The Worst Fashion Trends of the 90s

Clueless came on TV the other day as I was flipping channels and I was remembering it being 1995 and me actually trying to copy some of the fashions from that movie and thinking “these clothes are awesome and will never be ugly”. Being as it is almost 2010, we now realize that like any other decade the 90s brought us some hideous trends. Let’s have a good laugh and walk down memory lane and pay tribute to some of the most hideous fashion trends of the 90s.

“A.C. Slater pants”

Okay, I am pretty sure the real name of these pants were Z. Cavaricci pants, but if you have ever seen even one episode of Saved by the Bell you know exactly what I am talking about when I refer to A.C. Slater pants. He wore them like no other in the 90s. Today Mario Lopez is a total hottie, but back in the day when he was A.C. Slater, he was always being outshined by Zack Morris due to these hideous pants. I fear the day that these pants will come back in style. Cringe.




Snap Bracelets / Slap Bracelets

Let’s give a big round of applause to the person who invented a steel bracelet with the intention of marketing it to children and teenagers. Don’t get me wrong, I had one at the time, but looking back, what a STUPID idea. Kids were going around left and right slapping their own wrists and the wrists of other kids with a piece of steel wrapped up in hideous neon fabric. These bring the word fashion victim to a whole new level, this trend caused some real life lawsuits.


Chunky sneakers

I remember having a pair of Wanted brand sneakers from Mandee’s. They were black and white and so chunky that they probably added three inches to my height. Back then, I thought I looked great, thinking back now I feel like I resembled Frankenstein in those things. Baby Spice had a big white pair, probably even higher than mine that she popularized on MTV. We can all blame her for making us think we looked good wearing them.


The “skater look”

Greasy hair, Vans sneakers, baggy pants and their boxers sticking out--in the 90s skaters were everywhere and at the time considered “hot”. I am glad the unwashed look is no longer in.

Pacifier necklaces

Why would someone who is not an infant walk around with a pacifier around their neck? Because it was the 90s and media told us that it was okay. And people didn’t forget to polish their look off by combing the pacifier with a baby doll dress. Okay, although the baby doll dresses seem pretty tacky today, I will admit that Reese Witherspoon looked hot when she wore one in Fear. Love that movie, Mark Walberg looks hot as sin in it.



Other what were we thinking items include:
Mini backpacks (both leather and stuffed animal shaped), scrunchies (the crazier the color, the better of course), flannel shirts galore, overalls on teenagers and adults, wearing military dog tags as jewelry simply because you could, jelly shoes, fanny packs and wearing Adidas zip off pants when you weren’t working out.

I can’t remember EVERY hideous item by myself. Am I missing your favorite ugly 90s trend? Leave a comment and fill me in.