90s Britpop Fashion
If you quickly scan through pages of all leading lifestyle magazines, you will definitely notice that 90s Britpop fashion celebrates a big comeback this season. The re-discovery of Britpop is probably as revealing as finding out that Nirvana actually played only three chords. In other words - everybody who has ears and eyes can see that. Even though it’s been a long time since the ‘cool 90s’, Britpop has never really disappeared from the British street culture, nor from the mindset of individuals. Noel Gallagher and his cool kids have put the Union Jack in fashion for a lifetime.
90s Britpop Fashion became an answer to something that the UK was desperately longing for. A strong movement which would make young Brits proud of being British and return everything that was taken away by the long and frustrating period of Thatcherism. There wasn’t any chance that the American grunge wave could reflect lifestyle and experience of young Britons and the ever so distant Seattle scene couldn’t beat the glory vibe of swinging Camden.
Regional English accents soon became a feature of authentic Britpop bands and a popularity war between Oasis and Blur managed to separate the whole country in a metaphorical battle between the rough north and the affluent south. Musicians weren’t considered as awkward artist figures any more, they were turned into opinion makers, fashion icons and class symbols. Oasis stood as the leaders of the young, working class generation, whereas the ‘Ivy League boys’ - Blur, who met each other at uni, were thought of as their well educated polar opposite. Both were strong enough to become a voice of the 90’s generation.
Getting the 90s Britpop Fashion look wasn’t difficult. Football tops, vintage tracksuit sweatshirts, Fred Perry polos, Harrington jackets and olive green parkas created an amazing mix of typical lad/university geek and maybe even the embarrassing 70’s uncle look. The image was so universal that it could even appeal to Tony Blair’s ‘Cool Britannia’ political campaign in 1997.
Britpop bands referred to everything that was British and precious. The Mod heritage and the 80s Stone Roses sound played a key role. The good old days were somewhat spiced up with completely new features. Cocaine combined with outrageous consumption of alcohol became a new part of London’s indie scene which was clearly represented by the Gallagher brothers and Damon Albarn’s face who added extra testimony to his crack addiction.
The message of the 90s Britpop Fashion scene at it’s peak was much stronger than just an invention of new music, fashion and drugs. It allowed boys to be boys and encouraged girls to refuse girlyness. England was reminded of its own unique way of doing things and the door to the American mainstream pop-culture was slammed shut. Britpop meant that there was a golden future for all those kids who knew the patriotic anthem of ‘God Save the Queen’ but only to the unpatriotic version from the Sex Pistols.
But why do lifestyle magazines expect that 90s Britpop Fashion may be addressing young identities again? Who knows. But I do know one thing, being 20-something is not an easy path to take in the current social climate which we are all genuinely tired of. We are so exhausted of all those responsibilities which were laid down upon our shoulders by the modern cult of youth and fed up with being completely invisible in society, whose voice of a generation is not music, but money...Maybe that's why 90s Britpop Fashion is on the rise once again.
Sabine Kejlova
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