The 1990s, especially at the dawn of the Millennium toward the decade's end, was an era of fashion. You had everything from glam, goth, grunge, preppy, and chic. The malls were plentiful, and you went at least four times a month to pick up that formal dress or CD by whoever was hot on the charts. It was a great time, and the best part was you lived in the moment and didn't depend on social media on whether to ask followers' opinions on what to buy.
Movies were also monumental during the 1990s, and we were swept in by the rom-coms and dramas that solidified the era's pop culture status. They also influenced the top fads and separated the cool from the not-so-cool. You wouldn't think movies would play a critical role in determining our fashion senses, but they do, as they inject the influence through subliminal messaging.
But movies with fashion are a perfect escape with your girl friends and we have five good ones for your Friday night in!
5 fashion forward movies from the 1990s to watch
Drive Me Crazy (1999)
Following the breakups with their partners, Nicole (Melissa Joan Hart) and her next-door neighbor, Chase (Adrian Grenier), scheme by posing as a passionately in love couple to get back at their exes. Chase swaps his grungy, laid-back look for cleaner lines and bolder colors to match Nicole's top-of-the-trend style. Both reflected the futuristic fad at the turn of the 20th century, with a touch of preppy and cute.
The scheme didn't do much regarding their exes returning, but it magnified Nicole and Chase's feelings for one another and pulled them together. What do you expect when toying with emotions?
Additionally, Hart and Grenier appeared in Britney Spears' "You Drive Me Crazy" music video to promote the movie. The track's title inspired the movie's name, propelling even more success for Spears. While Drive Me Crazy was a Box Office hit, it was a success for its targeted young audience.
Where to watch: Amazon Prime
Clueless (1995)
Kim Kardashian and North West costumed as Cher and Dionne for last year's Halloween, and we can see why. The central girls of Clueless had all the "fashion snaps" and were constantly hitting up Contempo Casuals at the mall for the latest drops. Cher often chose pastels, such as her crisp white eyelet top and lavender capris, or her classic yellow plaid school outfit, hand-picked on her Mac.
Clueless was the epitome of mid-90's fashion with a fun and flirty aesthetic and blended with a dose of maturity.
Where to watch: Paramount+
The Craft (1996)
The Craft cast a spell on Gothic fashion and inspired those who chose not to conform to the industry's norms. Moreover, the film stood out among its cinema competitors for its alternative narrative, where young women can rule with confidence, calling out to those who wronged them, but all power is seized when it's done evilly. Only good can come when magic is summoned in a positive light for the wellness of others and yourself.
Coincidentally, Hot Topic experienced a surge in sales when The Craft was released, and for us who preferred the darker realm of clothing, our souls were entranced.
Where to watch: Peacock
Romy and Michele's High School Reunion (1997)
While Romy and Michele made fun of blonde stereotypes and the high school experience, you can't deny the colorful fashions the comedy showed. Even better, Romy and Michelle "designed" their outfits, making them one-of-a-kind and original.
Our favorite? The party dresses Romy and Michelle changed into at their reunion. According to Vogue editor Lisa Luder, the pieces were "not bad." The dresses offered "nice lines" and a "fun, frisky use of color" and were a hit at the event, despite what the A Group thought.
Where to watch: Hulu
She's All That (1999)
Last but not least on the list is She's All That. In this Y2K version of Cinderella and George Bernard Shaw's play, "Pygmalion," a popular jock, Zach (Freddie Prinze Jr.), bets that he could make an ordinary girl, Laney (Rachel Leigh Cook), his prom date. Unknowing that she's part of the social experiment, Laney befriends Zach, who unexpectedly falls in love with the art student. The film provided plenty of teenage angst and emotional highs, perfectly defining the adolescent stage.
The prom dresses were your classic 1990s pieces; best of all, the fancy gowns were reused for the film. Per Interview Magazine from 2018, She's All That costume designer Denise Wingate
"We had no budget so we had to be really creative—everything in that prom scene was white, black, and gold, and we got it all from the Salvation Army and just completely reworked it."