Bad things about the 90s?

[Sittinbythetree]

In my mind the early - mid 90s were pretty good, I don’t mean personally, but generally, just largely positive and a feeling that things were improving and the world was moving forward to a better future for most.
I’ve been listening to repeats of old comedy programs and the satire from the 90s seems so innocent and gentle. All about how boring John major was (little did we know about edwina) and late trains. And there were no phones or social media (sorry mn!)
What (lighthearted) reasons are there for not wanting to time travel back to the 90s?

@Fridainexile

I don’t know but... I look back on my teenage years in the 90s with absolute horror. We were bombarded with ‘ladette’ culture, pics of women with smeared lipstick and ‘bed head’ hair, falling out of clubs, zoned out on drugs and alcohol. To our small town teenage brains, we tried to emulate this by downing five shots for a pound and taking drugs until we ourselves stumbled out of clubs, inebriated to the point of oblivion, having probably being sexually assaulted by older men the whole night long. It continued into the kebab shop where everyone would be snogging and men would be groping teenagers (of the hands in knickers variety.. very 90s groping method) and smelling of malibu and blue wkd and kebab and impulse o2, wearing sparkly lipsy lycra dresses and stripper shoes with six inch heels. It took me a decade to get over the shame and trauma of my 90s teenage Saturday night sexual escapades, honestly.

I've read this before on another thread, maybe even twice

The Hacienda.

Fridainexile - totally agree with everything you said.

The awful manufactured girl and boy bands we endured on the radio and in shops etc, they were all so, so rubbish.

The double blue denim trend at the end of the nineties

The skinniness of the models and heroin chic. I longed, really longed to look super skinny like Kate Moss, and felt rubbish that I didn't. I wish that models had been curvier back then and I could have felt that a curvier aesthetic was both fashionable and attractive.

@ andshopsandtrees what do you mean? My words or the general scenario ?

Yes @Missdotty heroin chic was a nightmare!
My (tiny weeny) handbag was stuffed with packs of pro plus and menthol cigarettes to stave off hunger.

Totally agree that in the 90s there was a sense of hope. The 70s and 80s were terrible in England, in many ways.

Other than that - I loved the combat trouser/vest combo and felt pretty hot in it too!! We all wore our hair like the women in Friends. Chunky highlights were cool.

There was some great music. Some good TV.

My employer continually encouraged me to sign up for courses which were all funded, unlike now where staff training is something you have to practically beg for ( in my line anyway).

I was in my twenties and having lots of sex (once I’d got rid of my horrible ex-H).

Worst things? Can’t think of much. Diana’s death and the hysteria. There was still stupid male banter towards women in the workplace at times and you didn’t call them out on it like you would now.

@Diadora30

Best bit - definitely Britpop. The nostalgia of being young and free when Oasis/Blur/Dodgy etc... come on the radio is amazing!

So so true!

Was it a 90's thing to wear trainers without socks? I remember lots of us going sockless in our Reebok Classics in summer: trainer liners were for wimps.

We used to wear our tiny handbags on a short shoulder strap so tucked up under the arm 😀

@TroyTown I still have a couple like that 😂
Quite like them!

Are they back in fashion yet? 🤔

Yes! Very much back in fashion!

I liked carrying a handbag like that 😀

It felt very secure

How creepy and sleazy men were ... in work, out socialising even in friendship circles .

The constant touching by men , leaning over you at work, putting their hands round your waist , buying you drinks in bars and expecting something from you ( even if you insisted you didn't want them buying you a drink ), pushing up you on tubes and buses, being annoyed if you were out with your female friends and you didn't need their group infiltrating yours on a night out .

Basically the constant sexual harassment.