Grunge never gets old: Here’s why the 90s fashion trend is a thing in 2022 too

A plaid-shirt, graphic tee and wide-legged denim jeans is all you need in your wardrobe to rock a grunge look. A fashion fad with its origins in the 1980s and 90s United States' hard rock music culture, grunge is all about the unkempt look in clothes, which largely de-emphasise the body silhouette. In 2022, one can see the revival of these aesthetics in Indian fashion markets, where ripped jeans, shirts, chunky combat boots and all kinds of baggy T-shirts rule the shopper's mind.

A timeless trend characterised by thrifting, comfort and durability, grunge fashion is the most perfect fit for both GenZs, who are experimental and bold, and the millennial adults, who are living away in the nostalgia of their favourite rock bands like Nirvana and Pearl Jam, who greatly popularised the trend with their "do not care" attitude in T-shirts, baggy denims, sweatshirts and sneakers during their live performances.

As Amar Pawar, chief fashion designer and co-founder of Powerlook Apparels, states, fashion always repeats after a few years and vintage aesthetics always have a certain kind of nostalgia and quality of attractiveness to them, which are preferred by the youthfulness of the young.

According to Jeevika Tyagi, co-founder and CEO of Aastey, designers are bringing back the edgy uncoordinated style on the runway more than 30 years later. The Fall 2022 runways saw many of the grunge staples like shredded and torn denim, flannel and plaid styles accessorised with combat boots, choker necklaces, knit beanies, and chunky sunglasses.

Distinguishing features
In recent years, we have seen a comeback of a number of styles popular in the 80s and 90s. May it be the 2000s or Japanese Kawaii or the obsession with high-rise pants and Korean fashion, there is an evident blend of dishevelled aesthetics from the golden age of popular music and street cultures in the west, which had a predominant influence on Asian countries in the era of globalisation.

While there is a combination of these styles, Pawar says the most distinguishing element of grunge is ‘layering'. "If you have three favourite outfits, for example, you may wear them all together in this way as long as they are all in muted hues and are worn with attitude," he says.

One can go about pairing short-sleeved T-shirts over long-sleeved ones and a flannel shirt always comes as a saviour as another layering item, which looks cool over T-shirts and cute crop-tops. The rebellious characteristic of grunge fashion is synonymous with the general sentiments of young GenZ teens and adults, who do not shy away from wearing their political views on their sleeves and fashion often becomes a method to make a statement.

Amid embellished crop tops and shirts or floral and printed shirts, ripped and torn jeans, damaged or threadbare clothes end up becoming the easiest choice of the youth, especially for those who are not into giving into excessive materialism and consumerism.

Tyagi confirms this, saying, "Grunge style comes from a philosophy of individualism and freedom. So, while grunge gives comfort, it also gives us bolder choices for experimentation. This need to mix comfort with bolder styles has definitely given a boost to the grunge look."

‘Comfort fashion and economical'
Two years of the Covid-19 pandemic has rendered many exhausted, mentally and physically, and the overall perspective towards fashion has shifted towards prioritising comfort over flaunting style in discomfort. Similar to the athleisure trend, which is a major fad now, grunge is also about comfort and getting rid of complexities or any fuss.

"They are also comfortable for everyday wear and have the versatility to double up as a cool edgy night look when teamed with the right clothing. They are more like - "don't care what people think of you" type of clothes," says Pawar.

As people gear up to travel more, wearing something comfortable and easily available is what people are opting for. It's always cool to pick up a loose T-shirt, wear a plaid shirt over it and move out in your regular denims.

Moreover, this is economical for many youngsters too, who do not really earn that much to spend on expensive clothes or fabrics. As Tyagi puts it, "grunge celebrates the disorganised and the carefree". She quotes designer Jean Paul Gaultier, who in 1993 said to Vogue in an interview, "Grunge is nothing more than the way we dress when we have no money."

Tyagi and Pawar share grunge style tips:

Printed T-shirts
These are one's essentials. Whether over-sized, baggy or something just fits right, it's always good to have basics or graphic T-shirts in multiple colours in your wardrobe. You can pair them with plaid shirts, denims, cargos and comfortable shirts or other baggy pants.

Plaid shirts
As we have already mentioned, oversized plaid shirts are a fundamental element of the grunge look. Get a camisole top with an oversized plaid T-shirt to get you started in the grunge look. Wear it open and be on your way to fulfil your rock god fantasy.

Wide-leg ripped pants
Again as a blast from the past, distressed washed denim is one of the major affordable grunge staples. Get yourself some ripped jeans with graphic T-shirts and loose plaid shirts and you will have formed a strong grunge style look to improve on your street rep.

Chunky combat boots and chokers
So, what do we have? Oversized plaid shirts, distressed denims and messy hair. If you want to go grunge from head-to-toe then finish it off with some chunky combat boots and choker. Adding a masculine tone to the outfit, the combat boots will effortlessly balance the gothic choker. If you are not that into boots, then you can always go for the cute platform or loafers to seal the deal.

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