Afternoons in the '90s were a special time filled with Nickelodeon shows, drinks with questionable health benefits, and probably lots of body glitter. There were plenty of things every '90s cool girl did after school, and chances are you participated in more than a few of them.Whether you were worshiping the fashion wisdom of Melissa Joan Hart or trying to kick a hacky sack like your older siblings, there was no shortage of fun activities for the pre-iPhone set.
Taking a moment to reflect on the fads and fashions from this period is always fun, and often embarrassing. Did we really wear that much neon on a daily basis? What was so appealing about bean bag stuffed animals? And no one that I know who lived through that era can pretend to be above the trends. I mean, I still have a plastic tattoo choker necklace from K-Mart lurking in the back of my jewelry box. It’s a nice testament to a simpler, but more edgy, time.
So if you covered your Trapper Keeper in glitter pen doodles and got into long debates about the merits of various boy band members, then this list is for you. You can feel nostalgic about the old fads (and perhaps a little grateful that fashion has moved on since this time). Although I’m super tempted to go buy a hacky sack right now.
1
Sipped On A Fruitopia.
Because Strawberry Passion Awareness felt like a pretty grown-up beverage, this was the most appealing drink around. At least until you were old enough for Zima.
2
Watched Some Rocko's Modern Life.
This was the most "edgy" show you could get away with, because the parental units weren't keen on letting you watch too much MTV. It was a fun watch, even if all of the jokes didn't make sense.
3
Rearranged Your Lip Smackers Collection.
Were you a tropical kiwi sort of girl, or did you prefer the spicy hit of Dr. Pepper? Whatever the case, you probably went through tubes of this stuff like water.
4
Dabbled In Body Glitter
So you weren't allowed to wear it to school, but as soon as that final bell rang, it was time to get dressed as though you were attending a rave that evening. The bigger the chunks of glitter, the better.
5
Traded Power Bead Bracelets With Your Friends.
These elasticized bracelets you bought from Clarie's most definitely made you super spiritual. Did you go for the cat's eye or the hematite?
6
Took Fashion Advice From Clarissa
Clarissa was like your cool older sister who knew how to navigate the world and look good while doing so. Often the looking good part involved a lot of neon. And maybe a printed vest.
7
Talked In A Chat Room
If you were lucky enough to have access to a computer and the Internet, you were a cool girl indeed. After waiting the ten minutes for the dial-up modem to connect, you could go in a chat room with strangers to talk about anything in the world. And you probably TyPeD LiKe ThIs.
8
Debated Boy Bands With Your Friends
The Backstreet Boys versus *NSYNC debate was real. Chances are you had a fierce loyalty to one band, which you declared with posters all over your bedroom walls. (And who knew you'd still be listening to Justin Timberlake all these years later?)
9
Tried To Out-Sing Mariah
Did you play the Butterfly album on your discman nonstop? All '90s cool girls knew the lyrics to this album and can probably still recite them today. Even if those high notes are pretty much impossible for most normal humans.
10
Watched 'Clueless' Over And Over Again
Sure, the cute story and snappy dialogue make the film worthy of a dozen viewings. But the real draw was Cher's wardrobe. I still want her computerized closet.
11
Played Hacky Sack
There were always a few mini-grunge kids at school who were obnoxiously good at keeping the tiny bean bag in the air. Everyone else had to practice in the back yard after school to maintain any skills at all. Bonus points if your hacky sack was made from hemp and had rasta colors.
12
Doodled On Your Trapped Keeper
Sure, you were ostensibly doing your homework, but perfecting that stylized S doodle on the front of your binder was so much more important. Bonus points if you sketched out your designs in Milky Pens.
13
Organized Your Beanie Babies
Whether you played with the little beasties or kept them stored away with tag protectors to safeguard your investment, you probably had at least a few of these bean bag animals. Perhaps you even had the tie-dyed Peace bear.
