The 1990s were a time of scrunchies, dial-up tones, and fearless fashion experiments. What passed as cool back then might get a few side-eyes or double-takes today. Teens embraced trends that were bold, weird, and sometimes downright puzzling by today’s standards. From fashion faux pas to dated tech obsessions, here are 12 teen trends from the ’90s that would raise eyebrows if they made a comeback now.
1. Super Low-Rise Jeans
Teens in the ’90s proudly rocked jeans that barely clung to their hips, sometimes sitting so low they risked wardrobe malfunctions. These pants were unforgiving and offered zero coverage when you bent over. Today’s high-waisted trend has mercifully replaced them, but back then, the lower the better. They weren’t just pants, they were a statement. Pair them with a crop top and visible thong strap, and you have the full controversial ’90s teen look.
2. Frosted Tips
Nothing said “cool guy” in the ’90s like spiky, bleached frosted tips. Inspired by boy bands and heartthrobs of the time, this look had teens racing to the drugstore for peroxide. The contrast of dark roots and blonde ends was intentional; style wasn’t about subtlety. While hair trends now lean natural and effortless, back then, standing out was the goal. It was edgy, bold, and very likely to be regretted in later yearbook photos.
3. Chain Wallets
Carrying your money on a chain wasn’t just practical, it was peak edgy teen fashion. Popular among skaters, punks, and mall rats alike, chain wallets swung with every step and made a clinking soundtrack to your day. They were usually oversized and attached to cargo pants (which had about 15 unnecessary pockets). Today, they might read as a costume piece, but in the ’90s, they were the ultimate accessory for rebellious cool.
4. Overplucked Eyebrows
In the ’90s, the thinner the brow, the better. Teens mercilessly plucked their eyebrows into tiny pencil lines or delicate arches. Brow gel? Brow pencils? Hardly a thing. The goal was minimalism, but the result was often a permanent regret. Many are still growing back what was lost in high school. These days, full, natural brows reign supreme, but in the ’90s, a pair of tweezers was a teen’s best (and sometimes most dangerous) friend.
5. Dial-Up Internet Chatting
The unmistakable screech of dial-up internet meant one thing: it was time to log onto AOL Instant Messenger or MSN Messenger. Teens spent hours chatting in cryptic screen names, sending “BRB”s and emojis made from punctuation. Tying up the home phone line was a common fight. Today’s teens are glued to TikTok, but ’90s socializing was all about waiting… and hoping no one picked up the landline and ruined your connection.
6. Wearing Beepers Without Needing One
Pagers were a serious status symbol, even if you didn’t need one. Teens clipped beepers onto their belt loops to look important, despite having no job, clients, or real purpose for one. Some even got “911” pages from friends just for fun. In today’s smartphone age, it’s hard to imagine voluntarily wearing a device that couldn’t even text. But in the ’90s, just owning one made you feel like a grown-up on the move.
7. Tramp Stamps
Lower-back tattoos, often called “tramp stamps” (unfairly), were all the rage for late ’90s teens entering adulthood. Butterflies, tribal designs, and script fonts peeked above those infamous low-rise jeans. They were meant to be sexy and mysterious, but over time became cliché. Today, body art is more varied and respected, but this one location is still joked about. For a time, though, it was the ultimate sign you were bold, and just maybe, a little rebellious.
8. All-Denim Everything
Denim jackets, denim skirts, denim hats, and yes, even denim shoes. If it was made of jean material, teens in the ’90s wanted it. Double denim wasn’t a faux pas, it was a fashion flex. Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake’s legendary red carpet moment in matching denim formalwear said it all. While denim never really went away, today’s looks are more refined. Back then? You could wear jeans with a jean vest and call it a day.
9. Slap Bracelets
These colorful, spring-loaded wristbands made of metal and fabric were part toy, part accessory. You’d straighten them out, then slap them onto your wrist and watch them snap into place. Teens (and kids) traded them, stacked them, and annoyed teachers with them. Eventually, they got banned in many schools for being too distracting, and occasionally cutting through the fabric. Still, for a while, having the coolest slap bracelet meant serious playground cred.
10. Smoking for the Aesthetic
In movies and music videos, smoking was portrayed as rebellious and cool, and many teens bought into the image. Some smoked to fit in; others just held cigarettes to look older. Anti-smoking campaigns were around, but the cultural shift hadn’t fully happened yet. Today, with public health campaigns and indoor smoking bans, this behavior would definitely raise eyebrows. But back then, a cigarette behind the school was practically a rite of passage.
11. Extreme Layered T-Shirts
Teens in the ’90s didn’t just wear a shirt, they layered it. A long-sleeve tee under a short-sleeve graphic shirt was a go-to look, especially for skaters or kids into alt rock. Some went even further, wearing three layers with clashing colors or brand logos. It was more about attitude than comfort. While layering still exists, today’s fashion favors cleaner lines. The extreme tee-on-tee trend would feel bulky, and bewildering, by modern minimalist standards.
12. Burning Custom Mix CDs
Before streaming, making someone a mix CD was the ultimate form of expression, romantic, friendly, or just for fun. Teens downloaded songs (often illegally), arranged the perfect tracklist, and even drew custom cover art with Sharpies. It took hours, and you hoped the disc didn’t skip. Today, playlists are made in seconds and shared with a link, but back then, burning a CD took effort, and gave it serious emotional weight.
