From burnt CDs of Alanis Morrissette’s anguished ballads spinning on repeat in a Discman, to cargo pants and chunky skate shoes, the '90s was a serious vibe. Dipping into the decade of nostalgia, Yellowjackets on Paramount+ is back for another nail-biting season. In case you missed the hype (and soundtrack) of the first season, the TLDR is this: a wildly talented high school girls' soccer team survive a plane crash deep in the remote Canadian wilderness, descending into savage clans trying to stay alive. The show regularly jumps forward 25 years later to present day as we see the survivors attempting to piece together their lives.
If season one is anything to go by, the latest instalment is set to have a cracking soundtrack full of '90s bangers and promises to be weirder, darker, and even more intense—having watched most of the first season through our fingers, we have a hunch that this one’s sure to be a ripper.
To celebrate the series' return for a second season, we’ve sussed six of the best ways to embrace '90s in 2023. Take note.
Fill Your Ears With Nostalgia
The '90s was a cracking decade for its mix of moody tunes. Every genre got a spotlight–Alanis Morrissette’s soul-nourishing bangers, smooth hip hop from TLC, headbangers from the Red Hot Chili Peppers, pop gems from Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera, and of course the world’s introduction to Queen Bey with Destiny’s Child.
In outstanding news, recent revival tours from the Backstreet Boys and Bikini Kill have ignited the spark for some of our old favourites to grace our ears IRL. Upcoming gigs include national tours from Ice Cube, Cypress Hill and The Game, The Corrs, and Weird Al Yankovic (for those looking for a truly chaotic flavour).
If you want to bless your ears immediately, pop on Yellowjacket’s season one playlist, the perfect mix of vibing beats, feat. Hole, Salt-n-Pepa and The Offspring. It’s the best way to dive back into the '90s ASAP.
The Ultimate '90s Category—Fashion
From street style to the threads gracing celebs like Kaia Gerber and Zendaya, '90s fashion has found its way into 2023 wardrobes and we’re not mad about it. Not sure how to get amongst it? Alice headbands (the chunkier the better), scrunchies, claw clips, DIY jewellery (think colourful thin beads) and chokers (preferably leather) are the way to inject some '90s feels up top. Mirco minis hit Miu Miu’s runway last year and are now firmly back in our wardrobe rotation, as are silk slip dresses and cardigans—either cropped or slightly undone—best paired with some low-rise cargo pants. On your feet, you can’t go wrong with a trusty pair of Doc Martens. If you’re looking for more inspo, simply Google “Cameron Diaz, Claire Danes, Brandy and Jennifer Aniston in the '90s”.
Rewind To Pre-Naughties Tech
Wind the clock back to simpler times when you didn’t have to stress about uploading your TikTok fit check. We’re going old school, baby, and embracing the beauty of brick phones that can only be used for texts, phone calls and the odd game of Snake. While the Nokia 3315 will always own our hearts, the humble Flip is your best bet for retaining some 21st-century luxuries.
Long before Spotify and Apple Music, just about the sweetest gesture you could do for a mate or your crush was to curate a mix of beats on a CD—with the song names written on the actual CD with a Nikko of course. If you really want to dig deep into the nostalgia, pop said sentimental CD into a walkman—yes you can still find them on eBay.
Raid The Back Of Your Beauty Cupboard
From Pamela Anderson’s thin eyebrows to Kate Moss’ barely-there makeup, we can't escape the '90s influence. While 2022 was all about the '90s supermodel look (contouring and rich brown shades on our lips and lids), 2023 will skew more towards grunge. Think smudged, sooty black eyeliner, lashings of sheer lip gloss and chocolate lip liners. Keep your eyes peeled for inspo from the smokey-eyed teenage Natalie in Yellowjackets, portrayed by the enduringly cool, Sophie Thatcher.
If you’re after some inspo, Hunter Schafer, Kristen Stewart and Emma Chamberlain are all embracing it. As for your locks, face-framing tendrils and high updos à la Pamela Anderson will be popular in 2023. As will a modern version of ‘The Rachel’, Jennifer Aniston’s game-changing haircut. Shaggier than the OG, celebs like Jenna Ortega have been rocking this one.
Surround Yourself With Nods To The '90s
Were you even a '90s kid if your bedroom walls weren’t adorned with posters of your fave band, a beanbag in the corner and strings of fairy lights wrapped around your bed’s headboard? If you were really lucky, you’d fall asleep to the soft glow of a lava lamp. In 2023, you can tap into the '90s at home with pops of neon in accessories like candles, coffee table books and vases in interesting shapes. Forget plain white walls, bright wallpaper paired with clashing patterns will perfectly capture the fun of '90s style.
Connect Through Your Tastebuds
Lunchboxes in the '90s were top-tier. Think Tiny Teddies (a new Tiny Teddies cereal has just dropped), LCM Bars (sickly sweet marshmallow rice puffs, revisit with caution), Fruit Roll-Ups and, of course, Dunkaroos—vanilla cookies that you’d dunk in a cup of icing. The once-defunct snack was recently brought back by popular demand, so now you can now relive the '90s sugary snack (in moderation, of course). To really lean into the nostalgia, create a snack board with all of the above for your mates while watching season two of Yellowjackets, just add some classic deli hams (mortadella for the win) and pour a round of vanilla Cokes—the '90s are calling, don’t let it go to voicemail.
The perfect mix of thrills, drama and dark comedy, grab the Tiny Teddies, get cosy and stream Yellowjackets season two on Paramount+ now.
Images:
Editor’s note: This article is sponsored by Paramount+ and proudly endorsed by Urban List. Thank you for supporting the sponsors who make Urban List possible. Click here for more information on our editorial policy.