Oh! How time flies. The 90s was just a blink of an eye ago. Some argue that it was the best decade ever—a time of economic prosperity and new innocence, but everything is different now—but not necessarily in a bad way. These days we have the internet, social media, and even other types of inventions to thank for our current 21st-century life that we live in.
But for those who were around the 90s, you can probably still remember what things were like back then. Of all the wacky styles, mind-blowing technologies, and freaky fads, what were the best things to come out of the 90s? And what do you wish never existed?
Let’s take a run down memory lane by looking at these priceless memories worth remembering.
An Escape to the Reality
This thing right here is what we call the "View-Master." You might not see something like this nowadays, but during the 90s, it was a trendy item. The View-Master is a toy or learning device that allows you to look at static images through cardboard discs (aka view screens) which are placed against two small plastic lenses mounted on two frames or small hubs.
The toy was initially released in 1939 but gained popularity in the 1990s. It's like a movie theater, but run manually and seen up close. It's what kept kids entertained for hours. If you think about it, this toy wouldn’t be thought much of and would be pretty boring for children today. But back then, it was something most children would've adored having.
Every Photographers Must-Have
Let's be honest. Most folks, especially young people, couldn't relate to not seeing their faces in the photographs immediately after taking them. There were no instant selfies from your phones back then, and you'll have to get a camera with what was called "a film."
Today, where everything is digital, it's safe to say that some people won’t be familiar with camera film and the concept of being able to take self-portrait photos. Today's generation is more into taking selfies with their phones which are easy, fast, and conveniently accessible from your pocket.
CD Player
Nowadays, people use apps like Spotify or Apple Music to listen to music on their smartphones or laptops. People born in the 90s have seen technology evolve to this state in the short span of their lifetimes. It was the same period where CDs and CD players were introduced to the public, in addition to various VHS tapes and Walkmans.
For people born in the 1990s, there was a Walkman that looked like a disc. You were considered "a cool kid" if you'd carried one of those during that time. The Sony-created CD player was one of the most iconic products that Sony ever introduced. We're sure you have seen this in movies, on TV shows, and even on display at a museum.
Works of Art
Ah! The good all days. Remember when you needed to make a presentation for school? Nowadays, students can access different platforms to make their portfolios creative and appealing. It's a luxury that they take for granted. If you were a student in the '90s, you know you're go-to graphic design platform was the one and only "WordArt."
Since, at the time, it gave students a sense of graphic design proficiency, WordArt was something many kids took pride in, even though it isn't spectacular by today's standards. Using it was like using Microsoft Paint, except it had a variety of fonts and designs to choose from.
Multicolor Pens
Why bother buying a one-colored pen if you can buy a multicolor one? Oops, that was the mindset of whoever created this pen. Teens in the 90s—and probably adults—have tried this pen once or twice in their lives. You probably used this pen before or would've known someone who had.
It is a "multicolor pen" that allows you to change colors. All you have to do to use it is pick a color by pressing the top button. The good news is that we noticed this pen trending again today. We'll definitely get one since we weren't old enough to buy one with our own money before.
The Platform Flipflops
If there's one thing that is known about people in the 90s, it's their questionable fashion choices. Don't get us wrong, 90s fashion is not bad or ugly. It's just that it was all about having a unique style no matter what time of the day it was. Floppy hats, platform flip-flops, and colored hair were some of the many fads that kids and adults followed during that period.
Speaking of the platform flip-flops, if you’ve ever seen these pieces of footwear, then you would probably agree that it looks like a joke to us this day. It's unique but not practical. Have you seen the height of these things? They’re pretty weird. You won't see anyone wear those during grocery shopping.
The Iconic VHS
It goes without saying that VHS is now essentially obsolete. If you were around in the 90s, you might have experienced a time when one of your favorite movies stopped playing because the film tape within the cassette was damaged. But we can't deny that this one is a classic and will surely bring back many memories.
