10 '90s Trends That Are Coming Back (But Shouldn't)
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Heinous hairstyles, antiquated technology, dangerous beauty trends. Welcome to MsMojo, and today were looking back at some of the most absurd 90s gimmicks that are actually experiencing a resurgence today. We endured these so that you wouldnt have to. Yet here we are, with our picks for the craziest fads that should have stayed in their decade.
#10: Direct Flash Photography
Remember being blasted with flash from such close proximity that it felt like your retinas had been scorched by a solar eclipse? Direct flash photography is so distinctly 90s. When done right, this process of creating high-contrast images can be quite striking. Though most 90s kids running around with Kodaks were not exactly carrying light meters or adjusting their shutter speed. Typically, direct flash just leaves the subject over-exposed, and hides the background in darkness. In fact, smart phones have been leaning away from the use of flash, packaging digital optimization as a feature known as Night Mode. But even if the tech behemoths are signalling that flash is pretty trash, weve come full circle to blinding ourselves and seeing orbs once again. The style is particularly popular amongst Gen Z, who yearn for the developed film look that Instagram filters just cant recreate. Its even crept into modern wedding packages! And we havent even touched on the plastic waste associated with the return of disposable cameras used to achieve this goofy snapshot!
#9: Collectible Marketplaces
The beanie baby craze of the 90s was insane! Collectibles have been a thing forever, but the birth of eBay in 95 turned the hobby into a bloodbath. These online auction spaces boomed as the internet grew, and many quickly realized the potential to flip sales on items that were both rare and sought after. Today, the secondhand marketplace is still going strong, even recently sponsoring the Met Gala. Obviously, theres no shortage of trendy plushies in high demand. Pop Marts Labubu monster collection has taken the world by storm. Since they have to be purchased as a blind box, you wont know whats in your mystery crate until youve spent the cash. This addictive scheme has sent traffic to sites like eBay, where collectors shell out upwards of $300 for limited Labubu sets that were already unboxed. Supporting scalpers is never a good time, so just make sure that if youre going to cave youre not accidentally purchasing a faux-Lafufu.
#8: CDs
While storing music in the cloud is undeniably convenient, the recent explosion in physical media actually makes a lot of sense! Vinyl records, which are experiencing the biggest revival, often come in colorful variants with posters and signed printsthey scratch that audiophile itch. Although unraveling tape is a major downside to cassettes, they still have an undeniably warm sound. So this leaves us with CDs, which saw their biggest boom in the 90s. Now, seriously ask yourself: is there really a unique function for CDs today? They dont sound as good as vinyl, and theyre more expensive than cassettes. Theres nothing particularly interesting about their packaging, plus they arent exactly portable (lord help us should the discman make a return). So if youre going to collect physical releases of your favorite albums, it becomes harder to justify the storage space required for CDs. Theres a reason production has slowed down lately, and with vinyl sales doubling that of CDs two years in a row, record labels should take note that forcing the comeback simply isnt worthwhile. Although, full disclosure, making someone a Spotify playlist just doesnt hit the same as burning them a mixtape you jacked off of Limewire. Granted, who even has a CD port to play it in nowadays anyway?
#5: Rattails
Can you name a hairstyle worse than the rattail? No seriously, its like a demented second cousin to the mullet. And while there are some cases where mullets can actually be pretty cool, we simply cant say the same for rattails. Even the name makes us itch. This offshoot to the short-on-top, shaggy-in-the-back look just doesnt look good on anybody. Giving the appearance that a rodent might have borrowed in the back of your head isnt entirely sexy. No poofing, curling, or braiding of the vermins tail is flattering either. The hairstyle blew up in the late 80s, but even by the tail end of the 90s people had realized how unappealing it was. So why is it back today? Although punk style is experiencing a revival, the push toward nonconforming hairdos has been the main driver behind its return. Walk around any major city today (looking at you Williamsburg), and youll see a number of hipsters rocking wildly asymmetrical cuts that some might consider so bad theyre good. But even the rattail falls short of that. So while were here for self-expression, we simply could not show up for the rattailsorry. Besides, we cant help but think of this creep. Safe to say, The Weeknd is living proof that the rattail should have not only died in the 90s, but possibly never even been contrived in the first place.
