Inspiration: 90s Minimalism

Hey everyone,

Kate Moss, 90s ad

Naomi Cambell, Linda Evangelista, Tatjana Patitz, Christy Turlington, and Cindy Crawford shot by Peter Lindenberg 1989

Naomi Cambell, Kate Moss, and Christy Turlington at a fashion show in the 90s

Kate Moss and Johnny Depp (weren’t they such a cute couple?!)

Carolyn Bessette Kennedy and John F. Kennedy Jr. (another one of my favorite couples) at an event in New York c. 1998

A few notes on minimalism:

Minimalism of the 90s was essentially, a palette cleansing from the excess of the eighties. Big shoulders, big hair, and loud colors made way for clean, simple shifts in neutral colors, classic suits, and basic t-shirts. Calvin Klein popularized the look with his ads featuring supermodel Kate Moss, wearing nothing but a pair of Calvins or a white t-shirt. Designers like Phoebe Philo of Celine are bringing back this stripped-down, classic look.

How to get the look:

1. Buy classic, simple pieces in the best quality you can afford. You’ll want your clothes to stand the test of time. Also, if something is simple, you notice the small details more. An “off” fabric, color, or fit won’t fly.

2. Speaking of fit, if you can, get your clothes tailored. You’ll want the fit to be perfect, emphasizing all of your best assets and minimizing the areas you’re not as fond of. A simple blazer that’s loose on your shoulders will be very noticable, as will slacks that are too tight in the waistline.

3. Stick to natural fabrics like cotton, silk, wool etc. Basic shapes in polyester will cling in all of the wrong places and will be distracting from the overall, crisp and clean look.

4. Keep hair and makeup clean and neat-
If you’re going for a minimalist look, it’s best to keep your makeup clean and put together. Smokey bedroom eyes won’t fit with the overall look. That being said, a bright red lip with clean edges (be sure to use lipliner) will perk up your face and draw the eye to your face (see Carolyn Bessette). Wear your hair in a simple, neat style to blend in with the entire look.

5. Wear simple jewelry and accessories
While bold colors are welcome, fussy jewelry, shoes, and bags are not.

Here are some pieces to start you off…