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Story by
emilybidwell
Published on October 17, 2009 in Spotlight |
Photo by |
Grunge, the music and style movement of the Pacific Northwest in the early 1990s, was the return of dirty rock 'n' roll, which many said had died during the synth-drenched '80s. It promised a gritty antidote to music industry formulas, and to the perceived greed of the former decade.
The grunge style fuses the practical aspects of living in a rainy region (lumberjack woolens and plaid) with punk classics, like combat boots, and over the top groovy thrift store finds from the 1960s (polyester, psychedelic, Jackie-O sunglasses, mod). Tribal tattoos and facial piercings (yes, a nose ring was shocking at the time) were like underground signals among Gen Xers seeking unity against the establishment. Silver jewelry with Balinese or Celtic patterns referenced body art, and the peace symbol made its way back into our lives in response to the Gulf War. One of the great style icons of the Grunge era was Courtney Love (of the band Hole), who popularized babydoll dresses, Mary Jane shoes and women with rock guitars.
Today's Etsy Finds are inspired by Grunge's comeback at this fall's New York Fashion Week, and to Etsy sellers, who embody the indie spirit that is rooted in this style.
Looking for more Etsy Finds? Try these links:
Vintage Gift Guide | Guest Curators | Trends | Fall Fashion Guide
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| Tags | 1990s, 90s, accessories, autumn, Clothing, emilybidwell, Etsy Finds, fall fashion, Get the Look, grunge, Mod, music, October, Pacific Northwest, plaid, retro, rock n roll, Seattle, shopping, Spotlight, SPOTLIGHT, trends, Vintage, Washington |
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166 comments Login to add your own!
IcingOnTheCupcake
XPoppysWickedGardenX
Love Love Love this article!
I remember How I wished I could afford a pair of John Fluevogs! I wore mu chucks and Baggy jeans with my flannels with pride(along with pretty much any other kind of crazy outfit I could find)
Thank you for taking me back:)
norajane
SimplyInvitingCards
Wow, I owned so much stuff like this! Flannel, plaid, cords, the boots, you name it.
HarrietsHaven
I still love the music from this era! I love the flannel and boots...so comfy!
1AEON
breadandroses2
Huge fan of plaid flannel, no matter the time, moniker, culture. Great collection.
If it's fall where you are, you need these now:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?...
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?...
VintageEyeFashion
oh, the days when skin tight black leather
pants with baggy flannel shirts made sense!
Iammie
prixprix
thevintagecloset
SimpleJoysPaperie
BabbidgePatch
BeadinBabe
MyMoms
QuiltFinger
GO grunge!! Love these chic picks! Totally loving warm woolens and plaid shirts! Aaaah!
Vintage50sEyewear
JAdamsDesigns
monkeyandsquirrel
ahhh... i can't even tell you how happy i am to have flannel back!
laralewis
britishvintage
I can't believe Etsy is promoting 1990s grunge, particularly items which are claiming to be "vintage" when they don't meet your own criteria for vintage. Unbelievable!
Thepaperboat
polarity
cassidycay
StormsHandicrafts
VixVintage
2007musarra
I miss all of this! AH the cloths rocked, now we are stuck with Ann Taylor Loft. UGH!!! You hit everything that the States were. GREAT JOB!!!! I think today will be a music fest in honor of those days, watch out neighbors, I'm playing it loud.
bayousalvage
MariesVintage
Awesome picks! I must be getting old, because I find myself becoming more and more nostalgic about the 90s...sigh, the clothes, the music...
kmwatkins
SeptemberStars
FatBatShop
Vanessa
This brings me back, Emily! I recently found some of my T-shirts from high school. They were HUGE. Oversized concert t's were my go -to...
birdie1
RedFenyx
girltuesdayjewelry
kukkilintu
BizzieLizzie
Oh WOW - I don't know that I've ever been "grunge", but the clothing here is AWESOME!! That plaid band is a must have! Woah! Great, great choices!!
baconsquarefarm
thelovelythings
brownbagvintage
this may speak my age but i'm soooooo thrilled to be included in this!!
nomadcraftsetc
I was a child in the 90s grunge era, but grew up in Seattle at the middle of it! I was a second grader wearing plaid shirts and baggy jeans and greasy hair. Oh yes, I love the Grunge! I STILL dress like that and can't live with out grunge music in my life!
