In the 1990s, summer fashion meant a variety of things: Bright colors and baggy shirts, fanny packs and short shorts, ripped jeans and bold sunglasses. You probably had (or knew someone who had) a bucket hat, platform shoes, chokers and plaid skirts.
It was the decade of grunge, Spice Girls, Lisa Frank and “Friends,” not to mention AOL chat rooms, Beanie Babies, mini backpacks, hyper-color shirts, the “Macarena” and mainstream hip-hop. Some trends have made comebacks, such as cargo pants and scrunchies, but who knows when we’ll see another revival of swing music and Starter jackets. As if!
In Central New York, popular summertime activities include going to local parks and beaches, festivals, concerts, cookouts, the New York State Fair. In the ‘90s, that also meant seeing clothing choices that’ll either make you cringe today or say, “Remember when this was cool?”
Patricia Whit of Syracuse sits on top of her heap as she waits for the start of the New York State Fair demolition derby in 1991. (The Post-Standard file photo)The Post-Standard
We dug into our archives to find photos of people in Syracuse and the surrounding area enjoying the warmer weather between 1990 and 1999. How many similar fashion statements did you make then? What fads do you want to see return?
Scroll through to see more vintage photos of ‘90s summer fashion:
Emily Melsop dumps water on her friend Gretchen Stout as Necole Walker helps run it into her hair while trying to stay cool during Woodstock ’99 in Rome, N.Y. (File photo by Harry DiOrio)The Post-Standard
Todd Anthony, of Liverpool, N.Y., squirts water into his son’s mouth on Onondaga Lake Parkway during Parkway Sundays on June 13, 1996. (File photo by C.W. McKeen)The Post-Standard
A model poses in a spring-summer fashion shoot for The Herald Journal Magazine in 1991. (File photo)The Post-Standard
Steve and Heidi Arnold, center, look over a map of the New York State Fair while their children, Danny, 10, left, and Jamie, 14, wait along the midway on Aug. 31, 1994. (The Herald Journal file photo)The Post-Standard
Teens show off summer fashion in this 1990 file photo for The Herald Journal Magazine. (The Post-Standard)The Post-Standard
Steve Perperian and Laurie Werchinski ride on a jet ski at Fair Haven Beach on July 7, 1999, in Sterling, N.Y. (Frank Ordonez | The Post-Standard)The Post-Standard
A model poses in a spring-summer fashion shoot for The Herald Journal Magazine in 1991. (File photo)The Post-Standard
Attendees enjoy strawberries and ice cream at the strawberry festival at Syracuse University on June 14, 1991. (File photo by Carl J. Single)The Post-Standard
Football fans wait in line to meet former New York Giants quarterback Phil Simms at the grand opening of The Wiz at Carousel Center mall in Syracuse, N.Y., on June 20, 1996. (File photo by Carl J. Single)The Post-Standard
Maryfrances Bumpus, of Cicero, and Paul Falbo, of Palermo, dance to music during the Taste of Syracuse concert at the New York State Fairgrounds’ Cole Muffler Court on July 3, 1998. (The Post-Standard file photo)The Post-Standard
Rollerblading was a popular activity during Parkway Sundays on the Onondaga Lake Parkway in Liverpool, N.Y., as seen in this 1992 file photo. (The Post-Standard)The Post-Standard
Max Campanie and his mom, Marie Villari, pose in front of the West Stage as they wait for Everclear to perform at Woodstock ’99 in Rome, N.Y. (File photo by Harry DiOrio)The Post-Standard
A model poses in a fashion shoot for The Herald Journal Magazine in 1990. (File photo)The Post-Standard
Can’t get enough? See even more vintage photos of ‘90s summer fashion by clicking on our full gallery:
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