If you’re wondering why kids these days are starting to look like Phoebe from “Friends” or Sarah Jessica Parker before her “Sex and The City” days, it’s because the 90’s are back, and ushering its return is the trendy VSCO girl. The moniker comes from VSCO, which is a photo editing app that mimics the soft, slightly grainy quality of a picture taken with a film camera. If you have no idea what a VSCO girl is, The Cut describes her as being both a meme and a person, and dressing like one means taking popular fashion statements from the iconic decade to create a carefree, slightly eco-friendly sartorial statement. From her head down to her feet, this is how the VSCO girl is bringing the 90’s back.
Scrunchies galore
The VSCO look isn’t complete without a scrunchie– or two– on one’s head. Back in the 90’s, the scrunchie was a popular accessory worn by girls of all ages, and the fabric ponytail holder was a hit with everyone from Madonna to Demi Moore. Now, the VSCO girl not only brought back the scrunchie as a hair accessory, but also as a bracelet. You can get the look by tying your hair up into a high ponytail and securing it with a scrunchie, and don’t forget to pair the look with at least two scrunchies on one arm. To enhance your photos in a few clicks, you may use VSCO Lightroom presets that were created for editing images in a consistent style.
Crop tops and oversized shirts
The VSCO girl’s shirt of choice is either a crop top or an oversized shirt worn over denim shorts. In the 90’s, stars such as the Spice Girls, Drew Barrymore, and Gwen Stefani would often bare their bellies in a crop top. Oversized shirts were also very much in vogue during the decade as hiphop stars like TLC would pair them with track pants or baggy jeans. Nowadays, VSCO girls would wear either style in a plain color. They would also rock graphic tees depicting famous bands or ones that feature eco-warrior statements such as “Save the Dolphins” or something similar. To crib the look, go for a t-shirt that bears a positive message and make sure that the print or logo looks a bit weathered for that vintage look.
Birkenstocks and a braided bracelet
Braided or friendship bracelets were all the rage in the 90’s as teens all over the world would make these to give to their pals. Meanwhile, Birkenstocks was the footwear of choice among the grunge set, and in 1992, it was elevated to high fashion as designer Marc Jacobs let his models wear the clunky sandals to showcase his grunge collection. Today, the VSCO girl wears Birkenstocks 24/7, and the braided bracelet is back in the form of the Pura Vida bracelet. The accessory is handmade in Costa Rica and costs about $20.
Love her or hate her, it can’t be denied that the VSCO girl is helping the 90’s trend stay strong in the ever-changing world of fashion. Try out the look and see how the comfy aesthetic fits your lifestyle.