7 ’90s Autumn Jean Outfits to Try This Season

When you think of the ’90s, what instantly comes to mind? It was a decade packed with pop culture moments that years later, we still can’t seem to let go of. From the creation of “The Supers” (that special breed of super supermodels) to the dawning of hip-hop and grunge, the inception of Sex and the City and Friends… the list goes on. But above all the chaos, when I think of the era, I think of the golden age of denim.

Be it Calvin Klein’s now-iconic ads to Tommy Hilfiger dressing the music icons of the moment, many of the decade’s most memorable looks had one staple at the core: a pair of jeans. The overarching ’90s aesthetic we tend to think of favoured clean lines, sleek silhouettes and a generally muted colour palette, so it makes sense that denim would rise in popularity.

Levi’s 501s, with their relaxed fit, hit the casual-cool sweet spot. The mid-rise, straight-leg silhouette in a perfectly faded, lived-in wash was a must-have for people everywhere. Today, fashion people (myself included!) still scour vintage stores and charity shops in search of that ever-elusive perfect pair, especially in the autumn, when our jeans can really shine.

Blue jeans were the uniform of the cool. I can think of so many examples: Tyra Banks in a double-denim get-up in The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy’s entire capsule wardrobe; not to mention Drew Barrymore, Jennifer Aniston and Gwyneth Paltrow, who played some of the decade’s most iconic film and TV characters. The ’90s were filled with celebrities who made jeans feel like more than just another trend, so it’s no surprise that modern denim brands like Agolde and Re/Done have looked to the era for inspiration, reimagining those timeless silhouettes for a new audience craving that same cool.