Life

Courtesy of ABC
25 Things Every '90s Cool Girl Wore To School If She Was Really Fly

by Jill Di Donato

You know how mom always said to hang on to your clothing because trends will likely come back again? Mom was right. The '90s are currently making a comeback and the things every '90s cool girl wore to school are on trend once again. The '90s saw the rise of the supermodel, and girls like me did everything in their power to be like them. But the '90s also saw grunge gain popularity, which couldn't be more different than a Versace-clad Linda Evangelista. As Complex reported, hip-hop and skate culture were becoming more mainstream, and these trends were reflected in the wardrobes of teen girls across America. In short, there were so many looks to choose from, how could you not have fun getting dressed as a cool girl in the '90s?

And because, as a teenage girl, there was a limit on places you could go to express your signature style, school was like your very own fashion show. Peacocking your look was just as important as acing your physics exam and getting your crush to notice you. So whether you're looking to add a little nostalgic flare to your wardrobe, or just want to take a trip down memory lane, check out these 25 things every cool girl wore to school in the '90s. Some will make you laugh, some will make you cry, and others will inspire your next outfit.

1

Overalls

These True Religion Katie Cropped Overalls are trending now, but they were super fly in the '90s.

2

Quirky Hat

All the cool gals had the brass ovaries to don a funky hat.

3

Flannel Shirt

Is flannel ever out of style? In the '90s, it was the cool girl's uniform.

4

Anything From Kim Gordon's X-Girl Clothing Line

Femme street style was born with Kim Gordon's X-Girl line. With Chloë Sevigny as the line's muse, you couldn't get any cooler than rocking X-Girl gear.

5

Plaid Skirt

An empowered reclaiming of the schoolgirl uniform happened when cool girls wore plaid skirts to school by choice.

6

Big Hoop Earrings

There was no bigger '90s accessory than big hoop earrings. And the trend is still on fleek.

7

Baby Doll Dress

The baby doll dress is another '90s trend that's in style now, like this ASOS Contrast Trim Baby Doll Dress. I wore mine over jeans in the '90s.

8

Platform Mary Janes

While Cypress Hill might've been talking about something different in the song, "I love you Mary Jane" everybody loved Mary Janes (the shoes) back in the day. The platform made them so totally '90s.

9

Crop Top

If you got it, flaunt it! And Kelly Kapowski definitely had it. Heck, every cool girl rocked a crop top in the '90s, probably driving the guys nuts.

10

Crocheted Bell Bottoms

I so had these pants, and I wore them every chance I could. My teachers probably had a good chuckle over them. But, hey, they're back in style, and for sale on Etsy by Saldana Vintage.

11

Doc Martens

Whether or not you listened to Bikini Kill, you laced up your Doc Martens to stomp to class.

12

Baby Barrettes

Nothing said I partied all weekend at a rave like a baby barrette in your hair. And yes, the kind you buy for toddlers, like these from Amazon.

13

Skater Gear

You didn't have to ride a board to rock the skater style.

14

Choker Necklace

You could fashion one out of ribbon or raid Urban Outfitters for the '90s necklace of choice. Chokers were popular in the Victorian era, but were on fire in the '90s.

15

Calvin Klein Bra

I wore #mycalvins underneath overalls with a flannel shirt to finish the look. I still rock the Calvin Klein Women's Modern Cotton Bralette.

16

Angora Sweater

The fuzzy angora sweater paired with some Doc Martins captured '90s grunge, but the look could also be super glam for when you wanted to impress your crush.

17

Suspenders

Suspenders were a '90s staple accessory. Super cute!

18

Timberlands

These were the jam in the '90s.

19

Bucket Bag

Pretty much every cool girl in my school carried her books in this J.Crew Bucket bag. The price was steep for a teenager, but that's what babysitting money was for.

20

Vintage Bracelets

While rubber bracelets were an '80s thing, vintage beads were super on trend in the '90s.

21

Leggings As Pants

This trend is still going strong, and why shouldn't it? Leggings as pants is like wearing a sweatsuit to school. Except the look is way more stylish, like these American Apparel Shiny Nylon Tricot Leggings.

22

Baby Tees

The smaller the tee, the better.

23

Scrunchies

Come on, you know you wore one too. And hey, American Apparel is selling scrunchies to the kids these days, so who's laughing now?

24

Stan Smiths

Decades before Kayne West's shoe dropped for Adidas, the cool girls wore Stan Smiths to school. These were big in the '90s, but talk about a classic.

25

Blazer (Preferably In Yellow Plaid)

The power suit to top all power suits.