#4: Platform Shoes
If Naomi Campbell is falling over in these shoes, you know theyre cursed. Fashion designer Vivenne Westwood reintroduced these high-heeled, thick-soled pumps in the early 90s. By the later part of the decade, the Spice Girls made them totally pop again. While they do kind of look badass, theres a long list of reasons why they actually suck in practice. Platform shoes awkwardly alter the way you walk, strain your legs, hurt your feet, and cause ankle injuries. Still want a pair? The saying goes that beauty is pain, but just trust us theres nothing beautiful about a foot full of blisters. Youd have thought people would realize the suffering was just not worth the hype. But platforms are baaaaaaaaccck. Even in a new form: the platform sandal! Thanks to designers like Prada, who recently featured platform shoes in their 2025 spring/summer collection, it seems these hunka chunkas are here to stay. Although were in an era of statement footwear, well see how long it takes todays trend chasers to understand why these fell off in the first place.
#3: Baggy Jeans
Every cool kid in the 90s was rocking ultra baggy pants. There was the acid wash look, flared cuffs, parachute akin JNCOsbut super low-rise jeans were by far the hottest commodity. All the pop stars were showing off their belly button rings and chain belts, as their jeans clung to their hips and pooled at their feet. However, if you werent Christina or Britney, low-rise jeans were completely impractical. If it was raining out or you were an active kid, chances are the bottoms of your baggy jeans were soaked and torn up. Plus, stepping on your own pants was both a great way to trip, and pull them off your waist. So if you were balancing anything in your arms, god help you! High-waist jeans dominated in recent decades, but the pandemic lockdown ushered in a style known as comfycore. With everyone aiming to feel relaxed at home, slouchy clothing was firmly back en-vogue. Dressing up these baggy jeans can sometimes offer a laid-back aura, but we cant shake the feeling that it also looks like were kids trying on our parents' oversized clothes.
#2: Pencil-thin Eyebrows
Plucking, tweezing, pruning. Raise your hand if youve permanently damaged your eyebrows while trying to achieve the pencil-thin look of the 90s. These dramatic, arched brows achieved a defined look, but most of us were prone to over-plucking. Starlets like Jennifer Aniston and Gwen Stefani made it look oh-so-good, granted they had a team of stylists carefully primping them to perfection. Today, models like Bella Hadid and Julia Fox have caused many to raise a brow at their slender facial framing. Although soap brows have become popular too, the pencil-thin shaping has proven to be quite enduring. Fortunately, many are picking up on beauty tricks like the use of makeup to bolster the illusion of skinny brows. But were still so terrified to think that this desire to strip one's eyebrows down to the bone is going to cause hair loss and follicle damage for a new generation of women.
#1: Heroin Chic
By far the most dangerous entry on our list, the heroin chic look is a beauty standard popularized by 90s models like Kate Moss. The runway ready aesthetic is defined by overly malnourished bodies, dark eye makeup, and pale skin. This sickly style was prominently featured in campaigns by companies as big as Calvin Klein. In accordance with the trend, eating disorders in young people also increased sharply during the 90s. A turning point came when photographer Davide Sorrenti, who was deeply associated with the movement, died of drug related complications. A slow shift toward body positivity and embracing bigger bodies took over in the decades that followed. But recently, weight-loss fads like ozempic summer have actually reversed the progress. In addition, cosmetic surgeries such as buccal-fat removal offer a gaunt look that typically appears more skeletal than anything. The stark reminder that skinny never went out of fashion is blatant in the re-emergence of heroin chic. According to a 2024 study, 96% of models in major runway shows around the world were a size 0-4. In a world where body image issues are forever present, nobody can benefit from heroin chic.
Its clear some of these bizarre trends are far more problematic than others. So which 90s trends do you think should stay in the 90s? Leave a comment below!
