The ’90s, the era that gave birth to some of the greatest music, television and fashion in American history.

Nearly twenty five years ago, the music scene exploded with a new sound that helped shape many significant trends of the decade. Bands like Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Foo Fighters helped create what is known as the “anti- fashion age.” The youth of the ’90s began to reject the high end standards that were set in the ’80s in favor of simple, understated clothes. Dressing down became the key fashion trend for teens and young adults across the nation.

Grunge was a movement that came out of times of financial hardship and corporate rule. The style adorned by the indie rockers was one big protest against the capitalist system and the high standards that were held to. However, at the time the rock rebels did not know that their shaggy hair and flannels would revolutionize an entire decade.

In the last year, retailers started selling fabricated versions of the ’90s including flannel shirts, pre-ripped jeans and even clunky combat boots. By the looks of it, many teens have traded in their designer jeans and Pandora necklaces for outfits worn in the golden age of grunge, and while most are not flooding Goodwill to stock-up their closets, the nostalgia still persists.

There is no clear answer as to why members of generation Y and Z are so mesmerized by a cultural trend that existed when they did not. Maybe it the thrill of straying from normal fashion or the endless desire to be a part of something so legendary, something so punk.
Whether or not this trend carries on is entirely up to the modern generation. Aside from the negativity towards the trend by adults who actually experienced the ’90s, the grunge legacy is a movement worth carrying on. It is more than the clothes or the music, it is the whole idea of being free to be who you are and not worrying what people will think of it.