Entertainment
Coming of age in the 1990s was a unique and radical experience. You got to doodle “Me + J.T.T.” on your Trapper Keeper in Milky Pens. And knowing every line to the latest Spice Girls album was a great way to impress your friends. The things every ‘90s cool girl worshipped helped shaped the culture of the decade. Because tween girls drove Titanic’s success and made N'SYNC superstars.
Back in the day, my friends and I were Beanie Baby day traders: we bought up tons of the creatures from toy stores and sold them for a profit on the online secondary market. (This was back when giving your 11-year-old daughter a money order and full access to the Internet seemed like an okay idea. No one knew better.) The fashions were just as questionable. I distinctly remember strolling into the mall with a Tamagotchi clipped to the belt loop of my high-waisted jeans. And there was not a hint of irony in this getup.
The toys, technology, music, movies, celebs, and trends of that most excellent decade were the bomb. While it’s easy to laugh now, these things helped shape you. Because admit it: you still know all the steps to the Macarena.
1
'Titanic'
You saw it in the theater three times. You wore out the VHS tape. You begged for a replica of the 'Heart of the Ocean' necklace for your birthday.
2
Beanie Babies
You spent so much time standing in line to collect tiny bean bag animals. Whether you loved Nip the cat or Peanuts the elephant, these were the hottest creatures of the decade.
3
Pagers
You probably didn’t have one. But you daydreamed about owning a pager when you were grown. So high-tech.
4
'Boy Meets World'
Cory and Topanga were your dream couple for life. It was the star show of the TGIF lineup.
5
NSYNC And/Or Backstreet Boys
They were the Beatles and the Rolling Stones for ‘90s girls. At least half of your school supplies were probably covered in photos of one (or both) groups.
6
CDs
Getting your first Discman was a right of passage. And because CDs were about $15.00 a pop, you had to carefully choose between the Gin Blossoms, Blues Traveler, or Alanis Morissette. Although you probably had the entire album for Haddaway's "What Is Love," because that one was timeless.
7
'The Baby-Sitters Club' Books
Whether you were a Kristy or a Claudia, Ann M. Martin's characters in The Baby-Sitters Club books always felt relatable. You and your own friends possibly launched your own babysitting business.
8
'Saved By The Bell'
Maybe the finer points of the plots have faded from your memory over time. But you 100 percent remember Screech's outfits.
9
'Spice World'
Did you know it was a silly movie? Yes. Did you and your friends watch it at every sleepover and imitate their accents? Absolutely.
10
J.T.T.
There is a high chance that Jonathan Taylor Thomas, the cutest boy from Home Improvement, was your very first crush. Cool girls collected his posters from Tiger Beat and plastered their bedroom walls in his likeness. Maybe you even read 1996's TOTALLY JTT: JOHNATHAN TAYLOR THOMAS by Michael Johns.
11
Tamagotchi
Smuggling your Tamagotchi into school so it wouldn't starve was a daily battle. But when it evolved into the secret character, your efforts were all worthwhile.
12
'Friends'
This was the show that made you want to find your own lobster. You can still quote almost every line.
13
Will Smith Raps
Na-Na-Na Na-Na Na-Na. Thanks to his clean lyrics, Will Smith was the rapper that parents allowed. But what was "jiggy" anyway?
14
Dial-Up Internet
After listening to the modem grind for twenty minutes, you could check out a chatroom. Until someone else in the house needed to use the phone and you had to log off.
15
'Clueless'
So Clueless still has one of the best soundtracks ever. And you still totally want Cher's closet.
