- The '90s might not seem like they were that long ago, but kids who were born in 1993 are turning 30 this year.
- These photos will take you back to the decade of platform shoes, "Titanic," and beepers.
- Christy Turlington, Cindy Crawford, Naomi Campbell, and Linda Evangelista ruled fashion.
Nostalgia for the '90s is at an all-time high right now between fashion, TV show reunions, an Apple TV+ series about '90s supermodels, and a longing for simpler technology like Tamagotchis.
This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now. Have an account? Log in.These 21 photos perfectly summarize the decade — the good, the bad, and the ugly. While you might remember the '90s through a pair of rose-tinted circular sunglasses, things weren't always better.
Crimes like the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman captivated the country, and some people were convinced that the world was going to end the minute the clock struck midnight on January 1, 2000.
Keep scrolling to take a journey back to the '90s, and see if you can remember these moments in time.
The era of the supermodel peaked in the '90s with icons like Naomi Campbell, Claudia Schiffer, Christy Turlington, Kate Moss, and others.
According to Vogue, the era of the supermodel officially began in 1990 with its cover that featured Naomi Campbell, Linda Evangelista, Tatjana Patitz, Christy Turlington, and Cindy Crawford. Throughout the decade, more and more models became "super," like Elle MacPherson, Tyra Banks, and Kate Moss.
These women were so iconic, in fact, that an Apple TV+ series about this group, called "The Super Models," is set for release on September 20.
Jennifer Aniston spawned one of the most iconic hairstyles of all time, "the Rachel," during seasons one and two of "Friends."
Aniston's character, Rachel Green, quickly became the show's breakout star after just a few episodes. And her haircut, a modified shag featuring choppy layers that framed her face, was a phenomenon. Aniston's hair stylist Chris McMillan credits the cut with changing his life, he told The Telegraph in 2016.
Every era has its cast of "SNL," and this era's audience lucked out with comedy all-stars Chris Farley, Chris Rock, Adam Sandler, and David Spade.
All four started at "Saturday Night Live" during the 1990/1991 season, and all left within two years of each other between 1993 and 1995.
Their tight-knit bond remained clear throughout their post-show careers with Sandler, Spade, Rock, and Farley all appearing in movies together.
Their friendship endures to this day. When Sandler hosted "SNL" for the first time in 2019, Rock made a cameo during his friend's opening monologue, and Sandler ended the show with a sweet song for Farley, who died in 1997, as reported by The New York Times.
The love triangle between Princess Diana, then-Prince Charles, and Camilla Parker Bowles culminated in Princess Di wearing what many called her "revenge dress."
Many thought the timing of this iconic look was no coincidence, as People reported.
She wore a black off-the-shoulder bodycon dress designed by Christina Stambolian to a Serpentine Gallery party in London in 1994. That same night, her estranged husband, Charles (now King Charles III), admitted to the world that he had been unfaithful to his wife in an ITV documentary, according to The New York Times.
Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen were '90s icons and fashionistas even back then.
After gaining popularity on "Full House," the Olsen twins were able to turn their twinhood into a brand. They had books, TV shows, a clothing line, perfume, TV movies — really, anything you can think of.
Mary-Kate and Ashley haven't acted in years, but we'll always have "The Adventures of Mary-Kate & Ashley" and "It Takes Two."
President Bill Clinton's saxophone ability is the stuff of memes in 2023, but in the '90s it was endearing.
The concept of a president picking up a musical instrument and playing it seems almost too outlandish to be true, but it really happened. President Clinton was known for his smooth sax abilities, and showed them off more than once. The '90s were a simpler time.
Most famously, he played on "The Arsenio Hall Show" in 1992, but he continued to jam out throughout his presidency, like at this White House party in 1998.
The Spice Girls rocked their now iconic ensembles, including Geri "Ginger Spice" Halliwell's Union Jack dress at the 1997 Brit Awards.
The Spice Girls were at the top of their game in February 1997. Their debut album "Spice" had come out a few months earlier, and it would soon become the best-selling girl group in history, according to the Evening Standard.
Their Brit Awards outfits, specifically Ginger Spice's Union Jack dress and Scary Spice's leopard-print ensemble, would go on to inspire Halloween costumes for years to come.
Two of the biggest stars on the planet were Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio who made everyone cry their eyes out in "Titanic."
"Titanic" is still one of the top-grossing films of all time, and its importance to '90s kids cannot be overstated. And over 20 years later, people are still debating whether or not there was enough room on that door for Jack to hop on board.
Director James Cameron even weighed in with "forensic analysis" regarding the door and if Jack could've fit on it.
"We took two stunt people who were the same body mass of Kate and Leo and we put sensors all over them and inside them and we put them in ice water and we tested to see whether they could have survived through a variety of methods and the answer was, there was no way they both could have survived. Only one could survive," he told the Toronto Sun in 2022.
Low-rise jeans, Tommy Hilfiger-branded underwear, Destiny's Child, and a young Scarlett Johansson? There's never been a more '90s combo.
Low-rise jeans are just one of many trends from the '90s that should never make a comeback, but they were inexplicably the bottoms of choice during the decade.
In 1999, Johansson had already hit her big break with the film "The Horse Whisperer." She was just 14 years old and the perfect age to be a Destiny's Child fan. In '99, the group was releasing smash hits like "Bills, Bills, Bills" and "Say My Name."
