The best back-to-school style moments from the 90s

What’s so distinctly fascinating about 1990s? It’s a question I ponder on a lot. Rewind: on a much broader scale my teen years were heavily impacted by the onslaught of MSN (this was pre-Instagram DM darlings), the allure of my very own flip phone and re-runs of The Simple Life…*read, very noughties. Looking back though I couldn’t shake my pop culture hangover. Favourite film? 10 Things I Hate About You. Style icon? Cher Horowitz. That Film I Was Definitely Too Young To See At The Time? Cruel Intentions. I wore, as I do now, my “Nineties Kid” tag proudly. Likewise, the fashion world can’t quite let go of this golden era. From Buffalo’s platform sneakers making a comeback, streetwear's reboot for Gen Z and logomania taking over every major fashion house (yet again).

Moral panic aside there were many different sartorial tribes born from this period – from Nirvana-inspired grunge, Cool Britannia, preppy to hardcore punk – of which I’m not going to analyse too deeply. No, this is about the alt-style icons that we should all revisit: the high-schoolers. From Rachel Leigh Cook’s pre-makeover outfit of paint-splattered dungarees and a tee to Julia Stiles’ casual-combat gear, here’s an edit of the most fashionable, many wildly under-appreciated, back-to-school ensembles…

THE ART STUDENT ENSEMBLE In She’s all that

Jessica Alba’s Ode To Olive Green in Never Been Kissed

LIV TYLER’S ENTIRE ‘INDIE-GIRL’ WARDROBE IN EMPIRE RECORDS

specs appeal IN CRUEL INTENTIONS 

BERET COOL VS. wonderfully MAD HATTER IN CLUELESS 

PURE ROMANTISM IN THE VIRGIN SUICIDES 

Romy and Michele’s… TOTALLY EXTRA, COMPLETELY FABULOUS HIGH SCHOOL (REUNION) DRESSES

OCCULT COOL IN THE CRAFT

Julia Stiles’ camo print vest in 10 things I hate about you

Text
Emma Firth
Visuals
Georgia Taunton