Generation Dressed

I should probably begin this by making a confession. I love dressing up. Not just for parties but for every single day. No matter what the occasion I always choose clothes from the floordrobe with a specific era in mind. So imagine my pernickety pain as I bore witness to freshers week partygoers heading to 80s themed parties and interpreting the decade that spawned them as a whirl of neon lycra gym gear and nothing else. No Thatcher, no Carebears no Charlene Robinson from Neighbours even. I watched these parties go by and my first thought “Why was I not invited?” was always followed, (rather answering my question) by, “Geez! Can we please bring some VERISIMILLITUDE to this 80s fancy dress mess?” I happen to know the 80s is well documented on Google. There's no excuse.

But dressing as an era is hard. And so as we enter September and a new university year of freshers and party themes I have decided to be your guide to dressing up 90s style. Grab your tiny backpack and start learning how to walk in Buffalos, it's about to get specific.

People often dismiss the 90s as unoriginal and a decade style forgot but I disagree. This is the decade that gave us the ladette, unisex perfume, Daria, Cool Britannia, Clueless and (look, I've got to mention it, but only 'cos it was bloody seminal and even now I tear up when I hear “YO, I TELL YOU WHAT I WANT”) Girl Power. It did, however, have it's very, shall we say, casual moments, so I am not going to cover grunge or indie rock styles here. I don't care how much like a rat in a cage you feel. No one will know you've dressed up and you will have to stand in the corner with the smartarse guy who everybody KNOWS forgot to dress up but hopes he can get away with it by telling everyone he's Chandler from Friends. He's not getting away with it and neither are you.

The Ladette
Start with an easy one, the original ladettes were Zoe Ball and Sara Cox. Occasionally other female celebrities photographed drinking and having an opinion/regional accent (my understanding of the media is that these are interchangeable for women) were also labelled ladettes.
You will need-

• A bottle of whiskey
• Sunglasses, ideally pink or blue tinted. It is a new millennium gift that flattering shades are only now available. Fact. 
• Straw cowboy hat. Wear askew. 
• If it's a bit parky out you may wear a leather biker jacket in black or maroon. 
• Tight boot cut jeans riding very low. 
• Marlboro Reds. 

This is not the most imaginative outfit. But everyone will be happy you brought whiskey to the party. Well done you. Try to drink most of it and fall over. Shout some swears and flip the bird whenever someone tries to photograph you. You're now a ladette.

Cher Horowitz
Cher Horowitz was the Clueless character who gave us something to aspire to. A revolving wardrobe and a mobile phone. I have achieved one of these goals.
You will need-

• A pager and a mobile.
• Over the knee socks
• Short skirt 
• Matching jacket
  

Talk in a Valley (That's SoCal, not Wales) accent and interfere with other people's lives. DON'T let your hair get flat. But if someone calls you a virgin who can't drive...well, you just don't listen to them.

Nancy-from-The-Craft
This is possibly my favourite. You can choose between normal Nancy and Nancy after too much Manon (NATMM). But I think it's best to go with NATMM because it's a little slutty and we all know this is the logic behind fancy dress post puberty.
You will need-

• dark purple lipstick
• Black kohl
• White face powder
• Hair gel
• Silver chunky crucifix jewellery, black dress, black corset, pointy boots, black lace glo... oh you all had a resident goth at your school you know the rest. 

Put all of this on. Don't give a shit. Be sure to touch/caress everything you take a liking to at the party and if questioned yell “THESE ARE MY GIFTS”.

If for some reason none of these costumes appeal to you, don’t worry! The 90s are a veritable goldmine of easy dressing up. Here is an inspirational list, a mood board of words if you will, of 90s themed ideas to get you started.

NINETIES REFERENCES

Scrunchies

Slouch socks

Bindis

Courtney Love covered in...is that eyeliner? Lipstick? Blood?

John Major. Ooh, political.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer- considering there's no way Buffy listened to Hole this look also requires the following, short skirt, a lot of eyeliner and...is that blood.

Skin from Skunkanansie. If you're feeling brave/bald.

Any of the Spice Girls but if you're going to be Sporty then that's not TRYING and if you're going to be Ginger in that Union Jack dress then you better be a man in drag.

Things to steer clear of at that 90s themed fresher's party

Diana, Princess of Wales. Too soon guys, too soon.

Squeamish Kate