Spring fashion banks on the mid-'90s

Spring fashion banks on the mid-'90s

This spring, grunge is making a comeback of its own

Christine Laskowski China Daily Publication Date : 25-03-2010

IZZUE employee, Lucas, explains why grunge is back in this spring at the outlet's Raffles City location.

In 1994-5 an American teenage television drama called My So-Called Life (episodes are available on Youku.com) made a deep impact on my adolescent self. What I loved about the programme were the issues the show addressed, topics that seemed pretty radical for prime time television at the time: acceptance of gays, drugs, premarital sex. Watching it now as an adult, what really jumps out more than ever is just how dated the fashions seem. Few television shows and films (music videos are a different story) really capture just how much grunge made its way into our closets, and our CD collections after Seattle grunge bands such as Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Soundgarden stormed into the mainstream. Angsty Angela Chase's dark flannel shirts and rebel Rayanne Graff's ripped jeans, tasty Jordan Catalano's leather jackets all made an impact. In those formative years, I looked to those characters for fashion advice and altered my wardrobe accordingly. If Rayanne was wearing denim overalls with a flannel shirt over it, well, then so did I. Like, duh. It gives me great pleasure to announce that this spring, grunge is making a comeback of its own. It's not as, well, grungy, as its original self. Rather, it's politely modified with brighter colours and splashes of studded accessories and sequins here and there. For those of us ladies who prefer a slightly more femmy look, there are options. The hallmarks of grunge are all there: Studded belts and purses, torn jeans, hats, baggy shirts and mid-length shorts, not to mention lots of blacks and leathers, flannels, hats and scarves. IZZUEs collection, more than any other, truly harks back to the era with baggy midlength shorts, hats, baggy shirts and tank tops, and lots of punk accessories including leather studded boots, purses, belts, vests, skirts, you name it. Motivi offers more in the studded accessories department, adding tough, rugged flair to any outfit. Bersheka's got walls of tattered, stone-washed jeans and country flannels (199 yuan). Zara's pretty ho-hum, clothing-wise this season, but it has really done well with its footwear this season: leather bondage pumps (399 yuan) and Egyptian sandals (399 yuan) H&M does well in the way of flashy gold sequined vests (249 yuan), a denim bodice dress mini (299 yuan), and short-sleeved knit sweaters. Mango offers denim overalls (569 yuan).