Necessary Spring Break Fits According to ’90s MTV Celebrities
So it all went like this. Before Napster came through and spun the music industry onto its backside, people actually waited patiently for songs they liked be it on the radio or TV. And while MTV gets a lot of shade for being very non-music most times, it definitely stuck adjacent to it in the ‘90s with dancing shows like The Grind or live performances during its Spring Break week — the most lit time ever if you were stuck somewhere mid-America with nothing better to do.
It launched hella careers too. Superstars now like Kelly Clarkson, Gwen Stefani, Justin Timberlake, Beyoncé, P!nk (just to name a few) were all budding artists then, fighting for airtime and cultural relevance against Razr cellphones, Billabong board shorts, Jerry Springer and Jolt! Cola.
It was also a massive platform for hip-hop when artists like Biggie and Eminem had stage-breaking performances that reached millions of suburban households in seconds. And what comes right along with hip-hop? Good fashion. Which the following list is not. However if you want to bring back some of the MTV generation staples and do it right, you can’t forget them.
Looking back, they were so goofy they kinda slapped.
Wrong Way Visors
We all know what he’ll be remembered for from now on, but there was a time Will Smith was actually a pseudo-pioneer of fashion. When he rocked the upside down and backwards visor trend, it was kinda hard to believe it was actually a thing — but we all went with it anyway. Feels great too knowing that when a rainstorm comes you'll have extra water stored when you're feelin' dry.
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Sunglasses, But Not Really
Most definitely inspired by the likes of Janis Joplin, Elton John and Bono, the tinted lenses phase came and went in just a few short years. But in that time everyone — and we mean everyone — rocked a pair. From yellow to purple, blues and pinks, all colors of the rainbow were seen at the end of the century and into the 2000s. They didn’t work for shit blocking out the sun, but hey, fashion equals pain.
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Hybrid Shants and Dude Capris
In the name of equality (or something) dudes once thought they’d lift one of the few remaining styles exclusively for women and wear it as their own. Enter capris, not quite pants and not quite shorts. But in total dude fashion, they decided to also one up the ladies and attach what was left of the missing pants with zippers so that they morphed into some crazy lab born capri shorts x pants hybrid.
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Denim, No Waist
It may be high waisted everything now, but in the late 1990s and early 2000s, low rise ruled all. It was like a contest from sea to shining sea on who could wear their bands the lowest without technically becoming chaps. And when they weren’t low enough? Ladies, you got economical and simply ripped the band clean off. If it’s good enough for Destiny’s Child, it’s good enough for anyone.
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Painted Hair
We’re not even sure this is a spring trend that really ever went away, but when a young P!nk and Sisquo were spotted together on the sandy beaches of Florida, the painted dome look entered its truest form. With stores like Hot Topic just hitting the scene selling brands like Manic Panic, it was an easy foray into the world of individual exhibitionism.
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Puka Shells x Oakley
But did you even go to middle school in the 'burbs if you didn’t rock a line of sea trash around your neck!? Puka shells or it didn’t happen! Crazy to think that the ‘90s/Y2K vibe is back in full force and the puka x Oakley combination isn’t part of the equation. This was absolutely the easiest way to fit into any group of do-gooders who likely spent Friday nights sharing a single Zima while coming up with new and inventive screen names for AOL Instant Messenger.
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