People used to buy movies on VHS or rent them from the video store. Remember renting movies, and then you had to return them by a certain time? The 90s were a golden era for people who love watching movies, but then again, now is also a good time to be alive with access to all the media in recorded history.
Sony Walkman
The Sony Walkman provided a way to listen to videocassette recordings while on the go before it was possible to stream music or even listen to CDs while moving around. Remember those days when you'd bring a Walkman with you on the bus or in your favorite jacket so that you could listen to your favorite music? Good times.
We can't deny how the Sony Walkman changed the way people listen to their favorite music. Thinking about it today, this Sony Walkman isn't that bad. People in the 90s certainly have good things to say about it, and we're saying the same thing now, aren't we? Sony Walkman was certainly a big part of our lives, and we are thankful for it.
Rent A Movie
Netflix? Disney Plus? Hulu? Are those theme parks or something? If we needed to watch a movie, we had Blockbuster Video in the 1990s. People who adore watching the classics would feel at home here. The memories definitely resurface when we look at the picture.
Except for one privately held outlet in Oregon, Blockbuster is no longer with us today. RIP. However, we still have our memories. Blockbuster was so named for a reason—customers sometimes had to wait in lines to enter the stores. Even though it is no longer here, we will never forget it.
The Haircuts We Never Needed
Most people in the 1990s thought the bowl-shaped hairstyle was trendy. They were no more well-liked at the time, but just like anything else, they eventually went out of style. We're not sure why this bowl-shaped hairstyle gained such popularity in the first place.
Our parents probably wanted to give us a more adorable look, but guys—it just didn’t work. We can remember the era when everyone had this haircut style, making us feel like we belonged to some cult or something.
Feed My Tamagotchi
People born in the 90s probably learned to be responsible pet owners thanks to Tamagotchi. We're not joking. Tamagotchi is an electronic pet that can be "fed" without the mess. If you take care of your Tamagotchi well enough, you can raise it to adulthood and have children if you're lucky enough (or if you played correctly).
But your pet will also die if you don't feed them. That is why we kids learn to be responsible with them. Tamagotchi isn't as bad as it looks, but it was very time-consuming. It did give kids a sense of responsibility and caring for someone other than themselves.
GameBoy Color
Do you remember playing with your Gameboy Color in the backseat? GameBoy is another entertainment device that most people in the 90s would enjoy. Its significance was that it was the first color portable game system to retain battery life for a long time. Of course, this was challenging since GameBoy had to avoid overheating.
Honestly, this portable game device was one of the best things that happened to kids in the 90s. It was very convenient and cool. And the best part? You could also play it anywhere you wanted. Thanks to this little guy, those long drives were never so bad.
Old-Fashioned Computers
Surprise! Yes, computers did exist in the 90s, but not the same kind that we enjoy today. They were very old-fashioned and clunky. Then again, you could carry them around and bring them everywhere if you wanted, since computers in the 90s weren’t so heavy compared to the last generation.
It was normal to see at least one computer in some houses during the 90s. They didn't really use them much, though, so it was hard to understand why people kept buying computers that were so big and heavy. Today, we have much smaller computers in our homes. Technology sure has made some great advancements over the years.
The Slinky Game
Have you seen this rainbow-colored thing? If not, then you've been missing out. This telephone wire-like toy gave us so many good memories. Its name was Slinky, and it was everywhere in the 90s. The slinky toy was something kids loved to play with at that time.
We can remember how often these toys became twisted, stuck, or damaged, limiting their lifespans and increasing our frustration. Of course, it happened a lot more often than we'd like to remember, but who cares? It was still fun to play with them.
Waterful Ring-Toss
If you think this game is simple, you're wrong. Trust us! Our patience was tested when playing this game. It was challenging—but at the same time, it was fun—a kind of entertainment that most kids nowadays would not appreciate. We really need one of these right now to ease the boredom.
Forget about mobile games, computer games, and whatever technological games we have right now. The Waterful Ring-Toss was one of the best games of the 90s. Just like the hoops in the water, the case itself was available in different colors and shapes.
