1990s fashion created a blend of various subcultures and different styles. From cyberpunk and goth to preppy and hip-hop, the '90s became a golden era of fashion. The ‘90s supermodels showcased their most glamorous attire on the red carpet and were photographed in their grunge fits on the streets. The stylistic trends of the decade evolved from year to year and ranged from minimalist classics to maximalist neon. As expected, the fashion in films evolved with them.
If you want to be swept away by the aesthetic of a particular subculture, movies are the way to go. Films of the 1990s showcased the social and cultural components of different subcultures and their visual reflections. Some denim overalls, mini skirts, cropped cardigans, athletic wear, and polo shirts are still trendy today. Here are 10 ‘90s movies to remind you of the trends’ origins, straight from the history books.
10 Pretty Woman (1990)
The decade started off with Garry Marshall’s infamous Pretty Woman, starring Julia Roberts and Richard Gere. The romantic comedy follows a prostitute, Vivian (played by Julia Roberts), who is hired by Richard Gere’s businessman, Edward, to be his companion. The more they spend time, the more they get acquainted, and the feelings start to surface.
Marshall’s popular feature incorporates fashion as a vital component of its narrative, the character’s chemistry, and energy. As Julia Roberts’ iconic red dress worn to the opera, her leopard prints and snakeskin jackets, off-the-shoulder tops, and use of denim combine late ‘80s style with the early 1990s, the power suits worn by Edward and his business associates also portray the ongoing impact of the ‘80s.
9 Juice (1992)
The Ernest Dickerson-directed crime thriller Juice stars Tupac Shakur, Omar Epps, and Jermaine Hopkins in an urban setting. Set in New York City, Harlem, four black friends skip school, engage in petty crime and spend time in a record store. Ultimately, they try to go about their daily lives while battling racism, police brutality, poverty, and the hardship of pursuing their dreams.
Juice’s influence on hip-hop cinema is mostly derived from its realistic portrayal of inner-city life and the struggles of black youth. The movie’s fashion aligns with the hip-hop culture through the characters’ baggy hoodies and jeans, snapback hats, denim everything, basketball jerseys, and Timberland boots. 1990s popular streetwear is directly portrayed within a realistic urban setting, and certain style choices are seen to be still relevant today.
8 Poetic Justice (1993)
Poetic Justice is a romantic drama film directed by John Singleton, and featuring Janet Jackson and Tupac Shakur. The movie follows a poet named Justice (Janet Jackson) as she tries to cope with the passing of her boyfriend by embarking on a road trip. Gradually, one of the two strangers she met, Tupac’s Lucky, starts to become a romantic interest.
The film's fashion is another reflection of the comfort-focused, casual urban streetwear popularized in the ‘90s. Janet Jackson’s loose-fitting jeans and hoodies, Tupac’s denim jackets and jeans, white T-shirts with colorful accessories, and bright tracksuits blended the comfortable with the trendy. Hair was an essential component in the film with multiple scenes set in a hair salon, Jheri curls, perms, and Jackson’s long braids with beads.
7 Pulp Fiction (1994)
Telling the four interrelated stories of multiple criminals in Los Angeles, California, Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction is a crime drama starring John Travolta, Bruce Willis, Samuel L. Jackson, and Uma Thurman. Depicting the lives of each character start to intersect with one another, the film blends humor, violence, graphic novel styles, and popular culture references to create a nonlinear narrative.
Mixing the retro with the contemporary, Pulp Fiction nods to the ‘50s gangster style with Travolta’s black suits, white shirts, and thin black ties, while Samuel L. Jackson’s black suits are more modernized with his bold and patterned shirts and ties. Uma Thurman’s simple white button-ups, black pants, bob haircuts, and trench coats emphasized the understated elegance and the minimalist classic.
6 Fight Club (1994)
Based on Chuck Palahniuk’s 1996 novel of the same title, Fight Club was directed by David Fincher and has Brad Pitt, Edward Norton, and Helena Bonham Carter as part of its cast. The story revolves around a nameless narrator, played by Edward Norton, and recounts the formation of a “fight club” after he meets a mysterious soap salesman Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt). As time passes, the narrator starts getting more involved with Tyler’s world views, Marla Singer (played by Carter), and anarchic initiations.
