Step Back Into the 90s with Drawing Lessons
Posted on October 9, 2024
CTC’s new show, Drawing Lessons, takes its audience back to Minneapolis in the 1990s. Back to Beanie Babies, Spice Girls, and Semisonic; to Titanic, furbies, and scrunchies. Let’s take a look back at all of the things that made this era so unforgettable.
Back to the 90s—What was “in”?
The Hottest Toys
- Tamagotchi Digital Pet
- Skip-It
- Furby
- Nintendo 64 Video Game Console
- Beanie Babies
- Bop It
- Easy-Bake Oven
- Tickle Me Elmo
- Polly Pockets
Iconic Fashion Trends
Sought-after clothing brands in the 90s included Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger, Donna Karan, and Ralph Lauren.
Stores like Gap and Limited Too were also popular.
Hair trends of the 90s included crimped waves, baby braids, butterfly clips, barrettes, and scrunchies.
And of course, there was “The Rachel,” a layered haircut inspired by Jennifer Aniston’s character from Friends.
Most Impactful movies
- Major blockbusters: Titanic (1997), Jurassic Park (1993), Forrest Gump (1994)
- Family movies: Home Alone (1990), Matilda (1996), The Parent Trap (1998)
- Disney Renaissance: Beauty and the Beast (1991), Aladdin (1992), The Lion King (1994), The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996), Hercules (1997), Mulan (1998)
- Teen movies: Clueless (1995), 10 Things I Hate About You (1999), The Craft (1996), She’s All That (1999)
- Romantic comedies: Pretty Woman (1990), Sleepless in Seattle (1993), You’ve Got Mail (1998)
Beloved TV
The 90s had some of the most beloved TV shows in history. It was an especially successful period for sitcoms, including iconic shows like Friends, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Full House, and Seinfeld. Other popular shows from the decade include Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The Simpsons, Boy Meets World, and Dawson’s Creek.
MEMorable music moments
Girl groups like TLC, Destiny’s Child, and The Spice Girls rose to fame, releasing timeless hits like “No Scrubs,” “Say My Name,” and “Wannabee.”
Boy bands like NSYNC and the Backstreet Boys enjoyed similar popularity with hits like “Bye Bye Bye” and “I Want It That Way.”
Pop stars like Britney Spears, Mariah Carey, and Christina Aguilera dominated the charts.
Pop Culture Moments & Trends
This period is usually remembered as a time of relative prosperity and optimism, and the rise of the internet increased communication and access to information. It’s no wonder the decade is remembered so fondly!
The 90s ushered in a new era of celebrity, with actors like Cameron Diaz, Leonardo DiCaprio, Angela Bassett, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Brad Pitt shooting to superstardom.
Supermodels like Cindy Crawford, Naomi Campbell, Linda Evangelista, and Christy Turlington also exploded in popularity.
Sources: (TheDad.com “The 15 Most Popular Toys From the ‘90s” by Jordan Stratton). (WikiHow.com “Pop Culture of the 90s” by Susan Kim and Annabelle Reyes).