What ’90s Fashion Was REALLY Like

Thanks to Topshop, Tumblr, and teen movies, we all know exactly what '90s fashion looked like. Remember how we all traipsed around in fuzzy sweaters and mini-kilts like Corey in Empire Records? And, we constantly charmed hot musicians in our vintage dresses and cool leather jackets like Janet in Singles? Except, actually, no. As anyone who lived through it can tell you, grunge-era '90s fashion was far more ill-fitting and, well, brown than we've been led to believe. It was less daisies-and-miniskirts, and more Dickies-and-flannels. It was less kinderwhore coolness, and more Kurt Loder hair — as the video ahead shows.

This newly unearthed clip shows fans outside a Seattle Nirvana show in September, 1992. Picture it: They're the biggest band in the world, and their fans? They hacky-sack, they have deeply mixed feelings about Nirvana's success, and they're a totally awkward mish-mash of weirdo punk kids who've been following the band since its start, and bandwagon bros who just showed up for the party (and probably also love Guns N Roses). And, for all intents and purposes, it still looks like the 80s — no platform Birkenstocks or baby tees in sight.

Watch the video below, and read on for the real story behind '90s fashion — it wasn't always pretty, folks, no matter what Tumblr tells you.