Growing up, we experiment with our identity and appearance constantly, channelling a range of subcultures and buying into every fad and trend that crosses our path until we eventually find what suits us best. When I think about the photographs I've seen from my childhood, there are clearly phases and I've tried it all. Tomboy, glam, emo, chav, you name it, the subcultures came and went and whatever era you grew up in, the same would've applied. With each passing craze, you take the bits that you like and start to build your own style and own look.
At 27, I'd like to think that where I am now is a true reflection of what I like and what suits me. And reflecting on the earliest of the childhood photos, it seems I'm kind of back right where I started. Toddler Terri would always don pinafores, plaid checks, big t-shirts, frilly socks and dungarees and I'm not ashamed to say that twenty-something Terri absolutely still does all of the above. But as a regular Urban Outfitters buyer, I find myself looking for nostalgic, vintage vibes in all that I buy and recently, whilst watching TV re-runs, it became apparent just who might've been responsible for subconsciously embedding the styles I love into my current wardrobe.
I mean, one of these ladies had THE most wanted hairstyle of the 90s so it's completely understandable that these three would influence a generation. Despite being only 3 years old when Friends first hit screens, I tapped into as I grew up and like most people, still find myself watching the re-runs now. The only difference being, style savvy, adult me has a new found appreciation for the outfits that Rachel, Monica and Phoebe rocked in the earliest seasons. Every time seasons 1 - 3 are on TV, I am desperately longing to have the pinafores, the crops, the sweaters, the patterned maxis and tea dresses, the jewellery and the layering techniques that these three had.
The queen of the clashing print. Clarissa Darling, played by Melissa Joan Hart in Clarissa Explains It All was easily one of the coolest females to grace my screen growing up. I loved her bedroom, her sarcasm in each little monologue, I totally fancied her next door neighbour and wanted her hair and wardrobe all for myself. Her outfits were so outrageously 90s with big bold colours and patterns but in grungey, slouchy fits and my goodness, she loved a scrunchie. Whilst both Clarissa and Melissa's later role, Sabrina, were my youth idols, Clarissa Darling definitely had the upper hand in the style stakes.
The dry, witty, often shy Brit who kept the 3 Crane men in tow on a daily basis. Daphne Moon of Frasier fame was relatable in more ways than one but her style was made up of the prettiest patterned dresses, statement skirts teamed with cardigans and slouchy blouses all in the most graceful, flattering fits. Her layered hair, often in an up-do with effortless fringe was very much of the decade, as were her accessories.
And let's not forget the fact that quite a lot of my viewing during the 90s was in fact animated and the cartoons of the decade certainly were not without their quirky bad-ass females. Spinelli (Recess), Daria, Jane (Daria) and Debbie (The Wild Thornberries) were three that I loved and three that I think are probably now responsible for my subconscious love of boots, over-sized shirts & jackets, plaid and baggy/ripped jeans. Probably also responsible for my sarcastic, pessimistic and slightly passive aggressive nature but this was the decade of irony and girl power so I'm owning it!
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