Life
14 Fads From The '90s That Didn't Last
I suspect that if we had the chance, any one of us would jump at the opportunity to revisit the '90s for a little while. The toys, clothes, and gadgets were one of a kind, making it a bit of a bummer that there were so many fads from the '90s that didn't last. To this day, I think back fondly to the hours I spent with my Polly Pockets, Cabbage Patch Kids, and Barbie dolls, with Rugrats playing in the background, enjoying my delicious Lunchables pizza. Nothing has ever been as fun as playtime in the '90s, and it made growing up suck a little.
Sadly, there are a number of '90s trends that none of us could pull off today, or we'd be accused of having gotten stuck in the decade. The clothing is too dated and kids don't play with toys liked they used to. (Do kids play with toys... period? Because I've seen 3 year olds who know how to work an iPad better than I do.) I say do whatever makes ya happy; but if you want a little heads up, here are 14 fads that skyrocketed in the '90s... and pretty much died in the '90s, too.
1. Scrunchies
Personally, I think we hit the jackpot with scrunchies. They're versatile, they're fun to slingshot, and they're less damaging to your hair. But if a woman these days is caught wearing one, we automatically think of that Sex & The City episode where Carrie states, "No women who works at W Magazine and lives on Perry Street would be caught dead at a hip downtown restaurant wearing... a scrunchie!"
2. JNCO Jeans
I never really understood these. They look terribly inconvenient.
3. Reebok Pumps
My brother had these, and I used to love playing with them. Unfortunately, you'll never see these today, unless maybe they're connected to your iPhone via Bluetooth.
4. Starter Jackets
My sister had one for the Chicago Bulls even though no one in our family ever watched sports. Those jackets were flippin' awesome.
5. Turtlenecks
I hated turtlenecks. They'd always make me gag. Still, they were hot, hot, hot (literally and figuratively speaking). Today, women in turtlenecks — if you can find them — are often viewed as conservative and uptight, because who the hell doesn't want to show their neck?!
(Honestly, wear what you want.)
6. Bowl Haircuts
I can't believe we ever thought this was a good idea.
7. Overalls
Why wear regular pants when you could wear overalls? If you were cool, you'd unhook one strap. I could never wear these because I was too tall. The pants were never long enough and they always rode up my butt.
8. Backward Baseball Hats
+10 points if you had a little bit of hair poking out the front.
9. The Schoolgirl Getup
It was in 1998 that Britney Spears trademarked the sexy, scandalous, naughty-but-still-innocent schoolgirl outfit. It wasn't long before chicks started showing up in knee-highs and fluffy scrunchies. Wear this to school today and you're definitely getting sent home.
10. Stirrup Pants
These are just practical. Why are we not still wearing these? They're especially great for us tall folk. It literally anchors your pant legs to your body. Genius!
11. Enormous Flowered Hats
Blossom made these hip, but I don't think giant hats with fake flowers ever saw the light of the millennium.
12. Skorts
The skirt/shorts combination was brilliant. You got to look girly without having to cross your legs.
13. Ramen Noodle Hair
Yeah, I'm looking at you, JT. Hair is supposed to move. I never understood his 'do, but with those baby blues and a voice like butter, he can do whatever he wants.
14. Jonathan Taylor Thomas
Just kidding. He's still around, still hot, and still acting.
