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1990s, 90s supermodels, anya suhsko fashion blog, cara delevigne, catwalk, Christy Turlington, Cindy Crawford, cindy Krawford, claudia shiffer, designers, fashion, linda evangelista, models, naomi cambell, new york style, rita ora, sporty look, street style, style icons 1990s
We pay tribute to the women (& men) throughout the past century that have left an undisputed mark on style and fashion and inspire our sartorial choices up to today. This week, we take a look at 1990s – an era characterized by clashing styles and the democratization of fashion, when mixing couture with street style became acceptable. Of the many trends worth mentioning, we find that the glamour of the Supermodels as well as the uber sporty street style are the two that defined the decade the most.
The 1990s was undisputedly the era of the Supermodels, worshiped by designers, brands, journalists, artists, consumers, all of us mortals. Linda Evangelista, Claudia Shiffer, Naomi Campbell, Stefanie Seymour, Cindy Crawford, Christy Turlington walked the Earth like Amazons, winking at us with their 24 carat perfect smiles from every glossy magazine cover and every billboard, they were the goddesses of the 90s. Similar in what they stood for, yet each one of them characterised by a very individual look, they all epitomized vitality, health and the perfect feminine proportions – a legacy which is making a comeback nowadays. The 1990s offered an optimistic outlook. The world’s economy, dominated by the US, was booming, the Iron Wall had fallen, it was a time for a positive change. The Supermodels symbolized exactly this buoyant attitude towards life. Fresh-faced, with a sparkle in their eyes and the glossiest of hair, the Supermodel’s signature look was feminine and strong. Every inch of their bodies was as perfect as it can get – they looked like a million dollars, were worth millions in contracts and sold millions of products. Their attractive, desirable image might not have been attainable for most of us, but it was something to strive for.
Naomi Cambell. Cindy Krawford and Linda Evangelista
The other prevalent trend of the 1990s couldn’t have been further from the glam of the Supermodels. The 1990s brought us the super sporty, uber casual street style, created by the sub-cultures that dominated NYC in particular. Gangster rap and R&B were on the rise and so was the style inspired by them – baggy jeans, extra large logo T-shirt, hoodies, baseball caps worn backwards or on the side, chains instead of jewellery and trainers as the footwear of choice. The rap fashion spread as quickly as the lyrics of the ghetto-inspired music and was quickly expanded beyond NYC. It was the fashion everyone could have a piece of. In the later 90s, the casual dressing culture continued to catch on with the skateboarding and surfing communities, again fuelled by the aspiring American dream lifestyle. The street style might have toned down since its inception in the 1990s but we can’t deny its influence is still very hip today – just take a look at Rita Ora or Cara Delevigne’s signatures looks, which at times can be very grunge, very street.
Cara Delevigne & Rita Ora’s spotted 90s look!
If you took a look at your style today, would you be able to identify the influences from the decade of the 90s? Which style prevails in yours? Join the conversation on Facebook & Twitter @AnyaSushko #StyleFile
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