THE CITIZEN INDEX

Tuesday, April 15, 2014

Outfit: Grunge (& Bear It)


Move over '80s. The kids have just discovered the 1990s. And I couldn't be happier- I have always loved the '90s- the hi-lo culture, the music, the fashion, the flannel. So whenever I read news that there's a return of 90s style (gotta love the maxi, the mini, the cut-offs and the fringey!) it kinda makes me happy.



I LOVED the 90s. As I recall, I was all about big over-sized vintage dresses worn with big black doc martin boots; overalls with tank tops worn with converse or engineering boots (and paired with an old moth bitten mohair mens sweater); baggy vintage Levi's 501 with striped tops, Pendletons, Calvin Klein underwear, boxer shorts worn as regular shorts, and goofy hats. It seemed to be a thing back then, for me to play with scale- wear something big and baggy with something shrunken and skinny. A child's novelty T worn with baggy grampa plaid golf shorts. 

Ah, good times.

Anyhoo, what I see as the 90's comeback isn't how I wore my 90's uniform, but it's fun to re-live some good times prowling around with some very good folks. What are your memories from the X-gen era?
 
Now Wearing:
  • vintage black straw hat
  • pre-loved Ralph Lauren plaid flannel shirt (SOLD)
  • nearly vintage Gap "grunged" rayon floral dress
  • tulle skirt
  • 9 West black booties



21 comments:

Tilda E. said...

Ah, yes, I still have that Vogue magazine with the first "grunge" pictorial. Gotta dig that out.

I mainly wore converse, combat boots and witchy boots with vintage dresses. Sometimes Army gear---men's olive drab pants or jackets. Good times, good times. Still wear converse :) Lately I've been obsessed with floral on black, so I love your outfit in this post!

J. said...

This speaks my language! Still and probably forever will love the grunge...

Natalia Lialina said...

Bella, I too love 90s! I remember it slightly differently though as I never was into grunge myself when I was young (though I loved the music and movies).

I remember sewing tons of clothes from Burda Moden during 90s - it was the poorest times in my country as I recall (there were worse times before I was born, of course). I don't remember at all being unhappy though - and as a creative person, I just learned how to knit and sew and did it a lot. The fabric and yarn was just what we could find, almost never a good quality stuff, but it taught us to be creative and enjoy life anyway. (Now when I see modern Burda, I think, that it is all just SO wrong! - I am such an old fogy then, eh?)...

Anyway, I do remember those floral dark dresses, my friend had one. And you gave me an idea - I knew I needed something different for my black floral skirt. I need some sort of boots with it, ten it will be just right - marching into 90s. :)

Thank you for this post! So happy to see your outfits again!

Vix said...

I was a corporate whore back then so most of the 1990s were spent in a suit or, for clubbing, dressed in 1970s gear.
The grunge thing wasn't our thing. I bought Nirvana and Pearl Jam CDs like everyone else but it didn't set me on fire...sorry!
We were the Madchester generation flares, old skool tee shirts and lost weekends. xxx

Patti said...

I did lots of festival/grunge dresses in the 90's, after I left my corporate job. I still love a good flannel and a good fringe. xox

Justgraduatedat35 said...

90s 4evah <3

Anonymous said...

You're definitely channeling the Marc Jacobs grunge look - love it! Funny, it felt like such a relief to get out of all the baggy dresses when the 90s ended and slowly adopt the new millennium body-con style, but now all I want is that 90s influence! Great flannel shirt. I just bought one recently. Xox

Unknown said...

Im still wearing my big boots ... doc's forever .
Love the style but dont think that i am grunge , and i have never been grunge...
You do it so well and look great !
xxx

Sheila said...

I was more into the little short dresses with bike shorts underneath! I also loved the long floral skirts, with lace sweaters and big pendants. I also did the body-con dresses (I used to go to clubs a lot).

thorne garnet said...

what? This stuff went out of style?

Shon said...

You look great and oh so ready to take on the day with style and grace!! Fun stuff!

I read little article today on my cell about stars embracing the 80's and 90's styles!!

Val said...

God, I kind of don't remember the 90s very much. What does that tell you?

Shawna McComber said...

I'm like Val. Or at least what I remember of them was being immersed in motherhood and trying to keep a toe in my career. Clothes were pretty low priority and I had no idea what was in style or tendy I just went with what was availble, and presentable. I do kind of feel like I missed out on something fun, but of course my memories of my son's childhood are more precious to me than clothing styles.

Bohemian Chick said...

I was poor in the 90's so I couldn't afford much that was in style, but I loved the music. I was shopping thrift stores then, when it wasn't trendy. I think I wore a lot of jeans and sweats, but I do remember some floral dresses.
That said, I'm very happy that those fashions are coming back! I'm totally embracing it. I've got several pairs of Docs, long skirts and lots of big baggy shirts. Fringe has always been my style, too.
It's fun reading everyone's comments. Love your outfit, too.
Donna

Curtise said...

I don't have strong memories of what I wore in the 90s at all, isn't that funny? Didn't like the whole Grunge thing much, but I do remember various floral dresses (all a bit shapeless now I think about them!) And waistcoats, and long stretchy skirts. It all comes back round, doesn't it?! xxx

Clare Szabo said...

The 90s will always, always have my heart. A programme just aired here in the UK called My Mad Fat Diary with a fat Britpop soundtrack to boot. My heart aches. I remember dressing quite boyish but I'd definitely re-hash it now as you have done here. Floaty dresses, plaid, my docs, lipstick... time machine anyone?!

Anonymous said...

P.S. Just found a flannel plaid swing top in the thrift shop in the same colours as the one you sold. Of course I bought it. Thought of you. :)

No Fear of Fashion said...

I was from (way) before the 90-ties. More like the seventies. Haha. Just turned 60 today. However, feeling 35. A discrepancy.
Greetje

Forest City Fashionista said...

The 90's was not one of my favourite decades - I was in my 30's, my marriage was falling apart and I was trying to find a real job that paid more than minimum wage, so I was wearing boring office-y clothing. Grunge was definitely not my thing, and I kind of shudder to think that a teenager today might think of the style from that era as "vintage".

SeƱora Allnut said...

layers and oversized plaid shirts are my favorite 90's trends, and docs, obviously!
I remember I was used to wear tye&dye dark maxi dresses under oversized black denim shirts. I was not really a grunge girl, and I feel more involved into 80's fashion. But I still like some things about 90's, particularly if you wear them with your usual sassiness!
besos

Indigo Violet said...

What a great video - and they look so young. Nineties style wasn't very memorable for me. I think those voluminous skirts didn't suit me, although I felt obliged to wear them!