20 Wild Fads from the ’90s That Make No Sense Now
The 90s were packed with trends that seemed cool at the time but now leave us wondering what we were thinking.
- Chris Graciano
- 4 min read
From bizarre fashion choices to strange toy obsessions, the ’90s were a decade of unforgettable and often ridiculous fads. Some were fueled by pop culture, while others were just completely random. Looking back, these 20 trends make absolutely no sense today, but they sure were fun while they lasted.
1. JNCO Jeans
addy bronzzz on Pexels
These ultra-wide-legged jeans were so baggy that they could practically double as parachutes. They were a staple of skater and raver culture, although they were wildly impractical.
2. Pogs
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Collecting and slamming cardboard discs seemed like a thrilling pastime, but looking back, it was just flipping pieces of paper. The rules were vague, and the appeal was mostly about hoarding cool designs.
3. Frosted Tips
Toglenn on Wikimedia Commons
For some reason, guys in the ’90s thought bleaching just the tips of their hair looked stylish. Made famous by boy bands and pop stars, this spiky hairstyle was everywhere.
4. Chain Wallets
Pavel Ševela on Wikimedia Commons
Attaching your wallet to your pants with a long metal chain made you look tough—or so we thought. In reality, it was just an awkward way to ensure your wallet wasn’t stolen.
5. Inflatable Furniture
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At some point, we decided our rooms should look like a bouncy house. These clear, plastic chairs and couches popped easily and were about as comfortable as sitting on a balloon.
6. Beanie Babies as Investments
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People genuinely believed stuffing their closets with tiny bean-filled animals would make them rich. Collectors hoarded limited editions, convinced they’d be worth thousands in the future.
7. Butterfly Clips
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Girls in the ’90s covered their hair in tiny, colorful plastic butterflies, often arranged in complicated patterns. The more clips, the better—whether or not they actually held any hair in place.
8. Tamagotchi Obsession
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People treated their virtual pets like real animals, stressing over feeding them and cleaning up their pixelated poop. If you forgot to check it for a few hours, you’d come back to a digital grave.
9. Slap Bracelets
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These metal bands wrapped in colorful fabric were fun for about five seconds—until they left red marks on your wrist. Schools eventually banned them due to safety concerns, making them even more desirable.
10. No Fear Shirts
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Wearing T-shirts with intense slogans like “Second place is the first loser” made kids feel like hardcore athletes. In reality, most of us wearing them were just average kids trying to sound tough.
11. Mood Rings
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A plastic ring that changed colors based on your “mood” seemed like magic. In reality, it just reacted to body temperature, not emotions.
12. Bucket Hats
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Oversized, floppy hats were somehow considered peak fashion in the ’90s, thanks to celebrities and hip-hop culture. They didn’t actually provide much shade or warmth—just a questionable style statement.
13. Bubble Chairs
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These futuristic-looking plastic spheres, suspended from the ceiling, seemed ultra-modern. However, they were incredibly uncomfortable and made simple tasks like sitting down more complicated than necessary.
14. Skorts
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Were they shorts or a skirt? No one really knew, but they let you pretend to be fancy while still climbing on jungle gyms.
15. Gooey Alien Babies
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These sticky, jelly-like aliens came in plastic eggs and supposedly “grew” if you took care of them. Some kids believed they could even reproduce if left together in their egg.
16. Overalls with One Strap Down
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Wearing overalls with both straps fastened was boring, but letting one strap hang loose was peak style. Inspired by rappers and pop stars, this style made no practical sense at all.
17. Colored Ketchup
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Heinz tried to make ketchup more exciting by turning it green, purple, and even blue. Parents hated it, kids loved it, and in the end, the world decided regular red ketchup was just fine.
18. Gel Pens with Scented Ink
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Taking notes in class was way more fun when your pen smelled like blueberries or cotton candy. The downside? Your entire notebook became a headache-inducing mix of artificial scents.
19. Discman Jogging Struggles
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Portable CD players were a game-changer—until you tried to move while using one. Any slight bump made the music skip, forcing people to walk like robots to keep their tunes going.
20. Denim Everything
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Jeans weren’t enough—’90s fashion demanded denim jackets, denim shirts, even denim shoes. The Canadian tuxedo became an actual thing thanks to stars like Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake.