Auction 2024: '90s Fashion Trends

The '90s was truly a golden era for fashion and style. In the spirit of our upcoming Auction Benefit, we compiled some of the more wearable fashion trends from the ’90s.

Men's Trends

Minimalist Tailoring: Men wore monochromatic jackets or blazers with pants and a solid or graphic t-shirt underneath.

Leather: blazers, jackets, vests, pants, Dr. Martens or other combat boots.

Plaid/Flannel: Flannel and/or plaid shirts were associated with the era’s grunge scene. Layer under a blazer, tie around the waist or open with a plain or graphic T-shirt underneath.

American Prep: Brands like Nautica, Polo and Tommy Hilfiger were embraced for their bright colors, stripes and country club sporty aesthetic.

Track suits: drawing inspiration from 90s hip-hop culture (Beastie Boys, Run DMC, etc.) the options range from the classic Adidas version to dressier options from designer brands.

Women's Trends

Slip dresses: Slip dresses epitomized the minimalist look during this period. These dresses were also paired with a t-shirt underneath for a more casual look or with a leather jacket or blazer on top. 

Plaid: From grunge influences to Cher from the movie, Clueless, plaid was popular. Plaid flannels were worn as shirts, but most often tied around the waist as a trendy ’90s look. 

Animal print: The animal print really was everywhere, from hats to coats and dresses.

Monochrome Black + Leather:  The monochrome black ensemble, an outfit consisting of black from head to toe is fashionable no matter the decade. Leather was popular during the ‘90s thanks to grunge culture and the hit movie, The Matrix.

American Prep: plaid, logo branded tops, stripes and pop colors from J.Crew, Polo, Tommy Hilfiger and Nautica. 

Footwear: Timberland boots, derby shoes, Air Jordans, Adidas shell tops, strappy sandals, platform sandals, Dr. Martens, combat boots, Converse. Additional footwear trends here.

Looking for more '90s apparel and accessories references? Click here for a deeper dive into this decade!