In the last few months, 1990s fashion has been declared vintage, historical, and retro, and searches for the subject have been picking up significant steam. Duh! Welcome to the 90s *rolls eyes*! Many readers have asked me to write an article about the trends that inevitably make (and have made) their way back into the main stream. I’ll do it! But you owe me…

Casual Attire

The 1990s was a time of great change and, believe it or not, fashion rebellion in a sense. Because of the recession toward the beginning of the decade and new business philosophies that proved the importance of employees feeling more comfortable at work, Casual attire was the name of the decade. Dressing down in every aspect of life became normal. Going to work in “business casual” clothing was relatively new on a large scale and for the first time, you couldn’t tell who was rich and who was a bum.

Another reason for the uprising in casual attire was the influence that 90s music had on fashion. Grunge, Hip Hop, Alternative, and Boy Bands all dressed in casual-”chic” attire, influencing fans and non-fans alike. Doc Martens and flannel, parachute pants and LA Lights, or oversized sweaters and eyeliner anyone?

In the 1980s, consumers were purchasing products left and right, often spending more than they had. This is normally called “conspicuous consumption,” and it was a lesson learned going into the last decade of the millennium.  Minimalism was popular in 1990s fashion, and a rejection of the large fashion icons became mainstream. In other words, people saw other people dressing down and decided to save money (or they were too lazy/cool for fashion!).  Overalls, flannel, bright colors that lingered from the 80s, denim everything, and baggy clothes were all a nonchalant rejection to expensive fashion.

Global Influences

Viewing fashion from around the world via the internet and eCommerce were just beginning to take off, making it easier to purchase clothing from around the world. This increased the variety available to consumers, and the sources of influence as well.  Inexpensive clothing manufacturers from China, Mexico, and other such countries were able to sell directly to consumers. This might have been one of the causes of the decline in upscale fashion in the 90s. It was also the reason for the strong Chinese influence on mainstream 1990s fashion. In 1997, Britain handed Hong Kong back to China after occupying it for 156 years, creating a sense of Chinese pride in anyone with a smidgen of Chinese in their ancestry. Cheongsam dresses became popular, and influenced other aspects of fashion including shawls with similar embroidery.

1990s Fashion in the 2010s

Did you think you were done with the 90s? Think again. Influences from past decades are always showing up in the future, and the 90s are no different.  Shabby-chic, Casual-chic, and any similar “dressed-down, but nice” can all be attributed to cleaned up versions of 1990s fashion. Here are some other aspects of 1990s fashion that you can find in some form today. These weren’t invented in the 90s, just popularized then (or at least a type was created then).

• Lace Blouses
• Chucks
• Pastels (late 90s, and now 2012-2013)
• Displaying designer labels to show off
• Yoga pants (as a style)
• Thong underwear
• Flannel
• Navy blue blazers and boat shoes
• Polo Shirts
• Neon cross trainers

Fishtail braids are all the rage right now! It makes sense, braids in general keep you cooler during the late spring and summer seasons. There are many benefits to fishtail braids. They can be casual or dressed up, and they can be much quicker than blowing out your hair. With a side fishtail as opposed to letting it rest on your back, you are taking it a step further and presenting it face on!

Here, I’ve provided side Fishtail braid instructions:

1. Make sure your hair is nice and shiny! This could be a natural shine from washing, or a hair product with a shine in it (like a smoothing cream). Slightly dampen it if necessary.

2. Divide your hair into two large sections, so that the part is vertical (not horizontal). You have two options here: You can either part your hair 1) On the side of your head a few inches behind your ear, with a part that goes straight down vertically, or 2) on the back of your head like the image below. If you choose option 2, you simply pull both sides over your shoulder, and braid it there. Keep in mind that the braid might be uneven at the bottom.

3. The technique you’ll be using is weave-like, so decide which way you’re most comfortable (right to left or left to right). Grab a thin strand of hair from the outside of one of the sides. Pull this strand over the first section, and add it under the second section on the other side. In other words, the strand of hair has gone over the first section and finishes under the second section.

• The thinner the piece of hair you use, the more complex the braid will look.
• Use the same thickness for each strand throughout, or your braid will look uneven.
• Pulling it tighter helps you to get used to method.

4. Do the same for the other side. Pull a skinny strand of hair out from the outside of the second section and over this section, then weave it under the first section. Make it as loose or as tight as you want it to be, remembering that the tighter method is easier for beginners and it looks less relaxed. Then just repeat!

5. Make sure to tie it off at the end. Use this opportunity to throw in a flower tie or something decorative and cute.

• If your side fishtail braid comes out too tight, simply use your hand to loosen the braid throughout by massaging it.

If you have long hair, try tying the braid in front of your forehead or other creative things!

I hope this helps you!

The following tips will help you find some great designer clothes at even better prices! You can thank me later.

Discount Designer Tip #1: Check out thrift shops in wealthy and ultra-fashionable areas. You can find some great vintage designers like vintage Chloe! You’ll be taking some extra time to do this, but a little hard work can pay off big, especially in cities where you find a lot of fashionable people.
The following is a list of the most fashionable cities in North America, but smaller, progressive cities can have a large population of fashionable people too!
Most fashionable North American cities, 2011:

• New York
• Los Angeles
• Las Vegas
• Miami
• Toronto
• Chicago
• Dallas
• San Francisco
• Austin
• Atlanta
• Montreal

Discount Designer Tip #2: Go to cities with highly competitive design districts. These cities can have boutiques or even stands with some great designer clothing. The competition drives prices way down. Most of these cities will be outskirts of the major design meccas (listed above).

Discount Designer Tip #3: Watch for factory outlet sales in major cities. If you are near these cities, you can score some great designer clothes never sold to their brand stores for one reason or another. The best are New York, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and Miami, but you can find some good ones near you too.

 

 
Discount Designer Tip #4: Of course, if you haven’t been to an outlet mall, you are missing out. Depending on the area, you can get some great deals. Frankly, you should stay away from Barneys New York outlet stores. They have poorly made clothes and the prices are still too high for the quality.

Discount Designer Tip #5: Take a weekend trip to a very fashionable town and check out the garage sales. One gem would be worth your time, IMO (in my opinion).

Discount Designer Tip #6: For accessories, try Nordstrom Rack, Nyciwear.com, and bluefly.com. You can almost always find great deals online.

Discount Designer Tip #7: Shop online for some great deals: deliciousfashions.com, ebay.com, and amazon.com all have great finds.

I hope this helps!

Neutrals. We saw it on the Red Carpet, and many fashion designers are creating full collections of them. So what is the new neutral color pallet for 2012? We’ll take a look at what’s been going on in high fashion and apply it to our medium-fashion lives (only because runway stuff is so expensive!!).

Neutral become more colorful in 2012?
There is a trend in both fashion and interior design: neutrals with a twist. Even though the word “neutrals” still has a boring connotation, the colors are changing. This year’s neutrals still call for the classic beige, white, sand, and other soft colors, but now incorporate pastels, earthy greens, calming blues, oranges, pinks, and navy blue in the mix. In fact, to break away from the boringness of “neutrals”, I’m going to start calling them “neo-neutrals”, and you can too!

To sum it all up, follow this color wheel and you should be golden (or beige):

Here are some pictures from the Oscars. Check out everyone in the background, too.

And Ralph Lauren has a full collection for Spring 2012 with nothing but neo-neutrals:

See what I mean?? This should give you some guidance for your Spring (and even summer) 2012 color pallet for outfits, shoes, sunglasses, and home furnishings!