Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

The 90s

136 replies

Claire903 · 03/05/2025 21:57

Anyone else feel like the 90s were just peak life? Honestly, what a laugh that decade was. You could crack a joke and no one was instantly offended, people weren’t on edge or “at work” 24/7-even though I’m posting this from my phone, which is a bit ironic, considering how we actually spoke to each other back then!

Remember when the Spice Girls ruled everything? Union Jack dresses, platform trainers, “girl power” on every magazine cover, and all of us desperately trying to decide if we were more Sporty or Baby Spice. I still remember choreographing dance routines in my mate’s living room, belting out “Wannabe” and thinking we were destined for Wembley. And the fashion! Butterfly clips, chokers, slip dresses, and those chunky shoes that could do some serious damage if you tripped over them on a night out

The weather honestly seemed better-proper summers, ice pops from the corner shop, and not a mobile phone in sight unless you count the odd Nokia 3210 (which was basically indestructible and only used for Snake anyway). No one was glued to screens; we were out knocking for each other, hanging out in the park or at the precinct, and if you missed an episode of “Byker Grove” or “Live & Kicking,” you were genuinely out of the loop until Monday at school.

TV was golden: “The Crystal Maze,” “TFI Friday,” “The Big Breakfast” with Chris Evans and Gaby Roslin, and of course, the absolute chaos of “Noel’s House Party.” And who else had a Tamagotchi that died a tragic death because you forgot to feed it for a day? Or a window full of Beanie Babies you were convinced would pay your mortgage one day (still waiting on that one)

Music was unreal-Oasis, Blur, All Saints, 5ive, and the whole “Cool Britannia” vibe. Even the football was iconic: Euro ’96, Three Lions on the radio, and everyone thinking Gazza’s dentist chair celebration was the height of comedy.

Maybe I’m just getting old, but it really felt like life was simpler, funnier, and just a bit more carefree. Anyone else wish we could go back, even just for one more night out in a dodgy club, dancing to “Spice Up Your Life” in our best crop tops and cargo pants?

Would love to hear what you all miss most!

OP posts:
DitzyDerbyBabe86 · 03/05/2025 22:04

My fave era by miles!! The food, the music, the basic (but oh so cool) technology, the fashion (looking at you Tammy Girl), the toys. It was the best.

MrsKateColumbo · 03/05/2025 22:06

I was a child then so probably oblivious to the bad stuff.

Yes it was great, i loved getting smash hits every week for my spice girls fix. And drinking endless sunny D!

MrsJamin · 03/05/2025 22:06

You're absolutely right, telly was brilliant, films were brilliant, music was absolutely brilliant. I still consume a lot of 90s entertainment!

ssd · 03/05/2025 22:07

Nah. The 80s were better.

countingthestar · 03/05/2025 22:07

I hate sounding miserable but that OP doesn’t half sound AI generated!

As for the 90s … yes, there was good stuff but a lot of things would cause more than a raised eyebrow through modern eyes.

mynameiscalypso · 03/05/2025 22:15

I suspect it depends a lot on how old you were in the 90s and what you were doing. It’s easy to forget things like the recession of the early 90s (+ the gulf war), the IRA bombings, the genocide in Bosnia.

Cazziebo · 03/05/2025 22:17

I had a blast in the 90s! But I’d say the 70s were the best. Music, freedom, opportunity, optimism.

I was a teenager and believed the world was my oyster. Don’t think today’s teens have that.

OoLaOoLa · 03/05/2025 22:21

I can’t believe you’ve forgotten to add the boy bands to your list.

Original poster
Claire903 · 03/05/2025 22:21

Cazziebo · 03/05/2025 22:17

I had a blast in the 90s! But I’d say the 70s were the best. Music, freedom, opportunity, optimism.

I was a teenager and believed the world was my oyster. Don’t think today’s teens have that.

Is it now as bleak as it has ever been since the war for them?

OP posts:
Original poster
Claire903 · 03/05/2025 22:22

OoLaOoLa · 03/05/2025 22:21

I can’t believe you’ve forgotten to add the boy bands to your list.

Take that, boyzone, backstreet boys, Westlife...new kids on the block
So many!

OP posts:
Echobelly · 03/05/2025 22:26

90s was very much the 'days of my youth' (I was 12 when they started) and I had a lot of fun. I lived in North London at the heart of the Indie scene in my late teens, so that was great an felt very optimistic and cool. There was a lot of great music, both indie and electronic (and music that blended both) and it was pretty much 'peak clubbing', which kind of declined post-millennium.

Post Glasnost things did feel more optimistic without the Cold War hanging over us and although we were talking a lot about the environment, no one really appreciated, in the mainstream at least, how bad things really were.

But I wouldn't say 'You could crack a joke and no one got offended' - all well and good looking at that fondly you were never the person on the receiving end of an actually hurtful joke. I think people were also starting to be aware about things being offensive, although not quite aware enough. I take issue with the idea that 'you can't crack a joke without offense now'; I hear plenty of humour without any of it having to punch down.

Also Clause 28 was in effect - I had gay friends who were out and but at the time I couldn't feel it that much and didn't think about it, though in retrospect I am understanding the effect it had on LGBTQ+ peers 😞My school was pretty liberal, but an LGBTQ+ type group at school was unimaginable at the time - I'm glad it is something that is a reality now in many schools.

