If You Were a Teenager in the 90's is it Acceptable to Revisit The Fashion Now?

I love 90's fashion, I miss 90's fashion, I want to revisit some of the items I used to wear, in fact checked shirts have never left my wardrobe, I also want to wear the things I wanted but never bought back then. I sometimes allow nostalgia to play too much of a role when deciding whether I want something or not but when you go in to a shop and it brings back warm fuzzy memories of your youth it is hard to resist. On the other hand most people that have lived through the fashion of an era don't always want to go back.

Having been there I do know a lot of the fashion was hideous, all eras contain a lot of hideous fashion crimes but the few fantastic ideas override any memory of naffness and the few cool items shine through to become the icons of that era. I was 13 in 1995 and I mainly dressed hideously, I wasn't all to blame, most of my clothes were bought by my Mum, she would listen to me somewhat just not enough. The only things I agree with from my wardrobe back then was my checked shirt, that has been a constant love, and the denim, especially the denim skirts I remember from New Look that buttoned up or down the front, whichever way you prefer to look at it. Another thing I agree with but wouldn't wear again would be the chunky shoes they were great. Everyone wore chunky platform shoes which were easy to walk in, they were never that high, unlike today, the shoes were pretty practical. Although if these weren't leather I would be tempted.

Before I go on I will introduce you to myself 18 years ago.

School Photo 1995 - My least favourite school photo, this hairstyle was a nightmare, my hair just doesn't suit being short and I have an obligatory hair wrap, my one and only.

A Trip to Madame Tussauds in 1995 about a month before my 13th birthday, I was very ill at the time. 

These are the worst photos of me from the 90's. I mainly wore Eclipse tops and random jeans at this age along with some floral dungarees. I also remember having a pair of purple jeans most likely with a belt that had a flower shaped buckle.

The main big prints I remember from the 1990's were sunflowers, daisies and also sun, moon and stars. This floral print was everywhere I either large sunflower/daisy print t-shirts spaced out well or over the top ditzy floral dresses. I had stackable tins with sun, moon and stars on and a sun pendant on black waxed cord. 10 years later it seemed so naff but fast forwards to 2 years ago and I am desperate for some Moon earrings as it reminds me of being a teenager. Crosses, ankhs, dolphins, yin-yang and peace signs were all staples in terms of jewellery. I want all this again and in my head I can't clarify whether I'm being over nostalgic or if I will feel the same in a years time?

Going back to the 90's there were a few things that escaped me that did seem to be staples of every teenagers wardrobe. 

• The Sweater Shop Sweater - Everyone seemed to have one but even then I never understood the point of wearing something with the shop name on, isn't it the equivalent of wearing a shopping bag?
• A Naf Naf puffa jacket. This jacket was both hugely popular but also hugely expensive.
• Naff Co. 54 - the cheap version of Naf Naf. Everyone has something with Naff Co. 54 on it.
• Sock Shop socks - This I find unfair, I love a good pair of socks and the Sock Shop was amazing but I never had anything from there. 

As a teenager I spent many a weekend travelling to the bigger town to hang around the shops, I did more shopping back then than I do now. Clock House at C&A, Snob and Tammy Girl, I loved and miss them all along with the still standing Miss Selfridge and Topshop. I wouldn't go anywhere without my black mini patent backpack which I bought from Miss Selfridge in Selfridges on the very trip to London you see in the photo above, I believe it was £9.99. 

But at the grand old age of 31 I just don't know whether I'm too old to revisit? I should start by saying I'm not a big fan of fashion but I love clothes, I'm not looking to fit in. It isn't important to me what is in style I just buy clothes that make me feel good and that I like to look at. I'm nostalgic, so I like lots of vintage and anything green I just can't resist. I do welcome some revivals especially if it means I can buy something that looks vintage for less in a variety of sizes, I'm tall (well, 5'10") so the farther back in time we go fashion wise the shorter the lengths. I'm still wearing checked shirts and sloppy jumpers, grunge has never left me but the music plays a bigger part for me anyway.

I've started a board on pintrest with my picks for 90's-esque fashion pieces which I will keep adding to, find the board here.

I think the important thing for me to remember is when reliving an era I should concentrate on the clothes being in the essence of that era rather than a carbon copy.

Another place for me to look is the Pop Boutique website, I spent as much money as I could there when visiting Manchester to shop in the 90's either one of their bargain vintage t-shirts or choosing which colour to opt for from their stunning range of cord flares. On the same road I would also stop by Vinyl Exchange to flick through records or purchase one of their bags of mystery CDs before an obligatory trip in to Affleck's Palace also a very important place in the terms of 90's fashion as well as culture. If memory serves me correctly Lewis's in Manchester had a fantastic floor devoted to small labels, a lot of them featured what would be considered iconic 90's clothing, I just wish I could remember some of the labels they had. I also loved heading to the Royal Exchange to visit Red or Dead which I never purchased anything from as I was usually with my Mum and she used to always pull a face she was happy to go down there to visit Long Tall Sally so there were no complaints in some ways she was worse than me I recall a very traumatic 3 hour shop in Debenhams.

I think as long as I keep it more My So Called Life and less Clarissa Explains It All I'll be okay.

*Update*

I couldn't resist this shirt, I love my checked shirt and I also love bright colours, I've been after one like this for a while but hadn't made any real effort to find one but stumbled across this on the ASOS Marketplace from the seller Mad Elizabeth along with a floral dress that I will showcase at a later point.

Excuse the mad expression, the pain meds usually give me the drive to get about a bit more and do stuff, they also lead to weird expressions, teeth grinding and frantic blinking.