How To Party Like It's 1990-something

By Author: Ocean Zhang
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Yeah, yeah, I know. The nineties weren't all THAT long ago, but nostalgia for the decade has become all the rage in themed parties for everyone from college students to the Over-the-Hill Gang. Prince gave us that great party dance tune, "1999" and you, too, can party like it's the 90's all over again.

Clothing - Fashion know-it-alls claim that the nineties didn't really have a style, going so far as to call it the decade of "anti-fashion." It seemed we were nostalgic for days gone by as the millennium neared its end. Clothing trends in the 90's tended to be a bit on the extreme side, and often bizarrely overlapping, as in the denim overalls of both the grunge rockers and the retro-hippies. Trends also seemed to change every two or three years, making 90's fashion a bit difficult to pin down overall, but very distinct in its variety. Pick one fashion look as your overall theme, or give your guests choices from one of these trends.

The grunge rock look

The grunge rockers came out of the Pacific Northwest filled with angst, sporting long, un-kept hair, and wearing plaid flannel shirts with their denim jeans ...
... and Doc Marten boots. Darker colors were a signature of the style as it featured maroons, forest greens, navy blues, browns and blacks. Fashion designers got into the act and soon plaid flannel was seen everywhere, from shorts to hooded sweatshirts to long-sleeve tees. High top sneakers in colors like red, black and indigo rounded out the look, along with the denim jacket. While the fashions were mostly unisex in look, the long, straight locks of the grunge rockers didn't quite make it onto the mainstream men's scene. The ladies, though, did leave behind the highly styled looks of the 80's and embraced the simpler style.

The retro hippie look

Tie dye made a comeback in 1990, and with it came the looks of the 60's. The hippie fashion scene was in full force by the middle of the decade. Peace signs, bell bottoms, "Lennon" shades, large hoop earrings and fringed leather jackets made their way onto runways and fashion magazines, too. Hippies young and old made the long, strange trip of the 60's styles new and "hip" again.

The rapper look

By the mid-nineties, the street-wise fashions of the rappers began to dominate over grunge style. Black hooded sweatshirts, black high top running shoes, baseball caps on backwards were key looks. Bell bottoms were replaced by wide legged jeans. Wrap around shades replaced the Lennon look and jerseys from nearly every sport from baseball to golf were the new "in" thing. Everything was big, baggy, and black and white.

The 70's show

By 1996, the 70's had replaced the 60's as the retro decade of choice. Baby doll t-shirts in pastels or bright yellows, greens, pinks and oranges, stripes and bold prints, shoes and boots with thick, chunky heels, and hip hugging flare-legged jeans were the things to be seen in. Peace signs and happy faces reigned in accessories.

Punks, Goths and Preppies, Oh my!

The 90's also saw a revival of punk, Goth and preppie fashions, too. Punk styles included wildly dyed, spiky, short hair, lots of leather and black clothing. Goths preferred hair dyed jet black, and dressing in black from head to toe. Preppies, on the other hand, preferred dying their hair blonde and wearing khakis and Tommy Hilfiger's styles. Somehow, the Hawaiian shirt, with its bright colors and bold prints, made it atop many a pair of khaki cargo pants.

Sounds of the Nineties - No party would be complete without some tunes on the sound system. You and your guests will need some sounds of the nineties to groove to once you're all dressed up (or down, whichever the case may be.) Music styles of the 90's were as varied as the fashions, and seemed to change about as often. The early years of the decade were characterized by hip-hop and techno with numbers by MC Hammer, Tone Loc and Technotronic dominating the airways. These were soon replaced by the darker, brooding, hopelessness of grunge rock, as bands such as Nirvana, Soundgarden and Pearl Jam took over. It only took a few years, however, before the moodiness of grunge was replace by "happy rock" brought on the scene by Hootie and the Blowfish, Sister Hazel, and The Bodeans. So-called "Bubblegum" pop, much of it served up by "boy bands" finished off the decade. Britney Spears fought for number one on the charts with the likes of The Backstreet Boys, 98 Degrees and N'Sync. Country music also gained a resurgence in popularity, with huge stars such as Garth Brooks, Brooks and Dunn, and Reba Macintire selling out stadium shows around the world. With such a wide range of styles and artists to choose from, you can keep the party going all night long without a single repeated song.

Food of the Nineties - Whether your 90's themed event is a sit down dinner, a buffet or just snacks and munchies while you party hearty, the nineties had something to offer. Fusion cooking became popular, mixing ethnic styles and flavors. You might find an Italian pasta dish served with an Asian sauce and followed with a rich French chocolate dessert. Martha Stewart brought back simple, home cooked foods - cherry pie, meatloaf, Sunday chicken dinners. And who can forget the nineties obsession with "healthy" snack foods. Everything from Fritos to Taco Bell went low-fat, fat-free or reduced calorie. I wouldn't advise serving rice cakes, but your guests may feel just a bit more nostalgic with baked potato chips, fat free salsa and blue corn nachos.

Fun and Games - Nineties Style - The most fun doings at nostalgic themed parties are trivia games. Do you know who the "Rachel" haircut was named after? Or who was the pregnant, female police chief in the movie "Fargo?" What date did the Oklahoma City bombing occur? Make up your own or get your hands on the 1990's edition of Trivial Pursuit.You might enjoy one of the DVD trivia games based on Seinfeld or Friends, too, for a more focused look at some of the 90's most popular television.

Planning and having a 1990's themed event needn't leave you wishing it was 1999 all over again. Enjoy the excitement and relive a bit of the nostalgia for the decade that seemed to be nostalgic itself!
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