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Does anyone remember this style?

274 replies

Pheasantlysurprised · 09/11/2021 16:52

I used to wear this stuff when I was 16-21, (which would have been 1990 onwards) we also bought army surplus rucksacks and embroidered into them, usually peace symbols and ban the bomb.. The skirts often had little mirrors on and were very long and swishy!

We wore patchouli oil or sandalwood and due to being in the north we shopped mostly at Afflecks Palace in Manchester. We loved the Stone Roses, The Doors, The Smiths, Velvet Underground, etc. Glastonbury was very different then, no paps or celebs in Hunter wellies all over it.

I also wore those very long tiny necklaces made up of thousands of multicoloured beads. When one snapped, as they invariably would, you could still find random beads near the skirting boards 20 yrs later Grin
We wore the dyed tights and woven bracelets.

Anyway I saw these items on ebay and it was such a blast from the past. It is amazing how the sensorial element of a particular time can crash back in.

And not forgetting the Docs. I still wear those. I still wear long skirts but don't reek of patchouli (prefer Guerlain) and prefer more minimal designs/fabrics and colours nowadays.
We didnt call it 'hippy' but it was classed as alternative, to a point. I mean, we used to hold burning joysticks in nightclubs whilst swaying around dreamily when The Sunday's were playing......

Does anyone remember this style?
Does anyone remember this style?
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Pheasantlysurprised · 09/11/2021 16:54

ahem, joss sticks.

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BasiliskStare · 09/11/2021 16:56

@Pheasantlysurprised I remember Affleck's Palace . Ha ha - truly a blast from the past - Also Laurence Corner near the Camden Palace where you could buy black army trousers for a song - useful when had no money Ah - the days Grin

FindingMeno · 09/11/2021 17:00

Oh that is a blast from my youth!

Pheasantlysurprised · 09/11/2021 17:02

the incense was most memorable!

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tunainatin · 09/11/2021 17:05

Oh yes, that was my look in the 90s too 😊

Floisme · 09/11/2021 17:16

Oh dear .... that was my look too, only it was 20 years earlier, when Affleck and Browns was a rather fusty department store GrinI swear I had that same bag and skirt though.

Did you wear clogs and a shawl too or did they not make it out of the 70s?

BasiliskStare · 09/11/2021 17:21

No one else did the black army trousers with pockets ? ha ha ha - I was not a patchouli girl but definitely up for cheap clothes - I may be ( ahem ) slightly older than the rest of you Grin More early 80s

bizboz · 09/11/2021 17:23

Ah yes, the little mirrors. I lived near Brighton as a teen in the 90s and my friends and I used to spend many happy hours at the weekend hunting down anything with mirrors and tassels in little incense-filled boutiques. You could always buy mood rings or silver jewellery with enormous skulls on them too!

Saucery · 09/11/2021 17:24

My grandparents gave me a cheque for going off to Uni. I bought a wooden incense holder and one of those bags with sparkly mirrors on it, conveniently ignoring the fact I know they intended it to buy books for my course Grin
Henna paste from the Body Shop too

TheYearOfSmallThings · 09/11/2021 17:28

Oh yes - happy days! We had a shop near me called Shree and even after you washed the clothes they would smell of patchouli, sandalwood and joss sticks.

I used to jingle gently when I walked due to the tiny silver bells on everything Grin

LateMumma · 09/11/2021 17:31

Oh wow yes! I was in Liverpool in the late 80s and early 90s, and everything had mirrors and tassels on it. I can even smell that slightly musty smell from those bags!

Pheasantlysurprised · 09/11/2021 17:35

Hair was rarely straightened either, the wilder the better. There were varying levels of.....dedication, I suppose I was on the milder end. I never wore patchwork and didnt like striped tights.

Don't recall clogs though. It was usually cherry docs or converse here.
There was a really dreamy, floaty element to it, I remember one girl (aptly named Layla) had a very neat short bob with a perfectly cut fringe, she was quite petite but wore the longest most flowing clothes in all manner of bohemian patterns. She had the cat eyeliner and such large blue eyes - I wonder if she still has the look...She would have looked perfect in an indie band line up. Does anyone recall the band 'Lush'? Like that!

