The 1990s was a pretty special decade, and there were many iconic '90s fashions that helped define it. In the tidal wave of novelty fashion, one trend kept popping up everywhere we looked, though: fake, often plastic, flowers. This seemingly pointless decoration was an essential addition to almost any accessory or garment.
Call me crazy, but I think the rise of plastic being used for everything, plus the explosion in popularity of kooky '90s toys, had an impact on the fashion world, too. After all, there were so many crazy toys in the '90s, and they all seemed to be made out of plastic. I dread to think about the landfills that are probably filled with Moon Shoes and Polly Pocket toys, which will likely take centuries to decompose.
The '90s are known for their novelty style, including wondrous treasures like tiny handbags, butterfly clips, and light-up sneakers. In my mind, inflatable backpacks were directly influenced by the inflatable chair, which was a must-have piece of furniture for any '90s kid's bedroom. But this could be a chicken and egg situation.
It was the flowers on everything that I remember most, though. So here are 17 things that had fake flowers on them for absolutely no reason at all:
1. Sandals
Vintage '90s Clueless Style Dress Sandal Heels, $12, ebay.com
Sorry, but I don't remember Cher Horowitz sporting a pair of heels with flowers on them.
2. Wacky Purses
'90s Parcel Apple Purse, $30, etsy.com
I can kind of see the reason for adding a faux flower to this purse, since the orange shade brightens it up a bit.
3. Straw Hats
'90s Straw Hat, $12.95, ebay.com
Hold on one second while I pop on my straw hat and metamorphose into a walking, talking flower.
4. Waistcoats
'90s Acid Denim Vest, $34, etsy.com
Remember those little rosebuds that seemed to be stitched onto anything fancy in the '90s? In the case of this waistcoat, they are for decorative purposes only.
5. Ballet Flats
'90s Purple Velvet Ballet Flats, $40, etsy.com
In the words of Chandler Bing, these slipper-style, velvet ballet flats adorned with fake flowers could not be anymore '90s.
6. Evening Dresses
'90s Black Mesh Jersey Stretch Halter Dress, $18, etsy.com
If your prom dress looked like this in the 1990s, you probably felt like an extra in the choreographed dance scene in She's All That , making it the dress of your teenage dreams.
7. Bucket Hats
Vintage '90s Denim And Purple Blossom, $24, etsy.com
Tia and Tamera, Miranda Sanchez, and Britney Spears were all fans of the humble bucket hat. A fake flower gave a bucket hat some much needed pizazz.
8. Crop Tops
1990s Vintage Daisy Chain Denim Crop-Top, $28, etsy.com
Crop tops and daisies were favorites with the most fashionable tweens of the '90s. If you had a daisy-covered crop top, your popularity status would go through the roof.
9. Shoulder Bags
'90s Pink Daisy Black Vinyl Shoulder Purse, $38, etsy.com
If you scored a super-sized flower handbag like this one, you likely never wanted to take it off. You might've left it at home on a school day, though, since you wanted to keep those lifelike, giant petals in pristine condition.
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10. Chokers
'90s Tattoo Choker, $6, etsy.com
Tattoo chokers of the '90s were a wardrobe staple, comparable to skinny jeans today. Scoring one with bright blue flowers on it made your year.
11. Transparent Totes
'90s Flower Power Vinyl Tote Bag, $7, etsy.com
There was only one way to perfectly show off your bouquet of fake flowers and that was with a transparent tote bag.
12. Fancy Shirts
Vintage '90s Cream Fitted Blouse, Approx. $15.12, ebay.com
You were likely to see your mom or aunt wearing this kind of "fancy" floral blouse to work in the 1990s.
13. Mini Skirts
'90s Pleated Black Pinstripe Mini School Girl Grunge Skirt, $39.52, ebay.com
You could add a dash of color to your garments by popping a faux bloom on them. But your flower might look totally random, like the pink one on this mini skirt.
14. Strappy Sandals
Women's Flower Shoes Pink Strappy Heels Mid Heel '90s Shoes, $19, etsy.com
These kind of strappy, flowery sandals were the most stylish shoes for a special occasion like a wedding. If it was an outdoor reception, they'd help you blend into the foliage.
15. More Shoulder Bags
Vintage '90s Neon Green Daisy Shoulder Bag, $24, etsy.com
This neon green shoulder bag reminds me of Chuckie's hair in Rugrats. The bag is just plain bizarre, but the fake flowers seem a little relevant at least, since they're sprouting up among blades of sci-fi-like grass.
16. Basket Bags
Yellow Straw Top Handle Flower '90s Handbag, $22, etsy.com
This wicker basket bag would give you some major countryside vibes and an urge to go on a picnic.
17. Inflatable Backpacks
Daisy Bubble Backpack '90s, $17.98, etsy.com
The only thing better than a bubble backpack was a flowery bubble backpack.
Back in the '90s, if you stuck a fake flower on something, it automatically made it cool. If only it was that easy to be a trendsetter nowadays.
Images: Courtesy Brands
