This Is What Cool Girls Were Wearing in July 20 Years Ago
Twenty years ago, the '90s were starting to come to a close and the aesthetic of the decade was fully formed. Sorry to be meta, but you might even say that it was peak '90s. And since that decade is such an overarching theme in 2018, we were curious to see exactly what the coolest girls were wearing in July 1998, in both the spirit of nostalgia and in hopes that we'd walk away with some fresh outfit or shopping inspiration. Sure enough, we got both.
Cool girls such as Halle Berry, Cameron Diaz, Sarah Jessica Parke and Leelee Sobieski were living in a world of slip dresses and skirts, tube tops, pouch bags, and platforms—and we're 100% here for it. The 15 photos below are providing a slew of summer outfit inspiration, so read on to see what the coolest girls were wearing exactly 20 years ago. Then, shop pieces inspired by the July 1998 looks at the end.
As Halle Berry shows here, it doesn't get more classic '90s cool girl than a spaghetti-strap tank top and a slip skirt paired with strappy sandals.
Leelee Sobieski wore a maxi dress in July 1998 that makes us see why the leopard-print trend is back with such a vengeance.
Salma Hayek wore three things that people are wearing again in 2018: lavender, pouch bags and minimal sandals.
Leave it to SJP to find the easiest-to-copy outfit of July 1998.
Related: '90s Fashion Moments: 34 Memorable Trends We Still Love Today
Saved by the Bell's Lark Voorhies proved that straight-leg jeans and a sweetheart neckline will always be a good combo.
Who wore it best—Cindy Crawford or Barbie? (Answer: Cindy Crawford.)
Michelle William's choker, strapless LBD and furry shoes make for a combination we've definitely seen repeated in the current decade.
Two observations: Jennifer Lopez clearly doesn't age, and she could undoubtedly get away with wearing this chic slip dress today.
If it's the '90s minimalist look that you love the most, look no further than Claire Danes' simple sheath dress and slingback sandals. TBH, '90s style doesn't get more timeless than this.
Cameron Diaz's tube top and low-slung trousers were a uniform for many cool girls in the late '90s.
Related: '90s Fashion Moments: 34 Memorable Trends We Still Love Today
Jennifer Aniston (and plenty of others who are in-the-know) have been wearing sheath dresses for years.
Believe it or not, everything about Jessica Biel's quintessential '90s look is back in style: oval glasses, ruched tube top, miniskirt, anklet and platform shoes included. We'll just ignore those tan lines.
Two decades ago, Christina Applegate displayed the most sophisticated way to wear the sheer trend.
Claudia Schiffer's silver cowl-neck gown is the epitome of evening dressing in 1998.
We're pretty sure we've seen Courtney Cox's exact outfit on Instagram this year.
Shop Pieces Inspired by July 1998
Related: Charlotte Definitely Wore This Big 2018 Trend on Sex and the City
Next: I tried on 50 high-street dresses IRL, and these are the ones I'd recommend.
Allyson is a senior editor for Who What Wear. She joined the company in 2014 as co-founder Katherine Power's executive assistant and over the years has written hundreds of stories for Who What Wear. Prior to her career in fashion, Allyson worked in the entertainment industry at companies such as Sony Pictures Television. Allyson is now based in Raleigh, North Carolina, and is originally from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She holds a BFA in theater. Her path to fashion may not have been linear, but based on the number of fashion magazines she collected as a child and young adult, it was meant to be.
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