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NoraLuka · 09/11/2021 17:35

I remember the little mirrors! I so hope they make a comeback.

BlameItOnTheBlackStar · 09/11/2021 17:37

Yes, although I mostly lived in smelly stuff from the army surplus shop, and oversized Radiohead/James/Nirvana shirts. And smoked Marlboro Red incessantly.

Ah those were the days...

user6367377 · 09/11/2021 17:40

Oh gosh yes, I am old aren’t I

Classica · 09/11/2021 17:41

I love Lush but don't really associate them with that look. I loved Miki Berenyi's vivid red hair. It was so leftfield (to me at least) whereas these days dyeing your hair crazy colours is very mainstream.

Bands I associate with your look would be The Levellers and Ozric Tentacles. New Age Travellers and trying to fight the Criminal Justice Bill. Smile

GoodnightGrandma · 09/11/2021 17:42

I’m too old to have had one of those, but we did buy school bags from the army surplus store and write all over them.

IAmTheLovechildOfYvesAndIsabel · 09/11/2021 17:48

I'm still pretty gutted about a jacket I nearly bought from Afflecks Palace in '93 but my "friend" André talked me out of it. I know he was just worried we wouldn't have enough for a taxi home later that night, the bugger!
My best friend dressed exactly like this, she had some great skirts and went to great lengths to get her hands on a pair of non leather Doc's, I don't think she'd have any problems getting "vegan" boots now but I remember her having to wait ages.
We met in college and all her friends dressed in this style, I think they used to take the piss out of me a bit in my raver/club stuff. I mean I'd moved on from the whistle but there were a lot of flares and t shirts from the kids dept and vintage Adidas!
Seeing all this really reminds me of my BFF and some really happy times! Thank you OP.x
Also makes me think that there were lots of different ways to dress back then.

BusterGonad · 09/11/2021 17:48

It was affectionately know as the Jitter look. Olive green DMs, black leggings and a floaty tie dyed blouse with mirrors on for me.

LittleWingSoul · 09/11/2021 18:12

New Age Hippie.
There were shops selling lots of incense things, rag rugs, wind chimes and the likes. This was the era I grew up in too and still yearn for it a bit!

SallyOMalley · 09/11/2021 18:18

✋ this was me!

I had a skirt just like that. I used to wear it with Chinese velvet slippers - sort of mary Jane style with a strap over the top . And docs too, of course.

I had a bag which I loved: a burnt orange duffle embroidered with patchwork elephants and, yes, little mirrors.

I had a green suede vintage waistcoat which I wore to death - wish I still had that.

Lots of heavy, dangle pewter earrings and black eyeliner.

When at uni, It was either this look or the raver / baggy trousers and tight tees which was just coming in

I work in a uni, and the baggy jeans are definitely back!

Pheasantlysurprised · 09/11/2021 18:21

Oh! Never heard of the jitter look, we were just referred to as 'indie' around this neck of the woods.

I still have a rag rug, although it is more contemporary from urban outfitters a few yrs ago. Very hard wearing and can be popped in the washer!

I saw the Levellers at Glastonbury, they were a lovely bunch and offered me a bottle of water and a cig Blush I loved their stuff, the writing still means a lot to me now : at one gig the fiddle player left the stage and came around to dance with us all. Good times.

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Pheasantlysurprised · 09/11/2021 18:23

Haha, elephants were definitely a thing, I had two. incense holders which were made out of marble in little elephant shapes.

I want some Chinese velvet slippers now to go with my Toast gown.

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1990s · 09/11/2021 18:26

@NoraLuka

I remember the little mirrors! I so hope they make a comeback.
GrinGrin
Fridafever · 09/11/2021 18:26

Yes, although I mostly lived in smelly stuff from the army surplus shop, and oversized Radiohead/James/Nirvana shirts. And smoked Marlboro Red incessantly.

This was me too!