90s Grunge Fashion

1994. I was just at the age where I was starting to go out to clubs and gigs (despite being too young) and the Grunge scene was well and truly established. The absolute antithesis to the clean cut yuppie power dressing and the bright colored highly-styled clothes of the 80's, Grunge fashion was a messy swamp of plaid, flannel, browns, greens and indigos. Fitted was out and sloppy was in. In 1990's women's fashion the Grunge trend saw the exit of short spunky hair styles and tight perms and the entrance of too-long-to-be-true, straggled straight or wavy hair. Tight jeans were out, out, out and loose ripped and dirty jeans were in, in, in.

The music of the 90's fashion of Grunge was part punk, part heavy metal and all guitar. Alice in Chains, Nirvana and Pearl Jam were featured heavily and how all of us under 18 giggled and then felt ever so superior in our insider music knowledge when we realized what “Pearl Jam” actually meant!

My dalliance with the Grunge scene lasted all of a month before I realized I liked styling my hair and fitted clothes too much and really none of the boys were anything like the ones in bands. No beautiful soulful faces just lots of zits, blackheads and lack of conversational skills.

So for the nineties fashion Grunge look hair should be long (for men as well as women) and clean but painfully styled to look like it hasn't been styled at all. Women can also opt for ultra scruffy high pony tails and men for super cool, “I am so low maintenance even though it took me 3 months to get my hair this way” dreadlocks. Shoes should be thick soled and chunky, Doc Martens, work boots or funky sneakers. Shirts should be big and baggy, denim or plaid and the lumberjack look rules. For some Grungy 1990's women's fashion baggy shirts can be worn open over a daringly short top and with baggy jeans riding low on the hips or belted at the waist. Jeans should be torn and in any color as long as they aren't bright. Dirty blue or indigo is always a best bet. There is also a place for the utilitarian fashion fad of the 90's, cargo pants.

In hindsight I should have stuck with the grunge look for a bit longer. It was sooooo comfortable.