90s Fashion For Men

20/01/24, 16:43 90s Fashion for Men: 15 Key Clothing Pieces - Suits Expert
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Everything old is new again, and that includes ’90s fashion for men.
If you weren’t around then (or old enough) to revel in the

gloriousness of all that oversized neon, let’s take a quick stroll
through the decade.
These basics will help you find your footing in the grunge decade
and make it modern for today’s looks.
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Suit, Shirt & Tie Color Combinations

Mastering the color coordination between your suit, shirt, and ti…
Table of Contents
1. Neutral-Colored Suits
2. Turtlenecks
3. Cargo Pants
4. Ripped and Baggy Jeans
5. Leather Biker Jackets
6. Windbreakers
7. High-Top Sneakers
8. Combat Boots
9. Flannel Shirts
10. Graphic Tees
11. Bucket Hats
12. Digital Watches
13. Fanny Packs
14. Velcro Wallets
15. 90s Fashion Hairstyles
16. Influences on 90s Men’s Fashion
Neutral-Colored Suits
Sure, flashy colors and bold prints were all the rage during this
decade, and those suits were certainly hot. But even the ’90s knew
there were times you needed to remain neutral.
Traditional suit colors still carried the day, especially versatile

shades like grey. These colors are much easier to build an ensemble
around!
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So, how did they differ from today’s professional attire? The suit
cut was drastically different.
The ’90s fashion was all about baggy, so loose-cut suits were
everywhere. Suit jackets were long and boxy, and the pants had to
be pleated.
Turtlenecks
Turtlenecks in the ’90s shed their nerdy association from the 80s
and became synonymous with sophistication. Now, they were a
shortcut to looking wise and serious.
Dark and think turtlenecks were all the rage for a smart-casual
approach to dressing; not much has changed there! This look has
remained timeless.
Turtlenecks remain popular because they’re so versatile; use them

for dressing up or down, your choice.
Cargo Pants
Haven’t you always wished for pants that gave you both style and
function? Cargo pants were the ’90s answer to those prayers!
These pants were super comfortable, provided plenty of storage

spaces, and could be worn in most places. They checked all the
boxes.
One of the reasons for their popularity was that one could make the
argument that they were suitable for more dressy occasions.
They may not have been entirely appropriate for dressier settings.
Still, they made a pretty good compromise for sulky teens and their
frustrated parents.
Cargo pants are still around today, of course. However, they’re a far
cry from the super baggy form they started as.
Ripped and Baggy Jeans

Even the jeans had to be oversized. The more fabric that pooled
around your ankles, the better.
We sure swung far in the other direction a few decades later,

overcorrecting with the advent of skinny jeans. Today, looser jeans
are hip again, but maybe don’t go quite as far as the ’90s style in
terms of fashion.
This decade embraced the disaffected youth aesthetic. (Ever

wondered why Nirvana was so popular?)
Rips in your jeans showed how little you cared about “looking nice.”
It was important to go out of your way to send that message.
Leather Biker Jackets

Nah, you don’t need to be in a biker gang to pull off this look! For
some reason, part of the rebellion of the ’90s included looking like a
biker, and it still works.
These were a perfect pairing with a pair of ripped jeans and a T-

shirt. Of course, Doc Martens were the ideal way to add polish to
this outfit.
And if you added a flannel shirt tied around your waist, you pulled
off the fashion trifecta of the ’90s.
Biker jackets are still pretty hot today. They’re excellent for balancing
out a pair of dark, slim-fit jeans.
Windbreakers
Future generations might assume the ’90s were super stormy and
windy, given that windbreakers were everywhere.
But, no, that was just how we looked sporty back then without
having to actually break a sweat.
But they do have some practical use, too! Windbreakers are really
effective at keeping the chill out. And since they’re so lightweight,
they’re incredibly convenient to take anywhere.
90s windbreakers were often neon or other bold colors, and often
they were multi-colored in large blocks of color. The brighter, the
better!
You can be windbreaker chic today with a contemporary upgrade.

Just go easy on the colors, and stick to a more flexible neutral shade.
High-Top Sneakers
Just like with biker jackets and windbreakers, everyone wore high-
top sneakers, not just their target audience.
You didn’t need to know the first thing about basketball to be a fan
of high-tops. Everybody went crazy for these ankle-high sneakers.
Of course, many brands and styles existed, but Air Jordans were the
most popular. Sure, they looked hot, but it didn’t hurt that they
carried the name of the number one sportsman of the decade.
You’ll still see plenty of high-tops around today, but they’re a little
less flashy. Converse sneakers are a great brand for a contemporary
(yet retro!) take on this shoe.
Combat Boots
Sliding into these chunky and clunky boots was another way to
complete the tough image that the ’90s relished.
They were severe looking, perfectly complemented the biker jacket

outfit, and looked killer with your flannel.
Doc Martens were the brand to own, and honestly, have they ever
gone out of style?
Today, you can still get the combat boot look without all the weight
and heft of ’90s boots. Sleeker and lighter versions exist, and they
look awesome with a pair of jeans and a T-shirt.
Flannel Shirts
If there is only one garment that symbolizes ’90s fashion, it is
definitely the flannel shirt. Whether you were into grunge, hip hop,
or boy bands, you owned at least a few flannels.
These weren’t your average lumberjack flannel shirts. They were

