Tank Top | T-shirt | Turtleneck | Button Up | Cardigan | Vest | Black Sweater | Grey Sweater | Blazer | Blue Jeans | Grey Jeans | Trousers | Skirt | Slip Dress | Trench Coat | Moto | Sunglasses | Earrings | Belt | Small Bag | Tote | Boots | Heels | Flats | Loafers | Sneakers |
When we think of 90s fashion our minds will usually go first to grunge. The flannel, Docs, skate shoes, band tees come to mind really quick. But there was a whole other fashion side that we often didn’t see due to lack of social media and constant in your face daily fashion posts.
This It was a side most often seen on celebrities and supermodels since they were most photographed and who you saw in magazines and on tv.
It’s the 90s minimalist look and it is so good that it didn’t age.
If you search any supermodel from that time and look at photos of their outfits you’ll see a clean and classic style that looks as good today as it did then.
And although it has never gone out of style, there is a huge 90s minimalist aesthetic that is trending at the moment.
So grab your straight-leg jeans, slip dress, and vests, and hop on for the ride.
What is 90s minimalist fashion?
To get the vibe of this aesthetic it is also important to understand who the designers were, the faces that were at the forefront of this style, and the wardrobe staples.
Some of the notable 90s designers of this style were Tom Ford when he was at Gucci (I have a Tom For era 90s vintage Gucci Jackie bag which fits this vibe perfectly), Calvin Klein (there is no 90s without Calvin Klein), Donna Karan, and Miuccia Prada.
90s Calvin Klein and Miuccia Prada (Prada and Miu Miu) are probably close to my top two favourite designers/eras.
Now that we have the designers we move on to the supermodels. No models have ever been as iconic as the 90s supermodels.
They have never been replicated and during this time they became known for their personal lives and style as much as their faces on magazine covers or runways.
The muses of this time were a mixture of models and celebrities and some of the best and most notable were Naomi Campbell, Linda Evangelista, Christy Turlington, Cindy Crawford, Kate Moss, Carolyn Bessette, Winona Ryder, Halle Berry, Elizabeth Hurley, Julia Roberts, and Gwyneth Paltrow.
Google any of these names plus 90s, and you will see what I mean.
90s Fashion Staples
The 90s minimalist aesthetic is very straight and streamlined. Think of pieces like slip skirts and slip dresses, cropped tees, fitted skirts that are longer, straight-leg jeans and pants.
The whole look is very chic but also effortless looking, and adding something like a thin knit shorter cardigan over the top will really settle you into the 90s style.
Colours were very neutral which is why they look so effortless, chic, and timeless. You can add a bit of colour with a cashmere knit if you want.
As for accessories we still are keeping it very minimal with subtle jewellery, sunglasses (oval and square), baguette bags, or larger totes.
And kitten heels, sneakers, loafers, and heeled black boots for 90s footwear selections.
A good Instagram account for 90s fashion inspiration is Cabmate.
And don’t forget to wear your sunglasses always. Even at night.
If you are interested in a more warm tone instead of cool tone clothing palette, I also put together A Warm Palette 90s Minimalist Capsule Wardrobe.
Tank Top | T-shirt | Turtleneck | Button Up | Cardigan | Vest | Black Sweater | Grey Sweater | Blazer | Blue Jeans | Grey Jeans | Trousers | Skirt | Slip Dress | Trench Coat | Moto | Sunglasses | Earrings | Belt | Small Bag | Tote | Boots | Heels | Flats | Loafers | Sneakers |
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ugh, i love this so much sara. i know i’m just repeating myself at this point, but carolyn bessette kennedy’s style to me is so timeless, such a shame we didn’t get to see more of it. i feel like it’d be really easy to make this work year-round, as well as be a travel wardrobe for so many places. i was a bit too young at the time to pay attention to what was going on in the fashion/pop culture world in the mid 90s, but nowadays, i love this aesthetic. and i am so over the heat, cannot wait to switch up the wardrobe!
I’m with you on this. I feel like because I was a teen in the 90s that grunge was just an automatic choice for me. But if I had been a few years older I think this might have been the path I took with style. I was just pondering over how if I had a large closet I would dedicate an entire area to this aesthetic. There’s just a feeling of rightness with it and it’s like the overwhelming and frustrating feeling you can get while getting dressed would just evaporate. Carolyn Bessette really had it so effortlessly perfected.
What do you think? Does the character outfits of my favorite series, Friends fit this style too? (Well maybe except Phoebe😅)
Yep definitely. I’d say until about 1998/99, then it starts to get influenced by the 2000s but even then they still have classic outfits. It’s one of my favourites too. It’s like my comfort tv show that I could watch a million times.