CreepyDolls
Isn't featuring items from the 90's against your site rules? If you can featured items that are not allowed, why can't I list them? I have a bunch of 90's clothes from my Ebay inventory that I would LOVE to list here but have not done because it is not 1989 or older- Does this give me permission to do so?
bijouxdellostregatto
blueberryshoes
StudioCherie
I love the modern takes on the era, like the arm warmers and the printed knee highs. Those white doc martens are tempting too.
LambCandy
lovahandmade
These etsy finds were perfect for today! Just watched the documentary DIY or Die last night and totally felt like bustin' out the doc martins (I still have mine, red, green, blue, black, & purple :D), turned on Pandora added Fugazi to the play list and it proceeded to play all my favs from the 90's! Oh the 90's when times were simple, record stores sold vinyl still, and no one text messaged!!
paramountvintage
RoyalPrincess
artisansagogo
LOVE the MaryJanes, all beautiul creations...
for a finishing touch add a Day of the Dead or Halloween Fascinator, take a look at my Fascinator Hair Clips
www.artisansagogo.etsy.com
Thanks!
ManicManx
I knew there was a reason to hang on to all my flannel shirts!
Hmm. Must make something out of them.....
GeeZees
love grunge...just started adding in some distressed grunge art to my work also..
always such a great look.
off to find my flannel!
HerenciaVintage
my son would be thrilled to see that mom loves a site with articles like this one!
loopyboopy
I remember the idea of grunge being anti-fashion in response to the excess of glam bands from the 80's and early 90s. It's funny how styles of an era get re-invented.
FancyPantsAndMore
Are you kidding me? 1990's is not even allowed here, per your own TOU's. This is wrong, wrong, wrong.
Doesn't matter how popular it is or how cool it looks. You should be following your own rules Etsy - if you don't, why should any seller?
seababejewelry
Aquanetta
recycledwares
LeChatCrochet
JoeTheBeard
mgfashionjewelry
So trendy! I have so many things that would go with these outfits.
BUY ONE GET ONE FREE!
FREE US SHIPPING!
GIFT BOXES!
http://www.mgfashionjewelry.etsy.com
heidiburton
Still listen to the 90's grunge a lot. Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, Nirvana, Alice in Chains, Hole.. my cassettes are falling apart haha. Only difference now is that I wash my hair. Weird that it was anti-fashion then, and is fashionable now.
dragonfly1
Love the recycled guitar picks by cattitude!!!! Great job on these. I work retail and we throw hundreds of these in the trash everyday...save the earth.
mazedasastoat
Not fair Etsy... you make the rules, you should stick to 'em.
Morado
Such adorable finds! i love
http://twitter.com/MoradoShop
http://www.facebook.com/MoradoShop
ViciousVintageFinds
1990 Vintage??????? come on ETSY ~ Follow The Rules! You make Us Sellers Follow Them Why aren't you?!?!?!?
rainbowwrangler
TeenAngster
The post is inspired by grunge style, and does not imply that vintage items from the period are featured. Please do not call out in the comments.
EdensWake
This is great! I've always loved the "Vintage Lumberjack Flannel" from BrownBagVintage, and I love that "Pleated Jumper Skirt" from missbrache. Such great finds with everything!
jenstitches
You are featuring an item that goes against your own rules on vintage, which is a slap in the face of vintage sellers who do follow your rules. Bravo.
accessoryalamode
Seems like it was just yesterday! goes so fast! I think the choices rock!
vivikas
spacejam
ModishVintage
FancyPantsAndMore
When you feature an item that states it is from the 1990's - and your rules state that vintage must be 20 years or more, that is breaking your own rules. And yet here it still is - being featured. Does that mean we can break the rules too?
Scallyrags
Awesome finds, love the plaid!
Tanks for featuring my soda stripe tank =D
hollypaints
The clothes from the grunge movement were about thrift store finds. Melding together (like the article mentions) flannel with vintage thrift from the past. No one is slapping in the face of sellers or breaking any rules. I read the article and got it. Thank you Emily for a great feature. Well done.
foofoogal
lovelygifts
FrillyButts
fastfastfast
jypsyecult
Still love grunge....Great article.....jypsye inspired to go out to a thrift store right now!
IreneBau
TheArtistsEye
Neat stuff. Did you notice that the sunglasses are the same as the ones Cobain is wearing in the painting? Different seller, though.
zombuki
Slowshirts
Ah the memories. 1992. I remember driving around Seattle with friends in my mothers high-jacked minivan listening to "the end" radio station. We were waiting for the secret location to be revealed as the where the Pearl Jam tickets were going to be given out for their huge free show at Magnusen park. Oh the days of high school.. Never would i go back!