The fashion of the film complements the themes of masculinity, materialism, and punk themes of the film. Edward Norton often wears muted and neutral colors, worn-out jackets, and mundane flannel shirts, while Brad Pitt’s Durden reflects his edgy character through leather jackets, combat boots, dark pants, and colorful shirts. And the third different style is seen in Helena Bonham Carter’s enigmatic female lead as she mixes the vintage with the edgy with bold prints, extravagant accessories, and fur coats.
5 Clueless (1995)
Clueless is a coming-of-age comedy with Alicia Silverstone, Brittany Murphy, and Paul Rudd. It was written and directed by Amy Heckerling and was loosely based on Jane Austen’s 1815 novel Emma. The movie follows Silverstone’s character Cher as she plays matchmaker, shops, befriends a new and quirky student (Brittany Murphy), gives her a makeover, and experiments with her own romantic feelings.
The film adopts preppy and high-end designer looks with crop tops, collared shirts, knee-high socks, mini skirts, berets, oversized hats, and colored sunglasses. From the many iconic looks Clueless introduced, Cher’s signature yellow plaid suit (pictured above), red mini dress, scheming outfit of pinstriped jacket and beret, and a checked miniskirt suit were the most memorable.
4 The Craft (1996)
The supernatural horror The Craft was directed by Andrew Fleming and stars Robin Tunney, Fairuza Balk, Neve Campbell, and Rachel True as four high school students who practice witchcraft. Sarah, the new girl played by Tunney, starts a Catholic school and is soon befriended by three other girls. The teen group forms a coven and gradually starts to acknowledge the extent of their supernatural powers.
Resonating with the mid-90s grunge and goth styles, The Craft taps into the “witch aesthetic.” The group’s fashion choices include chokers, leather bracelets, and bold and dark necklaces. They wore black clothing, platform shoes, and combat boots and adapted fishnet stockings to practically everything. Along with their bold and heavy makeup, the movie’s fashion became a direct signifier of the moody and edgy feel of ‘90s goth subculture.
3 Romy and Michele's High School Reunion (1997)
David Mirkin’s Romy and Michele's High School Reunion is a comedy film with Lisa Kudrow and Mira Sorvino as the main leads. The story follows the two 28-year-old token best friends as they fake careers and accomplishments for their high school's 10-year reunion, all to impress their former bully classmates. And their handmade, unique clothing plays a massive role in the plan.
The lightheartedness of Romy and Michele's High School Reunion blends in with the characters’ quirky and eccentric clothing. The duo uses bold patterns and textures (polka dots, floral designs, animal prints), bright and vibrant colors, oversized accessories, and chunky heels. The late ‘90s eclectic style is depicted with an over-the-top, fun, and playful aesthetic.
2 The Matrix (1999)
The Matrix was written and directed by the Wachowskis (Lana and Lilly) and became the first part of the Matrix film series. Starring Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, and Carrie-Anne Moss, The Matrix is set in a dystopian future and follows Thomas Anderson (Reeves), a computer programmer and hacker, who is told by Morpheus (Fishburne) and Trinity (Moss) that the world is a computer simulation and functions through artificial intelligence.
The science-fiction movie has components of cyberpunk and goth subcultures within a high-tech setting. Expectantly, the fashion also follows pursuit. The costumes mainly consist of black leather, latex, and PVC. The outfits are long and black trench coats, signature small narrow sunglasses (now known as “Matrix sunglasses”), tight-fitting latex bodysuits, and overall rather minimalist color schemes. Stylistically, the Matrix follows a very sleek and futuristic look reminiscent of the late ‘90s.
1 Jawbreaker (1999)
Written and directed by Darren Stein, Jawbreaker is a teen black comedy crime starring Rose McGowan, Rebecca Gayheart, and Julie Benz as they play high schoolers who are part of an exclusive clique. When the group’s prank on another classmate goes wrong and results in the death of Charlotte Ayanna’s character, the girls are then left with attempts of cover-ups and the inevitable consequences of their actions.
The movie’s style was influenced by mostly late ‘90s fashion with popular and classic set pieces. Plaid was a major trend, and Jawbreaker used it to its utmost extent, incorporating it into various colors of skirts, dresses, and jackets. Combined with chunky platform shoes, knee-high tights, bright colors, and leather jackets, the movie creates a mixture of popular styles and situates them in a high school setting.