I would have bet against the persistence of the ’90s fashion’ trend. By now I assumed it would have eaten its own multicoloured Benetton tail. But not only won’t it quit, it appears to be intensifying. It’s now the de facto uniform for anyone under 30. My 15 year old niece dresses like Atomic Kitten (all disintegrating denim and cropped tees) while my local eateries are packed with dudes in exuberant Tommy Hilfiger and XXL cagoules.

Venture inside the Peckham social club SET on a Friday night and it’s like a lost disco episode of Northern Exposure. A wormhole back to a time of Oakleys slip ons, Puma training jackets, boxy Ralph shirts and FUBU. You’ll feel like an anachronism if you’re not wearing JNCO jeans.

If you’re looking to fit in, my advice is to get Aubrey from Mike Leigh’s Life is Sweet on your moodboard sharpish.

Although, to my mind, the most interesting dudes in the place avoid the more obvious logoed vintage sportswear, while clearly still ‘doing the 90s’. We’re talking Brookside moustaches, shapeless cream chinos and square toed loafers  — gear that up until relatively recently would be considered punchline material.

Self-patterned crewneck knits (geometric, grey, very ‘man at C&A‘) are also having a moment. And take a look at the neckline, you might even spot a stiff collar and the knuckle of a club tie poking out. This the 90s through the lens of a pager salesman from Lichfield who was once a contestant on Going for Gold.

It’s all antique of course, boasting the (desirable?) patina of over-washing and sun damage. First time round, these clothes marvelled at animated DVD menus and PalmPilots. So if you don’t look like you’ve got a phonecard in your wallet, you’re doing it wrong.

A couple of leather jacket styles appear to be integral to the nuevo-90s. The first are basically leather parkas, so massive that the shoulder seams hit the elbows and the pockets reach the knees. While on the back, a cartoonish illo bemoaning Tupac’s untimely death is the clear vibe. The second, and arguably the choice of the more debonaire, are short leather blousons. Now, to my eyes, these feel more 80s than 90s, what with their tight fitting elasticated waist and press-studded epaulettes. More Bergerac than Jimmy Corkhill. Nevertheless, they’re an increasingly common sight. Whatever the leather, they are usually presented in an indistinct shade of mottled drab brown that, depending on the light, brings to mind either a crudely presented German breakfast, or the contents of an unflushable pub toilet.

None of which means I don’t like the 90s trend per se. After all, it’s the duty of young people to wear ostensibly ugly things to distance themselves from the grown-ups. It’s part of finding an authentic sense of identity (an unenviable task in a time of digital immediacy and predatory late stage capitalism).

No, the only beef I have is that I can’t get involved.

Remarkably, I’m old enough to have once carried a phonecard in my wallet. I also wore giant jeans that puddled and shredded under my heels. I can see (through my prescription lenses) that this is one of those trends that doesn’t just look better on the young, but is entirely dependent on the youth of its wearer to succeed.

A guy, my age, wearing 90’s clothes? It would just look like I hadn’t bought any new clothes in decades. I’d be one of those guys who ‘peaked’ at a certain point in life and decided never to fuck with the formula. I’d look like the kind of guy who only goes to pubs that still have strippers.

That said, I have recently ‘taken inspiration from’ (copied) one element from the SET club uniform. I’ve been buying jackets that finish at the waist.

As regular readers will know, I’m rarely without a blazer style jacket (albeit slightly unconventional in fit and detail) or an overcoat. So for me, emphasising the waist, creating a clear delineation between top and bottom is rare territory.

Full transparency: I wouldn’t say I have an enviable waist. If I had to colour it in with a felt tip I wouldn’t know where it begins and ends. Years of Bourbon Creams will do that to you. Still, I think the two jackets I’m wearing here do a decent job of hitting the stylistic target, while still preserving an ounce of middle aged dignity.

The navy bomber/track jacket is Sage Nation and the black fleece is Toga Virilis. I picked them both up a few months back — once the discounts had crossed an acceptable threshold. In different ways, each speaks to my taste for simple garments elevated by inventive detail. The Sage ‘Fossil jacket’ has some Harrington DNA, but its sweeping ruffles twist it into a new form. While the Toga’s sparkling silver hardware signals it’s the only fleece Lenny Kravitz would wear. 

 

Clearly my looks are not 90s. But I do recognise how my repeated exposure to young people with moustaches in old clothes has encouraged me to try something slightly different.

Revisiting the waist. It’s sporty. It’s casual. It’s youthful. It’s transformative. As you can clearly see from the pictures. I can now pass for early 30s.

———

Hat: Needles
Jacket: Sage Nation
Trousers: Comme des Garçons Homme
Shoes: Suicoke

Jacket: Toga Virilis
Shirt: Comme des Garçons SHIRT
Trousers: Comme des Garçons Homme
Shoes: Kids Love Gaite