单选题
The Fashion Style of the 1990s
The last decade of the "90s has made a big fashion statement with the introduction of the urban grunge style. Because grunge was so predominant throughout the mid-nineties, it is often mistakenly assumed that the "90s is an era of anti-fashion. Nothing could be further from the truth, however. The closing decade of the previous century is in fact an amalgam of very different, if not contradictory fashion trends and styles, Innovative hippie trends mix harmoniously with the retro style of the "60s and "70s. The rather pretentious style of the "80s flows seamlessly into the laid back alternative grunge culture. Minimalist fashion goes hand in hand with the trendy over-the-top disco style of the outgoing era. The booming fitness industry puts its mark on the fashion industry as well by turning sportswear into stylish outfits.
The early "90s is still dominated by trends popular in the late "80s. Acid-washed denim, jackets and slim fit jeans are still the rage up until 1994, but slowly go into decline to be replaced by more relaxed cuts and varying shades of stonewashed denim. Denim is mainly worn with black or white T-shirts, although the hippie dye shirts of the "60s crop up quite frequently as well. The heavy hair-sprayed coiffure of the "80s relaxes as well in favor of the more natural look conferred by long straight hair with bangs in women and the bowl cut in men. The biggest fad of this period, however, is the emergence of fluorescent colored clothing. Anything from sweatshirts and shoelaces to hair scrunchies and pouch bags glimmer in brilliant corals and turquoise. Inspired by the newly developing gym and fitness culture, adolescents and young adults also favor cropped tank tops, biker tights and tracksuits made of spandex. As far as accessories go, hoop earrings, round granny style shades and baseball caps are an absolute must.
The main fashion style popularized by the "90s was grunge. Grunge evolved from the underground dark music played in seedy Seattle locals by such artists as the late Kurt Cobain. Disgusted by what he perceived as the forced cheerful pink look of the "fluorescent generation," Cobain turned to earthier and darker colors like indigo, maroon and forest green. The under-accentuated unisex Grunge look entered the mainstream fashion market with the adoption of the plaid flannel shirt and the hooded sweatshirt. It also favored the long flailing hairstyle that got into the eye and covered the face. which went very well with the moody melancholic philosophy prevalent amongst youngsters during that time. Grunge adopted several items of the late hippie look, such as the crocheted vest and bell-bottom jeans of the "70s, which complemented the rebellious grungers very well. Another fashion item popularized by the Grunge look were the dark heavy Doc Martens boots and high top black running shoes of Nike Air Jordans, as well as the sagging dark jeans worn by boys and girls alike. As a matter of fact, fashionistas of the mid "90s continued to be inspired by sports celebrities and rap musicians, and many youngsters began to don baseball or basketball jerseys and wear their caps backwards.
The unisex monochromatic Grunge slowly went into decline to be replaced by the red Guess and Mod styles in 1995. The revival of the Mod style coincided with a navel piercing fad that led to the wearing of belly shirts and low cut jeans that exposed the midriff area. Girls also favored Capri pants and spaghetti strap tank tops to further show off their cleavage. Trendy stilettos, minis and wraparound skirts, as well as tight fitting baby doll T-shirts in pink, baby-blue and plum made their way from the small screen into the living room of teenage and college girls, who sought to imitate the look of their favorite movie stars Sarah Jessica Parker or Reese Witherspoon.
The most enduring influence would be that of TV actress Jennifer Anniston, who revived Farrah Fawcett"s layered shaggy haircut and turned it into a fashion icon. Anniston"s character, Rachel Green, from the hit-TV sitcom Friends lent this new look its name, and the "Rachel" hairstyle is still dominant with slight variations in the fashion world today. As far as the male factor is concerned, certain grunge elements still persist during the late "90s in the form of golf and polo shirts, as well as skater shoes, while the granny style sunglasses and bowl cut are history. Boys and men alike prefer spiky short hair dyed blond and wraparound shades as promoted by the "preppy look" of Tommy Hilfiger and Tiger Woods. Very popular are khakis and camouflage pants, too.
Glossary
grunge style:
the name of a fashion and of a type of music
tank top:
a close-fitting, low-cut top having shoulder straps
cleavage:
the space between the breasts