Why the 90s and noughties are having such a moment (2024)

FAQs

Why the 90s and noughties are having such a moment? ›

"Reminiscing about the 90s and 00s is comforting because it gives us connection to times in our lives where we felt more free, adventurous and connected to other people". Many fans of the 90s, like fashion blogger Ellie, weren't around then - so why is it nostalgic to her? According to Clay, it's "cultural continuity".

It's fun, basically. Our focus on the nineties can partly be put down to the 30 year theory around nostalgia, which dictates that things start to look interesting rather than just old-fashioned after three decades.

But for Gen Z, even though they did not grow up in that era or truly experience it, listening to and loving the '90s has got to do with their search for comfort, and escapism and for a time when life was less stressful and more carefree.

“Members of the millennial and Gen Z generations are especially likely to be prone to nostalgia for the 90s/00s now, as they remember their childhood, teen years and late adolescence,” she says. “Those years predate much of the stress imposed by dramatic transformations in the way we currently live.”

It was a time when we could appreciate technology for what it was, without feeling like we were constantly beholden to it, and we still had our privacy. Another thing that made that era so different from today was the dominance of MTV, music videos, and magazines as the arbiters of cool.

Gen-Z's obsession with the decades before digital has revitalized 90s fashion. For the nostalgia-infused, younger generation discovering the household brands of yore has the potential to revive an aging brand straight into the 21st century.

The 1990s was a transformative decade in popular culture, leaving a lasting impact on fashion, music, film, and television. The grunge movement revolutionized both music and fashion, with bands like Nirvana influencing a generation with their signature style.

Previous research suggests people often get nostalgic when they're feeling negative emotions or when they're lonely. It's sort of like going to your happy place! Nostalgia reconnects you to who you are, and that feels like returning somewhere safe, explains therapist John Tsilimparis, MFT.

As you may think, defining the two generations is based entirely on dates—in this case, years. A Millennial is anyone born between 1980 and 1995. In the U.S., there are roughly 80 million Millennials. A member of Gen Z is anyone born between 1996 and the early-mid 2000s (end date can vary depending on source).

To explain Gen Z's fascination with the 2000s, many specialists cite the "nowstalgia" effect. These young people idealise a past they barely knew. This effect is not unique to this generation, but a society in crisis generally gives rise to an even greater sense of nostalgia.

Why are the 2000s so nostalgic? ›

The early 2000s were a time of great change and growth. The world was becoming more connected, technology was advancing at a rapid pace, and pop culture was evolving to reflect the times. For many people, the memories of their childhood in the early 2000s are filled with nostalgia for simpler times.

The internet went mainstream, grunge and pop dominated music charts, and the president had an affair. And that's just a tiny fraction of what went down. Even if you lived through it, it's easy to forget all of the things that made the '90s truly unique.

The 90s saw the release of iconic movies like Titanic and Forrest Gump, and beloved TV shows like Friends, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, and Seinfeld.

Legacy. According to the National Bureau of Economic Research, the 1990s was the longest economic expansion in the history of the United States until the 2009-2020 expansion, lasting exactly ten years from March 1991 to March 2001. It was the best performance on all accounts since the 1961–1969 period.

To them, the 90s was a simple time before smartphones, social media, and 24–7 connectivity. It's far enough away now to be nostalgic, but still close enough to be grasped. Plus, the 90s were the last good decade for art — movies and music have steadily gone downhill since the 90s.

However, the popularity of grunge and alternative rock music helped bring the simple, unkempt grunge look to the mainstream by that period. This approach to fashion led to the popularization of the casual chic look, which included T-shirts, jeans, hoodies, and sneakers, a trend which would continue into the 2000s.

You grew up with some of the most iconic movies and television series to date (The Lion King, Full House, Rugrats, oh my!) and downright bizarre toys that were the coolest things since sliced bread. And with no social media or high-speed internet, the '90s were the last decade of pure innocence.

Aside from boy bands, one-shoulder overalls, and obscure hairdos, the '90s are characterized, in large, by eclecticism and multiculturalism. With movements in grunge, hip-hop and rave music, as well as the rise of technology (Cable! Internet!), revolutionary niche groups formed.

No cellphones

The one thing people weren't into in the '90s were their cellphones—because they didn't exist! Sure, pagers could beep and rotary phones could ring, but they didn't keep people glued to social media the way cells do today. It was a freer time, away from status updates and notifications.