Britney Spears released her debut album, "... Baby One More Time" in January 1999, officially beginning her reign as the teen pop queen.
While Spears is mainly associated with the early 2000s, her career kicked off in the last year of the '90s when she released iconic songs like "...Baby One More Time" and "(You Drive Me) Crazy."
She became an overnight sensation, kicking off two more decades of superstardom, controversies, and dozens of bops.
Franchise juggernaut "Star Wars" returned in 1999 after a 16-year hiatus with "Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace."
Anticipation for a new "Star Wars" film was at an all-time high by the time "Phantom Menace" was released in 1999, two years after it had begun filming in 1997.
While reactions were tepid, as evidenced by its Rotten Tomatoes score, the movie brought the franchise into the new millennium and spawned two more sequels, an entirely new trilogy, two spin-off movies, and multiple animated series over two decades later. In 2023, we're living with more "Star Wars" than ever.
Plus, it made stars out of Natalie Portman, Ewan McGregor, and, later, Hayden Christensen.
Blockbuster Video was the one-stop shop for all your favorite movies, movie snacks, and video games.
There is but one Blockbuster left in America, a fact that might still seem impossible for those alive in the '90s. The video-rental chain was everywhere during that time, and even spawned an entire awards show, the Blockbuster Entertainment Awards.
But with the rise of streaming services, Blockbuster has slowly become obsolete. Raise a glass — filled with Blockbuster beer, of course — for our fallen friend.
Beepers, or pagers, were the best way to get in touch with someone.
Before cell phones, beepers were the preferred method of communication in the '90s and 2000s. We hope Susan was able to get to the movie on time — it would've been much easier to coordinate with texting.
The Tamagotchi craze swept across the world during the '90s.
The Tamagotchi was first brought into our homes in 1996, according to Wellcome Collection. In case you've forgotten, Tamagotchis were handheld, digital pets that you needed to feed, clean, and play with in order to keep them happy.
These were so popular that they came back in July 2019 and are still in use today.
The Nintendo 64 was the must-have video-game console of the '90s after its release in 1996.
There was nothing like blowing into a Nintendo 64 game cartridge to make it start working again, even if it's been debunked time and time again by places like GeekWire and Den of Geek.
The Nintendo 64 was released in the United States in September 1996, according to Kotaku, and became the home to some of the best video-games of all time, like "Super Mario 64," "GoldenEye 007," and more.
Platform shoes were also huge in the '90s.
They had a comeback in 2019: Urban Outfitters and Steve Madden even teamed up and began selling their iconic '90s platform sandals again.
And now, in 2023, you can't walk outside in New York City for long without seeing platforms.
The Kardashian-Jenner clan have been stars since the '90s — just look at this photo of them from 1991.
All denim? Check. Bowl cuts? Check. Odd, marbled, monochrome backdrop? Check. This photo perfectly encapsulates the typical family photoshoot of the '90s, and the fact that it's the Kardashian/Jenner blended family is only a plus.
See if you can spot Kourtney, Kim, Khloe, Rob, and Brody Jenner, alongside the other Jenner kids Burt, Brandon, and Cassandra.
The trial of OJ Simpson dominated 1995, and one of the most infamous moments was when the former football player tried on a pair of gloves, spawning the phrase "If it doesn't fit, you must acquit."
OJ Simpson was accused of murdering his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman. The trial, which has been called the "trial of the century" by CBS News, was followed by millions of people across America for the better part of 1995.
Everything was a media circus, from the low-speed car chase to the bloody gloves found at the scene of the crime. Simpson was ultimately acquitted of the crime, as reported by CNN — though he was found personally liable in the civil case, according to The New York Times.
The country was captivated by President Bill Clinton's sex scandal. One of the most famous moments came when he denied having a relationship with Monica Lewinsky.
Independent counsel Kenneth Starr had been investigating President Clinton and first lady Hillary Clinton's involvement in a business venture when he found out about the then-alleged affair and began investigating it himself. You can read the Starr Report here.
Clinton initially denied the allegations but later admitted to the relationship. The House of Representatives voted to impeach the president on charges of obstruction of justice and perjury, but he was acquitted in the Senate.
Anyone who has a Bill Clinton impression worth their salt can bust out "I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Miss Lewinsky," combined with the famous finger jab.
David Beckham went from one of the most popular soccer stars in the world to public enemy No. 1 when he was red-carded during the World Cup in 1998.
Beckham was beloved by England — and the world — for his combination of model good looks and incredible soccer talent. But, as GQ reported, all of that turned on a dime during the England vs. Argentina game in the 1998 World Cup.
Beckham was shown the red card and thrown out of the game for kicking Argentinian player Diego Simeone.
England went on to lose the game and was eliminated from the tournament, and many people blamed Beckham. There were dart boards with his face on them in The Mirror, and people burned his jersey across the country, according to Bleacher Report.
In 1999, one of the biggest fears was Y2K, the belief that all computers would cease to function once we hit the year 2000.
As noted by Encyclopedia Britannica, Y2K was a huge concern for the world in 1999.
The problem? That computers and other hardware would be unable to compute the year 2000, since they were programmed to recognize years by their last two digits, like '86 or '98. The thought was that '00 would be confusing to the computers, they'd compute that it was actually the year 1900, and everything would devolve into apocalyptic chaos.
Thankfully, none of that happened.
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