You must have come across plenty of articles sharing pearls such as “Denim is back!” and probably wondered, when did it ever leave? Wherever did it go? Because as far as your memory serves, you have been wearing denim your entire existence and no one made a mad rush at you with an alarmed expression to remind you that denim is no longer in fashion. Just in case you forgot.
And, when something falls out of fashion, where does it go? Aside from the landfills, fashion generally goes to die in our closets, where, if we have not worn them for a considerable amount of time, we will keep bumping into them, thinking of all the lovely times we had together.
For a lot of people, these clothes end up in a ‘shags’ pile donated upcountry, which is where things that no longer spark joy for us tend to go.
Of course, sometimes we have to be dragged kicking and screaming into a whole new world of fashion.
A case in point would be skinny jeans that earned the distinction of being both loathed and loved by just as many people across divides. Let us not forget leggings.
Part of the reason a trend will gain traction is because of stockists. They change with the times, and they want to move stock, so they will always make room for the newest, shiniest and latest thing in the market. Making it harder for you to find the old familiar well-worn patterns of yesterday. I remember the low-rise (and thongs…) denim wave when the world could not get enough of hipsters. It trickled down into formal wear where a slightly flared leg was considered not just ultimately flattering but also switched on.
Once the world and her children embraced skinny jeans, however, low-rise pants magically disappeared. Every exhibition stopped stocking them as though they had never existed.
You might have noticed that sometimes fashion goes through incredibly weird phases. Take punk and grunge that are rebellious by nature and meant to be worn like a protest. But sometimes, everything looks very familiar. I wore a skater skirt with combat boots to visit my grandmother, who promptly told me she wore one just like it before my mother was born.
One of the things coming back into fashion is the 90s. Combat boots, minimalist slip dresses and plaid shirts are experiencing a revival. Last spotted in the much-loved 90s hip-hop and R&B music videos, the 90s are back because the 90s kids grew up. And, for reasons best kept in the 90s, they seem to be hankering for their youth, and because, well, they can afford to.
The 1990s were culturally and fashionably influenced by the rise of grunge, showcased in over-sized flannel shirts, ripped jeans and combat boots. It was designed to look like you just rolled out of bed, picked your clothes off the floor and proceeded with life. Oddly enough, grunge was juxtaposed with the minimalism movement, hence the slip dresses.
Other 90s icons include chunky sneakers, and, of course, denim on denim. And let us not forget the rise of neons, platforms and those oversized dungarees; and more critically, Timberland boots.
The biggest impact on fashion and music in the 90s though remains the hip-hop sub-culture with brands like Baby Phat, Tommy Hilfiger, FUBU and one other incredible phenomenon we embraced called the internet. The world started closing in with the makings of a global village.
Meanwhile, TLC spread the gospel of white oversized tee shirts worn with oversized dungarees. In the background lay denim, evolving from a work staple into a fashion must-have. There was a little craziness going on there because denim on denim is sensory overload. Artists like Tupac paired their denim pants with oversized denim jackets, topping them off with a bandana.
Hip-hop was not just about overt self-expression through one’s fashion sense. It was also about gang wars. The rappers were about that life. You did not want to be caught out on the street wearing the wrong inner-city gang colour if you were American. Perhaps this is why camo (camouflage) has stuck around.
Back then, when the East Coast-West Coast divide persisted, Biggie and Tupac were spotted in camo. To the hip-hop community, military gear was a manifestation of their stand as urban warriors.
The 90s fashion was not particularly feminine. Trendy women tended to dress as if they were miniature men. This could have been a hangover from the 80s when women entered the workplace with padded power suits.
What saved women’s fashion was the crop top, those itty-bitty handkerchief tops that could only be worn if your size ranged from 00 to a size 2, and slip dresses.
The one trend driving everyone crazy right now thanks to the 90s is biker shorts. The stretchy style is perfect for wearing inside the gym and for years Kenyan women have worn them as underwear. Except when it’s not. Girls traipse around town in tee shirts and bikers, replacing actual pants with this active-wear piece.
In the beginning, like any trend that eventually catches fire, it was difficult to imagine biker shorts could step off the runway and into real life.
It didn’t look like it would become anything even when Kim Kardashian wore it. Until I properly looked around me and witnessed real-life examples. If you feel you must wear biker shorts, try and elevate them. Don’t be the girl who missed the gym entrance. Pair your biker shorts with an oversized blazer naturally.
If the 90s are making you weep, never fear. There will be other decades snipping at our heels soon enough.
