How The Grunge Aesthetic Withstands the Test of Time 

The grunge aesthetic of the early 90s became such a powerful and important part of fashion history because of its complete subversion of what fashion had been before. Seen through celebrity and music culture as much as it was in fashion, it was an almost global mindset of nonchalance and rebellion from the impossible expectations of perfection that the fashion, music, and celebrity culture were known for. Pushed strongly by grunge King and Queen, Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love, as well as movie icons like Winona Ryder, Angelina Jolie, and Matthew Lillard, grunge was embodied by an intentional lack of trying; slouchy postures, distressed denim, baggy baby doll dresses, and leggings that the wearer preferred slightly torn. However, as with most big fashion movements headlined by younger minds, not everyone was on board. As the style trickled up the runway, many seemed either disinterested or completely ignorant of the style altogether, some feeling so strongly as to result in Marc Jacobs losing his job designing for Perry Ellis after beanies and nose rings were seen for the first time strutting down the catwalk. That didn't stop Grunge from gaining a firm grip on the fashion industry shortly after, however, as designers like Calvin Klein, Dries Van Noten, and Saint Laurent quickly bought into the patterns and intentionally ill-fitting silhouettes. 

Grunge became so popular, especially with the younger generations, because it was the first time fashion could be what it was always assumed to be: individual and expressive. Shirts came with brands to identify with, jackets came with pins to subvert and vocalize your stances on a movement, and style was actually stylish. Grunge was raw, real, and for the first time, not something you could buy. It's that very emotion that makes grunge such a timeless style, as the desire to not try, still be seen as cool, maybe try a little bit, and be yourself is not a feeling that goes away with time. Younger generations like Z and Millennials continue to bring these trends back in new ways because they keep needing to; subvert and stand out as an individual, and take the weight off of their shoulders to constantly be performing. Grunge is so broadly identified because it isn't just one thing. It isn't dressing western and wearing cowboy boots, or dressing boho and wearing linen, it is a feeling and a state of being, not buying into the masses, thrifting instead of fast fashion, wearing something you like instead of something that's in. 

Grunge has such a special place in my heart. My parents were pretty young when I was born, experiencing their teen years in the prime of the 90s, so Nirvana, Sonic Youth, Radiohead, Pearl Jam, and, as most children of teen parents can attest to, thrifting were key staples in my coming of age. While I, of course, identified with many differing styles as the rare fashion enthusiast of rural Lancaster, Pennsylvania, dressing ‘grunge’ always felt like the default. I don't think I will ever experience such a shift in fashion taste as the industry experienced in the 90s, thanks to Kurt Cobain, maybe the indie era circa 2015-2020, but I think that this occurrence in fashion will also never fully go away. One of my favorite things the article discussed was how, as younger generations have taken the trends of those times, they don't simply recreate them; they adapt them to newer definitions, tossing in things like indie and sleaze to be combined with grunge for a whole new style. I think that is a beautiful thing, and I think that, as Gen Z especially continues to struggle with the state of the country we find ourselves in today, those mindsets that caused grunge to have as big of an impact as it did, will be coming as close to full recreation as it ever has been before. 

References: Christina Pérez, Boutayna Chokrane. “How the Grunge Aesthetic Stands the Test of Time.” Vogue, 28 Oct. 2024, www.vogue.com/article/grunge-aesthetic. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024