Ah, the mid-’90s. The romanticised vision of freedom, fun and love entangled with surf & skate culture, is something that has captivated people ever since the era dawned. Even people who weren’t alive during the Mid-90s seem to yearn for it. And who can blame them? Life as an American was seemingly a lot simpler back then. All that mattered was finding the baggiest jeans within a ten-mile radius, the strongest weed within a twenty-mile radius and the best skatepark within a thirty-mile radius.
We’ll admit that our knowledge of the mid-’90s barely stretches beyond watching Kids (1995), and most of us in the office would contract a broken bone just from looking at a skateboard, but we’re not going to let that stop us from talking about it. So, here’s a quick guide to stuff we think would be suitable for running from the cops after breaking into an elementary school to treflip a 10-stair.
Pop Trading Company Poh Poh T-Shirt
Easily one of the best things about the mid-’90s style was the graphic tees. The era was an absolute goldmine for highly stylised parody & slogan graphics. If you’ve got a skate tee from the mid-’90s, you should definitely be holding it close. Anyway, Pop Trading have nailed the authenticity on this one – a tastefully designed retro graphic placed slap bang in the middle of an incredibly ’90s brown tee. There’s even side slits for added nostalgia.
Pop Trading Company Pop Crest Denim Pants
Anyone who says denim wasn’t the fabric of the mid-90s clearly doesn’t know their indy grabs from their melon grabs. Once again, Pop Trading Company have executed these to perfection. Lovely wash, wide era-accurate fit, and a nice logo tab on the back. Guaranteed to protect your behind when speed wobbles derail your hill bomb.
Obviously, we’re putting Vans in here. The Authentic is in our opinion, the quintessential Vans model (sorry Old Skool) and has barely changed since the mid-’90s. This Premium version utilises a slightly thicker midsole than the base pair, and we think it’s an incredibly nice touch.
BEAMS Plus Pullover Hoodie Sweat
Everyone knows grey hoodies were ubiquitous during the mid-’90s. Jogging around Central Park, crooked grinding one of EMB’s ledges or grabbing Chinese food in Manhattan were all activities synonymous with the humble grey hoodie. It’s an American staple, and BEAMS Plus has done a very good job of one here. Bonus points for the pre-tied drawstrings.
Pop Trading Company Dead Fish Skateboard
If you’ve not figured it out already. Yes, Pop Trading Company is our favourite skate brand. And they don’t just make nice apparel; they also make well good skateboarding hardware, like this dead fish graphic deck.
No mid-90s rig-out would be complete without some form of headwear to cover your greasy mop. We’ve chosen this cap from Dime MTL because they’re a skate brand, and we like the embroidery. That is all.