The Skip It
Since the arrival of the internet, kids today are different. Back then, they usually went outside to play, enjoying nature at its finest. Since kids played outside a bit more than children nowadays, the '90s featured a wide variety of outdoor toys. But some of them are pretty dangerous, just like Skip It.
What would go wrong when playing this tiny game, you ask? Oh! Well, there are a few things that could happen. The most common ones are the user accidentally stepping on a sharp rock and getting injured. Many kids back then ended up with their faces on the pavement, but we can still say that this game bopped.
Tear-Free Shampoo
There was no such thing as tear-free shampoo, ladies and gents. You should always be cautious when using one because any shampoo that gets into your eyes will make you tear. You can try it for yourself if you want, but we suggest just avoiding the pain by being careful.
L'Oréal's fish-shaped shampoo bottles from the 1990s made this promise—but anyone could have known that it was an obvious lie. Nevertheless, the design, which turned them into bath toys, was a perfect marketing plan. Kudos to them, though their advertising was flawless.
Pokémon Cards
Oh! The golden era of Pokémon Cards, 90s kids will probably dive into it if they see one. You are a cool kid back then if you have legendary cards, like Charizard, Venusaur, and Blastoise. We can remember those cards so clearly since these cards were everywhere.
Everyone started collecting them, including us (ahh! how can we forget?). Of course, we wanted to catch 'em all. And we did it! These Pokémon Cards were something that 90s kids would enjoy hoarding away and playing with them to see, at the end of the week, which one was more powerful or who had more rare finds.
Furby Dolls
This cute little Furby doll was everywhere around the 90s. It was such a popular toy that kids would always want one. It was just so adorable to look at that we couldn't resist. The most common ones were the red and blue types. But, to be honest, we needed help identifying what it was in the first place. Is it a bird? Or something else?
Furbies really were a hit back then. Thanks to technology, real stuffed animals are rarely necessary for kids. But Furbies took the concept of toy animals and ran with it—they made plushy toys literally come to life—whether you were trying to sleep in the dead of night or not.
Glow in the Dark Stars
Nowadays, we have LED lights that change colors through a remote, but in the 90s, kids and adults enjoyed using glow-in-the-dark stars—which were much more convenient. You had to turn off your lights and watch the magic happen. Nothing could compare to the glow-in-the-dark stars you stick to your ceilings and walls.
The downside of using them was that they would sometimes fall because the tape wasn’t strong enough. Sometimes your paint would get damaged if you tried to take it off your wall or ceiling. Nonetheless, having glow-in-the-dark stars in your room was really fun.
The Goosebumps Books
Every 90s kid was always excited to curl up in bed and read a book. Many of us got into reading through Goosebumps. They were thrilling, mysterious, suspenseful, and just plain creepy. We took a chance when buying one of these books or any other Goosebumps titles—often, they would give us nightmares.
For 90s kids who don't know what the Goosebumps series was, it was a horror book series by R. L. Stine that ran for around 25 years before it eventually came to an end. But, to be fair, you can still purchase one nowadays at some book fairs.
The Inflatable Chair
Back in the 90s, people really enjoyed spending time at the parks and beach and generally enjoying themselves outdoors. They also had an abundance of playground equipment that they could use to make the most out of their day. We can remember our favorite inflatable chair for the way it made us feel. It was like floating on a cloud. So relaxing.
You probably wouldn't think about it now, but these chairs were very popular during the 90s. It's likely that this short craze only persisted because no one had yet realized how impractical they were. The chair, supported by air, was comfortable at first. But they quickly deformed after even a short time.
The Lava Lamps
The one big thing we miss from the 90s is the lava lamp. Who wouldn't want one? It's hypnotizing to see a dark room filled with all the effects cast by a lava lamp. In the 90s, these lamps were a massive hit. You'd see them almost anywhere.
It's likely that this one is still sold in stores because of the nostalgic design that makes kids and adults look back on the 90s fondly. No, we're not exaggerating about how cool these lamps were. They’re still available in certain stores. You might want to purchase one if you want to bring back that 90s vibe.
