Grunge Resurrected

All decades have their own distinctive styles and trends that frequently recycle back into modern fashion. There was the boho 70s revival in the mid-2000s, followed by the re-mergence of 80s neon during the late-2000s. It was only a matter of time before 90s fashion would seep back into mainstream, and frankly, I couldn't be happier. As a girl who spent her high school nights watching reruns of Friends and My So Called Life,  the 90s continually flood me with nostalgia.

YSL's Fall 2013 

What intrigues me most about 90s fashion is its direct correlation to 90s music. Contrary to the produced, electronic, dance music of the 80s, the 90s were a time where people went back to their roots, generating a resurgence of organic alternative music. Although alternative music at this time prided itself on being "underground", the culture that surrounded it came to define the decade of fashion. Acts like Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and Soundgarden all played a crucial role in not only the creation, but the rapid and rampant spread of "Grunge".  Doc Martens, flannels, ripped garments, grimy hair, and a blatant apathy to the outside world characterized the typical 90s teen. I would also like to point out the irony behind the time, with teenagers dwelling during some of the most prosperous years of American history, choosing to clothe themselves as dirty and disheveled as possible. The counter-cultural tendencies and deep-rooted rebellion are obviously nothing surprising, but still an interesting detail.

By the turn of the century, Grunge was overthrown by low-riding denim skirts, flared jeans, and a plethora of belly shirts, only to be revived again by high fashion designers in 2013. Marc Jacobs and Hedi Slimane, the new creative director of once conservative Saint Laurent, have been at the forefront of this movement, with Fall and Spring runway looks fit for Winona Ryder and Courtney Love. In fact, after viewing Saint Laurent's Fall line, Love, via Twitter, expressed her delight over the idea of "rich ladies buying what we used to wear".

Of course, Grunge is not here to stay, and is destined for replacement yet again. However, for the time being, I am trying to embody Grunge fashion to the best of my ability, as the 90s teen I always yearned to be. Next on my shopping list: a plastic choker and a Tamagotchi.