So You Love the ’90s? These Decade-Defining Styles Haven’t Lost Their Cool

The enduring pull of ’90s fashion lies in its simplicity. While trends come and go, the decade’s signature silhouettes have never really gone out of style. With Love Story putting Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy back into the spotlight, and a renewed fascination with the decade of the supers—Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell, and Cindy Crawford—the pull of those years feels stronger than ever.

As a nineties baby whose gateway into fashion was TV and film—like many of my peers, I grew up watching on Friends and Sex and the City, obsessing over the costumes in Pretty Woman and The Talented Mr. Ripley. It’s the high-profile women of the time whose particular brand of effortlessness I’ve always been drawn to, and still reference in my own wardrobe.

Among the great ’90s staples that have retained their cultural capital today are the slip dress, the cigarette jean, and the pencil skirt. There’s also, of course, the jersey dress and top, and the itty bitty cami. And let’s not forget about the strappy heeled mule. These were all mainstays in my closet then—and now.

What makes these specific styles hold onto their currency is not just nostalgia, but function. Simple, elegant, and inherently versatile, the magic of ’90s was its authentic expression of personal style. It preceded the algorithmic sameness that flattens taste today, teaching me that true style is knowing how to wear your clothes—not have your clothes wear you. Let’s take a closer look at the decade’s defining pieces that still hold up.