The "Vroom Vroom" VHS Tapes Rewinder
Of course, VHS Tapes would only work perfectly with VHS tape rewinders. Back in the 90s, we didn't just use it to rewind VHS tapes. We also played with them because they looked like toy cars! We would get scolded by our parents from time to time for doing so. How could we not?
So, how does this thing works? Tape rewinders were used to rewind finished tapes whenever necessary. With them, you couldn’t watch the tape again unless you had a special VCR player! Nowadays, you can press forward and rewind easily on digital media.
Taking Photos with Disposable Cameras
If you say 90s photography, you'll automatically think of disposable cameras. We carried them everywhere—in our bags, hanging from our necks, or even in our pockets. It was a big trend back then. We can remember going to parties and taking pictures using these things.
Disposable cameras are back nowadays, and many people love using them because of their authenticity. Having one of these old cameras might remind you of your time in the 90s before all the filters and effects when taking a photograph meant having to get them developed on the weekend.
Collecting Pogs
Pogs were so popular back in the 90s, so much so that they ended up being the favorite collectible toy. 90s kids loved them so much, but how could they not? Pogs were basically like trading cards. We still have some at home because we can't let go of them.
We still remember playing games with other kids with some of these Pogs. Nowadays, they might reappear while going through old things, and it's common to find them in second-hand stores. It's a great reminder of the 90s when we were kids.
The Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen Movies
We think that movies were more creative and innovative back in the 90s. But we really loved this movie series. We were deeply attached to these twins back when we were young. They were wholesome, family-friendly-fun in a box. Or a VHS tape, anyway.
Mary Kate and Ashley are now major figures in the fashion industry. And even though they've stepped away from the entertainment business, you can still watch one of their charming movies if you want to revisit your youth.
A Book of Picture Riddles
There are a bunch of things that you could do in the 90s without being connected to the internet—ever heard of I Spy? No? Well, it was pretty famous in the 90s. It was a book where you had to look for something on every page. In the 90s, I Spy was a huge hit.
You can still find copies of them on Amazon, but it's more likely that you will only find copies of the newer version of I Spy. We can't forget the great memories that came from playing with these books—they made us think and use our brains—and enjoy it!
Playing with Yo-Yos
We're sure you know or have heard about it from your friends or parents. It was probably the number-one trend back then. We can remember our favorite yo-yo, and we can still recall how old we were when it was first given to us. There were so many tricks you could pull with them. There are even competitions held for it.
If you know even a few basic tricks with a yo-yo, you were guaranteed a few “cool points” in the playground at school. You won’t see a lot of kids or adults playing with them anymore because there are just so many things to do today with technology that is more "fun." But this classic will never die in our memories.
The Moon Shoes
Moon Shoes were a lot of fun—they had some crazy features built into their soles. Who wouldn't want trampolines glued to their feet? That still sounds like a lot of fun to us as grownups. It may look crazy, but it's fun—if not a little dangerous.
Moon Shoes were the type of footwear that made you feel like you were flying. With the colorful straps and foam on the sole of your feet, you could easily bounce around. They were sold in stores everywhere back then, but there are still some versions of these Moon Shoes on Amazon.
The Hungry Hippos
OH! The good memories keep coming back. People in the 90s used to play this during their time together at parties or gatherings with friends or family. It was a lot of fun, as you probably already know. We think this party game might be one of the all-time greats. What do you think?
The plastic arena was surrounded by plastic hippo figurines that belonged to the players. Pushing the tail would cause it to extend its head onto the playing field, where it would capture marbles—or send them bouncing around to the other players. It was a hoot!
The Stick-On Earrings
Fashionistas in the 90s probably started with these stick-on earrings back then. They were easy to use and easy to remove. And who doesn't dig a style like this? These ear accessories make you feel more confident. It was something that was in style forever.
