Top 10 Iconic 1990s Movie Looks

“Poetic Justice” (1993)



Janet Jackson starred in the criminally underrated romantic drama, “Poetic Justice,” in 1993. Even if you missed seeing it in the ‘90s, the film still holds up today for its romance, music, and wardrobe. The fashion in this movie was all around great, with the titular character, Justice, showing off some epic ‘90s trends while putting her own spin on them. Her cropped shirts, newsboy cap, and oversized everything epitomized the style of the time, which is just one reason why this movie shouldn’t be forgotten.

"10 Things I Hate About You" (1999)



Even though they both wore “something they just had lying around,” Julia Stiles and Heath Ledger both killed it with their prom looks in this Shakespearean inspired rom-com. Kat’s look is oh-so ‘90s, with tightly curled tresses and a slinky spaghetti strap gown made from that shiny material that seemed to disappear circa 2005. Patrick doesn’t look too shabby himself in a laidback version of evening wear, with his dress shirt unbuttoned and his long hair as unruly as ever. The entire scene is full of amazing ‘90s looks from main characters and extras alike.

“Cruel Intentions” (1999)



“Cruel Intentions” stood out from so many other ‘90s teen movies because of its racier and darker tone, and the costumes the characters wore matched that vibe. Kathryn changes her look depending on what type of manipulation she needs to do that day. In the pivotal scene where she and Sebastian make their bet, she starts off in a sharp Dolce & Gabbana suit, but removes the jacket to reveal the sultry bustier top underneath. Costume designer Denise Wingate said that the outfit was supposed to be a nod to “Dangerous Liaisons,” the period film “Cruel Intentions” is based on.

“Empire Records” (1995)



In cult favorite movie “Empire Records,” Corey Mason manages to combine three major ‘90s trends into one perfect outfit. She’s got a fuzzy long-sleeved crop top, a plaid pleated miniskirt, and tough-looking lace-up boots. It may sound like a bit much, but she manages to totally pull it off. Corey clearly isn’t supposed to be one of the popular girls, so this outfit shows what the slightly more edgy kids would be wearing in the “Clueless” era. Because all of the action of the film takes place in one day, it’s essentially the only thing we get to see Corey wear.

“Titanic” (1997)



“Titanic” could probably be called the biggest movie of the ‘90s, but because it was set many decades earlier, people don’t typically associate it with the fashion of the era. Just because Rose’s outfits aren’t actually from the ‘90s, though, doesn’t mean they aren’t iconic. While she wears her blue dress for a large portion of the film, we chose her sparkly red dress as the most memorable. She wears this crimson gown with black overlay during her meeting with Jack where she threatens to throw herself off the side of the ship. So, you could say this is what she’s wearing when the two fall in love.

“Basic Instinct” (1992)



While a lot of the looks on our list come from teen movies (because younger people often shapes the fashion of a decade), this one is from a distinctly grown up thriller. Sharon Stone stars as Catherine Tramell, a crime novelist who gets embroiled in a real-life murder. Catherine wears a ton of great (and sexy!) outfits throughout the film, but the most memorable has to be her sleeveless white turtleneck dress that she sports during her interrogation. Of course, she notably shows off exactly what she doesn’t have on underneath, which makes this look even more iconic in film history.

“Romy and Michele's High School Reunion” (1997)



One of the most charmingly ridiculous movies of the decade had to be “Romy and Michele's High School Reunion,” starring Lisa Kudrow and Mira Sorvino as two deadbeats who want to impress their former classmates at their high school reunion. While they wear a lot of great outfits during the events of the movie, the piece de resistance has to be their homemade reunion outfits, which stand out among a sea of bland pantsuits. The flashy colors, extra short hemlines, and fun details inspired us all to make our own clothes... to mixed results.

“Pretty Woman” (1990)



As the quintessential prostitute with a heart of gold, Vivian, Julia Roberts gets to wear a fun array of outfits in “Pretty Woman.” While some could argue that her clothes at the beginning of the movie (her blonde wig and over-the-knee boots) are more iconic, we’re going with her much more elegant red dress from later in the film. After she undergoes her famous makeover, she wears this bright cherry colored gown for an over-the-top date with Edward. And the borrowed necklace he gives her takes the outfit to the next level.

“Pulp Fiction” (1994)



To this day, “Pulp Fiction” is still considered Quentin Tarantino’s greatest work, and it contains one of the most iconic movie outfits of all time. We only get to see the enigmatic Mia Wallace in a few scenes, and for most of them she’s wearing a simple but stylish outfit that has been copied time and time again. With slim-fitting black cropped pants and what looks to be a crisp white men’s button-down shirt, she created a memorable look from seemingly forgettable pieces. Considering how many times we’ve seen this look replicated for Halloween costumes, we can safely say it’s an essential part of pop culture history.



Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.



Josie's First Day of School Outfit

“Never Been Kissed” (1999)





Neo & Trinity’s Outfits

“The Matrix” (1999)



Tyler Durden's Leather Jacket

“Fight Club” (1999)



All the Outfits

“Jawbreaker” (1999)



Nancy's Goth Look

“The Craft” (1996)

“Clueless” (1995)



We can all agree that 1995’s “Clueless” was the most influential fashion movie of the decade. Cher Horowitz wears a number of memorable outfits throughout the film, but the most iconic has to be her yellow plaid ensemble. Adding to both the effect (and the humor), is the fact that her BFF Dionne shows up to school in a darker version of basically the exact same thing. We were all envious of the super high-tech computer system Cher used to pick her daily outfits, but we’d happily go back to this one again and again, even a quarter century later.