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Rusted Revolution: Fashion-Forward 90’s Icons

Her Campus Placeholder Avatar Lucy McBride
Her Campus Placeholder Avatar Lesley Burr
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at BC chapter.

 

Allow us to introduce ourselves:  Our names are Lucy McBride 
and Lesley Burr. We’re two bloggers with a love for fashion, among other things.  Our site, Rusted Revolution, began as a side project – a hobby through which we could channel our observations on fashion, music, travel, food, and the arts, sharing them with whomever cared to look. Since RR’s birth in early September 2010, a growing Internet following has encouraged us to provide our readers with consistent news, trends, and reflections in the vast realm that is pop culture.
 

Whether you’re a girl group fanatic, a vampire slayer, or a punk-rock princess, these 90’s icons are sure to inspire, if not by fashion, than by attitude and accomplishment.  These lovely ladies allow us to look back on our childhoods with pride and look to how the masses will continue their fashion legacies in the future.

Buffy Summers from Buffy the Vampire Slayer has been a style icon of ours for years, and probably always will
be.  For one thing, she’s totally badass.  She gets all the boys (Spike > Angel, by the way), and can kill a savage beast without so much as breaking a nail, all while making hilariously witty comments.  Not to mention she’s got impeccable style.  She’s the perfect mix of girly and grunge, California cool and Neo Goth, function and fashion.  Girl knows where it’s at – she’s mastered the art of matching delicate feminine tops with durable leather pants and heavy jackets.  She can go from killing a vampire to killing it on the dance floor at The Bronze, and all she needs to do is ditch that blood-stained coat.  She can get away with chopping off her luscious locks and rocking an edgy bob.  And remember that time Buffy was at the Sunnydale bank wearing a super tight maxi skirt?  She’s a master of fashion DIY as well – all she needed was a letter opener and voilĂ !  She not only had transformed her skirt into an even sexier one with slits up the side, but she delivered one hell of a roundhouse kick right to a demon/robber’s face.
 


Flatforms are making a comeback this summer, and we have geishas (or more recently, the Spice Girls) to thank for this trend.  In fact, the Spice Girls were responsible for many a trend in my 3rd grade wardrobe – pleather, fur-trimmed collars, blue leopard print jeans, patriotic prints, platforms, mini skirts, feather boas, and colored hair mascara.  As one of the most successful girl pop groups to ever exist, each member had her own unique personality.  Baby was sweet and girly, Ginger was pin-up worthy and sultry, Posh was fashion-forward and edgy, Scary was wild and loud, and Sporty was down-to-earth and athletic.  With a style for everyone, how could a girl not relate to at least one of the group members?  Though the girl group may not be together anymore, their style lives on in the trends seen on the runway these past couple of seasons.

 


Bold red lips.  Bleach blonde hair.  KILLER abs.  Only one 90’s icon comes to mind… the one, the only:  Gwen Stefani.  Gwen hit the music scene when she joined popular ska band No Doubt in 1986.  She was instantly commended for her quirky and innovative fashions, many which she designed and constructed herself.  With pieces like combat boots, heavy gold hardware, crop tops, cargo pants, and knee highs, every one of Gwen’s outfits expertly and effortlessly fused military and punk while highlighting her feminine assets.  Gwen’s self-confidence and unique sartorial vision resulted in the launch of L.A.M.B. in 2004:  a clothing and accessories line reflecting Stefani’s love for Japanese, Jamaican, and Guatemalan styles.  While Gwen’s style has definitely evolved, she has remained true to her original image in many ways.  We at RR often find ourselves thinking, “What would Gwen wear?” especially when faced with the challenge of incorporating or experimenting with a rather daring piece or trend.  Gwen has endured the past couple decades as a fashion icon, and we have no doubt (get it? HAHA) that she will continue to do so.

 
Photo Sources:
http://www.hanscomfamily.com/page/223/
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-464583/Spice-Girls-need-power-boost-weak-voices.html
http://spin1038.com/category-entertainment/entertainment-news/gwens-all-grown-up/

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Lucy McBride is the co-founder and writer of Rusted Revolution, a fashion, music, and arts blog she maintains with Lesley Burr. Born and raised in Long Island, New York, Lucy developed an early eye for the arts which inspired her to relocate to a bigger city, where she attended Marymount School of New York in Manhattan. In 2007 Lucy enrolled in Boston College to pursue a French major and an International Studies Minor with a concentration in Global Cultural Studies. Lucy has since perfected her French language skills and gained a strong understanding of Italian. Through various courses in International Studies, she has developed a strong understanding of the cultural, literary, economic, and political undertones of places such as Rome, where she lived and studied for a spring semester. Between her travels through Eastern and Western Europe, Lucy studied Art History, Italian, Opera, and Photography in Rome. In 2007 and 2008, Lucy worked as a U.S. Beauty Marketing Intern for Avon Products, Inc. within their Wellness division; here, she played an active role in the formulation, design and promotion of Avon Wellness products, as well as served as a company correspondent. Since the fall of 2008, Lucy has worked as a Sales Associate for Free People Boston during the school year and Free People Roosevelt Field during winter and fall breaks. As a member of the Free People community, Lucy plays an integral part in sales, customer service, marketing, and visual design. She has achieved the title of “Top Selling Associate” several times. Lucy is passionate about style as an individual art form which encourages individuality, expression, and inspiration. Her guilty pleasures include watching reality television, red velvet cake, and updating her ridiculous large and cumbersome perfume collection.
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