Back in the 2010s, it was all about the '80s. Driven largely by the success of Stranger Things, the decade felt like a Renaissance for the 1980s: synthwave was making a comeback in music, major companies were rebranding with neon color palettes, and '80s movies were getting remakes (albeit questionably in quality) and re-entering the pop culture conversation.
Today, it's all about the '90s. In fact, it's not so much that those who grew up in the last decade of the 20th century are all nostalgic about it. No, the people most nostalgic for the '90s are those who barely experienced it and are more enamored with its aesthetics and history.
Take fashion, for example. According to a 2025 YouGov poll, 65% of Gen Z and 61% Milennials say that the '90s was the most fashionable decade. They associate it with brands like Levi's, Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger, and Claire's. Their opinion is reflected in current fashion trends, too: platform shoes, baggy pants, and oversized jerseys are staples in many young people's wardrobes today.
Gen Z also dominates the '90s tag when it comes to music. It's the second most-listened-to "genre" on streaming platforms, only below hip-hop/rap. According to Vice, Gen Z even revived four genres from the '90s and the 2000s: shoegaze, indie sleaze rock, nu metal, and easycore.
Some people theorize that it's not any certain trend, music genre, movie, or aesthetic that people miss from the '90s. And it's not even about the fact that it takes us back to our childhood — a time without worries, stress, and adult responsibilities.
As Ashley Fike writes for Vice, we're looking at the '90s as the last slow-paced, analog decade. No smartphones, no Internet in every household, no social media — what we now see as a simpler, friendlier, but ironically more connected."
As Hailey Perez, LMFT, explained to Fike, when we get nostalgic, we tend to block out bad things. Similarly, we might ignore red flags like toxic diet culture, high crime rates, and other not-so-great things that defined the '90s.
"Life right now feels complicated and challenging,” Perez explained. “We have access to so much information, and we’re overconnected through social media and the news. People long for a simpler time."
Experts say that trends cycle back after every 20 years on average. Today, we can already feel that '90s nostalgia is slowly being replaced with the 2000s, if low-rise jeans, flip phones, point-and-shoot digital cameras, and CDs are any indication. The 2010s should be next, so get ready for the comeback of the Tumblr aesthetic, hipster thrift culture, and hip-hop and trap music climbing the charts.
What are some '90s things that you miss the most, Pandas? Or, if you weren't alive during the decade, what do you think was the coolest thing to witness back then? Share your nostalgic musings with us in the comments!
And while you're here, don't forget to check out our previous publications about the "90s.era.nostalgia" IG page with 1.7 million followers here and right here!
