By Candice Montenegro, Contributor
INQUIRER.net

THE VALLEY Girl look of the 80s (think mini skirt over leggings, headbands, doll shoes) is slowly dying a natural death, and if the fashion cycle is chronological, then the 90s is due for a comeback right about now.

And while some people are excited to see what fashion icons and designers plan to do with the mixture of grunge, hip-hop and Britpop style of that decade, most people seem to cringe at the thought of 90s fashion. Why don’t we look back at the key trends of that decade, and see which ones are worth bringing back and which trends are better off forgotten.

Remember baggy pants? The 90s was all about hip-hop, and jeans had to be three sizes too big — the baggier, the better. It gave a whole new definition to low-rise jeans; guys would wear them so low that their underwear would show. Yes, this gave birth to fancy printed boxers that guys would intentionally show.

Another variation of baggy pants were cargo pants. The new rule was: more pockets, much cooler. It came in a less baggy, more flared version for the ladies, but otherwise it was best worn loose.

Denim took different forms in the 90s. The early years saw the rise of denim overalls (sometimes called jumpers). Originally meant to be like long pants, overalls also came in short pants and even skirts. The straps can be worn in different ways: some people let down one or both straps so that the front and back flaps sort of hang, while others prefer unhooking just one side.

The effects of global warming were probably not as bad then, because denim head to foot was the way to go. Denim jackets, skirts and vests were all the rage. These came in different colors and with different embellishments — patches, pins, even beadwork.

“Clueless,” the movie that set the cutesy-patootsie image of the 90s, introduced baby doll dresses. Girls were going for the schoolgirl look — pastel-colored dresses with puffed sleeves and stockings became popular because of the movie. Another alternative was the skort, a skirt that had shorts underneath. It was the perfect solution for girls who were not allowed to wear short skirts.

For guys, layering was the in thing — unbuttoned polo shirt over a round neck T-shirt. Levi’s, Guess and Tommy Hilfiger were the huge brands that made this “boy next door” look famous.

Platform footwear was a much-welcomed trend, especially in this country where a lot of people are sort of vertically challenged. It was all about the chunky shoes — girls wore 5-inch high wedges and sneakers while guys donned Doc Martens and combat boots.

And of course, who would forget the arrival of the Spice Girls? With them came loud Brit fashion that definitely screamed “Girl Power!” Neon colors made a comeback, and the mid-90s had a short revival of psychedelic fashion — bootleg pants, loud prints and funky accessories. The mid-90s was also the height of navel piercing, which brought in midrib shirts that showed off the belly button.

Fast forward to 2008, and we see that the schoolgirl look is making a comeback, but the trend is now preppy chic. I’m all for bringing back the girly vibe, although I’m not so hot about the bright orange and lime green outfits. If I had to pick something that I never want to see ever again, it would have to be baggy pants. They were called “broom pants” because they were usually worn so low that the hem would practically sweep the floor. And please, no more unnecessary underwear exposure.

Do you think we’re ready for another 90s explosion?