I miss people actually having to turn up and not being able to flake out when you arranged something because you couldn't be guaranteed to be got hold of at short notice. I kind of miss Time Out and just looking at a magazine where you could see listings of loads of things that were happening in London of all types of genre in one place in hard copy. I miss more quirky places to shop like Hyper Hyper and Kensington Market and when Camden was actually alternative - I mean, people were snobby about it at the time as well but it really is a theme park of its own past now (though I still like it somewhat despite that).

Original poster
Claire903 · 03/05/2025 22:32

Echobelly · 03/05/2025 22:26

90s was very much the 'days of my youth' (I was 12 when they started) and I had a lot of fun. I lived in North London at the heart of the Indie scene in my late teens, so that was great an felt very optimistic and cool. There was a lot of great music, both indie and electronic (and music that blended both) and it was pretty much 'peak clubbing', which kind of declined post-millennium.

Post Glasnost things did feel more optimistic without the Cold War hanging over us and although we were talking a lot about the environment, no one really appreciated, in the mainstream at least, how bad things really were.

But I wouldn't say 'You could crack a joke and no one got offended' - all well and good looking at that fondly you were never the person on the receiving end of an actually hurtful joke. I think people were also starting to be aware about things being offensive, although not quite aware enough. I take issue with the idea that 'you can't crack a joke without offense now'; I hear plenty of humour without any of it having to punch down.

Also Clause 28 was in effect - I had gay friends who were out and but at the time I couldn't feel it that much and didn't think about it, though in retrospect I am understanding the effect it had on LGBTQ+ peers 😞My school was pretty liberal, but an LGBTQ+ type group at school was unimaginable at the time - I'm glad it is something that is a reality now in many schools.

I miss people actually having to turn up and not being able to flake out when you arranged something because you couldn't be guaranteed to be got hold of at short notice. I kind of miss Time Out and just looking at a magazine where you could see listings of loads of things that were happening in London of all types of genre in one place in hard copy. I miss more quirky places to shop like Hyper Hyper and Kensington Market and when Camden was actually alternative - I mean, people were snobby about it at the time as well but it really is a theme park of its own past now (though I still like it somewhat despite that).

Its a great post and I agree with a lot of what you say.

But you don't have to "punch down" for somebody to be offended. And if somebody is offended, that doesn't make them right, either.

OP posts:
BoredZelda · 03/05/2025 22:35

If you can’t crack a joke without offending someone, try getting some better jokes.

elladella · 03/05/2025 22:36

The 90s was cool, London was hip and full of hope. And it definitely not just because I was a tween/teen.

Original poster
Claire903 · 03/05/2025 22:37

BoredZelda · 03/05/2025 22:35

If you can’t crack a joke without offending someone, try getting some better jokes.

@BoredZelda I'm offended by this post 😢😢😢

OP posts:
CarpetKnees · 03/05/2025 22:43

Nah.

This is just nostalgia for a particular time of your life.
Most of us can look back at a certain time with rose tinted glasses - the era would be different for each of us, depending on how old we are.

Oddly, I was talking to someone today about how awful it was coming home stinking of smoke before the smoking ban. It really wasn't all good in the 90s or any other time .

Gowlett · 03/05/2025 22:45

No phones. I loved just “being”. Not answerable to anyone!

Vipersgonnavipe · 03/05/2025 22:45

Mainly the 90s were great because I was a teen and didn’t have to endlessly feed and clean up after my offspring. I earned money that was entirely my own to spend on whatever I wanted. Life was very much easier.

Adulting is properly shit.

Echobelly · 03/05/2025 22:47

I'd agree @CarpetKnees - it's a lot to do with time of life and I do try to be aware of that. TBF, the first few years of the 90s were some of my worst. My parents were in financial crisis, my dad's sister died young of cancer and my grandma died of the same cancer two years later and I didn't make any friends for the first 2.5 years at secondary school.

I think every generation will find what's good/optimistic about their time - for millennials it might be being in the first generation on social media before it got algorithm-led and was more fun (although at the same time, others will have had a miserable time of online bullying or being encouraged by self-harming behaviour etc)

notnorman · 03/05/2025 22:48

This reads like either AI, or a GCSE English writing task! I’m playing Language feature/structural feature bingo…

WorthyOtter · 03/05/2025 22:49

I loved no phones!

bibliotek · 03/05/2025 22:51

a group walk to the video shop.
sharing a pack of 10 marbs.
music.
Talking on the phone.
meeting up and not flaking.
listening to gigs instead of filming.
festivals with excellent line ups.
We had it all.

Treeleaf11 · 03/05/2025 22:51

It's nostalgia for when you were young

MmeChoufleur · 03/05/2025 22:52

Sometimes I feel overcome with sadness that life will never be as good as the 90s ever again. It was a time of such hope, the opposite of the present day. Where I live, the 80s were horrendously bleak. The mid-90s was like stepping into the light. There was investment, jobs, new schools and hospitals, everything just seemed new and fresh and bright. Great days!

Gowlett · 03/05/2025 22:57

Went to so many gigs…

I hate filming at concerts!

When someone post their shite video on FB…

I then know they’re a phone waving wanker.

Swipe left for the next trending thread