There is a lot to be nostalgic for the ’90s right now. Sure, plaid and overalls and weird patterns with lots of colors and shapes have come back in style, but there’s something about that grunge, DIY-esque culture—plus a lack of feeling that a nuclear apocalypse was imminent—that can’t be replicated.
Here are some reminders that will make it pretty clear you grew up in the ’90s (and make you feel kind of old):
1. One of your favorite shows was (and still kind of is) “My So-Called Life.” Claire Danes apparently had to dye her hair red on a regular basis (making her shower look like a “crime scene”). The showrunners originally decided for her hair to be blonde, but then had Angela dye it red on the show as a form of rebellion. How could you not love that, and possibly imitate it with some Kool-Aid or Manic Panic?
2. Claire Danes was your fashion idol (see her roles in “My So-Called Life” and “Romeo + Juliet” as inspiration).
3. You were totally a pseudo-goth. ’90s goth meant you shopped a lot at Hot Topic in the mall with your friends, bought cheap purple lipstick, and wrote really angsty poetry.
I know just what you’re sayin’…you gotta get this @nodoubt hoodie. https://t.co/spTprp1FZO
— Hot Topic (@HotTopic) August 6, 2017
4. You totally had a crush on young Leo.
5. Winona Ryder was your feminist weirdo heroine (see her entire career).
6. Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” was on repeat so often in your room, your parents were going crazy.
7. Only Tori Amos understands you.
8. Old Nickelodeon was The Golden Age of TV for you. “Pete & Pete” was your favorite kid show. Or “Ren & Stimpy.” Or “Clarissa Explains It All.”
9. Your friends had sleepovers where you rewatched “Titanic” a million times, and complained about how there was definitely enough room on that log. Kate Winslet could have totally moved over! But you cried anyway.
10. Billy Zane was your secret crush, even though he was a jerk in “Titanic.” He was kind of a babe in “Twin Peaks.”
11. “Mallrats,” anyone?
14. Remember Tamagotchi’s and those digital journals? Those were the jam, for like the 10 minutes you used them. You thought you were so cool and tech smart. If only your past self would see you now!
15. You still love all those romantic comedies with Meg Ryan, like “You’ve Got Mail” and “Sleepless in Seattle.” Sure, they’re not exactly realistic, but who needs realism when the world is falling apart?! Plus, the movie saw the end of book stores, like Borders.
16. Shirley Manson was your pseudo-goth guide–and your mantra was “Only Happy When It Rains.” And yes, we know the song is a cover from The Jesus & Mary Chain.
17. When a Mariah Carey or Whitney Houston song came on, everyone got on the dance floor and sang along.
Fantasy (Official Video) by Mariah Carey on VEVO.