BellyDancePrincess
funkomavintage
some of us were, uh, wearing ripped jeans, Doc Marten maryjanes, and a plaid shirt....in Seattle and Tacoma....Yesterday. (holdovers from the 90s)(classics never die)
therine
woohoo! I'm proud to be a part of this spotlight- I definitely grew up in the 90s, and love this look! thanks!
Tias
Oh, I wish i had that guitar pick when I was 16 and crazy about a guy. I gave him standard Gibson heart shaped guitar picked but he didn't get the message behind. If only it was sliver and engraved....
PluckingPendants
Awesome article, I still remember where I was when I heard about Kurt. wish I could have been included with my guitar string pendants!
poppyfox
LavenderField
photographicamy
orglamix
maijutzeler
whichgoose
mooshoopork
wristielove
i must say- that is one of the most stylish guitar straps i've ever seen!!!!
thx for the throwback emily!
vintagethisretrothat
makes me feel kinda old :P
I lived through the "grunge era"
BlueCrushBeads
DalenaVintage
I'm not ready for Doc Marten's just yet! whichgoose is right...cute but I feel so old and I'm only 27!
JesseMosher
WOW , great article !
I have to thank you for including my Kurt Cobain portrait .....I have more of him as well ....and other selections of Grunge .
Thanks so much ,I am honored , and to Kurt R.I.P.
bedouin
There's no place like home ~ fantastic and fitting picks ~ gr8 article youareconstance I am sorry print is deep, love power to the people theme
TipsyTimeMachine
I was wearing plaid jumpers, plaid skirts and army boots in the late 80's before I'd ever heard of grunge. Still love those things today, even if they are rarely a part of my daily wardrobe.
agosetti40
Ahhh I still have my flowered doc's.
I also have a plaid bib necklace in my shop.
Love the grunge
ModJess
This great article made me want to cry. What memories it brought back...In 1990, we moved to Seattle. What an incredible time it was. Guys with beautiful long hair ;-), Nirvana (love the Kurt Cobain portrait), Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains on the radio, snobby graphic designers, and riding my bike all over the city. That's the Seattle I will always remember with love. Thanks for helping to keep the memory alive.
bhangtiez
smilingbluedog
Awesome! Grunge isn't a bad thing :)
Love the photos and thanks for the flashback :)
warpedLaurie
MustLuvVintage
Love the grunge inspiration!!! I wanted to wear colored tights with Doc martens today but it was too hot!!!
I totally get the inspiration you were trying to portray in this article!!!
bourgie
Ah yes, the era when it was so uncool to wear plaid, that it thus became cool. Now, it's rather cool to wear plaid, thereby rendering the effort rather uncool. Oh, the effortless rebellion of mid-90s fashion, how you're missed.
artlab
edithandlulu
philosophi
oh yesss. maybe it was my age at the time, or maybe it was true musical and aesthetic magic - i just know that music and style has yet to touch me the way it did in the 90s!
GgaBulShop
handknittedthings
jbeaudet
This sure brings back memories. My ex husband was in a punk band at the time. I went to all his gigs for support but I'm a heavy metaler at heart!
oldworldprimitives
RubyStudios
I'm not sure what the complainers are talking about--this stuff is INSPIRED by the 90's, not FROM the 90's, right?
at2am
DancingBearsTeaHouse
Loved the guitar pics so much I bought them for stocking stuffers! Awsome idea.
FableBay
greate items! but items other than Indi can be great for teens too! check out the great items in my shop!
kittylitter13
Double bonus! I LOVE the 90s...I think I was the most obsessed Nirvana kid at my middle school and high school. It thrills me that my scarf is featured in an article all about grunge! So rad, thanks! All of these finds are bringing back wonderful memories.
SistersOfTheMoon
thebestvintage
thirtyonedesigns
lilworkerb
This kind of music has had a huge influence on my life, and my art. I am thankful every day for great music, it keeps me sane! :)
SpringColors
scarletbeautiful
"I'm not sure what the complainers are talking about--this stuff is INSPIRED by the 90's, not FROM the 90's, right?"
WRONG. Some of the items could be 5 years old TOPS
pocketsize
I can't tell you how happy I am that the '90s are making a comeback, after all these years of day-glo '80s nostalgia! Great to see this stuff, thanks Etsy.
lissilulu
Just read an article in my local newspaper about a benefit concert that the Kurt Cobain Foundation put on to pay for a teen center in his name. http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles...
