The nineties resurgence has hit full throttle in the Men’s Fashion World. If this thought fills you with more dread than the final scene of Se7en, fear not. They say hindsight is 20:20, and luckily, that means we’re now able to see through the ‘eclectic’ clobber and dodgy hairstyles to pick the good stuff buried under those khaki cut-offs.
“There’s a lot of nostalgia at the moment for things like washed out denim, bucket hats and oversized tailoring,” says Jenny Kennedy, a stylist who has dressed the likes of A$AP Rocky, Jared Leto and Pharrell. “This is partly because many of the people who are now heading up brands are themselves children of the nineties.”
Trends from the past that are seeing an updated resurgence are Grunge, Preppy, Double Denim, Oversized Boxy, Britpop and Logo Sportswear. It’s easy to dismiss the decade, but for all of its obvious flaws, the nineties delivered when it came to dressing for personality. “It was very tribal and had a lot to do with self-expression, which is perhaps why it resonates so well today,” Kennedy adds.
Here are 5 Key Pieces to help you nail down that Nineties style:
Light Wash Denim. Double denim can be a bit Marmite, but it’s not the only way to add a nineties edge to your wardrobe. Swap raw denim for a light or mid-wash in a slim fit, keep rips to a minimum and wear with a slick bomber jacket or overcoat.
Flannel Shirts. Flannel shirts and grunge go together like the cast of Friends and wet look gel. Throw one of over a band T-shirt for a quick dose of teen spirit, use it to break up double denim or tie one around your waist under a hoodie.
Retro Sneakers. In recent years, footwear designers have spent more time digging through their archives than sitting at their design desks, resulting in the revival of models like the Nike Air More Uptempo, Fila Disrupt and Osiris D3. Any of these reissued designs can be brought up to date with smart drawstring or wide-legged trousers cropped at the ankle.
Logo T-Shirts. Swapping a plain white T-shirt for one emblazoned with a bold, brashy logo is a subtle but powerful style move. There’s no shortage of ways to wear them, though we’re particularly fond of tucking one into a pair of trousers, underneath an oversized suit jacket.
Cross Body-Bags. The most unlikely return from the nineties is without a doubt the bumbag. It’s something of a misnomer, as the correct way to wear one these days is to sling it over your shoulder, holster-style. Oversized is best, while pairing it with a complimentary bucket hat never goes amiss.
—
Photo Credit: Anastasiya Aleksandrenko / Shutterstock.com