Two Australian creatives style their most beloved ’90s wardrobe staples

Straight from the streets.

Fashion is a cycle, and while recent years have seen a resurgence of cottagecore and indie sleaze, there’s no iconic fashion era that’s stuck with us quite like the ’90s. Look up the recent runways from Fashion Month just gone, or simply scroll TikTok for a while, and you’ll see we’re all just trying to bottle the essence of the decade. 

We’re embracing an influx of cargo pants and crop tops, bike shorts and bandannas, but you can’t be a ’90s girlie without the right pair of chunky sneakers to bring your look together. Most recently, we’ve had our eyes on the New Balance 9060s. 

For more style from local creatives, head to our Fashion section.

Taking inspiration from the brand’s original 99X series, the New Balance 9060 is a truly versatile sneaker. The silhouette has been designed with Y2K futurism in mind, with a range of neutral colour options to ensure it can be worn with a range of ’90s-inspired looks – from a casual run to the shops in jeans and a vintage tee, through to a sexy bias midi skirt and white shirt moment. 

In honour of the decade that’s giving us the best op shop finds, we invited two Australian creatives to style their favourite wardrobe pieces from the ’90s and walk us through how they’ve made the styles work for 2022.

Savannah Anand-Sobti, Content Creator and Programmer

Savannah Anand-Sobti, is a woman with a knack for making casual comfort seem unbelievably chic. A content creator and founder of Naarm-based womxn’s collective Ladies of Leisure, she has an eye that favours op shop finds and pieces from local designers, with an emphasis on comfort and wearability.

What is your most iconic ’90s wardrobe piece? What do you love about it?

I’m loving the return of the vest. I think it’s super chic and flattering on most bodies. The one I’m wearing my housemate found at the op shop. Shout out to Cat for lending me her hot finds.

How have you styled it today?

I’ve styled it kinda like a ’90s rocker chick, with a studded belt and tailored pair of trousers from Incu, which have been my go-to lately. 

What does personal style mean to you?

My style is always evolving, but it’s usually tied to how I’m feeling and whether I’m vibing what I’m wearing. I’ve just started a new job that’s a bit more corporate, and I’ve been enjoying the transition into wearing pieces that are a bit more tailored and ‘put together’, after a few years of leaning into comfy, casual lockdown vibes. 

How do you integrate both vintage and contemporary pieces into your wardrobe?

Pretty easily, because I love to op shop and buy secondhand designer pieces. Everything comes around again in cycles, so I think both genres of clothing are blurred in a way. 

Sabina McKenna, Model and Curator 

With a soft spot for bright colours and clashing patterns, Sabina McKenna has a covetable sense of personal style. The model, writer and curator knows how to dress for her body type, embracing a number of designer labels that she knows design well for her shape. Like many in the industry, she has champagne taste on a slightly leaner budget, so turns to pre-loved and vintage resellers with a special eye for ’90s designs. 

What is your most iconic ’90s wardrobe piece? 

I think my most iconic ’90s-esque piece would have to be this Margiela M6 tube top! I bought it in New York City in 2018 from a consignment store called Tokio7. I have so many great pieces from there. They stock a lot of great designer pieces and have very affordable prices compared to most consignment stores in NYC.

I love the texture and soft material of this top. It’s good to layer over a shirt or long sleeve top so I can wear it all year ’round. 

How have you styled it today?

So I’ve styled the top with a TLC aesthetic in mind. I’m going for that ’90s music video look, ya know? I have my Project Bowman jumpsuit folded down, some very comfy wool socks by Paire and my little DIY raver buns. 

What does personal style mean to you?

I think personal style is very much an expression of self. What I’m wearing is usually a reflection of my mood that day. I love a lot of bright colours and clashing patterns – it’s all usually very flashy. But then there are the days (and the occasional entire week) when I’m getting around in matching tracksuits or workout sets and shades. I do love that colour has become a staple for me though, as it never used to be. I have so much fun with different shades, patterns and textures now. 

The most important thing is what makes you feel comfortable. There are entire labels that I don’t wear because their silhouettes or tailoring are just not suited to my body. I think true comfort is about how clothes feel, as well as how they look… Feeling good in what I’m wearing changes my whole demeanour, really!

How do you integrate both vintage and contemporary pieces into your wardrobe?

This is the story of my whole wardrobe. First of all, I think for my taste (and for the environment) wearing contemporary pieces exclusively is totally inaccessible. The clothes I like tend to come at a higher price point – not sure how that happened – so I only buy things I really love, when I can, a handful of times a year.

The good thing about having champagne taste is that there is probably a good selection of vintage pieces from those labels to find online. I like doing a Google shopping search for what I want and filtering for used items only.

Also, using a VPN to shop at Poshmark or with international Depop sellers is great. I love eBay too. If you have time to dig, you can make offers and find what you like! I also always admire all the sellers on Ppennylane [Facebook group] and what they manage to find and sell. Facebook is an entirely different game. 

To shop the New Balance 9060s, head here.