RetroLane
mullishmuse
YEAH JesseMosher great portrait of Kurt!! Running the streets with the gutter punks (on Saturdays)in New Orleans, I never thought Grudge would come back into fashion; as I thought we were the only cool kids around to rock the tude. How foolish I was to think we should only claim all the rights to the revolution! Doc Martens and green fuzzy sweaters for everyone!!!!!!!
AustinModern
I forgot that it was the early 90s is when people started digging on 60s mod pieces again... neat tie-in and and THANKS for including me.
60s + 80s = 90s grunge!
Patchtique
Speaking as a Seattleite - what a stupidly cutesy article. Eddy Vedder got a haircut and there's a new light rail station at Seatac, but other than that, nothing much has changed here.
Flannel shirts over T-shirts are not BACK in fashion, they never went OUT of fashion.
vantiani
Oh yay for Docmart, Mary Jean and Plaid!
Thank you so much for this awesome article!
bainmattox
well. it happened. what was cool in high school for me is now cool for high schoolers
thewonderlandstudio
ahh...smells like high school in the early 90's. how i loved those days....
PixelWildChild
popsiclestick
This thread is so 90s - same argument - "I'm more punk than you." Love it! Great finds - forgot how many silver rings I had. Best time ever - my 20s hanging out at what became an amazing punk venue - in Des Moines, IA! Think it was our locale (halfway between everywhere else), but it was so cool to see these bands in such a small little clubhouse. Glad I did it. Glad I kept going.
MetroGypsy
RubyStudios
"I'm not sure what the complainers are talking about--this stuff is INSPIRED by the 90's, not FROM the 90's, right?"
"WRONG. Some of the items could be 5 years old TOPS"
***
But those items aren't claiming to be 'Vintage', so I still don't see the issue.
OneClayBead
I'm continuously awed by the high level of creativity in fashion on Etsy!
tootsweethandbags
fantasticbeasts
yeah, i definitely don't wear enough flannel. awesome selections!
LondonParticulars
That spiky little make-up case is great... I want one that looks like a hedgehog!
PetitPoulailler
okay. According to the Etsy TOU, "Vintage" is still 20 years or older, right?
And this article is talking about 1990's, right?
I need to brush up on my arithmetic, it seems.
Can I play this game, too, & decide which parts of the TOU I don't want to adhere to? :D
daisytoad
Although the 90's are a fave of mine, I have to agree with those who have stated the article shouldn't be include the 1990's. There is enough trouble with vintage that isn't vintage without admin encouragement!
1990's styled is one thing, but 1990's vintage is against TOU.
jenstitches
The item in question, for those who are wondering what some of us are referring to, is being RESOLD. It's not handmade. It's not supplies. And it's not vintage by Etsy's definition. Why are you still featuring an item that goes against your own rules, Etsy?
trudiedavies
vintagemaison
Great stuff - does it REALLY matter if it isn't 20 years old? My 13 year old wears this stuff with pride My 16 year old PLAYS grunge music in his band We all look back to our school days - mine were in the 60's but hey, who's counting...If you need to label stuff not 20 years old, call it late vintage, nostalgia, whatever. It is the spirit of the thing that counts.
Syssel
I must say despite of that one or two things isn't vintage, I love this article! But I se nothing wrong with taking up the 90's as a subject.
That make-up-case is just great! I bought one like it in yellow and it gets alot of attention. And I got my bag showen also! Thanks
ladyjanedesigns
yikes i can't believe that 90's are vintage now! i totally lived through this and still have some of the clothes! now they're vintage apparently. break out the doc martens!
neatothings
I sure miss the satrycon.... Like courtney, I found love there too.
luckyvintageseattle
one of the best things about the 90s grunge look was that so much of it was recycled or thrifted vintage - there are excellent picks from the 60s, 70s and 80s here that capture the ingenuity and thriftiness of those 90s grunge rockers. good job!
Marleyjanedotcom
Brings me back to the feel of the Northwest in the Ninties! Thanks!
bstrung
brocklee
This article is awesome! It makes me wanna go get a thermal undershirt and cut thumb holes in it!!
alectonyx
the plaid dress is just sooo grogeous.I like the grunge coming back,specially now that is much more polished.
FREE US & INTL SHIPPING ON SELECTED ITEMS @ my store!!!!
LadyLuLus
whiterabbitart
Great stuff!
Did a series of grunge paintings and have postcard sets on my site!
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