Many people who lived through the 1990s will tell you it was a golden age of technology, peace, and pop culture. ‘90s buffs can name their favorite clothes, shows, movies, music, slang, and celebrities faster than you can say “whassup!” But were the ‘90s truly such a golden age, or do we view it through the rose-colored glasses of nostalgia? These six facts will guide us on a journey through the decade, so we can either treasure our memories or give the ‘90s a fresh look.
6 ‘90s Facts
1. Jennifer Aniston hated her famous haircut on Friends. (Source)
Ah, Friends… the quintessential ‘90s sitcom. Many ‘90s chicks ran to their nearest Supercuts to ask their stylist for “the Rachel,” a voluminous, cropped haircut, reminiscent of a ’60s beehive but with a ’90s flair in the form of chunky highlights. Jennifer Aniston’s character, Rachel, immortalized this haircut, but apparently Jennifer herself wasn’t a fan. She called it “the ugliest haircut I’ve ever seen.”
2. A gallon of gas was around $1.30 throughout the ‘90s. (Source)
It’s an objective fact that gas prices were much lower in the ‘90s than they are today. In general, the cost of living was lower in the ‘90s, with consumers spending about $32,264 a year. These days, consumers need to spend over $55,000 a year to buy the essentials.
3. After years of tension between African American residents and the Los Angeles PD, the LA Riots broke out in 1992. (Source)
It’s inaccurate to paint the ‘90s as a time with no upheaval, social tensions, or violence. Footage of an officer beating Rodney King sparked the outbreak of the LA riots. This is the same type of issue that fuels today’s riots and protests against police brutality.
4. We had a second British invasion in the ‘90s. (Source)
The ‘90s gave us two British pop culture icons: The Spice Girls and Harry Potter. The Spice Girls were an ultra-popular girl band group with super danceable tunes that captured hearts the world over. The Harry Potter novel series captured the imaginations of many children and became a mainstay in fantasy fiction. British pop culture was as popular in the ‘90s as it was in the time of the Beatles.
5. Individualism shaped the ‘90s entertainment landscape. (Source)
The ‘90s featured a range of popular and alternative genres in music, television, and fashion, each of which had its moment in the sun. Hip Hop caught fire in the ‘90s, but the Dixie Chicks made sure Country had a moment too. R&B from the ‘90s had a special sound that devotees still listen to today. In terms of rock and alternative music and fashion, Nirvana spawned the grunge movement, which transitioned from subculture to pop culture. As for television, the ‘90s were rife with material for geeks like The X-Files, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and a slew of cartoons that appealed to adults and children alike, from South Park to Ren and Stimpy to Beavis and Butthead to Rugrats.
6. The ‘90s had the most popular slang. (Source)
Americans wish we could revive the slang of the ‘90s with popular favorites that include “rad,” “gnarly,” “wassup,” “chillax”, “da bomb,” and “booyah!”
Featured image photo credit: Phúc Phạm