usually lightweight flannel and worn with practically every outfit.
And who says you need to actually wear the shirt? They made a
great accessory just tied around your waist. Very handy for when
you got cold later.
To achieve maximum coolness, they were worn oversized. Because,

of course, everything was oversized back then.
Graphic Tees
The ’90s were really the introduction of graphic T-shirts. You can
thank a skater for popularizing this look.
These were mostly simple, featuring the graphic over either a black
or white background. Your shirt could feature anything, but it was
usually a band or a popular brand.
These shirts were a way to show off your excellent taste in music or
to incorporate a fashion label you might not have otherwise been
able to afford.
Bucket Hats
Rap and hip hop may have gained popularity in the 80s, but they
really hit their stride in the ’90s. Thanks to that, hip-hop fashion bled
into the mainstream. And thus bucket hats.
These simple hats weren’t usually very bold or eye-catching. They

mostly came in neutral colors, made from heavy cotton or denim.
Sometimes they had multicolored panels and perhaps a logo in the

center. You weren’t paying any attention to fashion if you didn’t at
least recognize a Kangol bucket hat!
Digital Watches
Ah, the simpler days of technology! A digital watch seemed so
cutting edge and progressive. Bonus points if it had a calculator!
My, how things have changed. Today a digital watch is retro-chic.

These are fun to incorporate into a casual outfit for a walk down
memory lane.
Save your Swatch watch, though, for another retro blast from the
past.
Fanny Packs
What was a young man to do when his cargo pants pockets were
already filled? Fanny pack to the rescue! Of course, neon was the
way to go for this accessory.
These were totally cool until your mom also started wearing one. At
least she never copied your cargo pants.
Today, fanny packs are acceptable again, though they’ve been

rebranded as cross-body bags.
Instead of fastening them around your waist, sling them across your
chest. Still, a convenient way to keep your hands free!
The neon nylon bags of the 90s are passe now. Instead, gravitate
toward neutral colors and canvas or leather bags.
Velcro Wallets
They may not be the most mature way to carry your cash and cards,
but they sure are convenient. You can’t find a more lightweight or
slim wallet anywhere.
And they’re waterproof, which can be very helpful if you get caught
in the rain without your windbreaker!
The way to add pure style to your wallet game in the ’90s was to
wear it attached to your baggy jeans on a chain. And the longer your
chain was, the hipper you were.
90s Fashion Hairstyles

Some hairstyles from the ’90s are best left in the past; it’s cringy to
even picture some of the bad hair from back then. However, some
styles have evolved nicely and look fresh many years later.
Perhaps one that’s best forgotten is the frosted tips look. After
bleaching the ends of your hair, you would then create an uber-
spikey look with as much hair gel as possible.
Longer hair was stylish in the ’90s, too, and is still a good look today.
Kurt Cobain really popularized the natural, shaggy cut that required
little effort.
Longer hair that flowed was also a gorgeous look that was simple to
maintain.
Curtain hair was a very dreamy, romantic style, too. This was slightly
longer on the top and sides, with a middle part that framed your
face.
Brad Pitt excelled at this style; just don’t get a matching ‘do with your
girlfriend as he and Gwyneth did. (Shudder.)
Influences on 90s Men’s Fashion

Pop culture led fashion in the ’90s through music, TV, and movies.
In music, grunge and hip-hop were the leaders of the most popular
styles. Musicians like Kurt Cobain and Tupac exuded cool. They may
be gone, but their music persists, and their fashion examples still
reverberate today.
Movie stars like Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio were more than
just talented, handsome faces. We looked up to them because their
looks were always changing.
They often set the pace for the changing styles throughout the
decade. If these guys could look good in the new styles, they were
worth trying out.
David Beckham, a famous British soccer player, also significantly

influenced ’90s fashion. His ability to confidently wear various
garments in a flawless manner has made him a style icon over the
years.
And, of course, TV was a major influence because these were the

styles we saw every week in our living rooms. Shows like Beverly
Hills 90201 and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air were led by a youthful
cast who brought us different looks weekly.
We only needed to pay attention to them to learn how to dress in

contemporary fashions.

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20/01/24, 16:43 90s Fashion for Men: 15 Key Clothing Pieces - Suits Expert

If you weren’t around then (or old enough) to revel in the

Suit, Shirt & Tie Color Combinations

Traditional suit colors still carried the day, especially versatile

Il nostro viaggio verso net zero

Turtlenecks remain popular because they’re so versatile; use them

These pants were super comfortable, provided plenty of storage

Ripped and Baggy Jeans

We sure swung far in the other direction a few decades later,

This decade embraced the disaffected youth aesthetic. (Ever

Leather Biker Jackets

These were a perfect pairing with a pair of ripped jeans and a T-

You can be windbreaker chic today with a contemporary upgrade.

carried the name of the number one sportsman of the decade.

They were severe looking, perfectly complemented the biker jacket

These weren’t your average lumberjack flannel shirts. They were

To achieve maximum coolness, they were worn oversized. Because,

These simple hats weren’t usually very bold or eye-catching. They

Sometimes they had multicolored panels and perhaps a logo in the

My, how things have changed. Today a digital watch is retro-chic.

Today, fanny packs are acceptable again, though they’ve been

90s Fashion Hairstyles

Influences on 90s Men’s Fashion

David Beckham, a famous British soccer player, also significantly

And, of course, TV was a major influence because these were the

We only needed to pay attention to them to learn how to dress in

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