Awards season is always highly anticipated for the red carpet moments, and the 1990s Golden Globes delivered a stream of amazing trends and fashions that can throw us right back into our childhood years and what we thought our amazing closets would look like someday. Granted, most of us weren't clad in Oscar de la Renta, Gucci, or Calvin Klein when we were eight, but the stars who paraded down from their limos stepped out in '90s award season styles some of us were antsy to dabble with nontheless: Velvet dresses, rhinestone busts, spaghetti straps, and off-the-shoulder dresses designed for fancy evenings (or eight grade dances), to name a few.
The fashion back then was arguably simpler and more minimalistic in aesthetic than what we see 15 years later, where celebrities killed it in sleek column dresses in muted colors, accessorizing with delicate jewelry or skinny shawls. These days, we usually see more fantasy-like creations: Dresses come with long trains, miles of tulle, thousands of hand-sewn diamonds, and alternate between vibrant electric colors and sleek black and white hues.
The difference is tangible. And when thinking about the divide, it's hard not to have a quintessential '90s Golden Globes dress come to mind. For me, that would be Jamie Lee Curtis' 1996 dress from the 53rd annual Golden Globe awards.
Sleek and clean-lined in shape, the dress follows the minimum-fuss silhouettes of the '90s. Usually when you see a dress from that period, the neckline was what brought in the wow-factor, adding interest with a classic square cut or plunging V-neck. Curtis' dress follows that formula, with the top half of the gown balancing out the minimalist feel of the skirt with its cleavage-factor and tasteful bedazzlement.
And if you'll remember, we loved our bedazzlement in the '90s. From rhinestones to crystal beads, an evening dress wouldn't be complete without a little bit of sparkle. The actor's gown follows that penchant through a top half that shimmers with black sequins, adding a fun and fancy pop to her simple look. The material of the dress is also quintessential '90s, where the silk almost resembles a slip. Too bad she was missing some black biker boots.
But speaking of shoes, let's mosey down to the footwear for a moment, shall we? That rounded yet pointy-toed shoe is something each of us probably saw in our mom's closets at some point or other, and I'd like to throw special attention to that sheer pantyhose, too. There's arguably nothing that says '90s like some opaque, shimmery black tights.
Keeping in step with the simple glamour look of the era, Curtis decided to accessorize with a barely-there string of diamonds and quiet earrings. Her locks were slicked back in a typical short-hair look of the decade, with her bangs swept and fanned to almost-'80s proportions, but more tamed and natural-looking. After studying her red carpet look, I think it's safe to say the '90s weren't just about grunge and better power suits. They were also about quiet minimalism and chic details that need you to take a second look at to appreciate.
While some of that could sound dated right now, the '90s are having a big moment again in 2016, and I'm willing to bet we'll see some throwbacks from that grunge-y, minimalist year at the 2016 Golden Globes. Here's hoping we see some sheer pantyhose and plunging, bedazzled necklines too, á la our '90s queen Jamie Lee Curtis.
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