to offer carried through to the present day.

In a modern age and in the year of 2024, let’s explore ways to bring it back to the 90s clothes women craved. We deserve it!

90s Clothes Women Adored: What Can We Bring Back?

Let’s have a look!

Iconic 90s Clothes for Women: Leather Jackets and Blazers

90s Cropped Leather Jacket

There’s nothing like a leather jacket to make you feel your slickest. Be it a nifty little bomber or an oversized blazer, a leather top-layer is a guaranteed way to spice up any outfit. 90s clothes that women preferred gave them lots of stylish options.  You can get creative and pair it with a sleek dainty slip dress (read on for more information about those!) or go full edge and match it with some jeans and boots. Either way, embrace the 90s and your inner ‘The Matrix’ character; check out the leather jackets we have in our ‘Women’s vintage jackets‘ section if you need some inspiration!

Unforgettable 90s Clothes for Women everywhere: Slip Dresses

Jane Leeves in blue slip dress at the Emmy Awards, 1995 photo by Alan Light [CC BY 2.0 ]

Nothing screams 90s like a cute slip dress. While the whole concept of a slip dress is nothing new, if you’d like a concrete mental image of iconic women outfits from the 90s, you need only think of Kate Moss’s stellar bias-cut slip dress look. You don’t need to be Kate Moss to work this look though – just have a browse through our ‘dresses’ section and see if something doesn’t catch your eye as we think it surely will. 90s clothes for women were sexy too! The beauty of slip dresses is that they can be styled any way you like: layer them up, strip them back, wear them underneath another dress or have them be the centre-piece of your outfit. There’s a 90s slip dress style for everyone. Let’s find yours.

A Staple of 90s Clothes Women Can’t Resist: Velvet

90s Purple Velvet Trim Blazer

Let’s all take a moment to appreciate velvet. Iconic aesthetic aside, it can be one of the most comfortable fabrics out there to wear, and the 90s fashion industry understood this tenfold. That’s why velvet became a centrepiece of 90s clothes for women. In the current (seemingly un-ending!) age of stress and instability, why not treat yourself to a material massage? Be it a velvet blazer, blouse or even dress (trust me, if you’ve ever wanted to feel like the star of a James Bond movie, get yourself a velvet dress!), we all deserve a little clothing TLC from time to time. And if you’re feeling unsure, try out a velvet headband! It’s a great way to ease yourself into the velvet scene (can we make that phrase a thing, please?).

Signature 90s Clothes that Women Must Have: Gingham

90s Gingham Cropped Top

If you’re thinking of chic in 90s Women’s clothes, there’s a strong chance that bright colourful classic gingham may come to mind. This classy pattern can lift a blazer, sophisticate a pair of trousers or make a blouse the most dapper it can be. Pair it with a colour-pop (think chunky heels, a bright top, or a fuchsia blazer) and rest assured that you’re bringing 90s clothes fashion for Women back by storm.

Animal Print

90s animal print mini dress

Okay, animal print and patterns can be a deal-breaker. They haven’t had a full chance to shine since their time in the spotlight during the 90s (thanks Spice Girls and Scary Spice!), and maybe in the 2020s it’s time to change that. While the phrase ‘animal print’ may bring to mind an entire outfit of clashing animal prints closely resembling a safari-park animal picture day, it doesn’t have to be this way! Think of a sheer leopard-print top, we dare you, paired with a sleek pair of black jeans and black boots. It’s a great look, and it’s time to bring it back from the 90s clothes for Women again… Not including Carole Baskin.

Hippie Fashion

1997 Yoshiki Hishinuma Fish dress.
FaceMePLS, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Hippie fashion revival. Need we say more? The perfect combination of comfort, style and fashion, hippie clothes have it all. Adaptable for women, men, gender-fluid people or any gender-indentity that you indentify with, hippie fashion is accessible and always on brand. From golden thrift-store finds to the funky patterned jackets that we ourselves have in store for you, hippie fashion is  quintessential 90s. Don’t be afraid to reach for a funky headband or some boldly-patterned trousers – hippie fashion will thank you for it!

Sheer Fabrics

Karen Wood 1990 Eurovision dress
M.N.A. van den Bogaart, CC BY-SA 3.0 NL , via Wikimedia Commons

When it comes to iconic 90s clothing for women (especially on the red carpet), sheer fabrics are bound to at least get a mention. Given that outfit choices can range from a full sheer gown (close-fitting or bouncy gauze – your call!) to a subtle sheer-sleeved blouse, the possibilities are endless. Sheer fabric is an understated, easy way to add class to any outfit; even just by adding a sheer bolero to any dress, you can transform the look. A sheer dress over a delicate slip can add layers of complexity and class to any evening outfit, and if you’d like some examples, check out our vintage dress section!

Waistcoats

1994-5 Fall-Winter cocktail dress by Gianfranco Ferre for Dior.
Staff photographer, Rhode Island School of Design Museum of Art, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Don’t think of fancy three-piece suits or a tuxedo – when it comes to waistcoats, 90s clothes for Women were ahead of their game. The iconic Drew Barrymore look of a suit’s waistcoat worn alone as a top is one that has weathered the years, and we for one are looking forward to the comeback of this daring and unique look. While the popular Women’s 90s clothes look consisted of a suit’s waistcoat worn bare as a stand-alone top, recent trends could see the waistcoat returning as a chunky knitted number or a crocheted pattern. Either way, it’s going to be cute.

Denim Shorts

Spring 1998 Turban Dress by Todd Oldham, solidly embroidered and beaded strapless minidress.
Staff photographer for the Rhode Island School of Design Museum of Art, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

By of course having denim shorts on this list, we’re begging the question – were they ever really out of fashion to begin with? Denim shorts (and indeed, denim clothing in general) were a staple of 90’s fashion and clothes, but I don’t think any of us could say that they ever really went away afterwards. And wow, for good reason!
Whether you’re opting for a high-waisted cinched number or a loose, casual off-the-hip pair, denim shorts are both versatile and chic.

Corsets

Versace corset bonds top.
ellenm1, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Along with superstar Madonna,  Sarah Jessica Parker was a figurehead of Women’s corsets in the 90s, and we can definitely understand why and thank them for helping to bring about change in the ideas of what is acceptable in societies for Women to wear.. Bringing undergarments into outerwear and challenging the conventional ideas of acceptable dress for Women try pairing a leather or satin  corset,  bodice or even just a laced bandeau with a skirt or trousers to transform a regular every-day outfit into a spectacular, sexy and stylish cocktail-event outfit!

Chain Mail

Gianni Versace – Magna Grecia Tribute.
Carlo Raso, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Chain mail isn’t just reserved for medieval knights wanting to protect themselves in battle, and Gianni Versace’s 90s gowns for Women proved this point. While the gowns themselves are an incredible statement, you can pare down the chain mail style to a neat over-shirt, a eye-catching belt or a statement necklace. Lightweight, modern day Chain mail is a guaranteed way to make any outfit striking – thank you to the creatives in the 90s for showing us how to do it and become a modern day heritage!

So What Now?

So where does this leave us in the modern day 2020s? How do the looks and styles of 90s clothes for Women transition into the current days fashions. The 90s clothes Women love has a lot to offer us, men and women alike. While time has passed, the iconic bright colourful styles have not – and it’s our job to bring them back, with you our readers in mind! Whether its re-inventing old pieces from our 90s clothes collections from the back of our closets or buying statement vintage pieces from websites such as our own, the world is our oyster when it comes to bringing 90s clothes fashion for Women back. So let’s do it! Something tells me we won’t regret it.

• 1990s
• WOMEN