Breaking Down the ’90s Girl Aesthetic: What It Is and How to Rock It

The ’90s look is totally back, and if you are a fan of this era, you’re going to love the popular ‘90s girl aesthetic.

A couple weeks back, we discussed the ’80s girl aesthetic, characterized by maximalism, bright colors, and plenty of power suits.

Today, we’re heading to the ’90s, when we first fell in love with grunge, oversized everything, and plaid galore. It’s such a fun decade to discuss because the styles varied a lot, and so many ’90s pieces are still trending today.

So, if you are interested in adding some vintage cool girl vibes to your wardrobe, read on for everything you need to know about the ’90s girl aesthetic that’s trending RN.

Essential Fashion Trends from the ’90s

Oversized Clothing

If you want to rock the ’90s girl aesthetic, start by embracing oversized clothing!

Oversized clothing can mean oversized sweatshirts, baggy t-shirts, oversized jackets, baggy pants, or all of these in one look.

In the ’90s, these items were often balanced by tighter pieces. For instance, Princess Diana loved to pair oversized sweatshirts with biker shorts. Baby tees and baggy jeans also make a cute and popular combo.

Iconic Dresses & Skirts

Plaid was huge in the ’90s as part of both the grunge aesthetic and the preppy rich girl aesthetic seen in the movie Clueless.

Whether you opt for an oversized flannel to channel your inner Kurt Cobain or a preppy plaid blazer for your inner Cher Horowitz, leaning into plaid is a key way to achieve the ’90s girl aesthetic.

Denim

Another huge trend in the ’90s was denim everything!

In the ’90s, denim-on-denim outfits were popular (see Drew Barrymore, above). But denim was of course worn as separates, too.

For instance, baggy jeans, denim shorts, and cute little cropped jean jackets all trended during the decade.

So, if you are a fan of denim, the ’90s girl aesthetic is totally for you.

’90s Girl Aesthetic Outfit Ideas

Cropped Tee

The cropped tees we all love now were just as popular back in the ’90s.

So, if you have a trendy cropped tee you love, you’re on your way to creating a ’90s girl aesthetic look.

For example, pair your cropped tee with wide-leg jeans and chunky boots for a super cute and casual look that you could wear for errands or going out with friends.

Also, you can dress this look up by adding fun accessories like ’90s sunglasses and big hoops.

’90s girls loved their patterned pieces. Specifically, striped shirts were very popular during this time.

So, if you have a favorite striped shirt or even a striped cropped tee, use it to create this ’90s girl aesthetic outfit with some jeans and cute sneakers.

In particular, baggy cargo jeans and dad sneakers are perfect for the ’90s vibe.

Tie Dye

Tie-dye was also super popular in the ’90s and you can incorporate the pattern into your modern looks for a hint of ’90s girl.

To do this, start with an oversized tie-dye sweatshirt like this adorable red and pink one to give you the oversized clothing trend of the ’90s while also incorporating tie-dye.

To complete this look, add a cute pleated skirt (also reminiscent of the ’90s), as well as some sneakers or heels if you want the look to seem a bit fancier!

Don’t forget a mini bag to finish the outfit.

Overalls

If you’re loving this season’s overalls trend, great news: It fits perfectly into the ’90s girl aesthetic. Overalls were super popular during the 1990s.

For a perfect ’90s girl aesthetic look, pair some overall shorts with a cute little graphic tee.

Finish with ankle socks and simple white sneakers for a throwback feel.

Baggy Jeans

As mentioned earlier, baggy jeans are another great ’90s clothing item, and they’re trending again this year.

To get a ’90s girl vibe, style your baggy jeans as you normally would — with a cropped tee and some beat-up sneakers, then add ’90s accessories like hoops and a plaid shacket.

If you are looking for something a bit fancier that has a ’90s girl feel, I recommend adding a slip dress to your wardrobe.

Slip dresses were popular in the ’90s for special occasions. A slip dress is usually made out of silk or satin and has a lingerie-inspired vibe.

If you want something super cute and girly for a night out, grab a pastel-colored slip dress like this and pair it with your favorite strappy heels.

As we all know, flannel shirts are practically synonymous with ’90s fashion.

What’s great about flannel shirts is that they can be thrown over any look for warmth, comfort, and style points.

So, if you’re testing out the ’90s girl aesthetic, a flannel should be one of your first investments.

Just pair a flannel shirt like this one with some ’90s-inspired jean shorts, a cropped tee, and Sambas to get the ultimate ’90s girl aesthetic look.

Leopard Print

Leopard print was also another popular pattern during the ’90s. (Think Fran Fine in The Nanny for inspo!)

So, if you are a fan of animal print, definitely add leopard print to your wardrobe for a ’90s girl vibe, such as with this leopard print jacket.

With this jacket, you can totally create a ’90s girl aesthetic look by pairing it with a black top, pants, and boots! Fran herself would be proud.

Of course, we can’t forget about the denim trend of the ’90s!

Denim jackets were huge during the decade (both literally and figuratively), so a great way to channel the ’90s in your own looks is to invest in an oversized jean jacket like this one.

You can pair this jacket with basically any outfit for a ’90s girl aesthetic look.

For example, it looks amazing above with a cute black dress, some Adidas sneakers, and fun accessories like a nylon bag and ’90s sunglasses.

Plaid skirts will forever be associated with Cher from Clueless, so if you are dying to recreate her ’90s fashion vibe (us, too), start with a pleated plaid skirt like this one.

You can pair this mini skirt with a cropped tee or shirt and some boots or even heels and knee-highs a la Cher to complete the look.

In this outfit, you will feel like the ultimate ’90s it girl!

Shoes

Another one of my favorite ’90s trends is definitely the dad sneaker. And the ultimate dad shoe will forever be the classic New Balance 530.

Not only is this the perfect shoe to give you a casual ’90s girl look, but it will go with basically any outfit! And that’s not even to mention the comfort factor.

Dr. Martens boots were also popular in the ’90s, thanks in part to the grunge movement.

So if you like edgy looks or grunge styles in general, you need a pair of Docs on hand.

What I love about Dr. Martens is you can pair them with jeans or even a dress to create a super cute ’90s-inspired look. Plus they’re great for all weather conditions.

How to Add the ’90s Girl Aesthetic into a Modern Wardrobe

Adding Vintage Pieces to Modern Looks

An easy way to get the ’90s girl aesthetic is by thrifting pieces to add to your looks!

By thrifting, you will be able to add some authentic ’90s clothing to your wardrobe while also staying on a small budget.

Also, you can totally mix and match these vintage pieces with more modern items to get the ’90s girl aesthetic!

Add Your Unique Style

Finally, I encourage you to add your own unique style to your favorite ’90s trends.

For instance, take your favorite ’90s staples like baggy jeans or a flannel shirt and add something cool like a statement bag or trendy shoes in your favorite color.

For more on this, watch the video above to learn how to add your own personal style to your ’90s girl looks!

What ’90s-inspired looks will you be adding to your wardrobe?

What are your favorite pieces from the ’90s? What ’90s pieces do you already have in your closet?

Tell us in the comments down below!