Many girls joined in this trend by making minor tweaks to their ears to make them appear fashionable—all without having to get their ears pierced. Just imagine all those 90s trendsetters walking around with these accessories at high school. They just have such a vintage vibe.
Bop It Extreme
This toy came out in 1996 and was so popular in the 90s! It was a great way to play with friends and family. You should've seen all those kids playing this together on the playground or in the commercials on TV. Many people love this game, for sure.
Bop It Extreme brought out more competitive play—like passing the controller from one player to another after each turn. What do you think? We really miss these toys. Ironically, Bop It has gone through a lot of changes over the years. We wonder what the latest version looks like!
The Kidz Bop
Technically, Kidz Bop wasn't broadcasted on the radio in the 90s, but it became part of 90s kids' lives. It featured children singing covers of pop songs. We grew up listening to them because they sang the hits from a kid's point of view, which made the music feel extra special to us.
We still remember all the lyrics today when we hear our favorite songs. Some of you might be reminded of the Kidz Bop commercials that used to run in the commercial breaks between our favorite television programs. There were actually dozens of volumes of Kidz Bop. We certainly miss seeing them.
Get You Some Slap Bracelets
Back then, getting one of those was a big deal. We were pretty into them. It's just another 90s trend that we yearn to see once again. Slap bracelets were trendy in the 1990s. They were small bands you wrapped around your wrist and slapped other people’s wrists.
We see some of these bracelets are being sold in stores today—so if you're curious, you can grab one for yourself. They were a must-have when heading to school. Honestly, we’re having a little trouble remembering why they were so much fun. We guess they were just fun to slap onto your wrist.
Bomber Jackets
This jacket became a HUGE hit in the 90s, all thanks to Tom Cruise, who wore it in his movie Top Gun. We admit that it was something that we wanted to have. It became a signature piece of clothing that made the 90s boys look cool. Seeing this type of clothing makes us feel nostalgic. Why can’t they invent the time machine already?
We are so happy that bomber jackets are still trendy nowadays. Many celebrities still wear them. It may be the one type of clothing that didn’t go out of style from this time. Who wouldn't want to keep that particular piece of clothing in their wardrobe?
The Fanny Packs
Another fashion trend from the 90s that is coming back in this era is the fanny pack. This pack was a big hit back then—some just wore it for fun, but others used them to carry important junk. We thought they were only a girl's thing, but then again, we were probably wrong because they look great on men as well.
What about this thing says “girl” anyway? In any case, fanny packs are so much more convenient than the traditional purse. You can bring almost anything with you. It's a must-have for those who travel a lot. We'll definitely grab one of these if we ever see them being sold!
Flannel Shirts
Plaid flannel shirts? If you're wondering if this shirt style is still on-trend, the answer is a resounding yes. Not only are they practical, but they also come in so many colors and styles that you'll find one type to suit you. This kind of fashion should be a “yes” for everyone.
There are many ways to wear flannel shirts. They work for formal occasions, like weddings and proms, or casual ones. Flannel shirts come in different patterns, such as plaid, florals, and more. Most people tend to wear these without a shirt underneath. A great artifact from the 90s!
Scrunchies
Beauty and fashion trends are cyclical, so we tend to go back to the styles from past decades. For example, people have already seen the return of scrunchies, a popular trend in the 1990s. You can guarantee that any high school girl or one who appeared on a TV show at any time wore a scrunchie.
Scrunchies are awesome because they're multipurpose hair accessories. They can allow you to both pull your hair back or give it some volume and texture. You can keep a single scrunchie in your hair or add more than one if you want more oomph.
The "Overall" Trend
No, we’re not talking about 90s fashion “overall.” We’re talking about the blue denim trend in the 90s that became so popular with girls. They had this "cute and sexy" feel, making them a great fashion statement for both men and women.
The “one strap off-the-shoulder” style was distinctly '90s. Yes, it was cute and girly—but that’s why we liked it! Most of us remember overalls as practical pants that allow us comfort while we paint or do joinery. However, we say there are many ways to wear them—the decade did produce a lot of useful, fashionable apparel!